Singapore and Melaka

Photo at Singapore airport

Photo of the Civic Reception in Melaka

Our plan from this point onwards is rather hazy - and even our first Sea Kayak crossing requires the decision of whether to make our crossing to Sumatra directly from Singapore or whether we should make the shortest crossing of the Straits of Malaka - from the town of the same name.

With Rich and Gary's arrival comes a fresh injection of energy - and we soon have discussed our options sufficiently to have decided that the route out from Singapore - involving most likely 10 days on the water and a possible 2 nights of camping in Mangrove Swamps amongst goodness knows what kind of wildlife - is not our best option.

From here we next realise that we have to arrange another transportation of the Sea Kayaks - possibly the most awkward things to lug about out of the water. It also transpires that roof racks do not seem to exist in Singapore - and further that a lorry to move the Sea Kayaks back to Melaka if arranged direct from Singapore will in all likelihood set us back somewhere in the region of 500 pounds - hmmm!! We sit back and pause for thought - this is going to be more difficult than we first thought.

However, whilst Andrew and I are busily schmoozing with the Singapore Press - Straits Times, Asia Sports TV, FHM Singapore etc - the rest of the team are busily at work making arrangements. Rich Scrivs is desperately trying to breath life back into our road weary Saracen Expedition bikes, Gary is making enquiries about the crossing from Melaka and procuring new charts, Tim is discovering talents he never knew he had as our newly appointed Logistics Co-ordinator, and Dean is making sure that our accommodation sponsors Accor Group (Novotel Apollo) are happy with the press exposure they are receiving. Somehow Tim manages to negotiate a lorry for us to get us out of Singapore before all of our bank balances dwindle beyond repair. Great we think - as we all pile in the back with the HPRTW1 and 2 - 4 bicycles and a huge mountain of High Energy Powdered Drink. Our excitement is somewhat short lived though as we soon discover that we are to be dropped some 3 kilometres short of Johor Baru - back in Malaysia. - And our only option to get there is legpower.

Sweat pours off each one of the 6 of us - all loaded beyond reasonable limits. We ferry back and forth - first the Kayaks, then the bikes and then any other stray items. We do look a sorry state as we crawl along the hard shoulder of the entrance to the Woodlands immigration post. Somehow in spite of straining backs, aching arms and gulps of monoxide laden moped fumes (by now its rush hour) - we are in surprisingly jovial mood. We encounter a most tedious 'jobsworth' immigration official who insists that we take the Kayaks separately from the bikes via the bus lane. We have to wonder why - do our Sea Kayaks really resemble Buses? As we manhandle the kayaks up the escalators and through the passport control the comedy of the situation dawns - and also we realise that we are probably scoring yet another first for Human Power - there surely can be no way that anyone has walked across the causeway from Singapore to Johor Baru (J.B. in local speak) carrying 2 Sea Kayaks on foot. It seems strangely reminiscent of our entry into Tibet when the road had been blocked by a landslide and our support equipment had to be manhandled by a team of local porters. Despite vigorous attempts by the whole team - we couldn't seem to find any porters on Singapore Island!

Tim once again pulls the stops out to find a very reasonably priced lorry to bring us back to Melaka - and before we know it we're buzzing along the expressway - all 6 of us dozing in the back of the lorry starting to think about the crossing to Sumatra.

We shouldn't have got too carried away with our progress however. Once in Melaka we are informed by the Harbour Authorities that there is no way of any Malay vessel accompanying us across the Straits. We are referred and re-referred to one after another after another offices - in a typical Asia paperchase - where no-one is prepared to take responsibility.

Andrew and I in the meanwhile decide to put the spare time to good use and make several forays out offshore to clock up some training miles. It certainly proves tiring work - our 12km run puts us out of action in severe energy deficit for well over a day. We know that come the day of the crossing we shall find out every reserve of energy to haul ourselves across - but still we don't really want a repeat of the English Channel if we can help it.

When it looks as if we are on the point of disappearing up our own .......... we are referred to one Mike Thein of a local company called 'Boat Explorer' - and without any further leads we duly trot off to visit him in his office some 6km down the coast.

His Chinese features break into a broad smile - eyes disappearing into small creases - 'You my friends are some lucky bastards'...........'Just let me call this joker'..........'So you call yourselves Team Spiritual Power?'..........'This could be very costly!' Gary, Andrew and I don't really know which way things are heading - but Mike certainly races through his phone directory making more calls than we can keep up with = his voice alternates between a booming, laughing coarse tongued English and a rare lapse into Malay.

'Anyway - you guys want to come for lunch?'.......we hop into Mike's Landcruiser and away we go. We're on a roller coaster ride around Melaka that lasts well into that evening. We seem to meet thousands of Mike's buddies around town - each and every one greeting us with genuine interest. We even find ourselves in the Town Hall talking to the head of Local Tourism about our proposed crossing - its all a bit much to comprehend. How can it be that just when it seems our challenge is teetering on the brink of its limits we chance upon such people? We pause on this thought for a few minutes - and give thanks to our continued good fortunes.

The following day we're having lunch with the Chief Minister for Melaka State - who gives the rubber stamp to our crossing - and shortly afterwards we are invited to the Annual Dinner Dance of the Melaka Club - a sports club that dates back to Colonial British Roots. Mike has taken us under his wing here - and without his help who knows what might have happened.

At the Dinner Dance we watch amazed at the scene we are a part of - a sports dinner as in England - and with the whole Public Address being conducted in English. The assembled party has a great time - the party rocks on into the early hours. Just one cringeable moment when Mike takes the stage - only to call me up to say a few words about the expedition in front of 3-400 drunken Malaysians - I just about manage to stammer a few words about how wonderful Melaka is and how great the people are before I quickly depart the bright lights of the stage - not really my scene that!'

We are living - 6 of us - in a 2 bed apartment on the sea front - The Riviera Bay Resort - perfect conditions for preparing for our crossing - and in a strange sort of way its a little like being at home - 6 of us huddled round the TV watching Notting Hill (the pictures of West London hold us spellbound) - drinking warm cups of tea with the air conditioning turned up to maximum.

We know the luxury won't last - but its glorious while it does. The crossing to our first road on Sumatra will take us 3 long days of paddling - with 3 nights aboard our support boat - a timber barge that regularly brings hardwood over from Indonesia. /the weather although hot and sunny is looking kind - calm sea conditions and gentle breezes - we keep our fingers crossed and will speak again from the other side! (Expected departure Malaysia Weds 30th Aug 05:00)

Richard