Crossing from Thailand to Myanmar

Hi Everyone! Things going well and having a really interesting run here, so much to tell. Sorry I didn’t get the Thailand blog finished as I expected another internet session I didn’t get.

So a big THANK YOU to all the runners that ran and helped me there. Also to Narumol, Mr. Narong and Tey pulling the strings from Malaysia, I had a great time there

Hope to catch up as soon as possible.

As you can see this border only opened a few weeks ago,

Running the last 6km from Mae Sot Thailand to the border I was not very optimistic as a Dutch couple staying in my hotel said a lot of restrictions were in place and perhaps its a matter of time before I get pulled off the road thereby ending my unbroken route. I guess I have to be positive.

This is the situation I face after failing to secure my China visa, like a pawn pushed into a corner trying to figure out my next move from a weak position.

Kayin State is my first state here. A bit of a head wrecker this!

I was also a bit surprised when the immigration official referred to Myanmar as Burma. So after changing money from a money changer. Money which I may not be able to change back, Who knows I could be back in Thailand sooner than I expect, the future is uncertain. Then I tried to get a Myanmar sim and right enough the information I had gotten was correct, crazy prices. But before that I had a laugh as I went to a border mobile phone store and they sat me down while a girl went and got me a sim card. I had clearly said Myanmar sim and when I turned back on my mobile there was a welcome from the ‘ Happy Network ‘ saying  had 120 Thai Bah!! What could I do, only laugh for it was just a few euro.

Someone told me to go back to the immigration office as they have a ‘ Foreigner Only Shop ‘ nearby where I could purchase one. Well I couldn’t as they were $1,000. The officer said they had a promotion for $100 sims, only 100 and they were all snapped up. A new way to fund raise from foreign visitors I guess.

So a lot of time wasted that day. I ran on into Kayin State feeling very privileged to be running on these roads were closed to the outside world just 10 short weeks ago.

Those first few days I had expected a lot of sad, glum faces but no they are among the happiest people I have met on the run, considering  what they have been through. Some people may ask about the morality about visiting this country but I say give  democracy a chance, a relatively new still trying to find its feet democracy. Lets be honest if I am running in an area once forbidden to the outside world, that must speak volumes for the great shift towards a free world. Surely if I can run across this country unhindered then the Myanmar government deserve some praise for its efforts?

Traffic drives on the right side of the road, the first time since Argentina 11 months ago. They use the mile system also.The officer at the border told me that as this is a very mountainous area with narrow roads that a one way system is in operation, traffic in one direction one day and traffic the other direction the next. That is only in this area till I clear the mountains in a couple of days.

On the way from the border I was stopped by this procession and offered a delicious juice by a Buddhist monk.

Then I came to what looked like a checkpoint and my heart missed a beat till I discovered it was only an Import/Export control.I ran through unhindered, the run goes on.

Not really sure what it was all about. I decided to play safe that first day and stopped for shelter at a monastery. Next day at an immigration checkpoint the officers tell me the monastery is called ‘ the police monastery.

I have a rough translation explaining what I am doing on the run and had some Burmese people translate it for me into their language. In the monastery a police officer just happened to drop by and I saw the monk show him my translated letter, no questions.Here the officers made a fuss over me, they couldn’t have  been nicer even sending someone down to a cafe for tea for me when I asked if they had any coffee. Can’t believe I am running Myanmar, only short of putting my feet up on the table here they make me feel so welcome!

I had a pretty decent 52km first full day over the mountains with the one way traffic to my back. Every so often a vehicle punctured, so there was a backlog. People seem to be transporting huge cargoes of food and wares, probably for their shops in over loaded trucks and pickups.

By the end of that day, I was pretty shattered. I ran into a small town called Kaw Ka Reik and was applauded by even more immigration officers at the checkpoint to the towns entrance. They gave me refreshments  and one officer escorted me to a ‘ suggested ‘ place for me to sleep, the Kaw Ka Reik Guest House. Luckily it was only 3 euro a night, so very welcome even if the room resembled a jail cell with bars on the window, I guess so as I cant avoid passport control!

So, I filled out the register, they don’t accept photo copied documents here! Copies work so well in many countries saving me hassle pulling out my passport. Then a young lad came along, no more than a teenager and asked for my passport details again. I asked the proprietor if this man was really a cop, they nodded and laughed. And then another immigration officer called for my details! When he was gone the hotel lady said she wanted to hold onto my passport till the morning. So I told her in no uncertain terms this is all ridiculous and refused.

Instead I spent a while trying to figure out the Myanmar number system that is used on the mile markers. I did this by studying the serial numbers on banknotes, which have dual numbering.

This is mile marker 64.2, Always something to make simple running difficult!

Only the odd sign has the English script. The one below is very rare believe me. I got to get people to write my place names down on a piece of cardboard and compare, or use my camera.

This is obviously a new sign to cater for tourists as its in Kilometres and not miles.

In the morning junior cop was waiting for me outside the hotel and rode down the road slowly after me. When we got to a junction he told me he is a police officer. Its still very hot, very hot.

After running through some town I came to a bridge with police officers sitting at a table. One stopped me and said I couldn’t run on the road across the bridge they were guarding. He told me I had to get on the back of a taxi motorbike.

Impossible I said, I am running around the world, no bikes! So I pointed to a pathway and said keep your road, I’m running on the path

And I did about 500 metres across the bridge. The officer just shrugged his shoulders, the same way a bouncer would when faced with a crowd rush at a gig!

Break time

That day I managed 55km and slept in a rubber plantation forest in my bivy. Earlier I had noticed a snake on the side of the road slither back into the grass just as I had to stop due to congested traffic. My foot was very close to his still very visible tail, for some reason I had no fear. That was my second ‘ live sighting ‘  in about 3 days. Despite countless dead, steam rolled into the tarmac snakes, live snakes are still rare, about 8 on the run. Dead snakes are easily the most common road kill also.

Another tough 51km day and I am loving Myanmar. Its a bit like Indonesia, just less primitive and the people sharper, also amazingly have more respect for space despite less foreigner sightings. Also liking to Indonesia is the tight, narrow busy road. That said I have got some maulers and gawkers also and the rubbernecks that want to help cause congestion problems on the road for me.

Biker monks

Here the Buddhist monks, and there are thousands of them ride around on motor bikes and drive cars. Unlike in Thailand. I am sure we all remember the scenes on our televisions from about 6 or 7 years ago with the protesting monks.

Hi Everyone, Got my Indian visa today in Bangkok. But only a double entry as opposed to the triple entry I requested. This means I may have to rethink my route, with some more complicated planning ahead. I understand internet in Myanmar is far and between, also sim cards cost a staggering US$1,500 and roaming on other networks has not been agreed, why, I am not at liberty to speculate and will have to be on my best behavior there. Your guess is as good as mine. I thought the person that told me this was joking but many people have confirmed this to be the case, so for me communication may be remote. Not sure if Spot works there either I have no intention of making any speculative comments, as I have said … All I want to do is run and meet the nice people of Myanmar

I have also been told that more English is spoken in Myanmar than Thailand, so a plus for communication there!

So I plan to take the night bus back to my last finish spot on route 12. I should make it tomorrow, Tuesday night and cross on Wednesday. My flight is already booked for the 3rd December out of Myanmar, so that’s 28 days the duration of my visa for there. By which time I will have a better idea of the routing as there is no template for running this area. To be honest, I am giving Bangladesh a rethink and may skip Nepal, as I said I have to figure out many complicated scenarios not very obvious to the reader, through a visa minefield, that is Asia. It seems a lot more logical than the Indian route I was contemplating as its serious permit land. I am afraid it will be running to the Myanmar/Bangladesh border touching it and flying over as this land border is closed as is the Bangladesh/India border. And then once on the other side backtracking to the border and running on, missing just a minimal distance in the so called ” no mans land ”

Lets see, what happens, am optimistic!

The last few days have been a bit of a slugging out contest as I have found the heat and humidity to be a problem. I am making lots of stops and some of these are LOOOONNNNGGGGG!! stops. I just find it easier and more pleasant running in the evening, so my days and evenings have been long.

People continue to be kind towards me, yesterday I arrived at a shop which had almost nothing to eat except noodles, so I asked them to mix up the noodles and had a bag of crisps, they didn’t charge. I didn’t feel comfortable about this but they insisted. Everyday people make nice small gestures like giving me a bottle of water or a piece of fruit.

I like Thailand very much, the only down is the standard of English is very bad, few people speak it well. So Tuesday I finished with 62km and slept on a bed at a restaurant beside a petrol station. Finding places to sleep is still a bit of a problem. I made a stupid impulsive buy of a small hammock, don’t think I will use it. I was all set to run another long 60km+ when runners from the Bang Khunthaian and also the Suaeto running club jumped out of a car at km 30 and ran the last 6km to town with me where they put me up in a nice hotel. I chose a delicious American breakfast for dinner and will be ordering the same in the morning.

Thank you so much guys, it was lovely running with you, I needed an early day. So it looks like I will finish running Thailand on Monday, 263km I figure. I will then return to Bangkok for my Indian visa which I mentioned before takes 6/8 days to process.

A quick word on my upcoming country, Myanmar the 25th country of the run,

I have no intention in getting involved by way of comment on the political situation there. I just want to run the country. I applaud the country on its recent efforts to bring democracy to the country. I look forward to meeting some wonderful people in Myanmar.

Press HERE for my Myanmar route beginning on November with just a 28 day visa, so busy days ahead. When I get through I will ease back on the daily distances!

So it was a short 36k today, a day in which I clocked up my 37,000th kilometre

Total 37,027km for 849 road days. I looks like the 1,000 marathons in 1,000 road days is going to be a done deal now that I wont have bad Chinese weather to cope with. Much to my surprise I see I a couple of days ago I passed my great friend Jesper Olsens longest run distance of 36,917km. I didn’t realise this as I somehow thought it was 38,000km!

Nice to hear an Irishman won Mondays Dublin marathon, well done Sean Heiher the first Irish mens winner of the Dublin Marathon in 20 years! I will see you next year Sean! However we will be at opposite ends of the field, you wearing your race number 1 and me probably 52,000 for my likely finishing distance. In the womens race well done also to Ireland’s Maria Mc Cambridge first Irish winner since the glory days of Sonia O Sullivan You both did Ireland proud and a much needed shot in the arm for Irish athletics. Belated congrats also to Rob Heffernan who won gold in the 50km race walk in the Moscow world athletics Championships a couple of months ago.

Press HERE for very rough route through India and Nepal after Myanmar, this is only a proposed route to New Delhi

Had a nice rest in Bangkok thanks to Danny and Sooki who despite their very busy schedules still made me so welcome.

Danny, Sooki and Molly.

Due to my new route change and a ton of emails and added research part of which is explained below. Whereas this Asian plan B has always been there, fine tuning it is a time-consuming affair. Many thanks yet again to Portland, Oregon man Greg Havely for easing my work load.

Unfortunately this has put paid to my other plan, I didn’t managed to catch up on the blog as hoped, sorry. LATER>>> Just churned out 2 very long rough at the edges unedited blogs based on the texts I sent to the blog over the last month. Please check the comments regularly for updates on the run.

The plan going forward is complicated, very complicated, so the decision I have made is to leave Nirvana here in Bangkok. You see it appears the borders are closed between Myanmar/Bangladesh.  I did consider running Bangladesh for a while but as it’s a longer route and the  closed borders but paid to that idea.

Also the Myanmar/India border is reportedly  closed. Closed borders means I have to run as far as I can, touch the border post then backtrack to a city and fly over the border, returning on a bus, touch the border from the other side and start running again. It has not happened yet on the run.

Not much I can do about any no mans land. I will still be running every possible metre put in front of me. I guess I have to treat it like I did when the road ran out in Central  America at the Darien Gap jungle.

This segment has been so tough and complicated to plan. So here is that plan from Bangkok to New Delhi, 4,500 kilometres.

I figure that as my Myanmar visa is only valid for 28 days and my route there is a hefty 1,350km an what with the closed border meaning the need to back track to Mandalay, some 500 km for my afternoon flight, this effectively is only 26 days, a tall order. Also I am unsure what the roads are like there, if there will be any delays.

I just want to run across Myanmar, I have no political interest.

Lets just say there is no template for running this area. I will just have to run the hand that has been dealt to me as best as I can!

And you know what….  I am not even one little bit disappointed or missing not running China!

And they can keep  all that snow and Siberian temperatures! Danny told me it was already -20C in the Chengdu area! He said that the people here if they don’t have work just sit around for there is fruit everywhere, they just pick some fruit to eat and laze around… But in China, if you don’t work, you die.

I plan on arriving at the Thai/Myanmar border 500km away from Bangkok to cross on the 5th November. I will also have to make up the lost day to return to Bangkok for my Indian visa.

Tomorrow,Sat the 26th begins the fourth and thankfully the last year of the run! For its three years today since this great fun all began!

I restart from where I finished last Sunday at Saint Peter Thonburi School way out in a Bangkok suburb at around 9am.

Many thanks to Narumol despite being in Japan for an extended break has helped and encouraged me a lot, He has also been contacting other people to run or assist me.. Tomorrow he will have a driver pick me up at 8am to return me to the route.

From the school it is almost 500km to the Mai Sot Myanmar border crossing. I wanted to cross at Mai Sai which is a  more northern border crossing and a lesser distance across the country formerly known as Burma. However some of my research found that just past that border there are restrictions and no go areas near a place called Keng Tung.

The problem is things can change for the better or worse at any time and its very hard to get any real reliable and up to date information.

I thought it best to book my flight out of Myanmar in advance, just in case of any problems with time or access to internet, After all I am unlikely to get ahead of my tough schedule here. It will also work as a carrot. If I fall short I will just take the flight and return on another flight for a fresh 28 days VOA, visa on arrival. The only flight I could find over the border to India took about 24 hours including a 5 hour lay over in China! Not having the time to research Chinese transit visas or if I even needed one I declined, sorry lads, you had your chance Besides it was 260 euro and I only want to get over the border and remember it could even be open when I get there!

I was also worried about pushing Nirvana my cart with my gear what with a ticking clock to get out before my visa runs out before I run out. And then have to transport her on a bus back, no idea how difficult that would be, and wrap her up for the flight. As mentioned before, now that China is gone she is a bit of a burden to me. I have posted home all my serious winter gear and excess baggage. When I run with a pack my only luxury is a couple of sd cards for playing my music in my phone, gone is the ipod, no extras. There was a time when a phone was a luxury, now it is a vital tool for this run.

So I booked my flight out of Myanmar for the 3rd December back here to Bangkok, 54 euro. Danny says he will mind her for me. She is packed and taped up in a tarp. I arrive back here at 3pm and noticed there is a flight to Calcutta that same night at 11pm, so definitely doable. The trouble is Calcutta is 1,500km away from where I will finish up. That flight costs about 140 euro including Nirvana’s excess charge with Air Asia. The nearest Indian city to where I finish up at the Myanmar/Indian border is called Imphal which is marked ‘ E ‘  on my proposed route from Bangkok to New Delhi.

However the good news is that Air India have a connection from New Delhi to Imphal for about 70 euro, perfect and now I am thinking of dropping her in New Delhi and running all the way there from Bangkok with just my pack. I ran this idea by with Greg and we both reckon this will be just like my run through the Andes last winter when I ran with amy two kilo pack, no tent and only a summer sleeping bag. Now I have just a sheet bag, I regret giving that summer bag away in Timor-Leste, I should have sent it here. Over the Andes there were only a couple of scary times in Peru when I had difficulty finding places to stay, but I did and will again. Not as tough as China, that’s for sure!!

So all I need is a contact in New Delhi to mind Nirvana for a couple of months, Perhaps the Irish embassy will.  I plan to send them a mail.

If I can swing this it will be a good idea I should enter India in New Delhi. Air India have a flight from Bangkok to there for roughly the same cost as the Calcutta flight.

As mentioned in the comments I got approval for a triple entry Indian visa here in Bangkok. The only problem is it will take 6/8 working days to process, so I will have to return for that before crossing to Myanmar, a day lost there. With the triple entry I have the option of running in Nepal, what a blast, running in the Himalayas

Press HERE to view my next proposed route . Point A is my restart location at Saint Peter Thonburi School near Bangkok,

Point B is the Thai/Myanmar border crossing at Mai Sot. This border is open. Point C is Mandalay City where I have to exit Myanmar from at the end of my run across the country. If the Myanmar/Indian border at point D is open I will gladly run across and forfeit the flight! From Imphal, at point E as you can see is just a short 100km bus ride back  to the Indian border so as I can start running across the subcontinent! Yeee- Ha!

At point F in Kathmandu, Nepal, the Himalayas  I think I will surely be in Heaven! I understand Nepal is a free VOA country. They are actively encouraging tourism and scrapped their visa but I need to confirm this. I will then re-enter India and run to their great capital,New Delhi. If my ambitious plan works out I will be there by the end of January/beginning February.

Please read 2 new postings below.

Sorry folks another rapid churning out of this blog, and no time to edit, gotta go to bed!

First day in Thailand Kittipop my local contact arrives at my hotel, well McDonald’s which was the first sign I saw when I crossed over last night!. He lives in Hat Yai some 57km away. He drove over this morning to welcome me to Thailand and take my pack. He says he will cycle out later and pace me into town.

And so he did with 20k to go. With 9k to go he got off his bike and ran.With 3k to go I stopped in a 7~11 store and when I came out there was a group of about 10 Hat Yay running club members waiting for me.:-)
I am certain they took me the long way around town and reckon I did their regular training session on top of my official 57k. Still it was fun especially the stadium finish,which is their clubhouse,then we had to run a lap of their synthetic 400m running track! Now there were about 50 members. What a reception,thanks for a memorable first day in Thailand.Two delicious plates of Thai food and I am on the way back to Kittipop’s.
Captain Crap means thank you phonetically in Thai!and.

Hat Yai Running Club gave me aa wonderful welcome.

Some readers with a good memory may wonder why I am running up the west coast of the Malay Peninsula   when I said I would be running on the east coast.

So when I researched it further and I asked a contact who lived there for his opinion.

This is what he said.

”

A quick look … your route  takes you through Narathiwat, but south of Pattani, not close to Yala, and in between Songkhla & Hatyai.

It so happens the route will pass close to my house (4 km)… a place to stay if the timing suits you.

You are heading into the bad lands as you cross into Thailand until around point 136.  I don’t know what to advise you over this area … Embassy advice perhaps but I have known of folks proceeding through these areas on bicycles or in cars with nothing more than the inconvenience of being stopped at the many military check points.

Answering your previous note re XXXXXX’s answer, we’re talking Islam bandits.  Will try to find a link to give you more detail however for many years now the Thai provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Ghana have been influenced by several groups including Islamic groups in an attempt to break away from Thailand.  There are daily roadside bombings and ‘executions’ (military, police, government workers, teachers, etc., being the target).

Dogs, yes there are dogs but a stick normally makes them scatter.

I note you have chosen, whenever possible, isolated roads … good on you.  (Not true) But am not sure if this is wise or otherwise throughout the area indicated… silly question, but do you have any company with you?

I will try to make some enquirers for you and advise further.

Re the isolated roads, I am going to drive a couple of these in this area to ensure bridges are in place in a couple of areas where they weren’t about ten years ago. ”

So I decided to run the west coast, think I made a good decision there! A couple of days later I heard of a policeman being killed.

By now 36,000km have been run, then had lunch with SCG Running Club and had a lovely day despite the rain I had a nice run with them. The bossman went off and got some ointment for a cut on my leg, nice thoughtful people. Already I love Thailand I am having a great time. Thanks to Tey in KL for sorting contacts here and many others.

I have been putting in some big days since that first day in Thailand when I ran a 57. A couple of 50km days, a 55 and a lazy 41! Today I ran 61km and had huge support from local runners who joined me at about 6 different places!! many thanks to the Surat Thani running club for putting me up in a 5 star hotel!! I really enjoyed the run today, thanks to all runners!! Also on Monday I got to run with the CSG running club They are a concrete company and a couple runners were so enthused by my run that the boss gave them time off and he did support himself, still wearing his hard hat!
Also thanks to Sumpun from a few days ago for coming out to me, taking my bag some 30km forward! he couldn’t run as he had a 10km next morning. Sorry this is an express update as it’s 1.30 and I got to be up for 6am breakfast, need more time as they gave me two breakfast tickets, and then we all run again, the Surat Thani running club that is.
By the way there were over a dozen members with me tonight, 4 runners and other club members in 2 cars that drove behind us in the hard shoulder lighting up the way.
The roads are as good as in Malaysia, 4 lane divided highway with a 2/3 metre paved shoulder! I thought this whole coast was going to be hassle, but in fact its a breeze! lots of rain though as its the rainy season.

Thanks to all involved for such wonderful help and especially to Tey the ‘ Godfather of running contacts ‘ for putting this together with the help of so many, I cant even imagine how many.
Thanks to Danny in Bangkok for picking up Nirvana my cart from the Irish Embassy and thanks to Supara there also for her patience! i am going to put my head or rather my feet on the block here. I am going to make a massive effort to get to Bangkok on the 20th as that’s Sunday and I want to run with local runners  it had been looking like the 22nd An added advantage is that I can make up some of the time I need in Bangkok to get Nirvana back in action and some other chores i need done… So that’s  it, almost 60km per day for 11 days!!

A bit like the Aussie Outback but I had the wonderful help of  Michael Gillan as crew driver there! hope this wonderful local support continues!! yawn, Its bed time, thanks for stopping by.
Distance update 36,135km for 833 road days. By the way I am about 23.4 marathons ahead of the 1,000 marathons in 1,000 road days and the average now required every time I lace up my shoes is now around 36.5km!!

Thailand continues to be wonderful to run in except for the dogs

Thanks to Sir Richard Beresford-Wylie owner and inventor of my favorite gadget right now, he  sent me on a Dazer. I have zapped many ugly sharp tooted dogs. The road continues to be exceptional,perhaps the best on the whole run, divided 4 lane and my own 2 to 3 meter paved shoulder. They pave the shoulder to encourage the motorbikes off the road. There are not too many bikes and I can see them coming as I run towards them,save for the odd one zooming up from behind frightening the bejasus out of me! The signage is first class,in the Thai script as well as in English. With the Thai script I have had some problems,from laptop keypad, yes that was fun! Also finding hotels as it rarely says hotel and as in many languages there are about 5 different words for a hotel. The letters “SNOSIN” kinda stands out of the script on one so I call it a snooze in,very fitting.
thanks again to the Surat Tanei Jogging club for their wonderful hospitality and for a great 7km run out of town before all returned late to work. Friday a runner came and took my satchel for 41 of my 51km. Thank you for I never got your name. Saturday,I feel like a dead dogs eye.An untidy 54k were slugged out and thankfully I found a Snosin as I did tonight after a most enjoyable 64km.and mostly easy effort. It has not rained in a few days.But hot!

With Bryan an American living in Bangkok and his friend Danny on right.

The following Monday was a great 65km day on the road.The lovely Thai’s don’t gawk only respect my space,intelligent people.In 2 weeks I have not witnessed any littering.
I find a snooze in but as its 650m down a lane its a bit of a killer as its off my route.Tuesday off to a flyer but slow up after 30km,its hot so I stop a lot.At 58k and knowing there is no hotel for another 15k.I stop at a shop and ask to sleep under their gazebo. A man brings me across the road to a monastery.Two monks Sopan and Nopie brought me bedding to put on an outside table.They spoke of a peaceful, meditative life without women.In the morning the barefooted orange~robed Buddhist monks will walk the streets collecting food from the faithful. Next Morning I sit beside the altar while Nopie dishes me out some breakfast he has gathered from the community. The has a small rice urn and a canvas shopping bag for the generous supplies the community have given him. The two monks are smoking in the temple, they tell me this is not considered disrespectful, so long as it’s not pot or cocaine.

They have tattoos and scars from previous fights before they became monks. He tells me the monks only eat breakfast and lunch, no dinner as Buddha says it makes them lazy and they will get horny and start going to sex shops and touching women in their private places. What a character, I never know what he is going to come out with next, I thought I was hearing things when he made those last comments!

Then Nopie tells me he has been to Europe several times. He has had more girlfriends than I have it seems, even has a child from a German woman who wont let him have any kind of a relationship with the child.
Some how this is not what I expected from Buddhist Monks!

I met Gosh one of the Bangkok Running club members. He stopped his car to tell me they are planning a major escort on Sunday when I run in to Thailand’s capital. He phoned Uruphong or Uru who also says they are going to throw me a party! Some will come out on Saturday to run.Am on schedule. I think its about 275km from today’s finish, so perhaps three or four more sixties and an easy Sunday. I committed to 3pm on Sunday.
thank you everyone

I haven’t had any runners or helpers in 8 days and a few come out to run with me on Saturday, they keep coming and going, my head is in a spin, can’t keep up with names, Almost nobody speaks English. One man does his name is Uru, he was to prove to be a vital contact helping me with some of my own planning for he has a vast network of important contacts

Sunday morning there  about 20 runners turn up at the police station where I was sleeping.

The runners were told I would start at 7am, but they showed up at 5.30am all bright-eyed and bushy tailed!!!!

I enjoyed running with the runners but unfortunately they decided on a finish location way out of the city and off my route and didn’t even communicate with me or other runners about the change from the city centre. I know their hearts were in the right place however it was a bit annoying that they didn’t even communicate to tell runners that the route was changed one runner phoned me to say she was disappointed as she didn’t know,I was annoyed as now I got to return to a remote location to continue the run and find a way to get my cart there. I am annoyed also with myself for I lost control of my run for the very first time. All the time when I left the highway they kept insisting we were still running to Bangkok, all be it the greater Bangkok area. To me it looked more like running down the Cabra road and then into Glasnevin Convent, surely not Bangkok!

The party was attended by about 6 of us, a catered meal,  I was told the original place was booked out, thats why they made the route change.
You know even after explaining this several times, they still don’t get it and understand why I now got to return to that remote location and after all my hard days with 60km days to arrive on Sunday.I have been asked why I don’t restart from the city and not the remote school!!
Yes there were about 20 runners and we even got a police escort for the last 15km. The director of police for Bangkok is a runner. He told me he took the day off work to run 15km with me.

An officer drove the pickup while another dished out bottles of waster.

We stopped at a nice park with swings and slides for a break. Of course I got on the swing and as I was sitting on it fell over onto my back! The police chief rushed over, wouldn’t do to have me killed under his nose.

When we arrive at Saint Peter Thonburi School I talk and shower and after a substantial meal get a taxi and subway back to Bangkok and meet Danny a Dubliner married to Sooki his South Korean born wife. How time flies, I stayed with them for six nights getting ready for the run west. I have run 36,765km since Dublin three years ago today.

With Uru

HI. I just churned out this rough unedited posting from the comments I texted back to Ann. Sorry for the mistakes, mostly due to tapping a small keypad while trying to stay awake late at night. A big black mark in the middle of the screen doesn’t help either!

Please check comments for updates. Sorry but time has beaten me despite 5 days here in Bangkok and still no pictures.

Running out of KL was not as bad as the run in.We started where we left off on Saturday close to the twin towers the tallest towers in the world 88 floors high. Sunday I took a rest day to try and make a hole in my backlog of work but for various reasons I only got a fraction of it done. I was feeling a bit groggy for last night I was out cheering on Dublin as they scrapped a narrow one point win against Mayo in the All-Ireland Gaelic football final. I watched it in a pretty lifeless Irish pub where none of the Irish expats seemed to want to communicate, each having their own corner and all against Dublin,of course,whats new! As my American friends would say ” Dublin the new World Champions! ”  My hosts Thierry and Mauiki ran the first 15km with me as far as a Buddhist temple, the BT Temple with about 250 steep steps to the top. Also with us was Tey, a local runner who just cant do enough it seems for he was up till 1am loading over 350 Facebook photos and dozens of videos of my arrival into KL. Tey is well connected with the running scene here and says he has 2 Facebook accounts as there are almost 10,000 runners in Malaysia and you can only have 5,000 on a single account. He is going to spread the word up north to get me runners to run with and help. Tey ran 35k with me and I was delighted by my progress that day finishing with 56k I made it to a Shell petrol station in Rawa where the people there let me sleep on a couch outside the staff housing. Am afraid to say I frightened the life out of an old hunch back lady there! Next day a tired 52 to finish at an hotel in Slim River followed by a very strong 47km day.I ran some very fast K’s at the end. Another hotel,I got company for a big 57km  run to Ipoh tomorrow.

Had a great 56km day to finish in Ipoh. An early start with the mostly 4 lane still divided and a great shoulder most of the way. I ran fairly hard in the morning. Just Before Kampar Ray and Moses came out to run with me most of the 15km till Gopeng. It is always nice having local runners. They are both business students and graduate in May. The Kuala Lumpur marathon is on this Sunday, start time 5am, yes 5am!
Today was really hot and humid,so we made lots of short stops, funny it seems to be heating up the more I run away from the equator! In the afternoon I ran on by myself, a bit ragged by the oppressive heat, till I got my second legs. I was met by Foo Wu Chuan about 7km before the town of Ipoh. Chuan will be my host tonight. And as it was going to lash rain we ran really hard through the drizzle for about an hour till we got to his house. I have just spent a very pleasant evening with Chuang, his father and mother Choon and Leng. They are Buddhists of Chinese descent, several generations back, yet they tell me they speak Chinese more fluently than Malay. Interesting one that, even though they have lived here all their lives. Leng cooked a delicious dinner of cabbage with garlic, pork, rice and omelette. I still have not mastered chop sticks but am trying! Thanks to everyone pulling for me, all the runners making calls on my behalf, very much appreciated. 35,469km for 820 road days is my distance from memory, need to check logbook. It’s about 1,300km to Bangkok where Nirvana, my cart is waiting for me. I will need her for China. From Bangkok it,s roughly 1,000km to the Chinese border.
Malaysia is my 23rd country of the run. My current shoes are my 39th pair or a little over 900km per pair, cant think of anything else. Thanks again to to tonight’s hosts the Foo family.

Had a great day today Friday. Exactly 50km from Ipoh to Kuala Kangsar,a small kinda neat and well maintained town of about 20,000. Most restaurants in Malaysia unlike Indonesia are smoke free. The people smoke less here,nobody in my face. My dying memory of Indonesia will be my final breakfast where 10 men sat down around my large table,and none of the 9 smokers asked if I minded,actually not one person in 3 months.
Thanks to Chun I got off to a good thumping start as he ran me the first 6k as far as Ipoh’s city limits. Another 4k and I had to make a McD stop:-)
Tey,KC and others were working on a place for me tonight. Wonderful people but so many calls and texts I sometimes got to turn my phone off and answer them on my breaks.
After a rain shelter once again I was motoring on all 4 cylinders  Ah! Yes I am enjoying my release from the shackles of dangerous traffic and being able to hammer out a few fast km’s. My renewed speed came back mysteriously 3 days ago. I don’t want to sound corny but after a long lay off for various reasons from Michael Gillan’s recovery techniques I started doing them again 3 days ago! Michael says he will email a manual free of charge to anyone interested. These techniques served me so well setting a trans-Australia record when he crewed for me so well. You should be able to dig out his email in the Mar,Apr,May blog. So onto the finish and a 50k with hours of daylight,a rarity for me!

My host tonight is Anna who works in a studio above the Avon Cosmetics business. She letting me stay there. The studio is owned by Mdm. Ang Soh Kim.

Coward that I am I boiled up hot water for my scoop shower.  Anna of Chinese origin told me to go downstairs at 8pm for dinner.So after a nice call home-a 17min landline call costs just €1.
Well,thinking I am going to her apartment I am embarrassed when she takes me shopping for my breakfast and then out to dinner and I didn’t have a penny in my pocket as I just thought I was going downstairs! I couldn’t walk either as I was wearing my shower shoes which are hardly any more than insoles with a bit of material sown on for support,incredibly lightweight and easy to pack. A delicious meal but I was only disappointed I could not treat her and her friend Mdm.  Ang Soh Kim to dinner.

A bit of a sluggish start got me out of Kuala Kansgor. A big hitting 60km day with a late finish.just as I was picking up the pace a runner called NG Bak Klong texted me to say I could stay in his brother in laws place that night as the local running club NTCRC wanted to join me on the road next morning. Ong and Ng drove out to greet me into Parit Buntar,a neat looking place.
Out on the road with the club next morning at 7am no sooner did we start when a torrential,soaked to the skin we had a lovely 14km run on the highway to a small village where the club lad laid on a delicious brunch in a warung. I did an interview for a local Chinese language paper.
The north of Malaysia is more heavily populated by the Chinese. It is said that the Malaysians may control government but the Chinese the economy.
Arriving in Perai with another 50km behind me Jerry a local runner texted me to find me. After serious hassle he eventually tracks me down and I spend a pleasant night in his home. He tells me he works 6 days a week in a hardware store from 10am to 10pm. Later I realize he had to get off work to help me out. Tey back in Kuala Lumpar, master of contacts is co coordinating all this. I learn Jerry’s work place is in Kapala Batas 20km up the road on my route and ask him to take it there and I would pick it up when I run through. In my haste I forgot to take the Spot out and only realize it when I am about to restart, so there was no tracking that morning. I am barely up the road after having lunch in KFC with Jerry when Chan Kong Tiong pulls up. Chan is his family name which the Chinese put first. Kong Tiong a runner himself who doesn’t let running get in the way of having a cigarette, he told me when he broken his marathon personal best he had a couple of smokes in the race! He took time off work to crew for me today and Tomorrow.these last few days the weather has cooled off but lots of rain showers.
A few people have told me that the people are not happy with the government and its the same government since the founding of the state 50 years ago. The people cant get rid of them as they literally buy their way into power when there is an election. $50 is what I have hears from 2 different people. I am told politicians go around with suitcases of $50 bills handing them out to poor people who will vote foe them on the spot. Cant help wondering what the international community is doing..no election scrutinizing. Hong Tiong looked after me well that day with a 49km finish about 11k past Sungei Petani. I stayed in his home that night and next day we returned to my finishing location. A nice steady days running took me to the clock tower in Alor Star and another 50 under my shoes. KT came out to help crew. Thanks lads for a great time! In Alor Star we had dinner with Eugene who will crew me to the Thailand border on Thursday. We on Ireland know the name Eugene is a typical Irish name bur I am told its a typical Chinese name!
Eugene also paid for my hotel here. Am having terrible trouble getting people to take any cash from me,such generous people. Total 35,725km for 825 road days \ 846.7 marathons
Many thanks to so many people so numerous to mention all making it a great ” Ole Malay! ” Special thanks to Tey,Hong Tiong and Eugene.. All others you know who you are please take a bow.

In the past I got run out of towns,Now I get run out of countries,Singapore and now Malaysia! Eugene,Calvin and Andy took turns driving and running the last 48km of Malaysia.We were heading to the Thailand border at Sonoa. Three of their friends join in later.It was a tough but happy day,new horizons even a bit sad to be leaving Malaysia.
malaysia has 9 provinces,each has a sultan.The provinces take it in turns to be king of Malaysia for a 5 year term,that is after a 45 year wait. Andy who is well connected with the royals got a good luck message from the princess for me!
I was delighted when Eugene told me my research,stats and opinions I have gleaned from people are accurate in this blog.
Just to make sure I left Eugene and Calvin went over the border with me helping me find a Thai sim and a hotel. This border town is pretty seedy,a red light district with cheap booze. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Malaysia. Many Muslim men end up here but as the border closes at midnight they got to get a hotel.

Well the news from here is I have been refused my China visa. There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes, a lot of people like Tey passing on contacts to friends in China who kindly issued invite letters. Also thanks to certain other very helpful people who I know would rather not be mentioned here. I say refused, not really they never say no, just give the run around and ask people who are running across their wonderful country to provide an accommodation confirmation slip for each night of the run!

So you see this is the way of refusing a visa without actually saying no. Last week I read an article where the USA and China have bilateral tourist visa agreements. While the US was abiding by the agreement the Chinese have to be constantly reminded of their part of the agreement for they were reneging on it.

I rarely use the word ‘impossible’ but some things are because even a millionaire would not be able to book places online,  besides many westerners I have met on the run have told me they are often refused accommodation in hotels.  I have been told the hotels have to register them, so they just would rather do without the business.

It was very complicated even if I was successful as they have tightened up a lot in China, issuing mostly 30 day visas so I would have to leave and come back after say 27 so as not to overstay as I would need travel time in and out. Foreigners are not allowed to use GPS devices, including my Spot. They are also forbidden to drive their own vehicles without a guide costing around $10,000/$20,000 for a car crossing.

Motorcyclists that want to cross wait till they have a large group and split the cost.

In the Australian Outback a German woman gave me a book by an Australian ABC radio presenter who drove from Sydney to Paris. I had been joking to my support driver there, Michael Gillan that he could get his car on a ferry to Indonesia and crew me from there through South East Asia and across China. (Bet he is delighted he didn’t after reading the Indo blog!)

Well he never refused, we joked that shopping in China would be easy, just a 50kg bag of rice and some tea, for Michael usually never got enough supplies!

Then we read the book and that was the end of that conversation. The book was called ‘ From Here To There ‘

Michael if you are reading this what was that guys name? He actually drove it with his teenage son whose music drove him nuts in the car all the way across Asia!

I was also informed that there would be areas I would need ‘special permits ‘ for and there was still a big danger they would pull me off the road as the Chinese authorities are a pretty humorless bunch. After there it was more visa hassle with Kazakhstan and then Russia.

Some of the readers to the blog may remember Alexander the Swiss skater I met several times in Patagonia this time last year. Well we discussed this and his reply was…

” I wont go to those countries, after all you wouldn’t beg an old girlfriend to have you back if she didn’t want to be with you, would you!? ”

Well I have done that, but never again!

So the new route, plan B ready to go at the drop of a hat and yet there are many that say I don’t prepare and would surely die in Australia. Yes I had a chuckle there when I touched the ocean in Darwin with a record crossing time across Australia, south to north.

The new route will be Thailand to Myanmar formerly known as Burma. I got my Myanmar 28 day visa today in only 5 hours. Many people like my great friend and seasoned world traveler Greg Havely knows of the difficulties of previously visiting Burma as it was then, almost entirely closed off to the west except for a 7 day stopover which could be had in the capital Rangoon with special almost impossible to get permits need for other travel.

Well he will tell you himself as I asked him to help me with this Plan B over a year ago… It gradually bit by bit it got easier because when we started discussing it, it was still not possible to cross from Thailand to Myanmar but there was a 28 day VOA, Visa On Arrival at a couple of airports. So the best option was to run to the border double back to Bangkok fly to Yangon and return to the same border but on the Myanmar side missing just a small piece of the route in a so called ‘no mans land’  which would be the first land gap on the run. Then I heard of a border town that allowed 4 hour day trips from Thailand and considered taking it to finish a day at some marker to finish that day and then returning to that same spot in the Myanmar village after a VOA flight there for at that time there was no VOA at the land borders.

To digress I had considered making a so called ‘visa run ‘ to that Myanmar day border crossing as the Thai land border crossing are only 15 day visas (30  days at airports) So that’s why I got the 60 day visa at the Thai embassy in Singapore. I ran by that village used for the day trips and visa runs  last week.

15 days would not have been enough time or me to get to Bangkok to make that visa run to get the extra month I require.

To be honest it is unclear about any remaining restrictive areas, I could be pulled off the road, but all I can do is live in hope as there is no template here. Today at the embassy there was a sign listing 4 new opened Thai/Myanmar border crossings, so you see, there is so much to keep up in an ever changing and bureaucratic world. That’s why I asked Greg to help me with this plan B last year, thanks Greg, Great work.

I could add a lot more now.. Lets just say it was suggested we approach a certain International Organisation for help. But I declined as I didn’t want to be seen to be jumping on the bandwagon.. Readers would be astonished by that one, we gotta keep a bit of interest for the book!

No I am not talking about the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, they let me down, Ah yes, great Irish support!

From Myanmar to India. I am in the process of applying for the Indian visa now, perhaps this posting is a little premature. It would be smarter to wait till I had my visa in hand but I would not expect this one to be refused although it is much to my surprise no piece of cake and some very strange questions were asked on the form.

From India to Pakistan. This visa is possible but is necessary to apply in ones own country, so a bit of hassle there. It may be possible to courier my passport to a visa agent in Dublin and perhaps get the Iranian one also at the same time. Next up will be Turkey, a country with aspirations to join the European Union and we still need a visa but not a worry just a surprise.

This means that my eastern European route will change radically as I wont be running into Europe from Russia to the Ukraine as planned.

Press HERE for my most likely new route from Bangkok to Calais,France. From there I plan to cross on the ferry to Dover,England run to Scotland, ferry to Northern Ireland and then a little tour around Ireland

To be honest I could probably do the rest of the run as I have been with a small backpack as its going to be chilly and nothing like the cold Siberian winter I was facing. And closer villages and towns.

So now I got all my cold weather clothes,sleeping bag etc and don’t really need them! Ah yes, always a problem.

Many thanks to my great hosts here Danny and Sookie, his South Korean wife for their wonderful hospitality an helping me with the Indian online visa application as I made a mess of it.

Also to Danny’s personal assistant a very helpful woman called Cake who made many phone calls, printed my print outs and translated my addresses into the Thai script for the taxi drivers to read

Hi everyone, Yes it’s about time I made a new posting or even a quick update.Things as always so, so hectic.

Today Saturday I had a lovely run, all 48km of it with the Samutsongkham Running Club who ran with me for about 24km, Thanks to Mr Narong and all the runners and crew. Then later Uru came by to crew for me. We couldn’t find an hotel on my arrival in this small town.So Uru stopped at the police station to ask and the nice policeman, Mr U Thong Nokyim offered me a bed and hospitality for the night.I type this on the police computer. Thanks lads!

Tomorrow I plan to start running at 7am with the Samutsakorn Running club for the final 34km to Bangkok. They will be calling to the police station.

It has been a tough run these last 10 days or so. I mentioned before in the comments that I had to run an average of 60km a day for about 10 days to get here tomorrow and have the weekend running with the runners that have treated me so well. Also a party is planned, so really I had to run hard to arrive at the weekend and not Tues or Wed when everyone is working. Thanks to everyone that has helped me.It was a bit runner lonely last week, but am back in the company I love.

Yesterday, 65km run, Thursday 60k. Today after the runners departed it all caught up with me, the fatigue that is! I look forward to the run tomorrow, short as it is, always nice running with new runners.

In Bangkok I will be the guest of fellow Dubliner, Danny Corrigan of the Irish Chamber of Commerce. Danny has kindly picked up my six packages from the Irish Embassy. Thanks there to Supara for your patience as the first one was sent last Christmas.

It will take me a couple of days to sort ‘ Nirvana ‘ my Chariot Carrier cart which I will use to push my winter gear as I run through China. I have other stuff to get sorted here, so it will be a delay/rest of sorts. Thanks again Danny for the bed and use of your office and other help, phone calls on my behalf. I tell you if the readers only knew the effort that goes into keeping this run on the road without a support crew! Many thanks also to Greg Havely for checking and rechecking research I have done over the years but now don’t have the time to keep my Plan B and Plan C as viable alternates with the latest information. He must wonder and scratch his head sometimes when I ask him to check the daylight hours between March and June for Kazakhstan! Do people still transport cars from one city to another on trucks because the roads are so bad, is there a risk of flooding and mud from the winter snow melt there causing all kinds of problems for Nirvana, Ah yes, the lads that went through there on their big bikes and support crew had it so easy!Funny enough I am not too concerned about Kazakhstan, to me China will be the last big challenge of the run, a challenge I am up to. I kinda view Kaz as a bit like Patagonia

I hope I can do a major blog update from Bangkok. I should be able to do more anyway now that I will have my laptop back.

Sorry to the German reader who posted his concern re: my lack of updates. As I have said before,I never know who is reading the blog till I hear from you, thanks for your support in Germany, I hope to be passing through there in Aug/September next,

Yes this time next year I will be nearly finished, and am planning a 800/900km run around Ireland. That is the dream route and should take the total up to 51,800km. I can get a finish without the tour of Ireland and less in the UK with 50,500km but am not thinking of that, I am dreaming big!

Today when I was out with the runners I was thinking it would be nice if some of my own MSB club members or any other runner in Ireland could join in for as little or as much running as they wanted as I run through Ireland.

So that is almost exactly 15,000km in 12 months or 41km per day, really a marathon as I need to do a bit more to keep ahead of any unforeseen delays.

So as I approach China, just a little over a 1,000km away I have my own plan, 3 years of the run completed, I plan on running 5,000km for each 4 month period, I just checked the records for the last 4 months and it reads around 5,100km for that period, with some delays also poor days in Indonesia, not bad I say.

Finally best wishes to all Dublin City marathon runners running next weekend.

I waited 3 years to say this…

See you all next year, I am confident, nothings going to stop me now, that’s for sure!

Thanks for your support!

Total distance run is 36,727km for 843 road days.

Please periodically check back on this blog posting comments for texted updates..

First road day in Malaysia was a joy even if I had difficulty getting out of the built up Johor Bahru area of the deep south with its tangle of highways.After about 20.km it straightened out and I had a wide shoulder on a busy 6 lane divided highway. Not a single honk,gawk or attempt to run me off the road..Heaven  First impressions excite me, I could be in many places in Europe. Malaysia population -  just over 29 million.

61 percent of the country practise Islam. 19 percent of the country practises Buddhisim
The people are smart and futuristic.

Most popular sport in Malaysia is soccer , followed by badminton and hockey.  Running in Malaysia is also very popular as I will soon find out as many of the local runners are gathering to give me the great ‘ helping hand ‘ as I call it on my way north to Thailand.

 The hotels have hot showers,no bugs and are clean. No penny pinching as they usually include towels, soap, drinking water, toilet roll, functioning toilets and have mirrors. Yes I can remember women in Mexico and other central American hotels cutting small hotel size bars of soap in two and spending ages wrapping about ten sheets of toilet roll on pieces of cardboard for each room. They usually sat in the hotel reception doing this as they watched television!
34k for that first day, a slow start.

That night I stayed in the Impress Hotel in Sinai and ate a delicious stir fry dinner with 2 teas all this for just €12.
Of course this could go belly up in a few days but a great first impression.
Malaysia is an Islamic country with a great multi racial mix. The Chinese are very prominent. English is widely understood.

Malaysia continues to impress. I am almost a week here and after a three month torment on and off the road I am delighted by the place,as excited as a young lad smitten with a new girlfriend! The fun is back in the running,very much so:-)
Malaysia is working hard towards its goal to achieve developed world status by year 2020. Good luck I say as from what I have observed in these early days is quite impressive. No idiot driving,or people carrying factory gates,sheets of plywood on scooters with precarious attachments to their bikes. I actually see people taking driving lessons,others with learner signs and courtesy on the road.Ah! Yes the British influence,same with Singapore.
General signs are often in English,I guess to get people using the words more.There is also a huge Chinese community here and I often hear English words and phrases used between them.
2016 is the year when it will be compulsory for students to pass English in their exams.
Malaysian right-wing activist Ibrahim Ali president of Perkasa s group that champions Malay supremacy concedes that while the Bahasa Malay language must not be compromised as the main language and agrees with the governments policy of the advancement of English as its the real world language and ‘the language of knowledge.

Running on through tropical forests of rubber trees where farmers had had slit the tree bark with machetes to collect the white rubber gung as it drips into a can wired to the tree.
That day 54k and my 35,000km of the run I made it to a warung where the 2 young lads played music till 1am. Well it was Malaysias 50th anniversary. Malaysia became a country in 1963 gaining its independence from the UK.
Next day it rained heavily,so a long shelter and thanks to 3 lads who bought me lunch,48k on route 24 towards Maur. Because I took a bypass Taking me away from the city I was stuck for a place to stay till I came to a building site which had a freshly tiled floor. I put some cardboard down but didn’t sleep too well as Malay mosquitoe repellent ain’t as good as Indonesian. As always, exhausted from hours lying awake  I eventually fell asleep. Another short sleep, I will pay for it on the road tomorrow. And so I did pay for it as every one of that days 45km was tough for it was also hot with little water en route,so I had to hussle some water a couple of times from parked drivers.
Places are more spread out here than in Indonesia. I made it to an hotel just before Melaka. Ah! Yes I am due a comfy bed and a hot shower.
A very late start next morning because I could hear the rain pounding down outside, so it was easy to take a long snooze!
Eventually the sun broke through my sleep and I was off and running again, Well at least the 4km as far as Melaka till I came to Domino Pizza who were advertising a lunch time special. A quick check of my watch 12.08pm Yes! Just started. So a satisfied belly ran out of Melaka onto a delightful 4 lane divided highway with my own almost 3 meter shoulder, can it get any better than this I ask, Ah yes! I love running here,
Eventually I found my rhythm pushing on and on full of energy, not wanting to stop till I got about 2km before Rembau where I had a very pleasant experience at the Hotel Rembau. The very friendly owner fussed over me like I was a rare customer. Firstly this nice clean hotel at about 6 euro was almost half the price of the previous cheapest hotel. Only complaint was the shower was cold. He had a shop so I was able to buy satchels of tea and coffee also pot noodles, biscuits, crisps and chocolate, so that was dinner and breakfast sorted as he had a hot water machine for my beverages. He brought me to a separate building where these economy rooms were, just a mattress on the floor, no big deal. He then started pulling a second mattress up off the floor just to make room for my bike! As he said.
No bike mister, I am running around the world! I am so used to places not being cleaned out properly or neglected just because they are economy. So nice to meet a decent person like this, not a capitalist who upon learning of my mission he then brought me in a cable box for the satellite channels on the television, no worries, not going to watch it! He then left me larger spoons for my beverages and told me he respected what I was doing and offered me another night complimentary, which I declined. A magnificent 57km that day after such a late start, wish every day was this good, Funny how I assumed before the run even began that I would have my run finished every day around lunchtime and I would be spending my afternoons in Internet cafes!  Couldn’t have been further from the truth those days back in Ireland when running was all so easy and I day dreamt and day dreamt of life on the road.

Then another splendid 52km day from the hotel to Beranang. This days running was made easy by an early 6.20am start, out of the traps like a hungry rabbit I ran non stop for 4 and a half hours, a rarity for me, my rapid progress slowed down once I stopped in Seramban, a sprawling small city. I stopped for lunch then went down the road to an eye watering bakery and purchased a box of their delicious pastries, so it was a rare backtrack on the run, hate going backwards, but this time it was to the restaurant for coffee to wash down my goodies!
Eventually it was time to run on but the heart was knocked out of me when I seemed to have taken a wrong turn in a poorly marked construction zone and ran an almost complete circle around the city, an estimated 10km extra, so only 52km recorded for that days 62km effort
Also another time killing Internet stop.

When I don’t finish in a town with an hotel it seems to be more difficult to find a place to stay than in Indonesia, I guess the more affluent Malaysians just don’t get it when I offer them a few dollars for a place to sleep. The lady that served me dinner in the warung in Beranang told me there was no hotel in their very small town and the next was just a little to far for me that day. Not true for next morning I ran by a motel just 6 kilometers away in Semenyih. So I just explained again what I was doing, showing her and a few patrons one of my Google translated home made Malaysian business cards.
One of the local lads, a truck driver  called Ahmad Nazmi checked out this website on his iPhone and offered me a place for the night. So before jumping into his truck to go to his house about 3km away I touched the door post of the warung for I will restart my run to the Malaysian capital from here in the morning.
Ahmad Nazmi shared a house with his twin brother who has an almost identical and confusing name for me, but not for anyone else it seemed for his twins name is Ahmad Nazim. Also present was their friend Zulpadli. Very respectfully the lads let me sort my gear in my pack and no mauling of my equipment as in Indonesia.
I had a really nice sleep on a floor mat and treated the twins to breakfast next morning.

I had a wonderful time on my run into Kuala Lumpar or KL as the Malaysian capital is often known as. A Frenchman called Thierry and Miyuki his Japanese wife who first contacted me a year ago when I was in Argentina just happened to be in KL now. They are both runners and are traveling permanently in their retirement. So thankfully they contacted me and joined me on the road for the last 27km of my 40km run into the city. They have rented an apartment and took me back for the night. We were joined on the road by some local runners. One of them Allan who recently ran the tough French mountain race UTMB or Ultra Trail Mont Blanc. Allan so used to running with a heavy pack was soon recruited to run with my pack

Other runners Jeff, Tey and Cally also members of the local running club F.R.I.M came out to greet us on the side of the motorway but as they had their vehicles with them unfortunately couldn’t run with us. We ran about 15km on the motorway without any problems with the police. Sometimes the shoulder was a bit tight so Allan ran on ahead waving the drivers to move out to make room for us! As always the so respectful drivers didn’t complain, honk or get angry unlike a certain other country whose drivers reminded me of a certain Jim Carey movie the more I ran there!
I have decided to take up Thierry and Miyuki’s kind offer of a rest day today Sunday. Thierry’s website is http://www.runningwithoutborders.com . We plan to start running north out of the city at 7am on Monday and hope more runners can join us. The FRIM running club, especially Tey are helping me find runners and contacts on my route towards the Thai border which is about 12 days away. Last night we all went out for a delicious dinner. Tey and Cally shot several videos including an interview which are already on YouTube. I plan to post them on this website soon… Thank you so much to everyone here for making my run into KL so,so memorable.

Total distance run in 816 road days is 35,255km. I am approx 20 marathons ahead of my bid to run 1,000 marathons in 1,000 road days.

Had a nice three day rest in Singapore, such a clean city very strict on littering. I am sure we have all heard of the no spitting rule and as a result with stiff penalties it is by and large observed. For locals to be charged with this or littering it would be a case of social stigma. Well done Singapore!

A couple of times I wanted to clear my throat but didn’t as I don’t want to be accused of being a hypocrite!

I did see some litter, drink bottles and wrappers left behind at bus shelter seats and picnic areas and was told that was perhaps the result of foreign immigrants which the government brings in here for it’s many construction projects. They use a huge amount of cheap labour for the trade unions are very weak here.

Singapore 50 years ago was just a small wasteland, an island at the end of the Asian peninsula. Now it’s a major world financial and business district with a population of around 4.5 million.

Most of the island is chopper blocked by high rise buildings. Low taxation on wages but very high on spending tax, for example a family car can cost $US 70,000 or about three times what it costs in expensive Ireland. If you want good services and want to live in the first world you got to pay for it.

My host Lyndon a runner himself decided to run me as far as the Malaysian border and in doing so became the first man to run an entire country with me, all 31km of it

Thanks Lyndon I enjoyed the company and wonder when I will have another runner to run with me. I hope I will not have to wait till I get to Europe! We made a couple of coffee stops for I was a bit rusty after my break. I have noticed that more than one day off the road that the rest is not totally beneficial.

I could have taken a ferry from Indonesia to Malaysia and totally skipped the lower end of this peninsula but really wanted to start the Asian mainland from Singapore, you see nobody has ever gone from Singapore to Europe by foot, so it will be nice to be the first!

An indication of how strict the Singaporean authorities are is that I saw signs just before the border with Malaysia saying that all Singapore vehicles must top up their petrol tanks three quarters full or face a S$500 fine, for the petrol is much cheaper in Malaysia than massively taxed Singapore. Many people work in Singapore, get the huge wages there and commute to the Malaysian border city of Johor Bahru where they can live in comfort for cheaper. As a result the cost of living in Johor Bahru I am told is more expensive than in other Malaysian cities.

After Lyndon left me I had a bit of a scare as I was told I could not run across the bridge as it was too dangerous. After an intensive plea to the official I was very fortunate that he let me take the motorcycle lane which was closed off from the main road. I was told I could run that way at my own risk. The motorcycle lane was narrow, windy and very busy. Perhaps these particular work commuters prefer to travel by bike, being the best way to make this commute practical  for there were long,long lines of cars which was surely time consuming. The motorcycle lane was really busy, narrow and windy, it was very dangerous but I made it. It was about 2km to the immigration office. I climbed over the barrier into the car lane and was escorted by a surprised immigration officer into the immigration building. Not used to seeing pedestrians he kindly showed me the way and in doing so we went in an elevator to the second floor. Then I realised I had broken my trail, is an elevator against the rules? Not really sure even though I was ascending and not going forward. I just explained and returned to the ground floor climbing the two flights of stairs!

I crossed into Malaysia. First impression, I am back in civilisation after Indonesia! And in this border city the drivers are very respectful. Same in Singapore as I just couldn’t get used to leisurely drivers not wanting to run me over at pedestrian crossings! Ah Yes, when the law is enforced

Let’s see what the rest of Malaysia is like.

In Singapore I did a lot of late night work on Lyndon’s computer and as a result got very little sleep. Sleep is important for me as the muscle and tendon beatings I get on the road are best repaired by sleep.

The runners best repairing is done during sleep. I was extremely tired on the road today and decided to find a hotel in Johor Bahru and take a rest day Friday, and sleep I did, a glorious 20 hour sleep getting up once for the bathroom.