Langkawi Day 2 Bike Ride April 10th 2012

Breakfast with Nature

Biking around Langkawi 10th

Up the lane, away from the beach and into a more rural scene of marshland and lodges on stilts. Rainbow lodge, on the left has these lodges for rent along with rooms and dormitories. A little cafe too, so a good stop for breakfast. Eating fresh fruit and salad with yogurt as nature fulfils it's obligations.  Colourful butterflies float on by whilst various types of waterfowl splash around in the marsh and the crickets are in full swing with their unique brand of music! About £2.20 for the fruit and a coffee, which is going to be fairly typical across this area according to my research.

Whats on the Menu?

It's cloudy, quite cool with dark clouds on the horizon. Continuing further along the lane, looking out for wild nature, particularly snakes. After 10 minutes or so, no snakes but a rumble of thunder and spots of rain. A hasty retreat back to Rainbow lodge to sit out the downpour. They have bikes for rent, a good day for some pedal power, quite a nice breeze and no direct sunlight keeping things cool, still it's about 30 deg c. Bike is 15 RM for the day, about £3.50 and it's best to head north towards the airport according to the staff here. Just a few roads around here, all eventually merging into the coast road that is the road to the airport.

It's flat thankfully, very rural and scenic with those mountains out to the north and wetlands ahead and mountains again to the south. Soon beside the runway, a good time to stop and rest. 1 plane at the distant terminal and that's it. A very quiet place, the only thing flying are a few butterflies and plenty of dragonflies. There's a beach here right beside the runway, empty, deserted although evidence suggests this might be weekend spot for the locals looking at the piles of plastic tables and chairs piled up.

Flying Club

Continuing towards the airport, a quick call into the flying school here, but really can't proceed beyond the gate without an appointment.  Their office is somewhere off site, on an estate towards the hills I am told, oh well. Further on, a sign pointing to the 'Field of Burnt Rice' actually looks quite normal to me. Between the airport and mountains it's an extensive patchwork of rice paddies, fields of mud but no sign of any snakes. It's a nice countryside tour though with plenty of birds and buffaloes to see, not to mention the numerous butterflies and a few mosquitoes. Starting to get hilly now, I'm turning back.

Wildlife

Back towards base, stopping to get some refreshment from the airport cafe, nice and air-conditioned. A few food stands have popped up along the road, just by that beach next to  the runway, with a few locals parked up. A nice spot actually - uncrowded beach, practically on the airport and cheap food to hand all with a cool refreshing sea breeze. further, by the rice paddies and there is one of those lizards again, this time face to face before it scoots off into a dike.

Returning the bike back to rainbow lodge and something to eat. They have a simple menu of local and western dishes. A plate of Chinese style noodles, a pancake, a coffee and later Lipton tea comes to about £3.50. Enough leg work, actually a bit too much so it's an early night to recover!