KUALA LUMPUR: Two hearing-impaired friends decided to challenge their own abilities and endurance levels by going on a 6,000km expedition to Thailand and Laos using just their “kapcai” underbone motorcycles recently.
During the trip that lasted for 20 days, Khairul Azri Zahari, 32, was riding a Honda EX5 while his counterpart, Izzuan Ahmad, 37, was on a Honda Dash.
The duo started their journey from Kuala Lumpur and made their first pit stop in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, before continuing their arduous task by crossing into Thailand and onwards to Laos.
Have wheels, will travel: Khairul Azri (left) and Izzuan used sign language and Google Translate on their mobile phones to communicate with others during their bike expedition to Thailand and Laos. — Bernama
Sharing their experience with Bernama via Whatsapp, Khairul Azri said throughout their journey, he and Izzuan used sign language to communicate with the local community but at times had to use typed messages on their handphones as well as Google Translate.
“Everywhere we went, people were friendly and never failed to offer their assistance.
“We quickly pointed out to them that we are hearing impaired and they readily accepted and offered their support and were understanding.
“What made the trip more pleasant and enjoyable was the smooth transition of transactions when crossing the borders of Thailand and Laos.
“It was smooth sailing all the way.
“The authorities were even surprised that two hearing- impaired people were travelling such a long distance from Malaysia,” said Khairul, who is from Terengganu.
He said their longest travelled distance in a day was a 12-hour ride from Hat Yai to Prachuap Khiri Khan, a 666km journey through villages and jungles.
“Though it was a tiring ride because of the heat, hilly terrain, and winding roads that became slippery at times due to rain, we were able to savour a scenic experience in both Thailand and Laos,” said Khairul, who had made several road trips to Thailand before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Izzuan from Melaka said throughout the journey, they carried an 18kg load which comprised items like cooking utensils, motorcycle parts, food, tent and mini gas stove.
Izzuan said his most memorable experience was riding through the Mae Hong Son province, situated in the north of Thailand at a height of 1,200m above sea level.
The route, which had 1,864 winding corners, was a popular destination among bikers because the area had breathtaking scenery that could make one forget all the hardships faced during the journey.
“Though we had a disability and were using smaller bikes, reaching Mae Hong Son was a personal achievement.
“It is a must-ride destination for bikers,” said Izzuan, who aspires to ride a motorcycle to Mecca in the future.
