Accidental cyclist to share on 1,300km Kuching-KK trip

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Voon on her bike, passing through Brunei.

Voon on her bike, passing through Brunei.

KUCHING: Jean Voon was already looking for a taste of adventure when her friend asked if she was interested in a cycling tour that would take participants from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu (KK).

She jumped on the bandwagon immediately. The first thing on her pre-trip to-do list? Buy a bicycle.

“I went on a walking trip in Spain with my sister previously and was looking to do something similar in Sarawak,” she told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Her sister had pointed out that it was far too hot in Sarawak to walk the way they did in Spain, so Voon was ruminating over how to satisfy her need for an interesting challenge this year.

“This cycling trip came at a perfect time. Cycling can cover more ground while being slow enough to still see things along the way,” she said.

One new bike and two months later, she and her friend hit the road with the organising group from KK.

There were 14 of them in total – 12 from various cycling clubs in KK, and two cyclists from Kuching, with Voon as the only woman in the group.

She earned her nickname on the first day.

“The rider in front of me swerved off the road to avoid a dead cat. When I tried to do the same, I crashed.”

Although the feline’s demise was not her doing, Voon carried the nickname “The Cat Killer” for the rest of the 13-day ride.

She will be relating more of her experience tomorrow (Wed) at SharingMyPassion, a platform for artists, artisans, musicians, naturalists, travellers and dreamers to share their passion.

Hosted by The Museum Cafe & Shop at The Main Bazaar, it takes place every Wednesday from 5.30pm-7pm.

As one of the few women from Kuching who has cycled the 1,300km Kuching-KK route, Voon will be talking about cicak-flavoured mineral water, near-murderous drivers and warm hospitality from strangers.

She will also touch upon reactions from family and friends after she came home.

Voon encouraged anyone who enjoys adventure and cycling to attend, especially for other women who want to pursue their passions.

SharingMyPassion is always looking for people to feature on this platform.

For those who are keen, contact [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also find ‘Sharing My Passion at The Museum Cafe & Shop’ on Facebook for the latest updates.

The team who traversed the Kuching-KK route on bicycle, in front of their support vehicle.

The team who traversed the Kuching-KK route on bicycle, in front of their support vehicle.