This experience inspired him to plan another adventure – this time, cycling solo across Malaysia and Singapore.

“I’ve always loved cycling, but I wanted to push my limits: see how far I could go, how much I could endure, while experiencing Malaysia and Singapore in a way most people never do,” the 33-year-old from Kuala Lumpur told FMT Lifestyle.

Mushamir invested in a bicycle and began to plan. His goal? To make it on bike, kampung roads only, from Ampang to Gelang Patah in Johor, into Singapore, then up to Kuantan and Kota Bharu.

From there, he would head to his mum’s home in Padang Besar, Perlis, near the Thai border, and then back down to KL. What could be easier?

Little did he know this would be the start of a goal that would take eight years, through gruelling mountain ranges and rough roads, battling difficult weather conditions including floods – not to mention health issues and exhaustion.

While most cyclists would embark on a journey like this in one continuous ride, Mushamir was committed to a full-time job. This meant an unconventional approach: he would cycle for as long as he was granted leave, then travel by bus back to KL with his trusty bike in tow – and clock in for work the next day.

Then he would return, usually by bus, to the point at which he had stopped, and resume cycling from there!

Mushamir kicked off his adventure in 2017, his sights set on Singapore. Stopping in Port Dickson for the night, however, he had to endure a massive storm, and his tent was almost blown away in the wind and rain.

“Soaked to the bone, I was rescued by a kind cleaner who let me sleep in a surau. That first night alone nearly convinced me to quit,” he recalled.

Mushamir eventually reached our southern neighbour, circling the island and camping at East Coast Park for three days before heading back to KL for work. Sadly, plans to pick up where he left off were then thwarted by work commitments, the pandemic, and the untimely passing of his father.

It was only in 2023 that the intrepid cyclist managed to continue where he had left off. His journey back from Singapore would take him through various parts of peninsular Malaysia, with his longest single ride being 137.58km from Chukai to Kuala Terengganu last year.

“I learnt that despite Malaysia seeming small on a map, the country expands in unexpected ways when I’m pedalling from one corner to the next. Every kampung, every coastline, and every mountain pass contains an entire world of stories, cultures and experiences,” Mushamir said.

Along the way, he had his fair share of misadventure. Somehow, he managed to get himself trapped in the luggage compartment of a bus. Part of his route took him through floods and monsoon rains.

At one point, his shoes got stolen, and Mushamir had to cycle almost 40km in slippers before reaching the next town. Most nights were spent with him camping in his tent, or sleeping at a mosque.

The most challenging part had to be cycling through the Titiwangsa mountain range while battling a fever, flu and body aches.

Cycling alone for numerous days was also psychologically draining. At first, Mushamir would keep himself sane by talking to a small teddy bear placed on his bike. Eventually, he replaced it with a Bluetooth speaker that played music.

Despite these obstacles, Mushamir finally completed his mission on Feb 23 this year, with his final route being Tanjung Karang, Selangor to Ampang – a distance of over 100km on wheels.

“When the Ampang cityscape finally appeared, I let out a ragged laugh that turned into sweaty tears of joy. I reached for my phone and snapped a picture of the skyline, evidence that I’d truly come full circle. I arrived in Ampang, exhausted but more alive than I’d felt in years.”

In total, Mushamir spent about 33 days on his bike, covering about 2,700km: roughly the same distance as cycling from KL to Bangkok and back!

So, what’s next? Well, there’s Sabah and Sarawak to go… and beyond. Mushamir hopes to someday cycle from Bangkok to Siem Reap, and on to Laos and Vietnam.

His ultimate goal? To bike from the United Kingdom to Malaysia – all while, somehow, retaining his day job.

“I pay bills like everyone else, which means the ‘purist’ approach to cycling – where you take weeks or months off in one go – might never be feasible for me,” the marketing communications manager said in reflection.

“But as this experience has taught me, progress doesn’t need to be continuous or tidy. It can be messy, spanning years, with half-finished routes resumed whenever life allows. The key is to never lose sight of your goal.”

Follow Mushamir Mustafa on Instagram.