Le Tour de Langkawi 2019
Le Tour is organize by Human Voyage. Human Voyage (M) Sdn. Bhd is a sports event company that specializes in cycling events. The company has successfully organized the UCI MTB race in Langkawi (Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge) and has attracted many international top riders and repeat participants. Previously, Human Voyage has also been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the 20th edition of LTDL in 2015.
It's a 2 week project. Start from 1st April 2019 - 14th April 2019. Event happening on 6th April - 13th April, so 1st April to 5th April is preparation. Le Tour de Langkawi is a multiple-stage bicycle race held in Malaysia conceived by Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir, with the objective of placing Malaysia on the world sporting and tourism map. This time, I was in Media Team. Another new task, new role, new challenge. Together in our team there is Rene, Karan & Dino. Thanks to Rene for asking me to work together. We will be overseeing and coordinating the movement of the international media.
Pre event, from what I can remember; as their office is located at KL. So I asked favor from Siao Jie to stay at her room (that time she was still studying at Setapak). I stay for 3 days, then I can move into the official hotel already. We get to stay at the hotel starting from 3rd April - 6th April act as event office / race headquarters / meeting room. As this is multi-stages race, so we change hotel & travel to other state everyday.
Stage 1 - KL to Tampin [Negeri Sembilan] (6th April 2019)
Stage 2 - Senawang [Negeri Sembilan] to Melaka (7th April 2019)
Stage 3 - Muar [Johor] to Putrajaya [KL] (8th April 2019)
Stage 4 - Shah Alam [Selangor] to Genting Highlands [Pahang] (9th April 2019)
Stage 5 - Tanjung Malim [Perak] to Taiping [Perak] (10th April 2019)
Stage 6 - Bagan [Penang] to Alor Setar [Kedah] (11 April 2019)
Stage 7 - Pantai Cenang to Pantai Cenang [Langkawi] (12 April 2019)
Stage 8 - Dataran Lang to Pekan Kuah [Langkawi] (13th April 2019)
In 8 days time we have travel to 9 state (Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Putrajaya, Selangor, Pahang, Perak, Penang, Kedah). And check in different-different hotel in each stage. So this international media team, they come in batches and have different-different teams/organization. As we have limited transport can provide to them, so they have to cooperate among each other to plan their destination. Some team want to go shoot around the state, some team want to go start/finish line, some team want to stay at hotel, etc etc. Makes us to headache to arrange their movement. Besides that, they have different time zone, when we need to sleep, they need to work. When we need to work, they need to sleep. At the beginning stages it was chaotic. Sooner later, we get what they want, so we able to arrange proper plan instead of listening to their demands.
Apart from work of course we have our own time, while waiting for the riders arrival to start/finish line. Eat some local cuisine food in respective state (Penang food!). Walk and enjoy the wind at Genting Highlands. As we need to reach the finish line before the riders cross the line, we didn't follow the convoy we took highway instead. Of course when we arrive at finish line, we have special parking slot, no need to purposely find parking.
All this while, we travel state by state using Proton Saga. Even went up to Genting also the same. We were suppose to change to sponsor car but not sure what happen, there is conflict or what so ever, we didn't change the car. And also because we don't have enough car, we need to loan another car from transport team.
Travel state by state, and finally we reached stage 7 & 8 @Langkawi. Helo, Hello, 你好, नमस्ते, we meet again Langkawi, because my previous company have a lot of deep relationship in organizing event in Langkawi. It has become my 2nd home of travelling at that time. If I didn't resign from previous company, I also will be at Langkawi same timing but organize Beach Volleyball instead. Langkawi is small island, anyhow also will bump into them. What would you do in the duty free island? Shopping for sure. But there is limitation per person.
At the last stage, former Minister Youth and Sport (YB Syed Saddiq), together with former Prime Minister (YB Tun Dr. Mahathir) attended for closing ceremony. Why all former Minister? Malaysia Politic (find out the story yourself). After closing ceremony, we are finally done with all this state travelling, coordinating the international media team movement and we get to rest! We need to leave the island on the next day, and need to send the car to jetty by certain timing. If not later no car to drive back.
We have send the car according to the timing mention. Then we took ferry back to Kedah, collect our car and then drive back to Shah Alam (where the place we collected our car). Previously, I said we have to loan another car from transportation team. So we wait wait and wait. 1 car came out, where the two boys will drive that car back while we wait for the 2nd car.
We keep on waiting until all the car is out from the Roro Ferry Service, we walk in and check do they miss out any car or park at different location. We felt something is not right. Check with the key keeper, they don't have the car we mention. Then Rene check with the head of transport department, only found out, they have drove the car back.
So we were stuck, Rene want me to go back with the boys but I can't leave her alone. So I stay back and accompany her. We stay 1 night at Kedah and we will go back by flight instead. Yea we can go back without driving long distance but moral of the story communicate properly, black and white so that there is no miscommunication and incident like this to be happen next time.
To be continue 'Life As A Freelancer Part 2'
