Sometimes a journey goes wrong in all the right ways. That was what happened to a Singaporean cyclist who crossed into Johor expecting a simple, peaceful ride.
Instead, his bike broke down twice, daylight slipped away and his plans fell apart completely. But in the middle of that chaos, he found something far more valuable than a smooth trip, which was the unexpected warmth of a small Malaysian kampung.
A Singaporean cyclist, Joel Liu In Jae, shared on Instagram that what began as a chill cycling adventure quickly turned into a test of luck, patience and survival. Thankfully, it was also the start of a story filled with kindness.
His video caption said it best: “Once again, disaster saved by the kindness of the people.”
A chill ride that quickly fell apart
Joel cycled from Singapore into Johor thinking the trip would be relaxing. But the moment he approached Kota Tinggi, everything started falling apart.
His bicycle tyre punctured twice and he ran out of ways to fix it. He did not have a campsite booked and the sun was already setting. With no choice left, he walked the final 3 kilometres in search of anyone who could help.
That search led him to a small kampung, where he met a villager named Faz.
Somehow, Faz seemed to know every family in the area. After hearing Joel’s situation, he immediately offered him a seat and began making calls. He reached out to his mother’s friend, then his friend’s father, and anyone who might help him secure a place to stay.
Against all odds, he found Joel a campsite slot for the night.
Another villager tried to fix bike for 2 hours
While Joel was still processing the help he had already received, another kampung man named Isa rode by on a motorbike.
Upon learning what had happened, Isa sat down with Joel and began trying first aid on the damaged tyre. They tried every homemade method they could think of. Isa even rode back and forth to his house just to bring more tools.
They spent almost two hours working together, but the bike still refused to revive.
“I will just walk 7 kilometres
Joel told Isa he would just walk the remaining 7 kilometres to the campsite, but Isa had other plans.
He left on his motorbike, returned with his van, lifted Joel’s bike inside and drove him all the way to the campsite. But not before treating him to a burger from a local stall.
Joel asked if Isa had eaten dinner or if his family was waiting. Isa simply replied: “It is okay. I will just eat the leftovers later.”
“I was the one missing out on something”
Joel said he was deeply moved by the kindness shown to him by complete strangers.
“I am a complete stranger who he is probably never going to see again, but he did all this for me and left without a trace,” he wrote.
He ended by reflecting on how people often assume those in developing areas have less, but that day he felt like he was the one lacking something.
Watch the full clip here:
