AIRBNB │ Tamansari Tera Residence!

Tamansari Tera Residence!

We picked you up again leaving the Bandung train station headed to our Airbnb ten minutes away. We arrived for a fare of IDR50,000 (approximately MYR14/USD3/EUR3) and were met by Pak Deni, one of the unit’s co-host who helped us store our bags with the reception. Since we were more than two hours early Pak Deni promised do what he can to get the unit ready sooner.

With time to burn we thought of taking a walk around to see what we could have for lunch, then realised that there was a restaurant within the apartment building. We walked into Dapur 33 and were pleasantly surprised to see that their menu consisted of local cuisine.

We were recommended to try:

• Timbel Ayam Bakar (grilled chicken)
• Timbel Gepuk (grilled beef)
• 2 Sugar-free Iced Tea
• (I added) 1 Coffee with Milk
• (Cat added) Pisang Sale or dried banana fritters

Our simple yet delightful first meal ini Bandung came to IDR140,000 (approximately MYR38/USD9/EUR8).

We whiled away our time at Dapur 33 and eventually received word from Pak Deni at a quarter past one that we could check into unit 1103A. We met Pak Deni at the lobby to collect the unit's access card then rode the elevator up to the 11th floor. 

A simple and well appointed unit we will let our footage paint our words for us. We deposited our bags then headed up/down to the swimming pool and gym on the 6th floor, which was small and diminutive, but served its purpose.

The unit faces Mount Manglayang (if we're not mistaken) which further lent to its calm and soothing ambience. For RM149.34 a night (USD34/EUR32) this unit truly represented value for money, which is why it did feel like a downgrade from Sigit's lovely unit.

Be sure to catch our next video as we began to explore Bandung on foot!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Tamansari Tera Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/hatdxY8woCJrYaaR9

JAKARTA to BANDUNG │ Bullet Train!

Bandung!

We've heard so much about this regency of Indonesia, best known as a shopper's paradise. The main reason why our shopping so far has been relatively muted was because we were conserving our energy (and money!) for Bandung.

We had an early night last night and were up by half past six. We busied ourselves with whatever packing we had left since most of it was done last night. We then got ready and checked out of Sigit's lovely Airbnb, leaving a little memento in the fridge for him.

We headed down at eight in the morning and hailed a fixed fare Bluebird taxi for IDR95,000 (MYR26/USD6/EUR6) to Stasiun Kereta Cepat Halim, the bullet train station. 35 minutes later we arrived and headed to the kiosks to figure out how to buy our tickets. 

Alas the next available train regardless of class was in the afternoon. We then tried our luck at the ticketing counters and surprisingly got ourselves tickets for the 9:40am train! 

We got first class tickets for IDR600,000 each (MYR1U62/USD37/EUR35) to Stasiun Padalarang, for both this trip and the return trip in two days time. 

We then walked to the Departure entrance way but due to our large bags the security personnel advised us to take the elevator up to Level 2 instead. Here we submitted our belongings to a security scan before we were ushered into the VIP lounge at nine in the morning.

At 9:17am we were allowed to board and a kind porter helped us with our heavy luggage up the escalator and into our coach. We repaid his kindness with a small tip.

We managed to take some selfies at the front of the train, and it promptly departed at 9:40am. Five minutes in our hostess served us with a goodie bag of light refreshments.

The train averaged speeds of between 140 to 150 kph within Jakarta’s city limits but son accelerate to speeds well in excess of 300 kph.

We stopped at Stasiun Kawarang at 9:56am for a couple of minutes before continuing onwards to Stasiun Padalarang, which was our stop.

The train stopped unexpectedly midway along the tracks somewhere between Cikampek and Purwakarta for a few minutes before continuing on the journey to Bandung.

We soon arrived at Stasiun Padalarang at 10:15am, disembarked and exited to figure out how to catch a regular train to Bandung city centre.

Turned out the first class tickets accorded us an usher who escorted us unimpeded bypassing the long queue to get on the KA Feeder train to Stasiun Bandung!

Our bags safely deposited at the coach at the head of the train we enjoyed our first glimpse of Bandung as the train departed at 10:30am.

We arrived at Stasiun Bandung half an hour later and were met with another porter who commandeered our bags and guided us out of the station and deposited us with the first available Bluebird taxi at the car park outside.

We left the station headed to our Airbnb ten minutes away. 

Be sure to catch our next video as we check into the Airbnb at Tamansari Tera Residence!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Thamrin Executive Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UgNnAHXTXNUrZWGW7

Stasiun Kereta Cepat Halim - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zSJkBmtaHovsktyb7

Stasiun Kereta Cepat Padalarang - https://maps.app.goo.gl/qqCadJ9orRm3K81HA

Stasiun KA Feeder KCJB - https://maps.app.goo.gl/CA19EgFMXZ4fjhYQ7

Stasiun Bandung - https://maps.app.goo.gl/AeExa1Sxn8J3hcsh6

Tamansari Tera Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/hatdxY8woCJrYaaR9

JAKARTA Night Stroll │ Sarinah Mall Again!

Night Stroll!

We picked you up again after Pak Indra's visit to the Airbnb. 

After escorting him back down to the lobby we then got ready to go out. We left the Airbnb at six in the evening. 

Taking an identical route as this morning up to Plaza Indonesia we then walked across Jalan M.H. Thamrin and continued north.

2 kilometres and half an hour after leaving the Airbnb we had arrived at Sarinah Mall... again! 

We had some unfinished business and made a beeline for Kamalika Artprints on the first floor. Here we got:

• Cat's printed fabric tote bag
• Cat's printed polyester shopping bag
• My mini printed polyester shopping bag

for a grand total of IDR596,000 (approximately MYR163/USD38/EUR35). 

We then realised that in all the excitement of Pak Indra visiting the Airbnb we had forgotten about lunch. 

With that in mind we headed down to Sarinah's much vaunted food court, known as Pasar Nusantara on the lower ground floor. 

After a quick browse we settled on the Sop Konro Cendana stall where we ordered the:

• Coto Makassar (Traditional Beef Soup) with rice set
• Sop Iga (Beef Soup) with rice set

Together with a round of drinks from the Hop Hop stall our simple yet fulfilling dinner came to a reasonable IDR201,600 (approximately MYR55/USD13/EUR12). 

We grabbed a couple bottles of drinking water from Pasarina then hailed a fixed fare Bluebird taxi for IDR30,000 (approximately MYR8/USD2/EUR2) back to the Airbnb to begin packing in earnest. 

Steps count at the end of our second day: 13,953!

Be sure to catch our next video as we ride a bullet train to Bandung!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Thamrin Executive Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UgNnAHXTXNUrZWGW7

Sarinah Mall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/nGVFwzupR7eUokVi6

Pasar Nusantara - https://maps.app.goo.gl/PofSZAtEajc5wjKS9

JAKARTA's Car Free Sunday │ Sarinah Mall!

Car Free Sunday!

We woke up at half past six and were out the door an hour later. We took our familiar route alongside Thamrin City before turning right generally headed east alongside both the West and East Malls of Grand Indonesia.

Before long we had arrived at Jalan M.H. Thamrin, which sure enough was free of vehicles. The entire street on both sides of the lane was filled with pedestrians, joggers and cyclists.

Apart from the TransJakarta public buses no other motorised vehicle was in sight. It was a cool lovely morning and we enjoyed our walk immensely.

We continued our walk along Jalan M.H. Thamrin due north until the intersection with Jalan Kebun Sirih where we made a U-turn. We continued in the opposite direction due south looking for our intended destination of the morning.

2 kilometers and forty five minutes later we had arrived at Sarinah Mall!

With time to spare we decided on breakfast at Société which accorded us outdoor dining, something we always relish.

We perused their diminutive breakfast menu and settled on their:

• Breakfast Wrap
• Beef Bacon & Cheese Toasties
• Hazelnut Latte
• Iced Avocado Milk

for a grand total of IDR304,920 (approximately MYR83/USD19/EUR18).

We spent the next the next hour or so enjoying our breakfast and the view before making our way into Sarinah Mall.

We began our exploration of Sarinah Mall with a potty break before browsing in earnest. We eventually made away with:

• a foldable shopping bag for IDR140,000
• a colourful bucket hat for IDR40,000
• Carl & Claire Into The Woods 50ML EDP for IDR279,000
• Carl & Claire Spring Sonata 50ML EDP for IDR279,000

for a grand total of IDR738,000 (approximately MYR200/USD46/EUR44).

We then hailed a fixed fare Bluebird taxi for IDR30,000 (approximately MYR8/USD2/EUR2) back to the Airbnb.

Be sure to catch our next video as we take another stroll to Sarinah Mall!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Thamrin Executive Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UgNnAHXTXNUrZWGW7

Société Jakarta - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JWhM6QzGJq998Km76

Sarinah Mall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/nGVFwzupR7eUokVi6

1st JAKARTA Walkabout │ To Grand Indonesia and Back!

Grand Indonesia!

We picked you up again after checking into  the Airbnb. A quick change and we were out the door again.

We walked to the Indomaret at Thamrin Residences next door in search of a prepaid card locally referred to as the 'JAK' card so that we could ride all the trains plus the TransJakarta buses too. Alas it was not sold there, neither was it sold at the Family Mart next door.

Deflated but not defeated we then thought we'd pay the street food scene at Grand Indonesia a visit. Alas that too was too no avail, as it appeared that it did not exist?

With dinner in mind we continued our walk into Grand Indonesia and headed down to the lower ground floor. We settled on the first restaurant we saw: Three Uncles!

We browsed their menu outside and placed our order at the counter for:

• Yang Chow Chicken Fried Rice 
• X.O. Seafood Fried Rice 
• Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Romaine Oyster Sauce 
• 2 Iced Wintermelon Tea

For a grand total of IDR294,800 (approximately MYR80/USD18/EUR17). Our first proper meal for the day was quite pleasing.

We then walked out and straight onto the HINT stall selling local Indonesian perfume. Ever interested in locally produced fragrances we asked and were presented the two best-selling perfumes, one each for his and hers:

• Dragon for Men (50ML)
• Metaverse for Women (50ML)

together with a 30% discount the total came to a very reasonable IDR390,000 (approximately MYR106/USD24/EUR23).

We then made a pitstop at The FoodHall supermarket to get some cut fruits for IDR154,708 (approximately MYR42/USD10/EUR9).

We then took a brisk walk back to the Airbnb for some much needed rest and recuperation.

Steps count at the end of our first day: 15,790!

Be sure to catch our next video as we experience Jakarta's epic Car-Free Sunday for the first time!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Thamrin Executive Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UgNnAHXTXNUrZWGW7

Grand Indonesia - https://maps.app.goo.gl/GehMtjsah2DHjL6D8

THREE UNCLES EXPRESS - https://maps.app.goo.gl/af5XNs2DAPWrwgm7A

The Foodhall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZycfsHC1UWcasskb7

Train to JAKPUS │ Hello Thamrin Executive Residence!

Soekarno-Hatta to Jakarta Pusat!

We picked you up again clearing the final hurdle which was Customs. Soon as that was sorted we made our way out of Soekarno-Hatta's Terminal 3 which was at exactly 6:00pm.

Next we needed to  catch a Skytrain to Terminal 1. We took an escalator up to the first floor and walked to the Terminal 3 Skytrain station. We caught a Skytrain to the Terminal 1 Skytrain station, disembarked then rode an elevator down to the Soekarno-Hatta Integrated Airport Railway Station (SHIA) a floor below. 

Here at SHIA we purchased our tickets from a kiosk that cost IDR75,000 each (approximately MYR20/USD5/EUR4) to central Jakarta, specifically the BNI City Station.

Our train was scheduled for 6:42pm which soon arrived and after getting on and making sure our luggage was secure we sat down to stare into the darkness.

Then a funny thing happened. At the Duri station the train reversed course and headed in the opposite direction, which would normally cause Cat much consternation since sitting backwards and facing the opposite direction of travel would trigger her motion sickness.

However we were prepared and quickly switched seats to continue facing forward. We then arrived at the next station at 7:30pm, BNI City Station which was our stop.

We disembarked and took an elevator up to exit the station before we took another elevator down to the street level. We then walked a short distance to the Dukuh Atas station where we hailed a Bluebird taxi for a fare of IDR31,000 (approximately MYR8/USD2/EUR2) to our Airbnb, Thamrin Executive Residence. 

Yes, we had returned to Sigit's lovely apartment (be sure to catch a previous of this unit) since we loved its location, and peaceful solitude.

We collected the unit's key and access card from the reception who recognized us and gave us a rare half-smile. We then made our way up to Unit 26BA, quickly changed and headed out again.

Be sure to catch our next video as we walk to our favourite mall, the Grand Indonesia!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Terminal 3 Soekarno–Hatta International Airport

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/BWSPMdXKQm9F61Kt5

Skytrain Terminal 3 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NfazQnG97TwxCsuEA

Skytrain Terminal 1 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/4hq58W4NxHVd2g4Z7

Soekarno Hatta Raillink - https://maps.app.goo.gl/t4BTEiSu1NzTRsgF8

Soekarno Hatta Train Station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/BwEEi3aiDcvwhCq49

BNI City (Sudirman Baru) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uuHorWykgJGtnLtg9

Thamrin Executive Residence - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UgNnAHXTXNUrZWGW7

KL to JAKARTA │ KLIA to Soekarno-Hatta!

Back in Batavia!

Barely three months had passed since our last visit. Brendan was knee-deep in his post-graduate exam week but managed to send us to KL Sentral's KL City Air Terminal at half past eight this morning, where we bade farewell before heading in.

As always we bought our KLIA Express train tickets online to enjoy RM15.00 off each return ticket, so it only cost us RM85.00 each (approximately USD19/EUR18).

This is important to note since the only way to gain access to the KL City Air Terminal was with the KLIA Express tickets. We scanned our train tickets at the turnstile and voila! We were in. For now KL City Air Terminal caters to only Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Batik Air and KLM.

We submitted our yellow submarines for a security check before checking it in. Our bags weighed 32kgs, well within the allowed total of 40kgs.

Learning our costly lesson from our previous trip to Jakarta we made sure to purchase additional luggage allocation for our return trip.

We then exited the KL City Air Terminal and walked across past the KLIA Express turnstiles using the same train tickets. The train arrived soon after.

The train departed KL Sentral at 9:20am and arrived in KLIA half an hour later. We rode an elevator up to the Departure floor and strolled around before paying Borneo Pearls a visit where Cat got a pair of earrings for RM28.00 (approximately USD/EUR6).

We then chilled out at Nooodles for an hour or so. We were looking for something light and settled on finger foods for a total of RM54.60 (approximately USD/EUR12). We then received a message from MAS that our departure gate has been changed to H4.

We were due to board MH721 at 1:30pm so we made our way to the Departure hall at 11:00am. It was our first time using the MyBorderPass mobile phone application, in place of scanning our passports at the Autogate, and it went without a hitch.

We cleared both the Immigration and Customs checkpoints without incident, then took our time browsing the various shops and stalls here.

Then came the dreaded news: Our flight was delayed from 1:30pm to 3:40pm! Also, our gate was now moved to H10, which meant that we had a longer walk later.

With almost four hours to burn we decided to park our butts at the Starbucks nearest the H lanes of gates. At 2:40pm we made the long trek to Gate H10 to discover that MAS had changed it back to the original H4 gate. 

After a lengthy wait we navigated past the final most intense security checkpoint before taking our seats at the lounge.  Boarding began at 3:0pm and we finally got on board ten minutes later. The plane pushed back at 3:55pm and took off at approximately 4:10pm.

The flight was largely uneventful, and the plane began its descent an hour and twenty minutes after taking off. MH710 touched down at 4:55pm local time.

Kudos to Captain Salleh Salleh and Chief Stewardess Sharina for an excellent flight. We disembarked and were ushered into a shuttle bus that took us to the main terminal building. 

Learning our lessons from the first trip had everything lined up before we arrived, including the health and customs declarations. Here are the links that we used:

https://sshp.kemkes.go.id/

https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/

https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/web/application_bvk

Cat however had difficulty with her eVisa online application so we had to 'stamp' our passports in the old fashioned way.

From there it was smooth sailing and we collected our yellow submarines from Carousel 2. The final task was present the Customs officer with the preprinted QR code of our customs declaration.

Be sure to catch our next video of our train rides into Jakarta Pusat, and welcome to Jakarta!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://goo.gl/maps/swtNfVmjFK4FgRsf8

KLIA Ekspres - https://maps.app.goo.gl/aMxKXzeH29zWT1799

KLIA Express Transit Station @ KLIA

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/1AG4CR3HqePKrE3p7

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/pDCevJLK4PNEfeq39

Terminal 3 Soekarno–Hatta International Airport

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/BWSPMdXKQm9F61Kt5

Stasiun Kereta Bandara Soekarno Hatta

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/AzxyJncU7iWZC2rj7

Saturday Drive │ Mitsui Outlet Park • Sushi King

Shopping in KLIA!

With a week to go till our return trip to Batavia we thought we'd go in search of a suitable messenger bag for my cameras.

Cat read about the attractive offers from several outlets at Mitsui Outlet Park, so at a quarter to ten we went down to hop into BiBi. It was an altogether smooth and uneventful drive but for the stretch along the North South Expressway headed to Nilai.

We turned off to KLIA and within an hour we had arrived.

We browsed most of the stores offering marked down prices but none were tempting enough for us to part ways with our hard earned money. That all changed when we walked into the Levi's store and so we took advantage of the tempting offer of buy-two-get-one-free.

In the end I got three pairs of the 505 straight cut stretchable jeans for an unbelievable price of RM152.66 (approximately USD34/EUR33) each!

We then continued browsing before deciding on an early lunch. We strolled past the various eateries on the first floor and settled on a simple early lunch at Sushi King.

Cat's favourite cuisine, it was in fact my first time here. We ordered a jug of green tea and helped ourselves to the conveyor belt of revolving delicious treats. Between the two of us we feasted on eleven plates that ultimately came to RM56.60 (approximately USD13/EUR12). We then resumed our stroll and eventually ended up Cat's favourite store, Bath & Body Works.

We walked out with RM75.00 (approximately USD17/EUR16) worth of scented products before we made our way back to BiBi. We encountered a similar congestion of traffic along the same stretch along the North South Expressway before we turned off onto the Maju Expressway (MEX). Approximately an hour later we arrived at our home.

Stay tuned for our return trip to Batavia next week!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VaMbgpguY7mawN1p9

Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA - https://maps.app.goo.gl/za19fU1eYhPRwbC97

Sushi King - https://maps.app.goo.gl/TQdssca3n7ZyV5dk7

Levi's - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9y15go1NMJbMrRCZ9

Bath & Body Works - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9fjtbiGCkZNEKkr98

Saturday Walkabout │ Pavilion Bukit Jalil • Sogo KL

Walkabout!

It's our first video of 2025, so we decided to ride the LRT to Bukit Jalil. We left our home at a quarter to ten this morning and walked a short distance to the Bandaraya LRT station.

Here we caught a train on the Putra Heights Line at 10:00am for a fare of RM3.50 (approximately USD/EUR0.80) to the Awan Besar LRT station. We arrived half an hour later and made our way down to the bus hub where we caught a free double decker shuttle bus to Pavilion Bukit Jalil.

We disembarked and walked into the mall at a quarter to eleven. It's interesting to note that the street level is at Level 3 so we eventually made our way down to Level 2 to the main foyer where we took photos of the Chinese New Year decorations. We continued our stroll around before making our way down to Level 1.

Here we spotted Nanyang Cafe and were pleasantly surprised that there were no queues. We had an early lunch for a  grand total of RM78.30 (approximately USD/EUR17). Of all that we ordered I quite enjoyed the Nanyang Tea, and would come back for more.

We then resumed our exploration of the mall, making our way up to Level 4 where we browsed at Elfi Jewellery to look for Cat's belated birthday present. Cat spent sometime before deciding on a few items including a pair of couple rings that came to a grand total of RM1,022.00 (approximately USD227/EUR222).

Her ring required an adjustment and we were asked to come back a little later to collect it. We resumed our stroll and walked into an Adidas store. Here I finally found the Manchester United blue away jersey in my size for RM329.00 (approximately USD73/EUR71).

We then doubled back to ELFI Jewellery to collect Cat's ring then immediately rushed up to the top floor for a better view of the lion dance that was being performed at the main foyer.

After that we went to have a scoop of ice cream each at Inside Scoop before heading up to Level 3 to visit the Bath & Body Works store here. We made away with various scented products for a grand total of RM172.80 (approximately USD/EUR38).

By the time we were all done it was past three in the afternoon. We walked out of Pavilion Bukit Jalil and were fortunate to catch the 3:20pm free double decker shuttle bus back to the Awan Besar LRT station since the next shuttle bus was only scheduled for 5:10pm!

We got to the Awan Besar LRT station and caught a train for the same fare of RM3.50 (approximately USD/EUR0.80) back to the Bandaraya LRT station. Half an hour later we disembarked and walked into Sogo KL for the final errand of the day: pillows!

We headed up to Level 5 and after consulting with the sales person made away with three firm pillows (for each of us) and two fluffy ones for Cat and I. The five pillows came to RM254.00 (approximately USD57/EUR55).

We then walked back to our home.

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

Stay tuned for our return trip to Batavia in a couple of weeks!

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VaMbgpguY7mawN1p9

Bandaraya LRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/2c3izPT5Nz7vXmv89

Awan Besar LRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/YLRWr4SZvggViq7G9

Pavilion Bukit Jalil Shuttle Stop - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9JfYiN37JnTUBZvU6

Pavilion Bukit Jalil - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ibDFh1k9XzgTgUqK7

NANYANG CAFE 南洋冰室 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/TZcFqxKr5sZZDLzL6

Elfi Jewellery - https://maps.app.goo.gl/49v8JMS16xfDhCzRA

Adidas - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jWTvDZb3KYjzeCUX8

Inside Scoop - https://maps.app.goo.gl/2VSKYvh7oNvavae39

SOGO Kuala Lumpur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/LuvzHpGxcbhSDHxZ6

Penang Day 6 │ ETS Butterworth to KL!

Going Home!

We were catching the ETS 9107 train at 1:05pm from the Butterworth KTMB station later today. We woke up at eight this morning and busied ourselves with packing and getting ready.

In the mean time I booked a 6-seater Grab car in advance scheduled to pick us up at 10:00am. At a quarter to ten we received word that the driver would be picking us up in a few minutes for a fare of RM27.00 (approximately USD/EUR6).

Sure enough by the time we walked down the staircase our Grab car was around the corner. It took about five minutes for him to drop us off at the Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal.

A few minutes walk later we tapped ourselves past the ticketing turnstile with our Touch 'n Go cards  and were quickly ushered past the exit doors to the awaiting ferry that was departing at 10:00am. Talk about perfect timing! The ferry ride cost us only RM2.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.40) which we paid with our Touch 'n Go cards.

Ten minutes later we disembarked at the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal over at Butterworth and walked towards Penang Sentral.

With plenty of time to spare, rather then head to the KTMB train station we walked into Penang Sentral. We checked out the eateries here beforehand settling on Iqbal's Cafe for brunch.

We all had white rice, Cat and I had it with fried fish while Brendan had his with curry chicken. Together with a round of drinks our meals came to RM43.30 (approximately USD10/EUR9).

We left Iqbal's Cafe at 12:00pm and made our way to the KTMB train station. We were allowed to check but not to get down to the platform.

We were eventually allowed down to the platform at 12:45pm, since our luggage was quite heavy we opted to wait for an elevator instead of taking the stairs.

The ETS 9107 train left the Butterworth KTMB station at 1:06pm. The ride was uneventful and at times speeds of 140+ kilometers per hour were achieved.

The train stopped at Bukit Mertajam, Taiping, Ipoh and instead of KL Sentral we decided to disembark at the Kuala Lumpur station at almost five in the evening.

We then hailed another  6-seater for a fare of RM18.00 (approximately USD/EUR4) back to our condominium. Door-to-door it took us seven and a half hours to get from Huttons Suites to our home, which is not bad at all. 

In conclusion, if we had to do it all over again we would have taken the Aeroline bus back. Why? It was no fun lugging our heavy luggage from the Grab car to the ferry to the train then to another Grab car. Having said that, we would definitely take the train if we were travelling light. Our two cents anyway.

It's back to the daily grind after this, but stay tuned at the end of January for a special trip planned!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal Georgetown

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qmf7ZogsMiVqJD3t7

Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal Butterworth

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/9JuupU4giNDEtFwS6

Butterworth Penang Sentral - https://maps.app.goo.gl/WqtpTyaYQmjuAX8t6

Butterworth KTMB station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/YhNki4fj5LFSStHE7

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pBmCDMbh4AeuDMTN6

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VaMbgpguY7mawN1p9

Penang Day 5 │ Penang Chingay Parade 2024!

Chingay Parade 2024!

We picked you up again late in the evening when Cat heard a commotion downstairs.

Truth be told we were standing by to watch the Chingay Parade that was scheduled to troop along Jalan Transfer. We did not expect the parade to come by so soon based on last year's parade that marched past our homestay then (the Greenhouse at Lorong Popus) at about midnight.

True enough the parade had made its appearance along Jalan Transfer at half past seven. I immediately ran out of the hotel toward Jalan Transfer while Cat took a while to change and joined me a little later.

From several Facebook pages: "the streets in Penang will come alive with the vibrant Penang Chingay Parade! This cultural extravaganza features the awe-inspiring giant flag performances — a proud intangible cultural heritage of Malaysia. But that’s not all! Look forward to dragon and lion dances, Boria, Indian martial arts and a photography competition! The parade starts at 6.00 pm from Padang Brown in Datuk Keramat and end at the main stage in Padang Kota Lama. Plan your evening and join us for a free celebration of culture, colour and joy!"

After about half an hour and with the parade getting backed up we grew hungry so made our way to Nana Tomyam just a few doors down. Without even thinking we ordered:

• Mixed Tomyam
• Beef Soup
• Plain Omelette
• 2 Sugarless Iced Tea

for a grand total of RM23.00 (approximately USD/EUR5). We then made the short walk back to the hotel.

Stay tuned as we ride the ETS back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Nana Tomyam - https://maps.app.goo.gl/q5qMJqoNpyVyc5Sz5

Penang Day 5 │ Gurney Plaza • Holy Guacamole

Mall Crawling!

We picked you up again returning from our walkabout at Chowrasta morning market.

Cat tended to the laundry as always while I continued work on the large collection of videos from the past five days. We woke Brendan up at ten and left the hotel an hour later.

We walked the very short distance to the bus stop in front of 7-Eleven along Jalan Penang. After a while we caught the Rapid Penang #101 bus for free with the Mutiara bus pass all the way to the bus stop along Jalan Kelawai.

We walked across and entered Gurney Plaza, spending the next hour or so browsing the various shops and stores here. Cat got a couple of dresses from Marks and Spencer for RM154.80 (approximately USD35/EUR33).

We eventually grew hungry and after a considerable amount of time spent wandering around checking out the eateries here we finally settled on Holy Guacamole. Cat and I opted for the Loco Lunch set while Brendan went ala carte:

• Cat tried the Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup with 2 Baja (Fish) Tacos and Iced Lemon Tea 
• I had the same soup with Quesadillas Calabaza (Pumpkin) and Iced Lemon Tea
• Brendan had the Beef Chimichanga and Coca-Cola 

for a grand total of RM125.30 (approximately USD28/EUR27).

We continued browsing after lunch then exited Gurney Plaza and walked across Jalan Kelawai again to catch another Rapid Penang #101 bus again for free with the Mutiara bus pass all the way back to Jalan Transfer.

From there it was a short walk back to the hotel.

Stay tuned as we join in a street parade later in the evening known as Chingay!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Gurney Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JfWAtbvJDUP1QLFf8

Holy Guacamole [Gurney] - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kmEHx7ZiLpLeTQhA7

Penang Day 5 │ Chowrasta Morning Market!

Koay Teow Th'ng!

If it's something that Cat is fond of its this local Penang delicacy. Th'ng” means “soup” in Hokkien, a reference to the broth, and it's very much a Chinese style dish echoing the cuisine of immigrants who first brought it to Malaysia centuries ago. The clear, flavoursome broth, usually pork or chicken, is simple enough, and the koay teow (flat rice noodles) are slippery and soft.

For this reason we were up at half past seven before making our way to the Chowrasta Morning Market half an hour later. Brendan decided to sleep in and did not join us.

Surprise surprise Cat ordered the Koay Teow Th'ng; I ordered the customary Western breakfast (B set) and with a round of drinks our typical Penang breakfast came to RM17.20 (approximately USD/EUR4). 

We then browsed the morning market for a bit and in that time Cat managed to buy:

• a colourful Batik blouse for RM8.00
• long pants for RM20.00
• 4 sets of Batik pyjamas for RM25.00 each

for a grand total of RM128.00 (approximately USD29/EUR27).

We then picked up several packets of mixed fruits for RM9.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) and finally a couple of printed tote bags as souvenirs for friends for RM20.00 each (approximately USD/EUR4) before heading back to the hotel.

Stay tuned as we head to a mall for lunch for a change!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Chowrasta Morning Market - https://maps.app.goo.gl/SnosQQceBhycZhN37

Penang Day 4 │ Red Garden Food Paradise and Back!

We're back!

We picked you up again very late in the evening, having napped for a few hours in the evening before waking up at eight. We left the hotel half an hour later headed north along Jalan Penang before turning left onto Lebuh Leith. 

We continued on and eventually settled on the touristy Red Garden Food Paradise. Not one for the locals, we absolutely love this place for its noisy and hustle bustle ambience. While we agree that the prices here are inflated Red Garden more than makes up for it with its style and character.

After some deliberations we ordered:

• Vietnamese Spring Rolls for RM16.00
• Wat Tan Hor Fun (Cantonese Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Egg Gravy) for RM9.00
• Grilled Lamb for RM38.00
• Cheesy Fries for RM15.00
• German Sausages for RM22.00
• 1 double Ambra Juice for RM7.00
• 1 Coca-Cola for RM4.00
• 1 large Heineken for RM21.00

for a grand total of RM132.00 (approximately USD30/EUR28). We were entertained by a troupe of singers that started off badly with their rendition of English songs but for progressively better when they turned to their bread and butter Cantonese and Mandarin tunes.

We added three slices of various cake amounting to RM45.00 (approximately USD/EUR10) before we left.

We needed to work off all the added calories so we walked west along Lebuh Leith before walking across Jalan Penang. We then realised that we did not have a thumbnail photo of the food court so we doubled back. We then continued northeast along Jalan Penang again before turning right onto Jalan Hutton, and back to the hotel.

Be sure to catch our next video as we have breakfast at Cat's favourite morning market!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Red Garden Food Paradise - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MP5DMyKYbzkwYpqu8

Penang Day 4 │ The Lighthouse Bakery • Chowrasta Market

Light Lunch!

We picked you up again after coming back from our long walk to and from Cecil Street.

We busied ourselves the entire morning, Cat tended to our laundry while I continued to edit the ever growing collection of footage of the past few days.

Lunchtime came and went but we did not feel hungry. However we left the hotel at two in search of something light to eat.

We walked a short distance to Emily Darling Café to find most of its cakes were sold out. Furthermore their clientele were putting on airs and graces that was very off-putting.

We continued on and eventually settled on the no frills Lighthouse Bakery. We quickly ordered:

• 2 Chicken Mushroom pies
• 1 Milo Dinosaur Ice
• Calamansi (Keat La) with Sour Plum Juice 

for a grand total of RM24.70 (approximately USD/EUR5).

We then headed back along Jalan Penang before arriving at Chowrasta Market to get some pickled fruits as souvenirs for our neighbours. From Jeruk Madu Pak Ali we got three packets of their mixed pickled fruits for a grand total of RM23.40 (approximately USD/EUR5).

We then walked into the main market and got the following from Shin Huat:

• 500gm of pickled papaya
• 500gm of pickled mango
• 5 boxes of Tau Sar Piah (sweet bean paste cookies)

for a grand total of RM77.00 (approximately USD/EUR17). 

Our final stop was an art shop selling printed bags and t-shirts, Zent & Art Souvenir where we got 2 tote bags for a total of RM40.00 (approximately USD10/EUR9). We then went back to the hotel.

Be sure to catch our next video as we have dinner at our favourite food court in all of Georgetown!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Hutton Central Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUGAtyMMvLa79Afj9

Hutton Suites Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jZ99jYPEefN3xasR7

Emily Darling Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/guWZuYPL8cbnN74M8

The Lighthouse Bakery - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m3jkStk1y1idFBtz6

Jeruk Madu Pak Ali - https://maps.app.goo.gl/6c6GMjzakASHDNdL7

Chowrasta Market - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JxcfY871suMowVgEA

Shin Huat (Pasar Chowrasta) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/L28hdCZULJBkwoAG7

Zent & Art Souvenir - https://maps.app.goo.gl/y4R9QrZ1opFerfLU7