Saturday Walkabout: The Curve • IPC • TRX (Taking the DJI Action 5 Pro for a spin!)

Another epic walkabout!

We left our condo at a quarter past eleven bound for the bus stand at Sarah Hughes along Jalan TAR and almost immediately caught a free GOKL bus to the MRT station at Muzium Negara. Here we caught a train for a fare of RM3.10 (approximately USD0.70/EUR0.60) to the Mutiara Damansara MRT station.

 

We disembarked and took a walk that snaked around a hotel and The Curve before arriving at Ikano Power Centre (IPC). We made a beeline for the Skechers store in search of a particular type of sandals.

 

We were out of luck, so we headed out before spotting an LC Waikiki outlet. Cat got herself several pairs of socks and a hat for our upcoming trip to Batavia. We then made our across and back into The Curve and tried another Skechers store, to no avail. Since it was lunchtime we decided to try a food court on the first floor. 

Suria food court was diminutive and hosted seven food stalls and a drinks stall. We eventually settled on a stall called Little Wok & Steam Soups and ordered the:

• Spiced Chicken Fried Chicken
• Seafood Fried Rice 

and together with a round of drinks our surprisingly tasty lunch came to RM34.60 (approximately USD/EUR7). 

After lunch we headed back to the Mutiara Damansara MRT station. We caught another train for a fare of RM3.40 (approximately USD/EUR0.70) but this time we were headed  to the Tun Razak Exchange MRT station. We disembarked and again made a beeline for the Skechers store here, touted as the "largest premium Skechers store in Malaysia". 

Alas, three strikes and we were out (of luck)! 

We then caught a train to the Merdeka MRT station. Here we disembarked and made the long walk across the underground walkway to the connecting LRT station. By the time we emerged above ground at the Plaza Rakyat LRT station it was raining. 

A short while later we caught the train to the Bandaraya LRT station, for a consolidated fare of RM1.90 (approximately USD/EUR0.40). We disembarked and walked the short distance to our condo, in the rain. Stay tuned as we take a flight in a few days to a nearby city steeped in history known as the Equatorial Emerald!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Muzium Negara MRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zDyomjurLygh2wum6

Mutiara Damansara MRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/TMDsshNiNN6ry3XJ6

IPC Shopping Centre - https://maps.app.goo.gl/bPDN5NE8UHvZ6vh86

The Curve - https://maps.app.goo.gl/DmmocBSWsEjrxcVS8

Tun Razak Exchange MRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fuy3ur1W7dbhY44K8

The Exchange TRX - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NAPc8dSpJYYBvQyeA

Merdeka MRT Station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/EFa28VsW3Abi76vs9

Plaza Rakyat LRT Station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zndv5QQubcJ53YEP8

Bandaraya LRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tNyMwJcaqjaj7vaE7

SOGO Kuala Lumpur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/vJWRkV1YL2r2SSnq5

New Gear Day: DJI Action 5 Pro!

New Gear Day!

In the week after returning from Melaka we had acquired a brand new camera.

I received an email yesterday from DJI about their new Action 5 Pro, which boasted that "Our new sensor captures your best. From city nights to dramatic sunrises, get crystal-clear images with a 4nm chip. Experience vibrant imagery with 2.4 μm pixels and 13.5 stops of dynamic range, rivaling pro cameras."

Excited, I then texted my regular camera guy, CM over at Altech Camera who confirmed the availability of the DJI Action 5 Pro. I made an appointment to see him today to pick it up.

We left our condo at eleven in the morning and due to a sudden illness I was in no shape to make the walk to the Medan Tuanku Monorail station, we hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM11.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) to Berjaya Times Square. Before seeing CM I thought I would visit the local clinic on the 7th floor, Klinik Mediviron. Alas the clinic was closed on weekends, so while waiting to see CM at 11:30 Cat decided to thread her eyebrows at a salon on the 5th floor.

At the appointment time we walked over to Altech Camera where we were greeted by CM and his motley crew, and were attended to by Eric. After a quick look over we paid for the camera, I then changed a few settings before we set off for a proper field test. With the new DJI Action 5 Pro perched on my chest harness we walked back to Imbi Monorail station. 

For a fare of RM2.70 (approximately USD0.60/EUR0.50) the train then took us to the KL Sentral Monorail station. The first thing we did when we arrived was to visit another clinic, Poliklinik NU Sentral on the Concourse level. With no other patients around I was quickly able to see the doctor about the severe sore throat, body ache and slight fever.

I was prescribed several medication and we then walked across to UNIQLO to run an errand. We then headed down to the ground floor in search of lunch. With my throat mightily sore we settled on noodles at Homie Recipe and ordered the:

• Fishball Pan Mee Soup
• Seaweed Noodle Soup
• Hot Soya Barley
• Cold Herbal Tea

for a grand total of RM36.80 (approximately USD8/EUR7).

After lunch we headed up to Mr DIY before coming back down to Don Don Donki to run a few errands. We finally got bagful of pastries for dinner from Sam's Groceria before hailing another Grab car for a fare of RM11.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) back to our condo.

Our first impression of the new DJI Action 5 Pro? After almost nine months of using the DJI Action 4 (in fact I have 2 units) I can say with no uncertain terms that the new DJI Action 5 Pro has plenty of potential! We certainly can't wait to take it out for a spin at night, to truly test its mettle. 

The following day with the weather gorgeous and sunny we perched both the DJI Action 5 Pro and  DJI Action 4 on tripods and performed a simple and unscientific side-by-side comparison of footage shot in various modes.

With nothing left to say, we'll let our footage paint the words for us.

Stay tuned as we test the "Super Night" feature in a foreign land (hint hint 😜)!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Altech Camera - https://maps.app.goo.gl/C759vFfHuRVrDfYd8

Imbi Monorail station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/akwB6bSPioN4pmMc7

KL Sentral Monorail station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/RLQjs4EhdKwZfgtR6

Poliklinik NU Sentral - https://maps.app.goo.gl/F7nixjB6Ze488Npx7

UNIQLO NU Sentral - https://maps.app.goo.gl/dZUisotvjMVQFb597

Homie Recipe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/XkQ7hGHr1rPUekU17

MR.DIY PLUS - https://maps.app.goo.gl/KUme3up3oNu93jfCA

Don Don DONKI - https://maps.app.goo.gl/e1jyyFvMXpQRcZ2R8

MELAKA to KL: OBR Ayer Keroh

Going home!

We arose at half past eight this morning and got ourselves ready. We left the homestay, deposited our bags in BiBi and returned the keycard to the mailbox at a quarter past nine.

We then drove out of Melaka and eventually past the Air Keroh before deciding to have breakfast at the Overhead Bridge Rest Area.

Our breakfast of plain Nasi Lemak and a round of drinks came to RM13.90 (approximately USD/EUR3).

After a potty break we e hopped back into BiBi at a quarter past ten and seeing as traffic along the NSE was building up we plotted a course to divert the rest of our drive via the LEKAS Highway. We continued along the NSE for another half an hour before exiting at the Port Dickson Toll Plaza.

We continued driving along Seremban's Middle Ring Road before arriving at the Setul Toll Plaza, which marked the beginning of the LEKAS Highway. We drove on for another forty-five minutes before exiting at the South Kajang Toll Plaza.

We got home at quarter to one. 

Stay tuned as we leave Kuala Lumpur on a jet plane in approximately two weeks, headed to a capital city renowned for its  iconic mosques,  cultural richness, local crafts shopping, metropolitan vibes, and scrumptious dishes!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

Air Keroh Toll Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/darv7bqfAsYcSSga7

Port Dickson Toll Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VvCUoUndtrQCCENHA

Setul Toll Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/7aQwxh2GYzav5DDY6

South Kajang Toll Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ipd6jH2ZwaCLnepw9

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

LU YEH YEN Again!

Old favourite!

Our last night in Melaka and we only had one place on our minds. Our previous video of two years ago generated a lot of interest so we thought it was time to pay them another visit.

We left the homestay at a quarter past six in the evening and as always walked along Lorong Haji Bachee headed west. At the end of the road we walked across Jalan Bendahara onto Jalan Bunga Raya Pantai and continued south for a few hundred meters.

Lu Yeh Yen is on the left of the street, and nothing about it has changed. We perused the diminutive and concise menu before settling on:

• Ginger & Onion Fried Pork
• Lemon Chicken
• Salted Vegetable Soup
• Plain Omelette
• 2 Iced Chinese Tea

Our savoury dinner came to RM50.00 (approximately USD11/EUR10), an absolute steal by KL standards.

We then made our way back to the homestay to begin packing, for tomorrow we’re driving back to Kuala Lumpur!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

Restaurant Lu Yeh Yen - https://maps.app.goo.gl/sFTpjwu8X8kr7cuy8

Epic MELAKA Walkabout!

Lazy Sunday?

With nothing planned we slept in and woke up at around nine in the morning. Brendan's sophomore performance went well, although we didn't watch it in person. Hopefully, someone has shared it online somewhere.

Brendan and his bandmates were due to return to Kuala Lumpur today, while Cat and I were only checking out of the homestay tomorrow. A heavy downpour put paid our plans to go out for breakfast, so we ordered in.

An hour later a Grab rider delivered our Crispy Chicken & Scrambled Egg Sandwich Breakfast Meal.

It was still overcast at noon, so we decided to take advantage of the cool weather to go on a walkabout.

We walked out of The Apple Residence headed west along Lorong Haji Bachee before walking across Jalan Bendahara onto Jalan Bunga Raya Pantai before walking across Jalan Munshi Abdullah and rejoining Jalan Bendahara.

This took us past Little India, and we continued south onto Jalan Laksamana which was closed to traffic to create a car-free zone and ultimately ended up at The Stadthuys.

We continued onto Jalan Kota before eventually arriving at A Famosa. We took the customary photo then continued along Jalan Kota onto Jalan Parameswara before turning left onto Jalan Chan Koon Cheng.

We walked past St Francis Primary School onto Lorong Chan Koon Cheng and continued onto Lorong Bukit Cina continued onwards to Jalan Bukit Cina.

Here we came across a nondescript and diminutive food stall, so we stopped for lunch. We ordered the:

• Mee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli) Laksa
• Wantan Mee (Springy Egg Noodles)
• 2 Sugarless Iced Tea

for a respectable total of RM18.00 (approximately USD/EUR4).

We then resumed the final leg of our walkabout along Jalan Bukit Cina, walking across Jalan Munshi Abdullah.

Thus ended our epic five-kilometre walkabout in cool weather. Stay tuned as we have dinner at an old favourite food court.

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

The Stadthuys - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pvQmgPZvkUWSUWS49

A Famosa - https://maps.app.goo.gl/g9zRp4DgfFRstdRM9

LAKSA - https://maps.app.goo.gl/hd6TK7FS2C3K34iW8

Day Trip to MUAR: Mee Bandung Abu Bakar Hanipah • Muar Street Art

Muar!

Determined to feature the state of Johore at least once on our channel we woke up early this morning. We got ready and by the time we hopped into BiBi it was 8:30am.

Once we left Melaka’s city limits traffic thinned and within the hour we arrived in the Royal town of Muar, known as Bandar Maharani or Empress Town. 

Muar, town, and port on the southwestern coast of Peninsular (West) Malaysia. It lies along the strait of Malacca, at the mouth of the Muar River. An old town, it was occupied by the end of the 14th century by Parameswara, founder of the Malay kingdom of Malacca (Melaka). Naval battles involving neighbouring sultanates and kingdoms were fought at Muar in 1517, 1615, and 1616. The present town of Muar was founded by Sultan Abu Bakar and named as Bandar Maharani in 1887. Local industries produce food products, beverages, oils and fats, chemical products, paper, and transport equipment. It has a population of approximately 100,000.

Our first time here, we drove around for a while before we eventually parked in the vicinity of Mee Bandung Abu Bakar Hanipah. We naturally had our breakfast there, and had:

• 2 bowls of Mee Bandung with Beef
• Iced Lime drink
• Hot Coffee

that came to RM19.20 (approximately USD/EUR4).

At ten in the morning we began our exploration of Muar town on foot. We soon found ourselves at a lane designated as Muar Street Art. After spending some time checking out the murals by different artists here we continued onto Jalan Sayang before turning left onto Jalan Maharani headed west before we walked across to the Muar - Maharani Bus Terminal.

We then walked into the food court here and got a seat by the river as we had drinks. We then headed back to BiBi and made the short drive to Tanjung Ketapang. We spent some time here enjoying the refreshing sea breeze before hopping back into BiBi to make our way back to Melaka.

Our first impressions of Muar? It’s a small town with plenty of charm, steeped in history and with all the amenities to live comfortably. Would we consider retiring here? It's in our top five at least.

With our day trip to Muar in the bag  we can now say in no uncertain terms that we have featured all 13 states of our beautiful country Malaysia on our channel. "To Know Malaysia Is To Love Malaysia" sang our legendary crooner Sudirman. So we can now use our passports finally free of guilt or shame!

Be sure to catch our next video when we go out in the blazing sun in search of light refreshments.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

Restoran Mee Bandung Abu Bakar Hanipah

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/bRJn9a3Kw8dazHXw6

Muar Street Art - https://maps.app.goo.gl/CiMVp8rYxH1LbSju9

Muar - Maharani Bus Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/VWaehjMruyBJeqRR9

Tanjung Ketapang Muar - https://maps.app.goo.gl/YpNfRsvGJU9RqXWP9

River Walk: To The Stadthuys and Back!

Melaka River Walk!

We picked you up again as we left the homestay at 6:00pm to take an evening stroll along the Melaka river. We walked along Lorong Haji Bachee due west and across Jalan Bendehara onto Jalan Bunga Raya Pantai.

We were feeling a little hungry and paid Seri Sahabat a visit. A round of drinks and toast bread later and we were eager to begin our evening walkabout in earnest. At the Ruins of Ermida de Rosario we continued our stroll onto the Melaka River Walk.

We walked past The Shore Hotel & Residences and then past the Panggung Bangsawan Melaka, a historic performance venue. We then continued on past several bridges steeped in history, name the Jambatan Pasar, Jambatan Kampung Jawa and Jambatan Chan Koon Cheng. 

We exited the Melaka River Walk at The Stadthuys and stopped to take in the sights and take photos. We sat to enjoy the car-free zone that includes major thoroughfares such as Jalan Istana, Jalan Mahkamah, Jalan Gereja, Lorong Gereja, Jalan Laksamana, and parts of Jalan Tun Khalil Yaakob and Jalan Merdeka, ensuring that Melaka’s historic charm can be enjoyed without the interruption of vehicles.

We then resumed our walkabout headed in the opposite direction but instead of strolling along the river we took the opportunity to walk along Jalan Laksamana. We then continued onto Jalan Bunga Raya headed north before walking across Jalan Munshi Abdullah and continuing along Jalan Bendehara still headed north.

We stopped at a KK Mart to get some drinking water, but the cashier was too busy counting her money to serve us. We managed to get our drinking water from Bendahara Choice Shop nearby.

We continued walking north along Jalan Bendehara and ended up at Wong Kok Food Court. Here we had a simple dinner of:

• White Radish Soup with Rice
• Water Cress Soup with Rice
• 2 glasses of Herbal Tea

for a splendid low price of only RM23.00 (approximately USD/EUR5).

It was then a short walk back to The Apple Residences. Be sure to watch our next video where we go on a day trip to Muar, a nearby town in the neighbouring state of Johore!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

Ruins of Ermida de Rosario - https://maps.app.goo.gl/N8FU6WfiUt7qru5L9

Melaka River Walk - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UD61EbEx4iatCM9RA

The Stadthuys - https://maps.app.goo.gl/vcg5otYQydWNNo8a9

Bendahara Choice Shop - https://maps.app.goo.gl/nggWsf3ziAU9oRps8

Wong Kok Food Court 88 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/dNJ3nWbY77eVLk6d7

Homestay: The Apple Melaka

The Apple Melaka!

We picked you up again as we hopped back into BiBi to make a short drive to our homestay along Lorong Haji Bachee in the area of Bukit Cina.

This was what Booking.com had to say:

"The Apple Premier Suites Melaka offers accommodations in Malacca, 1.9 miles from St. John's Fort and 3 miles from Melaka Straits Mosque. The property is around 1.2 miles from Menara Taming Sari, a 15-minute walk from Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, and one mile from Porta de Santiago. The apartment offers rooms with air conditioning, free private parking, and free Wi-Fi.

Rooms are fitted with a kettle and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower and slippers, while selected rooms also feature a fully equipped kitchenette. At the apartment complex, units are fitted with bed linen and towels.

The apartment also provides an infinity pool and a fitness room for guests to relax in. For guests with children, The Apple Premier Suites Melaka features kids pool and outdoor play equipment.

Popular points of interest near the accommodation include The Stadthuys, Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum, and Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Malacca. The nearest airport is Melaka International Airport, 3.7 miles from The Apple Premier Suites Melaka." 

It was a fairly new condo located close to our old favourite hotel, the Ramada Plaza Melaka. The check-in process was quite straight-forward as we collected the key card to the unit and made our way up to the 9th floor. The unit was well appointed and had everything we needed. We’ll let our footage paint a picture of the unit, including the infinity pool and gym on the 24th (labelled as Level 23A?).

For RM249.43 a night (approximately USD53/EUR49) we thought it was fair value given its strategic and nostalgic location, within walking distance to our favourite attractions.

We settled in and had an afternoon siesta. Be sure to catch our next video as we went on a river walk to The Stadthuys!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Apple Melaka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Y3auog3wjK4NPFH8

KL to Melaka: Dataran Pahlawan

Melaka!

A month after our epic trip to Kota Kinabalu we were itching to travel again. This time around it was a short two-hour drive to Melaka, our spiritual hometown. We could not believe that it has been a year since we last visited so we were eager to re-acquaint ourselves with this cosy city.

Brendan too was headed to Melaka but for entirely different reasons. His self-styled Screamo band, Sauriel, My Beloved [https://linktr.ee/SaurielMyBeloved] was having its sophomore performance in Melaka, and he was driving Puteh to meet up with his bandmates there.

That means this time around we would be on a couples' trip.

We hopped into BiBi and  left our condo at nine in the morning, making our way to the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza. Approximately an hour and a half later we drove past the Air Keroh Toll Plaza, we had arrived in Melaka! We then headed to Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall and parked at its basement.

We had brunch at Black Canyon Dataran Pahlawan. Our first time here we took our time perusing the menu before finally settling on:

• Pad Kra Pao set*
• Pad Kra Mao set*
• Iced Black Coffee
• Thai Iced Tea

*with mini-Tom Yam soup

Our first meal in Melaka came to RM57.80 (approximately USD13/EUR12), a very reasonable price considering its location in a mall.

To while away the time we then went for a foot massage at Shu Xin Reflexology. We both opt ed for the 90-minute foot and shoulder massage that all came to only RM138.00 (approximately USD29/EUR27).

By the time we were done it was almost time for us to check into our homestay. Be sure to catch our next video on The Apple Residences!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Sungai Besi Toll Plaza [southbound]

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/ijCDiUvHXDPmvxHW7

Air Keroh Toll Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/darv7bqfAsYcSSga7

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/wNH3DWf6StugGCYe6

Black Canyon Dataran Pahlawan - https://maps.app.goo.gl/fyh4JwaM8R5gxt6F8

NEW GEAR DAY: SONY ZV-E10II... Out of the Box!

New Gear Day!

In the week after returning from Kota Kinabalu we had acquired a brand new camera.

The Sony ZV-E10II is a departure from the micro four thirds ecosystem that we are very familiar with and have grown to love, so the Sony ZV-E10II camera will get some getting used to.

With that in mind we decided to take the Sony ZV-E10II along with us as we ran a few errands at KL Sentral, and specifically in NU Sentral.

We made our way onto Jalan TAR and thought that we would catch a free GOKL bus to KL Sentral. After a very lengthy wait we changed plans and the caught a RapidKL bus #173 for a fare of RM1.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.20) to the Jamek LRT Station.

Here we caught a train for a fare of RM1.50 (approximately USD/EUR0.30) to KL Sentral.

Since it was almost lunch we made our way to Quizinn by Rasa @ NU Sentral, and settled on Japanese cuisine. 

Our lunch of Katsu Curry Rice and Fried Salmon Rice came to RM39.00 (approximately USD/EUR8), and we then headed to Sephora to begin our shopping spree. Along the way we were stopped by a security personnel who warned us that "filming with a big camera"  was not allowed.

We countered by saying that the Sony ZV-E10II was hardly a "big camera", in fact it's tiny compared to other cameras out there. 

The security personnel then gave us a sheepish grin and waved us on. We did not want to tempt fate and kept the Sony ZV-E10II away, relying on the absolutely miniscule DJI Action 4.

After paying Uniqlo and Decathlon a visit we ended our little shopping excursion and had drinks at Starbucks. 

Once outside NU Sentral we switched back to the Sony ZV-E10II to resume our testing. We caught the Monorail for a fare of RM3.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.60) to the Medan Tuanku station, and from here it was a short walk back to our home.

Our first impression of the new Sony ZV-E10II? It will definitely not replace our existing DJI lineups of the Pocket 2 and the Action 4, but given more time and fiddling it will definitely give our Lumix GX9 a run for its money.

What do you think?

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Sarah Hughes @ Globe Sdn Bhd - https://maps.app.goo.gl/6ZPdmkMRZyELUsct5

LRT Masjid Jamek - https://maps.app.goo.gl/coJCxcA5EUasCcie9

LRT KL Sentral - https://maps.app.goo.gl/wPHaWRQkwryn7kRU7

Nu Sentral - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Rppv3ZPBypxhmaHm6

KL Sentral Monorail - https://maps.app.goo.gl/75Z5EhUbNfN6E5PZA

Medan Tuanku Monorail - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ozgYi1waTQVvmZUQ6

Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur: MH2621

Flying Home!

We arose at seven this morning and after getting ready hailed a 6-seater Grab car for a fare of RM17.00 (approximately USD/EUR4).

We could scarcely believe that seven days had passed us day. This trip was an eye-opener for us, an introduction to all that Sabah had to offer. There will need to be more meticulous planning the next time we come over.

Our Grab car picked us up at 8:00am and dropped us off at Pillar 2 of KKIA. In that time we chatted about the various attractions in and around Kota Kinabalu, and the driver Meddy gave us a lot of helpful tips.

Although our flight MH2621 was due to depart at 11:30am we made it a point to come early, as we always do. Foot traffic was light and after a short queue we made our way to the check in counter to deposit our luggage and collect our boarding passes.

Half an hour later we walked through security and immigration checkpoints without incident, and with an hour till boarding we decided to park ourselves at Oldtown White Coffee. We had a round of drinks as we waited to board at 10:30am.

In that time Cat went browsing for pearls at Adiba Ayu and eventually settled for a set of bracelet, necklace and earrings for RM198.00 (approximately USD45/EUR41). A fitting wedding anniversary present, don't you think?

Boarding began at 11:00am in groups and since we were in the final Group 6 we boarded at a quarter past eleven. MH2621 pushed back at 11:33am and after a short taxi took off at 11.45am.

The two and a half hour flight was again largely uneventful and despite encountering heavy rain in KLIA the plane touched down smoothly at 2:10pm.

We finally disembarked at 2:30pm and made a beeline for Carousel K to collect our luggage. Perhaps due to the heavy rain our luggage only appeared at 3:00pm. We walked out of the Arrival Hall hoping to ride an elevator down to the KLIA Express station but the long queue dissuaded us.

Since we did not use a cumbersome trolley we elected to take the escalator instead. With the same tickets we purchased earlier we tagged ourselves past the turnstile at the ERL station at Level 1.

We caught the train at 3:20pm and arrived at KL Sentral half an hour later. We then hailed a 6-seater Grab car for a fare of RM43.00 (approximately USD10/EUR9) back to our condo. Door to door our journey from The Shore Suites to our home took a little over eight hours, which was not bad at all.

Thus ended our adventure to Sabah, dubbed "The Land Below The Wind". We hope to visit you again really soon!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA)

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/SSxEGcEUG2Pi46Jm6

Arrivals, KLIA Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kTaLjXLNju3VFXJd9

KLIA Express  Transit Station @ KLIA

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/ANYF6CtbznL3FQGb7

KL Sentral Arrival Hall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uvWpxMUJZCWCc8sH7

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

WELCOME Seafood: Last Night in Kota Kinabalu

Diarrhea!

Remember in our last video we mentioned that off camera we had dinner at Restoran Mohideen before retiring for the night?

The next day (yesterday) Brendan and I woke up to a frightful bout of diarrhea! While we both spent the entire day at home poor Cat ran errands getting us our medication, meals and tending to our needs. We felt much better today but still spent pretty much the entire day at the homestay save for our early dinner at Welcome Seafood.

So half past five in the evening we hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM6.00 (approximately USD/EUR1) to the seafood restaurant. After opening its first outlet in Penampang it  ventured forth with a few branches, namely the one we planned to visit over at Asia City Complex which was very close to our homestay.

Brendan was still a little weak so it was just the two of us. After waiting for a fair bit we eventually arrived at Welcome Seafood at 6:00pm. It was a sprawling row of at least nine shop houses divided into restaurants A, B and C but essentially serving the same dishes.

They did not provide us with a menu so we had to rely on their large signboard to order. In the end we settled on:

• Ikan Batu (Stone Snapper Fish) fried in thick soy sauce
• Fried Sotong (Squid)
• Lala (White Clams) Soup
• Fried Baby Kailan (Chinese Broccoli)

Our final dinner in Kota Kinabalu came to RM111.30 (approximately USD24/EUR22). I must have still been weak from the diarrhea but for some reason I accidentally deleted precious footage of the sumptuous meal that I had captured on the Lumix GX9!

We then walked a few doors down to Borenos Fried Chicken to take away a 2-piece chicken set for Brendan's dinner. We then decided to walk back to the homestay which was in reality hardly a kilometre away. We then took away a hot Nescafe from Supreme Multi Cuisine Restaurant before continuing our walk home.

Ten minutes later we arrived at The Shore Suites, ready to pack up and rest up for tomorrow we fly home!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Shore Suites Kota Kinabalu - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kq3N32rcA7eZZhFT7

Welcome Seafood Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzeWwvTdgEiYGukp9

Borenos Fried Chicken - https://maps.app.goo.gl/vFEVo7dKC5Azqo9E8

Supreme Multi Cuisine Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kzt6DnNE5zzo5XzY9

HOMESTAY: The Shore Suites Kota Kinabalu

The Shore Suites!

We picked you up again as we drove back from Kundasang to Kota Kinabalu.

While researching on where to stay in Kota Kinabalu we were drawn to a particularly old part of the city where the Filipino market and other assortment places of interest were located. The Shore Suites stood right in the middle, in the thick of the action so to speak.

So while we spent the first two nights at Riverson Soho we decided the last three nights ought to be spent here.

We then drove on to The Shore Suites and parked at Level 1. SInce we were about two hours early we took an elevator down to the lobby and walk out in search of a laundromat. Alas the one we found was quite a distance away so we defer our laundry run to later.

We the consulted with a kind lady at a goldsmith shop and was directed to KK Plaza where we found an ATM to replenish our federal reserves. In that time I was in contact with Sarah of ZHI, the host of our homestay who graciously offered us to stow away our luggage at her unit while we waited for the cleaning crew to be done.

Our luggage safekept we then got in touch with Tona, our car rental guy to arrange for the return of the car. He was a distance away so we asked him to meet us somewhere nearby. We then walked a short distance to Starbucks within Kota Warisan and ordered drinks while we waited for Tona, who eventually collected the car key at 2:15pm.

At a quarter to three we walked back to The Shore Suites and got up to the homestay to get settled in. For RM270.27 a night (approximately USD57/EUR53) we thought it was fair value given its strategic location, within walking distance to quite a few tourist attractions.

At a quarter past four we hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM14.00 (approximately USD/EUR3) with a large bag of laundry accumulated from our two nights in Kundasang.

Be sure to catch our previous video Guntur Tattoo as we combined both visits into one mega feature. We then hailed another Grab car for a fare of RM6.00 (approximately USD/EUR1) back to The Shore Suites. Off camera we had dinner at Restoran Mohideen before retiring for the night.

Turned out there was to be no video from us from the following day as Brendan and I were laid up due to a bad case of the runs!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Shore Suites Kota Kinabalu - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kq3N32rcA7eZZhFT7

KK Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/yxLK22hTiegnRdJF6

Starbucks Warisan Square - https://maps.app.goo.gl/6JAJCvrfbcqQ9cZB6

Guntur Tatu - https://maps.app.goo.gl/cnhWttEPHMFM7Yyq6

Kundasang to Kota Kinabalu: LGD Cafe

Driving back to KK!

We woke up at half past eight and got ready. Forty five minutes later we checked out of Ayana Holiday Resort and began our drive back to Kota Kinabalu.

After about an hour's drive we stopped at a coffee shop in Kampung Kelawat. LGD Cafe served local cuisine and we were chuffed to order:

• a strip of pork belly
• a bowl of soup
• 3 plates of rice 
• a round of drinks 

that came to a respectable RM59.00 (approximately USD13/EUR12). Having brunch of local grilled meat while being one with nature? Priceless!

We resumed our drive at 11:15am and after another at  Petronas station along Jalan Tuaran  to refuel we eventually arrived in Kota Kinabalu approximately one hour later. We then headed to our homestay.

Be sure to catch our next video as we check into The Shore Suites!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ayana Holiday Resort, Kundasang

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mua6sAc2McYfQvmC7

LGD Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/TwUc92gXs9GvJ3d96

ZHI The Shore Suites - https://maps.app.goo.gl/s4K24jUdHCAZ5NAv9

BRENDAN's Birthday: August Kitchen • Desa Dairy Farm

Brendan's Birthday!

We arose at nine with nothing planned, except to explore Kundasang town properly. It was Brendan's birthday and we were on the hunt for a suitable restaurant to celebrate, preferably one with a view of the valley below.

We drove out and was set a course for August Kitchen. Since it was only ten in the morning we were only able to order from their breakfast menu and settled on:

• 3 Scrambled Brekkie 
• Passion Paradise drink 
• Avocado Milk drink 
• their August Coffee 
• Signature Cheese Cake 

Brendan's birthday breakfast came to RM124.00 (approximately USD28/EUR25).

After breakfast we continued our drive to Pekan Kundasang and parked at the view point. Here we took some photos and footage of the surrounding, then Cat suggested we visit the Desa Dairy Farm.

We hopped into the rental car and drove a short distance up a very steep road. Four kilometres later we arrived at the farm and paid the entrance fee of RM5.00 each (approximately USD/EUR1). Here we spent some time taking in the gorgeous sights and even managed to feed a Friesian calf. 

An hour later we hopped back into the rental car and headed back to the resort. I forgot to take my hypertension medication which caused a massive headache. We spent the entire afternoon indoors and ventured out in the evening at Lily Cottage & Kitchen again for dinner.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ayana Holiday Resort, Kundasang

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mua6sAc2McYfQvmC7

August Kitchen - https://maps.app.goo.gl/EY7McJKTrUQ7TkUc7

Pekan Kundasang - https://maps.app.goo.gl/DLJmwyzKuqzLxuNp8

Desa Dairy Farm - https://maps.app.goo.gl/fjcKXUEDiV9uVLYr6

LILY Cottage & Restaurant: Local Sabahan Cuisine!

Sabahan Cuisine!

We picked you up after a short nap to find that it was already six in the evening. We were not in the mood to drive so we took a short stroll next door to Lily Cottage & Kitchen for an early dinner.

We were drawn to the terrace with a commanding view of the valley below, so we braved the cold to have our dinner outdoors among the clouds.

We perused the menu and found their signature local dish called K'Dusun Favourite, The Farmer's Choice. Cat and I opted for the Set A "Kampungku" (My Village) catering for two persons that included:

• Brown Rice
• Local Vegetables
• Chicken Turmeric
• Fried Fish (Ikan Basung)
• Soup
• Fruits 
• Sabah Tea for 2

Meanwhile Brendan ordered the:

• Queen Burger (Double Meat, Cheese, Egg & Fries)
• Coca Cola
• (I took away) hot Nescafe

Our dinner in the clouds came to RM84.00 (approximately USD18/EUR16) which was anabsolute bargain. Not only were we able to dine with the sunset as our backdrop but we also got to experience local cuisine.It was then off to bed as we planned to drive out to properly explore the surroundings tomorrow morning.

Be sure to catch our next video where we explore Kundasang town!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Lily Cottage & Kitchen - https://maps.app.goo.gl/XF27qqqbesyjyFht6

AYANA Holiday Resort Kundasang: Rest & Recuperate!

Resort in the clouds!

As we planned for our trip to Sabah we knew we simply had to visit the highlands of Kundasang as well, and the following excerpt from Wikipedia best explains why:

"Kundasang is a hill station in the district of Ranau in Sabah, Malaysia that lies along the bank of Kundasang Valley within the Crocker Range, and also neighboring the town of Pekan Nabalu. It is located about 6 kilometres away from Kinabalu National Park, 12 kilometres from Ranau town and is renowned for its vegetable market which is open seven days a week. It is the closest town to Mount Kinabalu and has a panoramic view of the mountain. It is populated mainly by the native Dusun and a small population of Chinese people. Almost all the shops are operated by locals.

At an elevation of almost 1,900 m (6,200 ft), it is the highest settlement in Malaysia. Kundasang is also famously known as the New Zealand of Borneo for its unique mountainous geographical terrain almost similar to New Zealand."

Our research for a place to stay in Kundasang drew mostly overpriced hotels and homestays. Then my office mate had told me of a reasonably priced resort she had stayed some time ago. We checked out Ayani Holiday Resort and found its room rates reasonable, so we promptly booked two rooms for two nights.

So right after lunch we drove to Ayana thinking that we could chill while we waited to check in at 2:00pm. We were pleasantly surprised that the front desk allowed us to check in half an hour earlier, so we got ourselves registered and collected our room keys.

Our rooms were diminutive and modest, but the view from our private balcony more than made up for any shortcomings the rooms may have had. 

Be sure to catch our next video where we explore Kundasang town!

EPILOGUE: 

I woke up at five in the morning of the next day to capture a time-lapse footage of the break of dawn over the balcony of our room, then went back to sleep. Later we took a stroll around the resort to showcase the calm and soothing surroundings which further vindicated our decision to stay here. Later still I captured more time-lapse footage of dusk falling over our sleepy resort.

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ayana Holiday Resort, Kundasang - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mua6sAc2McYfQvmC7