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

Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang: BW Bus Restaurant

Drive to Kundasang!

We woke up at seven and got ready to go out for breakfast. At the same time we had some laundry to do, so we walked out to breakfast at Ariba Maju which was right across from the laundromat, Spin 'n Clean.

The night before off camera a mutual friend had delivered our rental car. For RM100.00 per day (approximately USD23/EUR21) we had the use of a diminutive Proton Saga FLX to take us to and from Kundasang.

At a quarter to nine, with our perut filled and laundry all done we walked back to the homestay to pack. We checked out of our homestay at ten, loaded our luggage into the newly acquired rental car and began our drive to Kundasang.

Sadly we forgot to bring the DJI Action 4's car mount so there was no hyper-lapse footage of our two hour drive.

We had booked two rooms for two nights at Ayana Holiday Resort. Seeing as check-in was a couple of hours away we decided to have lunch at a most peculiar restaurant here at  Kundasang.

Known as BW Bus Restaurant, its Facebook page described it as "A local Sabahan owned restaurant that turns antique buses into a modern dining cafe. Serving delicious western food and good coffee!"

Situated between the Ranau and Kundasang highways in it is a restaurant that made up of refurbished old buses into a unique dining experience.

We walked and paid an entrance of RM5.00 each (approximately USD/EUR1) which can be offset against anything we ordered from the restaurant later.

Speaking of which, after a quick scan of their menu we settled on:

• Crispy Chicken Burger
• Ham and Cheese Toast
• Homemade Beef Burger 
• 2 Iced Lemon Tea
• Iced Latte

After deducting our combined entrance fee of RM15.00 our first meal in Kundasang came to RM89.00 (approximately USD20/EUR18). Lunch out of the way we hopped back into the rental car and made our way in the opposite direction.

Be sure to catch our next video where we check into a resort in the clouds!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8Q3wjapphY1A8Y77

Bw Bus Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/RQNY1jDCGJC1T6SY6

GUNTUR Tattoo: A Coven of Extraordinary Artists!

New body art!

On the way back to the homestay from IMAGO Mall I chanced upon a tattoo parlour, Guntur Tattoo. I had been meaning to get a tattoo to celebrate my 55th year on this earth while covering up a series of scars on my elbow.

Meaning "thunder" Guntur Tattoo was conveniently located on the ground of the Riverson Walk. I casually browsed the many designs on display and found an interesting cherry blossom design that really caught my fancy.

I then made an unplanned appointment with Victor the tattoo artist to begin our session half an hour later. Since Brendan's birthday was coming up soon I treated him to a swords and roses tattoo on his right upper arm as well.

We went up to change and then headed back down to begin our session.

My tattoo artist Victor took almost two hours to complete his work of art while Darren the extraordinaire took and a half  hours to finish his masterpiece.

Brendan and I were chuffed to bits by our new inks, and can hardly wait to peel off the protective 'second skin' in a week's time.

EPILOGUE:

Three days later we made a return trip to Guntur Tattoo right after coming back from Kundasang. After checking into The Shore Suites we got settled in and later headed out again to The Riverson Soho where Cat parted ways to head to the laundromat as Brendan and I walked into Guntur Tattoo.

Brendan was getting another tattoo of the words "Fe3O4: Break" below his sternum, while I was looking to add coloured highlights to the existing tattoos of Mandarin characters on my left arm.

The characters were of Cat, Brendan and my late daughter's names in Mandarin, as well as my own.

Brendan was to get his done by Thirdy, while Neil would be working on mine.

Mine took two hours while Brendan's took a little longer.

We were chuffed to bits with our latest additions!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8Q3wjapphY1A8Y77

Guntur Tatu - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vni9uMbFnUTHPa84A

IMAGO Mall Kota Kinabalu: Food Court • Cultural Dance

IMAGO Mall!

We slept in and only made our way out of the homestay after ten. We took a stroll around the area before deciding to head to Imago Shopping Mall.

We were feeling hungry so after a quick search online found a food court located on the 2nd floor. Simply called the Imago Food Court it housed a variety of food stalls offering plenty of options.

We took our time checking out the various stalls and settled on a stall serving Sabahan cuisine called De'Beef House. We quickly scanned their menu before settling on:

• Sizzling Kam Heong Beef Rice
• Mee Hoon (Rice Vermicelli) Beef Soup 
• Yellow Noodle Curry Soup
• Hot Coffee
• Iced Lemon Tea 
• Iced Tea 

for a grand total of RM54.50 (approximately USD12/EUR11).

After brunch we continued our mini walkabout and found ourselves at the DJI outlet. Alas the DJI Pocket 3 was out of stock.

We ran a few errands that included:

• hair conditioner from Watsons
• Brendan's low cut sneakers on sale from Vans 
• small messenger bag from F.O.S.
• slippers, hairband and stationery pouch from Mr DIY 

We were in luck as right before we left a traditional dance performance started up at the foyer of the ground floor. We were glad to have captured this awesome performance that quintessentially captured the Sabahan dance.

We then made our way back to the homestay, but not before making a very interesting detour.

Stay tuned for our next video as Brendan and I get new body art!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8Q3wjapphY1A8Y77

Imago Shopping Mall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/v7B126RrJvA7eP5F8

Imago Food Court - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Td1mBDG1LYeiunkdA

Anjung Senja Kota Kinabalu: Tanjung Emas Lot 13

Dinner by the Coast!

We settled into our homestay and after an hour or so we headed out for an early dinner, since the only thing we had was the meal served on the plane. 

We took a stroll along Jalan Coastal, part of Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens or Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway which is a major highway in Kota Kinabalu city. It was built on reclaimed land in the 1990s and it was part of the Kota Kinabalu coastal development project.

A ten minute walk later and we were at Anjung Senja, where there were rows of seafood stalls. We eventually decided on stall number 13 called Tanjung Emas and settled on:

• Grilled Ikan Belais (Streaked Spinefoot)
• Buttered Udang Galah (Lobster) 
• a bowl of Chicken Tomyam
• a plate of Rumpai Laut (Local Seaweed)
• a plate of large Kerang (Clams)
• 2 Omelettes
• 3 plates of white rice
• 1 hot coffee
• 2 Iced Honey Lemon

Our first dinner in Kota Kinabalu came to RM170.00 (approximately USD26/EUR24). A little steep, but the food was great. The experience of watching the sun set as we dined was priceless.

We then took a leisurely stroll back to the homestay stopping by a mini mart on the way to get some provisions.

With nothing planned tomorrow stay tuned to see what we're up to next!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8Q3wjapphY1A8Y77

Anjung Senja - https://maps.app.goo.gl/znTHhDqdWHW3ALvMA

Tanjung Emas Lot 13 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/oNUzjua5nXdr3vSy8

HOMESTAY: Riverson Soho Kota Kinabalu

We had arrived in Kota Kinabalu!

We headed out of Kota Kinabalu International Airport and hailed a 6-seater Grab car for a fare of RM32.00 (approximately USD7/EUR6). The Grab car picked us up at 3:15pm to the homestay some six kilometres away.

Alas we picked the wrong Klagan Hotel, so after some confusion we had to hail another 6-seater Grab car for a fare of RM18.00 (approximately USD/EUR4) to the Klagan Hotel @ Riverson. Located within this hotel and residences apartment building the unit was strategically placed with plenty of eateries and entertainment outlets.

We then made our way up to the 7th floor and checked into the homestay. For RM247.75 a night (approximately USD53/EUR49) the host describes the unit as:

"D'CASA Riverson at Kota Kinabalu is a recently renovated apartment in Kota Kinabalu where guests can make the most of the outdoor swimming pool and fitness center. With city views, this accommodation offers a balcony. There's a sun terrace and guests can use free Wi-Fi and free private parking. The air-conditioned apartment consists of 2 bedrooms, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave and a kettle, and 2 bathrooms with a bidet and slippers. Towels and bed linen are featured in the apartment. For added privacy, the accommodation has a private entrance and is protected by full-day security. A mini-market is available at the apartment. Kids pool is also available for guests at the apartment. Filipino Market Sabah is 1.1 miles from D'CASA Riverson at Kota Kinabalu, while Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village is 2.3 miles away. The nearest airport is Kota Kinabalu International Airport, 2.5 miles from the accommodation."

The host Luqman was very responsive and attentive, while the unit had everything we needed. We will let the footage tell the story of the unit. 

Be sure to catch our next video as we have our first dinner in Kota Kinabalu!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA)

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

The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8Q3wjapphY1A8Y77

Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu: MH2646

Kota Kinabalu!

Among the last few states (apart from Johore) to be featured on our channel, we were especially excited to visit Sabah since it was our very first time.

We bought our flight tickets to Kota Kinabalu during a recent MATTA fair and got a sweet deal. Our return tickets only cost us approximately RM410.64 each (approximately USD94/EUR81).

Since today was Kuala Lumpur's Car-Free Day and all roads around our home will be closed to traffic we made sure to book our 6-seater Grab car a day in advance. We booked the car to pick us up from our condo at 6:45am but the driver came early so we headed down to the lobby earlier than planned.

Our 6-seater Grab fare was RM39.00 (approximately USD9/EUR8) and we arrived at KL Sentral  at a quarter to seven. We were allowed to check in despite MH2646 departing almost five hours later.

Our luggage checked in and boarding passes collected we then headed across and past another turnstile to catch the KLIA Express train.

We bought our train tickets online and enjoyed RM10.00 off each ticket, so it only cost us RM40.00 each (approximately USD9/EUR8).

The train departed KL Sentral at 7:00am and arrived in KLIA half an hour later. We headed up to the Departure floor and decided to have breakfast at Costa Coffee. We had the:

• Chicken Puff x 2
• Tuna Croissant 
• Chocolate Muffin
• Caramel Corton
• Iced Lemon Tea 
• Strawberry Iced Tea

that attracted a 5% service charge and 6% SST, so our breakfast came to RM116.35 (approximately USD26/EUR24).

Two hours later we prepared to make our way to the Domestic Departure gates. Since we checked in five hours before our scheduled departure at 11:35am our boarding passes did not have the gate number.

We perused the FIDS terminal and determined that our flight was departing from Gate A4. We then got through the security checkpoint without incident.

Gate A4 opened an hour before departure and after a delay due to extended cabin cleaning we were finally allowed to board the plan at 11:30am.

The plane pushed back at 11:50am and after some time spent taxiing onto the runway the plane eventually took off at approximately 12:15pm.

The two an a half hour flight was largely uneventful and the plane touched down at 2:30pm. We disembarked five minutes later and headed to carousel C to collect our luggage.

We had arrived in Kota Kinabalu!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

KL Sentral [Departure Hall | KL City Air Terminal]

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/GHYtnN3MLnga3SqW7

KLIA Express  Transit Station @ KLIA

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

KLIA Departure - https://maps.app.goo.gl/cua1xkrSFQHy5ULTA

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA)

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

A Life Update...

I had an appointment with a Neurologist this morning. More on that later.

We left our condo at eight in the morning and walked to the bus stop opposite Jakel Mall. Ten minutes later we caught a Rapid KL bus #250 headed to Setapak. We arrived at Columbia Asia Hospital at about 8:40am and I got registered.

We then sat and waited for my appointment with Dr Tan Wee Yong.

So why are we here? Here's my life update:

I first noticed a tingling sensation in my right arm. It's akin to when you hit your  "funny bone" at your elbow. This soon progressed to numbness from my pinky and ring finger along the right side of my body, all the way down to the little toe of my right foot.

I also noticed that I had trouble with my right trouser leg, I felt uncoordinated and clumsy.

The final symptom which alarmed me greatly was when I took a shower and only the left side of my body felt the warmth of the water.

This was two weeks ago, on 12 July 2024 and I went to see a GP nearby. Concerned that I might have suffered from a mild stroke she referred me to the Neurologist. An MRI scan of the brain was done but intense work commitments meant that I am only able to see the Neurologist today to check on the results.

After two weeks of uncertainty we were glad to receive encouraging news. Dr Tan prescribed medication for hypertension, diabetes and neuropathic pain and expects a full recovery.

In the meantime he wants me to:

• Watch what I eat
• Begin cardio exercises
• Ultimately lose weight; and perhaps hardest of all 
• Take it easy!

What a relief! With that we may have to tone down our gallivanting, or at least cut down the sugar and calories. We also need to constantly remind ourselves that nothing, and we meant absolutely nothing, should stand in the way of our health.

Stay tuned for our next destination known as "The Land Beneath The Winds" next month!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Columbia Asia Hospital - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ovjjUPQ2Zk4HEF3W8

BATU BURUK Gang Reunion!

Batu Buruk Gang reunites!

A week after our trip to Kuala Terengganu my good buddy Vinodh invited me to a mini reunion with mates from our former high school. We were holding this get-together at SOULed OUT in Sri Hartamas, and with that in mind we booked a room at The Signature Hotel nearby.

We drove to Sri Hartamas and had lunch at Nasi Kandar Pelita then drinks Starbucks as we whiled the time away before checking into The Signature Hotel to check in. Be sure to catch the upcoming video of our impression on this stylish abode.

We settled in and at six in the evening I bade Cat goodbye and walked the short distance to SOULed OUT. I was supposed to meet up with Vinodh, Krishenjit (Kris for short) and Deva for drinks, while Soh will be coming over later. Alas at the very last-minute Kris caught the Influenza B and had to sit out this session.

Vinodh was already seated by the time I got there, and Deva joined us soon after. Soh completed our group half an hour later. We spent the next six hours or so catching up on old times over a round of Mojitos, then accompanied by a bottle of Mr. Walker’s finest Black Label as well as several servings of finger food.

Kuala Terengganu (KT for short) was where we grew up. Life was simpler and sweeter then; I harked back to the time when I would ride my red racing bicycle absolutely everywhere with my best buds; tennis practice every evening with Vinodh, Kris and Deva at our school courts; 'football' matches at every opportunity before and after school which meant kicking a tennis ball around the basketball court, both Soh and I were the regular goalies; football on the beach at Batu Buruk (our gang’s namesake), running on a sandy beach saps your energy in no time, believe you me.

A bittersweet longing for things or situations of the past, nostalgia is interestingly enough made up of words that bring the meaning homecoming (nóstos) and pain/ache (álgos), and it sums up what we all felt as we reminisced about old times.

All done with the bottle of whiskey we topped the night off with a pint of Heineken before adjourning to Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu Hartamas, a short walk away for supper.

We made plans to meet up again at Soh’s establishment in Jalan Imbi next month, this time with Kris as well. We bade each other goodbye as Soh and Vinodh headed back to the car park at SOULed OUT which Deva, and I walked across the street to The Signature Hotel.

We would meet up with Deva again the following morning after breakfast at the rooftop bar. We all took the elevator up to our floor and bade our farewells. Cat and I then began packing up and checked out at ten in the morning.

Stay tuned as we gather again in July. We will be on a short sabbatical before resuming our adventures in August, as we visit the state of Sabah for the first time!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Signature Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/unGH1G7GkF7LWbqFA

SOULed OUT Kuala Lumpur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MybVvfusw32K137y7

Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu Hartamas

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/LFzZ2s45AQzrevPw8

The SIGNATURE Hotel Hartamas

Batu Buruk Gang reunites!

A week after our trip to Kuala Terengganu my good buddy Vinodh invited me to a mini reunion with mates from our former high school. We were holding this get-together at SOULed OUT in Sri Hartamas, and with that in mind we booked a room at  The Signature Hotel nearby.

Brendan was busy assisting his friends with an open day booth at Multimedia University in Cyberjaya so we were on our own this weekend.

We had lunch at Nasi Kandar Pelita then drinks at Starbucks before making the short drive to The Signature Hotel to check in. Set amid restaurants and shops in the affluent Desa Sri Hartamas neighbourhood, this upmarket hotel is 1 km from the E23 motorway and 5 km from the Publika Shopping Gallery. Modern rooms feature flat-screens and free Wi-Fi, as well as microwaves, minifridges, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. Studios have sofabeds, kitchenettes and/or washer/dryers, while apartments add separate living rooms. There's a rooftop cafe with skyline views and a terrace, plus an infinity pool and a sundeck. Other amenities include a gym and a chic granite-and-timber lobby lounge. 

However since we were only staying for a night we would not have the time to enjoy all the facilities and amenities save for breakfast at the rooftop cafe.

Speaking of which the following day Cat and I awoke at eight and headed up to the lobby for breakfast. The modest buffet spread cost us RM28.00  (approximately USD6/EUR5) each which was adequate enough to fill our peruts. After breakfast Cat and I headed up to the room and began packing up before checking out at ten in the morning.

Thus ended our staycation at Hartamas. We will be on a short hiatus in July before resuming our adventures in August, as we visit the state of Sabah for the first time!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The Signature Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/unGH1G7GkF7LWbqFA

Weekend in HARTAMAS: BATU BURUK Gang Reunion!

Batu Buruk Gang reunites!

A week after our trip to Kuala Terengganu my good buddy Vinodh invited me to a mini reunion with mates from our former high school. We were holding this get-together at SOULed OUT in Sri Hartamas, and with that in mind we booked a room at The Signature Hotel nearby.

Brendan was busy assisting his friends with an open day booth at Multimedia University in Cyberjaya so we were on our own this weekend.

So today at lunchtime we drove to Sri Hartamas, and with a couple of hours till check-in we decided to have lunch at Nasi Kandar Deen Bistro. This restaurant was very familiar with us since it used to be known as Restoran Safiz Corner, a place we used to frequent. However the inability to find parking space meant that we spent twenty minutes on a merry-go-round.

We eventually found a spot along Jalan 23/70a and then went on a stroll in search of lunch. We finally settled on Nasi Kandar Pelita and had:

• white rice with Fried Chicken 
• white rice with Pepper Chicken 
• 1 hot Nescafe
• 1 Iced Lemon Tea 

Lunch came to RM32.75 (approximately USD7/EUR6), and by the time we were done it was two in the afternoon. We then walked over to Starbucks to while the time away and ordered:

• 1 Raspberry Blackcurrant Frappucino
• 1 Mango Passion Frappucino

for a relatively low price of RM17.50 (approximately USD/EUR4) as we took advantage of the buy-one-get-one-free offer.

At three we headed back to BiBi and made the short drive to The Signature Hotel to check in. Be sure to catch the upcoming video of our impression on this stylish abode.

We settled in and at six in the evening I bade Cat goodbye and walked the short distance to SOULed OUT. I spent the next six hours or catching up on old times with my old hometown buddies, dubbed the Batu Buruk gang. Be sure to catch our upcoming video of my reunion with the crazy gang.

The following day Cat and I awoke at eight and headed up to the lobby for breakfast. Be sure to catch the upcoming video of our modest breakfast at their rooftop cafe.

After breakfast Cat and I then began packing up and checked out at ten in the morning.

Thus ended our staycation at Hartamas. We will be on a short hiatus in July before resuming our adventures in August, as we visit the state of Sabah for the first time!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/EmCH9fgFxrdB7Nff9

Nasi Kandar Pelita - https://maps.app.goo.gl/4yNmGawohaougM1b7

The Signature Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/unGH1G7GkF7LWbqFA

SOULed OUT Kuala Lumpur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MybVvfusw32K137y7

Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu Hartamas

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/LFzZ2s45AQzrevPw8