KUCHING to KL: KIA • KLIA • KL Sentral

Returning to KL!

We picked you up again after coming back from the Borneo Cultures Museum. We spent the afternoon packing up and getting organised for our flight back.

We bade Adelyn's homestay a fond farewell at 3:00pm and made ourselves way to the Kuching International Airport. Here we parked the rental car at the agreed spot and after observing the contactless procedures laid out by Awang Amirul set off with our bags to the Departure area on Level 3.

Here we checked our bags in and waited for the appointed time for us to enter the Departure Hall, which in this case is 4:00pm.

We entered promptly at the appointed time and made our way past Customs and Immigration without incident.

We had plenty of time to spare since ours flight MH2545 was only scheduled to depart at 6:00pm, so we spent some time at the food court at the far end of the hall. Seeing as meals will be served onboard the aircraft later we decided to only have drinks. 

During this time Brendan and Cat walked over to Mita Cake House to get five of their delectable Butter cake, were disappointed. In the end they managed to get 3 Kuih Lapis of various flavours.

At 5:00pm we walked over to Gate 5 and took our seats; we were allowed to board the aircraft half an hour later . The aircraft pushed back at 6:00pm and taxied for ten minutes before MH2545 took off at precisely 6:10pm. The flight was largely uneventful and we eventually landed at 7:37pm.

Kudos to Captain Darren and Chief Steward Patrick for a very pleasant flight. We disembarked the aircraft at 7:46pm and were directed to Carousel L to collect our bags. We all went for a much needed potty break before making the long trek to claim our luggage.

We got to Carousel L and to an announcement that the was a delay in the delivery of the bags from MH2545. We only managed to collect our luggage at 8:25pm.

With our KLIA Express train tickets in hand we then headed down to Level 1 where we caught a train at 8:40pm back to the KL Sentral Air Terminal.

Here we hailed a six-seater Grab car for a fare of RM38.00 (approximately USD/8EUR7) to our condo.

Thank you for enduring our series of twelve videos on Kuching, and stay tuned as we travel to the East Coast of Malaysia next month to visit my home town!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

Kuching International Airport - https://maps.app.goo.gl/f332PGTvyN2EvCDJ7

KLIA Express Station @ KLIA - https://maps.app.goo.gl/3DzFNh4MmxHRZYkE8

KL City Air Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/r5XZiqSvxi6wGTJM9

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

BORNEO Cultures Museum: Everwin • Yong Kwang

Change of Plans!

We had made plans to visit the famed Kenyalang Park Market this morning but the rain put paid our plans. We waited for a while but the rain did not subside, we still wanted to spend our last morning in Kuching productively, so we hailed a Grab car to the Borneo Cultures Museum. Brendan decided to sleep in and declined our offer.

We caught our Grab car for a fare of RM9.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) at twenty past nine and arrived at the museum fifteen minutes later. It was already open by the time we got there and after paying an entrance fee of RM20.00 (approximately USD/EUR4) each we began our exploration at the second floor.

This video will be a lengthy one and we can understand that museums may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who enjoy the occasional museum visit we hope our footage will serve you up a treat.

We spent almost two hours visiting with each gallery spanning four floors, as well as paying the pricey gift shop a visit.

We then hailed a Grab car at 11:15am for the same fare of RM9.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) to Everwin Enterprise near Adelyn's homestay to run a few errands. We eventually had Kolo Mee at Yong Kwang shop nearby, then took away hot coffee from Kim Coffee Garden before heading back to Adelyn's homestay.

Stay tuned for our next video where we fly back to Kuala Lumpur!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

Borneo Cultures Museum - https://maps.app.goo.gl/DHCKtThZnc66nhcq7

Everwin Centre Kenyalang - https://maps.app.goo.gl/SqdDajvPuBd2Kg9C9

Yong Kwang Kedai Kopi 榮光茶室 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/nv4V3DbA49ae384C9

Kim Coffee Garden - https://maps.app.goo.gl/aY8VxZwozZyuBh9w6

PINGGAI Cafe: Running Errands!

Dayak cuisine!

We picked you up again after picking Brendan up from Adelyn's homestay after coming back from Serikin Weekend Street Market.

We then punched in Pinggai Cafe into the Waze mobile app and headed to the Waterfront area. We could not find parking in the immediate vicinity of Pinggai Cafe, so we drove into the basement parking of Plaza Merdeka nearby.

We then exited Plaza Merdeka and walked a short distance along Carpenter Street before turning right onto China Street. Here we found our lunch destination, Pinggai Cafe famed for its modern take on Dayak cuisine. Serving trays embossed with flower motifs adorn almost all of its walls made for a unique dining ambiance.

We took our seats and quickly scanned the diminutive menu before settling on:

• Grilled Cha Siu (Pork Ribs)
• Pork Pansuh
• Manok (Chicken) Curry 
• Midin Fried Belacan
• 3 Nasi Beras Hitam
• a pot of Chrysanthemum Tea
• 2 Coca-Cola

 

There's something about Dayak cuisine that appealed to Brendan's palate  since he again asked for a second helping of Nasi Beras Hitam, while I added a hot Caramel Macchiato.

Our Dayak lunch came to RM90.50 (approximately USD19/EUR18) which in our minds was reasonable given the rising price of pork. It was worth three times what we paid for our Bario lunch yesterday but was it three times better? The jury is out on this one.

After lunch we drove to Kuching International Airport to print out our boarding passes for our flight back to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

We then met up with Jacob to hand over a box of chocolates that we forgot to bring along during our dinner two nights ago.

We finally got back to Adelyn's homestay at 2:40pm to rest up while I continued with editing our voluminous amounts of footage. We will probably stay this evening and order takeouts with the Grab food app.

Stay tuned for our next video where we go on a market hunt just a stone's throw away from Adelyn's homestay!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Pinggai Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/U9QXFJzma6k8e47i8

Plaza Merdeka - https://maps.app.goo.gl/SMWL3TDQtkmi8oEr9

Kuching International Airport - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jpuFPGJwNTPoPBJFA

Premier Food Republic - https://maps.app.goo.gl/GMPbtbeEyNZypNxs5

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

SERIKIN Morning Market

Serikin Weekend Market!

We've read a lot about this border town and knew that we simply had to make a trip here. Having been around for almost 20 years, the Serikin town border market is truly one of Kuching’s local hidden gems. 

It is mainly operated by the locals of Kalimantan, from across the border and also the local Sarawakians. Items sold are mainly catered to the local Sarawakians and the occasional tourist from Peninsular Malaysia. There's a good combination of household items ranging from kitchen utensils, comforters, curtains and rattan furniture while apparels for kids, men and women are also in abundance.

With that in mind we woke up at half past six and left Adelyn's homestay half an hour later.

The drive to Serikin took almost an hour and a half, partly due to the fact that we enjoyed the immense greenery that engulfed us soon as we left the city limits of Kuching.

We hoped that the time lapse footage taken did justice to the awesome scenery, and vindicated our tendency to  drive slow and take in the sights.

We arrived at Serikin at twenty past eight, and after a quick potty break had drinks at an unnamed restaurant.

We then spent the next hour or so browsing the various stalls of souvenirs, clothes and other novelty trinkets.

In the end we got:

• a couple of hats for RM50.00
• 15 Kuih Penyaram for RM10.00
• a set of blouse and pants for RM40.00
• 2 sets of his and hers Batik shirt & blouse for RM200.00
• a tribal necklace ornament for RM70.00

Our border town bounty came to handsome RM370.00 (approximately USD78/EUR73). We were especially chuffed with the his and hers Batik shirt and blouse combo which we will rock tomorrow on the flight back to Kuala Lumpur. We will expect some stares but we don't care, bring it on!

We left Serikin at 11:00am and made our way back, stopping by a Maybank at Kota Sentosa to replenish our Federal Reserves. We eventually got back to Adelyn's and at twenty past eleven to pick Brendan up for lunch.

Stay tuned for our next video where we have lunch and sample a modern take on Dayak cuisine!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

Serikin Weekend Street Market - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9T5SwYXJvKryRMXYA

Maybank Kota Sentosa - https://maps.app.goo.gl/aku218HK6ZWrknxcA

SINIAWAN Night Market

Night Market!

We picked you up again after our excellent Bario lunch at Mummy's and Mama's Home Cooking, as we spent the afternoon indoors hiding away from the blistering heat.

At half past four we got into the rental car and punched in our destination of Siniawan into the Waze mobile app. A small town in the Bau district, about 20km away from where we were, this usually quiet town comes to life during the weekends when the Siniawan Night Market is set up along the streets of the town. 

Offering a wide variety of local delicacies and street snacks, the main attraction of this night market is the abundance of Chinese lanterns that change the way the street looks, turning it into a movie-like setting.

We spent an enjoyable evening strolling along the night market then sat down to have some tidbits consisting of:

• 9 Taiwanese Sausages for RM3.00 each
• Assortment of Fruit Juices for RM19.00
• A set of Dumplings for RM10.00
• 2 Cheese sausages for RM3.00 each
• A Pork Burger for RM15.00
• 4 Hakka Fruit Tofu with Meat for RM2.50 each
• Five Spices Meat Roll for RM10.00

As the sun began to set I took another walk along the night market to capture the bright lights and lanterns that lit up the twilight sky.

We hopped back into the rental car to drive home, eventually dropping by a Shell petrol station to fill it up before taking away a hot drink from Kenyalang Food Centre before making our way back to Adelyn's homestay.

Stay tuned for our next video where we take an even further leisurely drive to a weekend morning market at the border town of Serikin!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Siniawan Night Market - https://maps.app.goo.gl/DYgTZjaQfA96j7VA9

Kenyalang Food Centre - https://maps.app.goo.gl/igtuwj3jifdq2zbt6

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

AH LIONG Cafe Again: Mummy's and Mama's Home Cooking

Bario cuisine!

I woke up at eight, and let Cat and Brendan sleep in as I continued working on the footage of the past couple of days. They eventually awoke at ten and we were ready to go out forty five minutes later.

Determined in our resolve to try the Bario inspired cuisine that Carolyn's sister had to offer, we made another trip to Ah Liong Cafe to visit Mummy's and Mama's Home Cooking. We hopped in the rental car and punched in the destination in the Waze mobile app.

Carolyn explained that her sister Sarina had an appointment with the Sarawak General Hospital and could not open her stall yesterday. Well today was a different story! As soon as we walked into Ah Liong Cafe we could see the brightly lit stall of Mummy's and Mama's Home Cooking.

Carolyn's son Joey was on hand to serve us, and after a quick scan settled on the:

• Chicken Rendang
• Lamb Curry
• Wild Ginger Flower
• Cassava Leaves
• Sambal Petal
• 3 Bario Rice

Our first ever Bario inspired meal came to RM33.00 (approximately USD/EUR7). We enjoyed our meal tremendously, so much so that Brendan had a second helping of Bario Rice. 

Sarina's stall will celebrate 11 years in business this August, and we wish her every success. We then made our way back to Adelyn's homestay to rest while I continued work on our footage.

Stay tuned for our next video where we take a leisurely drive to the neighbouring district of Bau to visit with a night market!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ah Liong Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/qp9UjrKNFrZBrLqJ7

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

WANG SENG Seafood: Dinner with Jacob

Dinner with Jacob!

After the river cruise we hopped back into the rental car and drove a distance away to Wang Seng Seafood for dinner with Brendan's old roommate from college. We first met Jacob when Brendan first registered as a freshman with Cempaka College in UNIMAS, way back in September 2019.

Midway through the second semester UNIMAS along with the nation went into lockdown, and we have not met Jacob since, even missing him during Brendan's convocation ceremony last November.

So when we met with Jacob at Wang Seng Seafood they had a lot of catching to do, so while they reminisced about old times we perused the menu and eventually settled on:

• the Butter Mushroom (at Jacob’s recommendation)
• Charcoal Crispy Pork Belly
• Assorted Vegetables in Yam Basket 
• Lemongrass Fried Pork
• Midin Belacan
• Deep Fried Squid
• 4 White Rice
• 1 Iced Lemon Tea
• 2 Air Mata Kuching Longan Drink
• 2 Coca Cola

Our first proper dinner in Kuching came to RM167.70 (approximately USD35/EUR33), and it was again an experience not to be missed especially when dining with old acquaintances. Jacob was disappointed that we would not be staying on till Gawai since he was excited to show us around the most important festival of the year for the Ibans, even eclipsing Christmas!

We then bade our fond farewell with a promise to try to come back for next year's Gawai, then headed back to Adelyn's homestay for settle in for the night.

Stay tuned for our next video where we hoped to try our luck again with authentic Bario cuisine for lunch!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Wang Seng Seafood - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tSZ1ydjuuBxTk9xp9

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

SARAWAK River Cruise

River Cruise!

We spent the entire afternoon at Adelyn's homestay, it rained heavily at about two thirty that caused us some concern but by the time we left two hours later the weather had cleared.

We drove to Jalan Main Bazaar and parked the rental car in front of the Indian Mosque. We then took a brisk walk along the Waterfront till we got to the Sarawak River Cruise ticketing counter. Here we paid the fare of RM70.00 (approximately USD15/EUR14) each and boarded the boat at five minutes to five.

We were excited to "Be enthralled by the landmarks of a bygone era that still stands majestically along the riverbanks. See Kuching from a whole new perspective, as few ever see her." The MV Equatorial, was built in the year 1990, and has been cruising the Sarawak River ever since. Over the past 30 years, the vessel branded the Sarawak River Cruise has offered tourists and locals alike a rich panoramic view of the city and its famous landmarks.

We headed to the upper deck and found a suitable table to enjoy the boat ride. The fare entitled us to a small selection of Kueh Lapis as well as a glass of orange cordial. I sat down to set up the time-lapse on the DJI Action 4 and at precisely 5:30pm the boat pushed off from its dock.

The river cruise would take an hour and a half, so please enjoy the time-lapse footage of the entire journey. As the sun set over the Sarawak river the river cruise came to life with dance performances of the different ethnicities in the state. Since I was pre-occupied with the time-lapse Brendan shot some footage of the dance performances with the DJI Pocket 2.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and those who felt that it was not worth the fare of RM70.00 ought to manage their expectations. You can hit them up at their Facebook page for private bookings too.

We disembarked the boat and made our way back to the Indian Mosque. We then hopped back into the rental car to make the half an hour drive to the 10th Mile Bazaar of Penrissen Road.

Stay tuned for our next video where we have with Brendan's old roommate Jacob!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

Jalan Main Bazaar - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JQgRvHTJQz9XUNWE9

Sarawak River Cruise Jetty - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kM6pA4SrXt3Copck6

AH LIONG Cafe

Local Cuisine!

After our photo shoot at The Attic Studio we hopped back into the rental car and made another short drive to Ah Liong Cafe.

Remember Cat's favourite beadstress Carolyn? Well, her sister runs a food stall here called Mummy's and Mama's Home Cooking.

Eager to try authentic Bario cuisine we were disappointed to find Mummy's & Mama's Home Cooking closed. No matter for Ah Liong Cafe had plenty more to offer so we browsed the various food stalls here before settling on:

• Brendan's Char Kueh Teow for RM10.00
• Cat's Kampua Mee for RM5.00
• My Beef Noodles for RM12.00
• My Kolok Mee for RM5.00
• 3 Three Layer Iced Tea for RM3.00 each
• 2 Coca Cola for RM2.60 each 

Our first lunch in a local food court in Kuching came to RM40.20 (approximately USD/EUR8). We then made our way back to Adelyn's homestay but the rental car was low on fuel. After a bit of a runaround we managed to locate a Shell petrol station and filled her up.

Stay tuned for our next video where we finally go on a river cruise!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Ah Liong Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/qp9UjrKNFrZBrLqJ7

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

THE ATTIC Studio: Family Portrait

Family Portrait!

With nothing planned in the morning we slept in and awoke at eight. We were lazy to get ready and go out for breakfast so we ordered in with the Grab Food app. After perusing the app we settled on the western breakfast sets from Lao Jie Fang that consisted of:

• Eggs Sunny Side Up
• Toast
• Hash Browns
• Baked Beans
• Chicken Ham

Three sets of this together with delivery charges came to RM32.40 (approximately USD7/EUR6).

We then got ready, hopped into the rental car and left Adelyn's homestay at 10:30am making a short drive to The Attic Studio where we had an appointment with Ariffin to take a family portrait with Brendan in a UNIMAS graduation robe.

Brendan looked resplendent in his robes and we were dressed in bright cheerful colours to recreate the joyous occasion from last November. Once ready we will share the photos with you in a future video. We then walked over to a sundry store, CJK Chai Jee Kiong Trading hoping to get napkins and a bar of soap but it sold items in bulk and catered to wholesalers.

Cat then spotted another sundry store across from where we were parked, KSC which fulfilled our small errand. We then drove back to Adelyn's homestay for a change of clothes before heading out to lunch.

Stay tuned for our next video where we hoped to have lunch at an authentic local Bornean food stall!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

The Attic Studio - https://maps.app.goo.gl/GDEYXD4vZ2DMb3VBA

CJK Chai Jee Kiong Trading - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ftem1d3Aib8ib9jS6

KSC @ Trinity - https://maps.app.goo.gl/YchUMTt21ssdwjV17

ADELYN's Homestay!

Welcome to Kuching!

Exiting the airport we received word from our good buddy Awang Amirul that our rental car was ready and waiting at a predetermined spot, with the keys safely tucked away in a secret compartment. 

As is always the case we rented a car for the duration of our stay in Kuching for RM90.00 (approximately USD19/EUR18) a day, which would normally entitle us to a Perodua Bezza. However due to the unavailability of that particular car model, same as the last time Awang Amirul presented us with a Toyota Vios instead, and same as the last time it was the same silver (yellowish) unit.

So we walked over to where the rental car was, secured the car keys,  fixed the DJI Action 4 onto its mount and began our drive to Adelyn's homestay in Kenyalang Park. 

We deposited our bags and  immediately headed out to the local food court. We eventually settled on the path of least resistance Ilittle wait time, which is San To Wang Seafood.

We ordered Chicken Rice for RM7.00 (approximately USD1.50/EUR1.40) each, and together with a round of drinks our first meal in Kuching came to RM28.40 (approximately USD/EUR6).

We then made the short walk to the local supermarket, Everwin Centre for some provisions then headed back to Adelyn's homestay to unpack and get settled in.

Stay tuned for a terribly busy day tomorrow where we have an appointment with a photo studio then a dinner date with Jacob, Brendan's former roommate in Cempaka College!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Kuching International Airport - https://maps.app.goo.gl/f332PGTvyN2EvCDJ7

The CountryMan, Terrace House - https://goo.gl/maps/ASdsS7d7Qqo718vs8

San To Wang Seafood - https://maps.app.goo.gl/1U12DXjggNJCo72g6

KL to KUCHING: KL Sentral • KLIA • KIA

KUCHING Day 1!

Barely six months had passed since our last trip to Kuching to attend Brendan's graduation ceremony.

In the frenzy of the previous trip we could not find the time to take a family photo with Brendan in his graduation robes. Thankfully, The Attic Studio in Kuching offered a package that included the UNIMAS robes, hence our trip today.

We left our condo at ten last eleven in the morning and hailed a six-seater Grab car for a fare of RM16.00 (approximately USD/EUR3) to the KL Sentral Air Terminal.

Here we checked in our luggage at the check-in counter (that catered to only Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air passengers for now).

We then walked across and past the KLIA Express turnstile where we caught the train bound for KLIA Terminal 1.

We had the presence of mind to purchase our trains tickets online to enjoy a discounted price. While it would normally cost RM300.00 (approximately USD62/EUR59) for return tickets for the three of us, with the "Family Package" only available online it came to  only RM240.00 (approximately USD50/EUR47).

We arrived at KLIA Terminal 1 thirty-five minutes later at approximately 12:10pm. We then headed up to the Departure Hall on Level 5 and made our way to Taco Bell for lunch.

We used the self-serve terminal and ordered sets of:

• Chicken Quesadilla for me;
• Grilled Stuffed Burrito for Cat; and
• Crunch wrap Supreme Meal for Brendan.

Our flight to Kuching (MH2544) was due to leave at 3:25pm which meant that we had a solid three hours of leisure.

Our Mexican fast-food lunch came to RM63.90 (approximately USD14/EUR13). After lunch we made our way past the security checkpoint at half past one without incident, then headed to Gate A9.

Midway through our walk along the long corridors I happened to glance over at a FIDS board to discover that MH2544 was now departing from Gate B4.

Thankfully, we had two hours to spare so we doubled back and ambled toward Gate B4.

We arrived at the newly appointed gate and after double checking with the digital display that it was indeed for flight MH2544 we took a seat in the area opposite the gate.

At 2:25pm Gate B4 was open for boarding, and half an hour later we were allowed to board. In that time it began to rain heavily which caused some concern for a while, but it soon subsided.

The rain however wreaked havoc on the scheduled loading of luggage and cargo onto the aircraft, which ultimately delayed the push back to 4:10pm. 

After taxiing and waiting for another twenty minutes MH2544 finally took off at precisely 4:35pm. But for a few air pockets that the pilot Captain Johan expertly navigated the flight was largely uneventful and we eventually landed at 6:10pm.

Kudos to Captain Johan and Chief Steward Hamizi for a very pleasant flight.

After making it past the Immigration checkpoint we walked out of Kuching International Airport.

Welcome to Kuching!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

KL City Air Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/r5XZiqSvxi6wGTJM9

KLIA Express Station @ KLIA - https://maps.app.goo.gl/3DzFNh4MmxHRZYkE8

Gate B4 Departure @ KLIA - https://maps.app.goo.gl/H9i4ugCUm4Z22ABi8

Kuching International Airport - https://maps.app.goo.gl/f332PGTvyN2EvCDJ7

BENTONG Market Hunt: Reprise!

BENTONG Market Hunt!

We awoke at a quarter to seven and headed out to breakfast at ten past seven. Brendan opted to sleep in so we were all by ourselves this humid and muggy Sunday morning.

We meant to have breakfast at Choy Kee but the lack of variety forced us to Bentong's Kopitiam instead. Here we had a Yong Tau Foo inspired breakfast, and with drinks it all came to RM21.40 (approximately USD/EUR4).

After breakfast we wanted to replenish our Federal Reserves from a bank nearby alas the long queue deterred us. We then began our stroll along the Bentong morning market through the textile section, before we doubled back and walked into the Bentong market proper.

We continued our stroll and Cat got a bunch of bananas for RM5.90 (approximately USD/EUR1). We then came upon a Malay stall selling local delicacies, we got ten Pulut Panggung and ten cuts of Lemang for RM1.00 for a total of RM20.00 (approximately USD/EUR4).

Cat then got two Papayas for RM15.60 (approximately USD/EUR3). The lady selling the papaya was dishonest and returned our change short of RM1.00!

The final errand of the day was at the retail store Mr Bentong Hafiz Oon where Cat got half a kilogram of fresh ginger for RM17.00 (approximately USD4/EUR3) and a carton of Bentong Macao Eggs for RM19.00 (approximately USD/EUR3).

We then headed back to the hotel to pack up, and checked out at 10:00am. Be sure to catch our upcoming series of videos from Bumi Kenyalang!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Bentong's Kopitiam - https://maps.app.goo.gl/WJZ3bCyiQGMhPFat5

Market Bentong - https://maps.app.goo.gl/PnHPxeQed56GJruN7

Mr Bentong Hafiz Oon - https://maps.app.goo.gl/T2JMjqLM31aL63Qe7

Hotel Kristal -  https://maps.app.goo.gl/UzFYktbReF2VS9x89

BENTONG Night Stroll

BENTONG Night Stroll!

We awoke from our long afternoon siesta at six in the evening, and left the hotel half an hour later. we eventually ended up having dinner at our default restaurant in Bentong, Aik Kee Restaurant. 

Be sure to catch our previous video on our sumptuous dinner.

We then took a stroll along Bentong Walk for some night time sightseeing. We forgot to pack a deodorant so a quick stop at a KK Mart solved that.

We continued our stroll and came across a group of youthful K-Pop enthusiasts dancing to their favourite tunes.

We doubled back and walked into The Hall Coffee along Jalan Chui Yin to to quench our thirst while Brendan went back to Bentong Walk to watch the K-Pop street dance.

We then walked back to the hotel to begin work on our footage from today.

Stay tuned as we go on an early morning market hunt tomorrow!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Aik Kee Bentong Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/FXk5Ab96r8bxwjL5A

Bentong Walk - https://maps.app.goo.gl/s8wfxqq26eqytPkT6

KK Super Mart Bentong - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MtJzvnWg6zZgsboE7

The Hall Coffee - https://maps.app.goo.gl/4ab6iMsx4kqSuEw46

Hotel Kristal -  https://maps.app.goo.gl/UzFYktbReF2VS9x89

AIK KEE Bentong: A Revisit!

AIK KEE Bentong!

We awoke from our long afternoon siesta at six in the evening, and left the hotel half an hour later.

We meant to have dinner at Loong Foong Restaurant for a change but it was sadly fully booked for an event organised by a local temple.

We then turned to our default restaurant in Bentong, Aik Kee Restaurant. They had updated their menu since the last time so w took our time perusing the menu before settling on:

• Squid in Yam Basket
• Dried Chilli Pork
• Salted Vegetable Soup
• Plain Omelette 
• 3 White Rice
• Deep Fried Tilapia 
• 1 soft drink

for a grand total of RM139.90 (approximately USD29/EUR27). Aik Kee never disappoints, and we settled our reasonably priced dinner with glee.

We then took a stroll along Bentong Walk for some night time sightseeing. Be sure to catch our upcoming video on our night stroll!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Bentong Loong Foong Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kfZPRMF27ezTD3u9

Aik Kee Bentong Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/FXk5Ab96r8bxwjL5A

BENTONG in 24 Hours

BENTONG in 24 Hours!

It's been a  while since we last posted a video. In that time I reached the age of 55 which meant that I was now entitled to the nest egg safekept in the Employee' Provident Fund (EPF). We settled a few outstanding financial matter which left us debt-free, and left the rest in the EPF.

As a birthday present to myself and to celebrate "semi-retirement" I splurged a little on a second hand Mercedes Benz B180. Christened "BiBi" (for Baby Benz) she was the newest addition to the family. A mini SUV, BiBi suited our needs as a family of three. Paying for BiBi in cash meant that we remained debt-free.

This fine Saturday morning BiBi took us from our condo to Bentong town, a hour's drive away. We left our condo at ten past eight and precisely sixty minutes later arrived at Yat Heng Kopitiam situated along Jalan Dato Poo Yew Choy. A little off the beaten path this diminutive coffee shop had a few stalls offering breakfast dishes and after a while we ordered:

• Cat's Loh Shi Fun
• Brendan's Kueh Teow Thng
• My Roti Canai Wrap
• Hot Salted Coffee
• 2 Iced Salted Tea

Our first meal in Bentong came to RM41.00 (approximately USD9/EUR8), which in our minds were fair enough. We however did not appreciate the coffee shop's signature salted beverages, and will do well to avoid it in the future.

We then drove a short distance to  Taman Bentong Makmur to visit with my parents. There was a lot of catching up to do and by the time we emerged from my parent's home it was already lunchtime. At their recommendation we drove to KaiFan Mixed Rice along Jalan Tan Sri San Siang Sun.

We perused the plentiful dishes on offer and settled on our mixed rice platter that came to RM28.50 (approximately USD/EUR6). After lunch we made a very short drive to Hotel Kristal and checked into our rooms. We booked two double rooms that came to RM323.28 (approximately USD68/EUR63) a night.

The rooms were very well appointed and spacious so please check out our video on this excellent hotel posted some years ago.

We took a nap and awoke from our long afternoon siesta at six in the evening, and left the hotel half an hour later in search of dinner. We eventually ended up at our perennial favourite, Aik Kee Restaurant. Be sure to catch our upcoming video on Aik Kee.

After dinner We then took a stroll along Bentong Walk for some night time sightseeing. Stay tuned for our upcoming video on this pleasant stroll that included K-Pop dance performances and a coffee hall.

The next morning we awoke at half past six and eventually had breakfast at Bentong's Kopitiam before embarking on a market hunt. Be sure to catch our upcoming videos on these events.

We then headed back to the hotel to pack up, and checked out at 10:00am.

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

Yat Heng Kopitiam - https://maps.app.goo.gl/oxCX41vEVRbqUhLX8

Taman Bentong Makmur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/3FYj877BoJD1LNRa7

KaiFan Mixed Rice - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tNtGYSLBPeEg2Wx17

Hotel Kristal -  https://maps.app.goo.gl/UzFYktbReF2VS9x89

Bentong Loong Foong Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kfZPRMF27ezTD3u9

Aik Kee Bentong Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/FXk5Ab96r8bxwjL5A

Bentong Walk - https://maps.app.goo.gl/s8wfxqq26eqytPkT6

KK Super Mart Bentong - https://maps.app.goo.gl/MtJzvnWg6zZgsboE7

The Hall Coffee - https://maps.app.goo.gl/4ab6iMsx4kqSuEw46

Market Bentong - https://maps.app.goo.gl/PnHPxeQed56GJruN7

Selamat Hari Raya! 5-Mall Hop: Splendour of Eid Fitr

Selamat Hari Raya!

I took leave today to undergo a scheduled medical check-up that was unfortunately cancelled. With nothing planned we decided to visit the same malls from before when we were chasing 'dragons' during Chinese New Year. This time we wanted to capture the Eid Fitr themed decorations at same malls that we hoped to visit today. And instead of dragons we were on the hunt for 'ketupat'!

We left our condo at half past ten and ran an errand downstairs at Plaza City One. We then walked a short distance to the bus stop along Jalan Munshi Abdullah where we caught a free GOKL Blue Line bus to the Titiwangsa bus hub. Here we walked across the awfully busy Jalan Tun Razak via a footbridge us to the Titiwangsa Monorail station. We tapped in and continued on before eventually arriving at the Titiwangsa MRT station.

We then caught a train for a fare of RM2.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.40) to the Tun Razak Exchange or TRX station where we disembarked to visit the first of five malls today. 

We captured the splendour of Eid Fitr here, then caught another train bound for Kwasa Damansara for a fare of RM1.20 (approximately USD/EUR0.30) to the Bukit Bintang MRT station. Alas we exited the wrong turnstile, so for a 'fare' of RM0.80 (approximately USD/EUR0.20) we could head in the opposite direction.

We then exited the station through Gate E and walked a short distance to Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Here we captured footage of both the exterior and interior Chinese New Year themed decorations, and both from the surface level as well as from the sixth floor of the mall.

We then walked out and onto Jalan Bukit Bintang headed southwest. We ducked underground and briefly entered the MRT station here again before exiting at the other end for a 'fare' of RM0.80 (approximately USD/EUR0.20), emerging back on the surface level along Jalan Bukit Bintang. 

We then took an escalator up and past the Monorail station before we entered Sungei Wang Plaza. Working with limited space it was only natural that the Eid Fitr themed decorations here were underwhelming.

We then exited Sungai Wang Plaza and headed to Plaza Low Yat. Since it was lunchtime we decided to have a newly opened non-halal food court, Asia Food City on the lower ground floor. Our unplanned lunch came to RM49.50 (approximately USD/EUR10).

We then headed up to the first floor to run another errand before walking across Jalan Imbi via a footbridge and into Berjaya Times Square. We then shot some footage of the Eid Fitr themed decorations here and then walked out onto Jalan Imbi, headed to the final mall of the day.

We were headed to our new favourite mall, LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre (LaLaport BBCC). We spent some time here shooting footage of the Eid Fitr then had drinks at Starbucks for RM27.25 (approximately USD/EUR4) and gave our feet a rest before hailing a Grab car for a fare of RM13.00 (approximately USD/EUR3) back to our condo.

In our next video we will (hopefully) wake up to enjoy early enough to enjoy a quiet morning of car-free Sunday!

N/B: Car-free Sundays were not held during Ramadan.

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

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

The Exchange TRX - https://maps.app.goo.gl/8NCnRtTmVzpr4bNd6

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur - https://maps.app.goo.gl/yGvPjDnYPhWV7MNg7

Sungei Wang Plaza - https://maps.app.goo.gl/HY465ueAqCT1Co5r9

Berjaya Times Square - https://maps.app.goo.gl/YKDs61S7QkV1AUaH8

LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre

- https://maps.app.goo.gl/MpYBsrwAPBfm48Xi7

TANAH RATA to KL: Going Home!

Going home!

We woke up at a quarter to eight and made our way down to the laundromat at half past eight. We deposited our clothes in the washer and walked across the street to Yong Teng Cafe for breakfast. After the luxurious meals of the past few days we were glad to have a down-to-earth meal for a change.

Yong Teng Cafe is run by an elderly couple who are both hearing and speech impaired. We ordered:

• 2 Nasi Lemak with Fried Egg
• Toast Bread with Kaya Butter
• 1 Hot Coffee with Milk
• 1 Hot Tea with Milk 
• 1 Hot Lemon Tea

that came to a reasonable RM22.00 (approximately USD/EUR). While having breakfast we found the time to dash to the laundromat to move our clothes from the washer to a dryer, so by the time we were done with breakfast our clothes were all done as well.

We went up to the Airbnb to pack our newly washed clothes away, and at a quarter past ten we checked out of the Airbnb, deposited the key and card at the designated spot and slowly strolled to the Tanah Rata Bus Terminal. 

Since we rode the Unititi Express bus to get here we thought we would give their rival, CS Express a chance to send us back to Kuala Lumpur.

The CS Express bus bearing the registration number JRH9722 arrived at 10:55am, and at precisely 11:02am departed the Tanah Rata Bus Terminal. 

We noticed a marked difference in the levels of service between the two bus companies, and made a mental note to stick with Unititi from now onwards.

Twenty minutes later the bus arrived in Ringlet and made a lengthy stop to pick up a couple of passengers that started loading a boatload of stuff, as though they were moving house.

After another hour of twists and turns we eventually drove past the Tapah Toll Plaza at ten to one before making a pitstop at the Tapah R&R along the North South Expressway.

The bus resumed its drive at a quarter past one and approximately an hour and a half later drove past the Jalan Duta Toll Plaza.

We arrived at KL Sentral at 2:50pm, collected our bags and headed in for a late lunch.

We settled on Meals Station and promptly ordered:

•  2 Nasi Lemak Ayam Pandan 
•  Blackpepper Grilled Chicken Chop 
•  French Fries
•  2 Coca Colas
•  a Fizzy Sour Plum

that came to RM65.10 (approximately USD14/EUR13). Lunch out of the way we then walked back to KL Sentral and out its main exit where we hailed a six-seater Grab car for a fare of RM22.00 (approximately USD5/EUR4) back to our condo.

Thus ended our Highlands adventurising for now. Until the next time!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Cameron Fair Tanah Rata - https://maps.app.goo.gl/oykpGpWDjJDwn6c4A

Ease Clean Laundry - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ibdTZnmbGG5bXzvZ9

Yong Teng Cafe - https://maps.app.goo.gl/EdNEZSMTFiLCGBtc9

Tanah Rata Bus Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/DeyzuFjNt24EcLvY6

KL Sentral Departure Hall - https://maps.app.goo.gl/35gNqD3RxXtbvpVc7

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