Have Perut Will Travel...: TGG Day 1 │ Dawn Drive • Lim Sian Tian!

KT Again: Back to My Hometown

We were heading back to Kuala Terengganu for some unfinished business—and this time, the plan was to pick up where we left off at our beloved “heritage” home.

The Journey Begins

The day started early at 5:15 a.m. We slipped out before dawn and made a quick stop at the Petron station near home to top up RM50 (USD12/EUR10) worth of petrol—25.13 liters (6.64 gallons), which worked out to RM7.53 per gallon (USD1.79/EUR1.54).

Twenty minutes later, we passed the Gombak Toll Plaza and cruised onto the Karak Highway. By 7:00 a.m., we exited at Bentong and joined the East Coast Expressway (LPT).

Instead of stopping at Temerloh, we drove on and reached Gambang Rest Area an hour later for a simple breakfast: plain Nasi Lemak packets and drinks for RM18.50 (USD/EUR4). Cat splurged a little with fried cockles added to hers.

Although we left KL with a full tank, we topped up again at Petronas Gambang—RM41.15 (USD10/EUR8) for 20.68 liters (5.46 gallons).

Arrival in KT

By 8:30 a.m., we were back on the road and made a quick pitstop at Ajil before finally passing the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza at 11:00 a.m. First order of business? A stop at 7-Eleven for Nescafe and two packets of Nasi Mandy from Restoran Makkah next door (https://bit.ly/42Pt2su). With iced tea, our Arabic lunch came to RM30 (USD7/EUR6).

Then came the inevitable “light cleaning” at the heritage home—which, as usual, turned into hours of work. We waited for a contractor to check the small downstairs bedroom that needed plastering and painting. Unfortunately, Nurkassim was a no-show until late afternoon.

Quotation Shock and a Change of Plans

When he finally arrived, his quote nearly knocked us off our feet: RM1,500 (USD355/EUR304) for a day’s work! Despite his attempts to negotiate, we showed him the door.

To shake off the frustration, we headed to Car Wash Warisan for some TLC for BiBi. While waiting, we enjoyed Fried Maggi Mee and Iced Milk Tea at Al Mubin Maju Nasi Kandar next door—RM20 (USD5/EUR4).

An hour later, BiBi gleamed like new for RM25 (USD6/EUR5). Next stop: Mr DIY, where we scored the ultimate toy—a High-Pressure Washer!

By 8:30 p.m., we were back at the heritage home, me tinkering with videos while Cat rested. Later, we strolled back to the rest house for a well-deserved night’s sleep.

Stay tuned for the next chapter: breakfast across the street and meeting another contractor for a fresh quote on that little bedroom!