TGG Day 4 │ Very Rainy Day • Dawn Drive to KL!

Going Home!

It rained cats and dogs, and probably the kitchen sink as well, throughout the night.

Thankfully, we were already fast asleep. We turned in around midnight and were back on our feet by five the next morning, ready for the long drive back to Kuala Lumpur.

By 5:35am, we had checked out of MS Resthouse, quietly depositing our room key and access card at the unmanned reception counter before stepping into the cool, damp pre-dawn air.

Waiting below was BiBi, packed with luggage, laundry, keropok, snacks, and enough miscellaneous items to suggest we had been away much longer than three days.

A final glance back, a turn of the key, and we were on our way.

A Missing Timelapse

Unfortunately, our action camera decided to start the day with a small act of rebellion.

Somewhere between the resthouse and our first stop, the timelapse footage vanished, meaning the drive from Kuala Terengganu to Paka Rest Stop survived only in our memories.

We picked you up again at 7:10am after a quick comfort break.

A nearby Shell station followed, where BiBi enjoyed breakfast in the form of RM20.00 (≈ USD5 / EUR4) worth of fuel, or roughly ten litres.

Breakfast at Gambang

Another hour and a half later, we arrived at Gambang Rest Stop at 8:40am.

Following another quick potty break, we headed to the food court and settled on Nasi Lemak with Squid Sambal. At RM10.00 (≈ USD3 / EUR2) per plate, it felt a little pricey by highway standards, but the squid sambal was difficult to resist.

Together with a round of drinks, breakfast came to RM26.00 (≈ USD6 / EUR6). Not too bad at all.

Before leaving, we made one additional stop at the nearby Petronas station, topping up BiBi with RM28.92 (≈ USD7 / EUR6) worth of fuel, equivalent to about 14.5 litres.

With everyone properly refuelled, we left Gambang at 9:15am.

The Final Push

From Gambang onwards, it was a straight run home.

The kilometres slipped by effortlessly as we settled into the familiar rhythm of highway driving. Before we knew it, more than three hours had passed and we were crossing our final toll booth on the DUKE Highway.

Technically, we were home.

But BiBi had one more appointment.

BiBi's Spa Session

Several days of rain, highways, road works, and long-distance driving had left her looking considerably less glamorous than when we had departed.

Instead of heading directly home, we detoured into Kampung Baru for a well-earned wash.

The spa treatment worked wonders.

A helpful worker also pointed out that the tyres were looking a little underinflated, so after the cleaning session we made one final stop at the Petron station near Menara City One to top up the tyre pressure.

Only then was BiBi ready to conclude her East Coast adventure.

Home at Last

At precisely 12:00 noon, we rolled back into Menara City One, bringing our Kuala Terengganu homecoming adventure to an end.

We were tired, certainly, but immensely satisfied.

Over the past few days, we had crossed the peninsula twice, transformed the downstairs bedroom, refreshed the ancestral home, stocked up on keropok, caught up with neighbours, tackled a surprising number of repairs, and enjoyed more than our fair share of good food.

Most importantly, the house was ready for us again.

The next time we returned, there would be a freshly painted bedroom, a beautifully restored parquet floor, and a home waiting to welcome us rather than a long list of urgent chores. Of course, the leaky porch roof and faulty power socket had already volunteered themselves as future projects, but those could wait their turn.

For now, mission accomplished.

We have nothing planned between now and Christmas, but experience has taught us one thing: the best adventures rarely wait for an invitation.

They simply appear.

And somehow, we always seem to say yes.

Until then, thank you for travelling with us. We'll see you on the next road, in the next town, or at the start of the next unexpected adventure. Stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

 

📍 Location:

MS Resthouse - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbJYFsB9p9svf9Rn7 

R&R Paka West Bound - https://share.google/xXbCcYmAEw5NGVbVn

R & R Gambang West Bound - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NDV9YL546xS678US8

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCjoAhuspFpp3GHb6

TGG Day 3 │ Anuar's Crew Again • Drive to Merang • Uncle Chua • Restoran Ocean!

KT Day 3!

We were up by eight and out the door half an hour later. After another good night's sleep, we felt refreshed and ready for another busy day in Kuala Terengganu.

A Deepavali Breakfast Detour

Our first mission was breakfast, but Deepavali meant many nearby food stalls were closed. After a brief search, we doubled back towards Elektrik KT Soon Heng and ended up at ZUS Coffee instead. A Spanish Latte, Iced Matcha Latte, Cheezy Sausage Roll, and Mushroom Chicken Deluxe came to RM44.20 (≈ USD11 / EUR10). Not quite the Terengganu breakfast we had planned, but a pleasant start nonetheless.

Roti Paung and Parquet Floors

Back at the ancestral home, Alias and Tengku arrived at 9:20am to begin restoring the downstairs bedroom's parquet floor. Almost at the same moment, Uncle Ching dropped by with a bag of freshly baked roti paung. Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet, it instantly brought back memories of growing up in Terengganu.

While we enjoyed Uncle Ching's gift, Alias and Tengku secured loose parquet blocks, repaired gaps, sanded away years of wear, and applied fresh coats of varnish. By noon, the transformation was remarkable. Combined with the previous day's painting work, the room felt almost brand new. We paid the agreed RM600.00 (≈ USD148 / EUR132) and thanked them for an excellent job.

Naturally, one completed project revealed another. Attention soon shifted to the leaky front porch roof, a much larger repair that will likely have to wait until our next visit.

A Keropok Run to Merang

Soon afterwards, Mrs Lim stopped by with oranges and apples before admiring the newly restored room. Once everyone had left, we climbed into BiBi and headed for Merang.

The coastal drive was beautiful, with fishing villages, coconut groves, glimpses of the South China Sea, and dramatic monsoon skies reminding us why we love returning home. At 1:15pm, we arrived at Hasemah Keropok Keping and stocked up on ten packets of unfried ikan tamban and ikan parang keropok for RM160.00 (≈ USD39 / EUR35).

Laundry and Lunch

Returning via Tepoh and Jambatan Sultan Mahmud, we enjoyed sweeping views of the Terengganu River before heading into the waterfront district. Before lunch, we dropped off a large load of musty clothes from the downstairs wardrobe at a nearby laundromat.

With that done, we headed to Uncle Chua Signature for Ayam Geprek Signature, Nasi Goreng Kampung, Fried Spring Rolls, Ribena Lychee, Apple Juice, and Hot Hazelnut Coffee. The bill came to RM60.40 (≈ USD15 / EUR13), making for a satisfying break after a productive morning.

One More Project

After collecting our laundry, we returned home to meet Ah Ling from Elektrik KT Soon Heng and his technician. We had hoped to repair a faulty power socket at the front porch, but the issue proved more complicated than expected. Another task for another trip.

The rest of the afternoon was spent tying up loose ends around the house before we locked up and returned to MS Resthouse at 6:45pm.

A Well-Earned Dinner

At 7:00pm, we hailed a Grab for RM10.00 (≈ USD3 / EUR2) and headed to our perennial favourite, Restoran Ocean.

Dinner felt like a celebration of everything we had accomplished over the past two days. We ordered Small Meat Ribs King, Squid in Thai Sauce, Salted Vegetable Soup, and two Iced Chinese Teas. The meal came to RM61.50 (≈ USD15 / EUR14) and absolutely hit the spot after another busy day.

A final Grab ride costing RM7.00 (≈ USD2 / EUR2) brought us back to the resthouse and another productive day to a close.

Looking Ahead

Between restoring the downstairs bedroom, stocking up on keropok, tackling laundry, catching up with neighbours, and enjoying some excellent food, it had been a surprisingly full day.

Tomorrow, however, it would be time to point BiBi westward and begin the long drive back to Kuala Lumpur.

Stay tuned! 

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

MS Resthouse - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbJYFsB9p9svf9Rn7 

ZUS Coffee Jalan Pejabat - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Yhoxu37fUnwQLRZT9

Lim Sian Tian - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwgtCpD9R9HkQX8b7

Keropok Keping Hasemah - https://maps.app.goo.gl/WdKTus2ohWGJdPe47

Uncle Chua Signature - https://maps.app.goo.gl/UaPTUnZuPMjVy7kk8

Restaurant Ocean - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kEBTAszXmUEnDZ4F8

TGG Day 2 │ Kedai Makan Ezan • Anuar's Paint Crew • Tony's Day Maid!

KT Day 2!

After a much-needed rest, we were up by eight and out the door an hour later. Cat, especially, had enjoyed an excellent night's sleep, and we both felt refreshed and ready for another busy day at the ancestral home.

Breakfast Before the Work Begins

Our first stop was a stall opposite the Petron station across Jalan Sultan Ismail.

A proper Terengganu breakfast awaited us: Nasi Dagang with Ikan Tongkol, 12 mini sticks of Keropok Lekor, and a round of drinks for just RM20.00 (≈ USD5 / EUR4).

With breakfast sorted, it was time to get to work.

Supplies and Side Projects

Before running errands, we inspected the damaged awning behind the ancestral home. What started as a quick look quickly raised an uncomfortable question: was another repair project about to be added to the list?

The answer was probably yes.

We then stopped by Elektrik K T Soon Heng, where we bought a 3-way multiway socket, 3-gang extension socket, and a 1-metre speaker cable cut into two lengths for RM42.00 (≈ USD10 / EUR9).

A few doors down at GNH Plastic, we picked up two packets of rat repellent for RM5.40 (≈ USD1 / EUR1).

Restoration Day

Returning home via a rarely used back lane, we settled in to wait for Anuar's team.

At exactly 10:00am, Alias and Tengku arrived. Anuar himself had been called away to another job in Kota Bharu, leaving the work in their capable hands.

The original quotation of RM500.00 (≈ USD123 / EUR110) covered cementing the flaked walls and repainting the walls, ceiling, doors, and door frame. Because we opted for a glossy paint finish, an additional RM100.00 (≈ USD25 / EUR22) was required.

With the details settled, work began immediately.

While Alias and Tengku tackled the downstairs bedroom, Cat busied herself around the house and I worked on editing videos from our journey home.

Reinforcements Arrive

At 1:30pm, Ayu from Tony's Cleaning Services arrived to help with the cleaning.

The impact was immediate. Dust disappeared, forgotten corners regained purpose, and room by room the house began to feel like a home again rather than an ongoing maintenance project.

The half-day cleaning service cost just RM100.00 (≈ USD25 / EUR22) and proved to be money well spent.

By 3:00pm, Alias and Tengku had completed the bedroom.

The transformation was remarkable. Fresh paint and repaired walls gave the room a completely new feel. However, this was only Part One of the project.

Tomorrow, they would return to tackle the room's tired parquet flooring.

The Lunch We Forgot

By 5:30pm, Ayu had finished her work as well. It was only then that we realised we had completely forgotten about lunch.

A quick GrabFood order solved the problem.

We tucked into a hearty meal of Nasi Minyak with Beef Stew, accompanied by a round of Sirap Lychee, for RM37.00 (≈ USD9 / EUR8).

After a day spent cleaning, painting, organising, and supervising repairs, it tasted particularly good.

Calling It a Day

An hour later, we walked over to FamilyMart to pick up a few snacks and drinks before returning to MS Resthouse.

Looking back, it had been an unexpectedly productive day. We enjoyed a classic Terengganu breakfast, inspected a damaged awning, stocked up on household supplies, transformed a bedroom, cleaned much of the ancestral home, and somehow forgot lunch entirely.

Not quite the East Coast holiday most people would imagine, but satisfying nonetheless.

Tomorrow promises another busy day as Alias and Tengku return to revive the downstairs bedroom's parquet floor.

Stay tuned! 

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

MS Resthouse - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbJYFsB9p9svf9Rn7 

Kedai Makan Ezan - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uW8nA3zSHgyaAGaQ9

Lim Sian Tian - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwgtCpD9R9HkQX8b7

FamilyMart Jalan Pejabat - https://maps.app.goo.gl/r4U7pC88uKsKN2XW8

TGG Day 1 │ Dawn Drive • Lim Sian Tian • Meals from Grab Food!

KT Day 1: The Road Home Begins

We had been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and before dawn had even broken, BiBi was loaded with bags, supplies, and enough assorted belongings to suggest a permanent move rather than a short getaway. By 5:50am, we were rolling out of Kuala Lumpur, watching the city slowly wake beneath a soft orange sunrise as we headed east toward Kuala Terengganu.

Breakfast at Gambang

Several hours later, we stopped at the Gambang Rest Area for breakfast. A couple of packets of nasi lemak, an iced milk tea, and a hot Nescafé cost just RM12.00 (≈ USD3 / EUR3), providing the perfect start to the day before we continued our journey. After a fuel stop, a brief break at Ajil, and many kilometres of highway, we finally passed through the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza at Kampung Gemuruh at exactly 11:00am. No matter how often we make the drive, that moment always feels like coming home.

The "Little Cleaning" That Never Is

Soon after arriving at our ancestral home, we encountered one of the family's most familiar phrases: "Let's just do a little cleaning."

As usual, those harmless words quickly escalated into hours of sweeping, dusting, wiping, rearranging, and uncovering jobs we had no idea existed. Every completed task seemed to reveal two more waiting patiently nearby. Exhausting though it was, it somehow wouldn't feel like a proper trip home without it.

Amid the activity, Anuar stopped by to inspect the small downstairs bedroom. After assessing the damage, he recommended some replastering and a fresh coat of paint, promising to return the next morning to complete the work for RM500.00 (≈ USD123 / EUR110).

A Taste of Home

By then, hunger had taken over, so lunch was entrusted to GrabFood. Our first meal back in Kuala Terengganu was a classic: nasi dagang with gravied ikan tongkol and iced lemon tea for RM27.00 (≈ USD7 / EUR6).

Unfortunately, it also highlighted a recurring flaw in our content-creation process. The food arrived. We started eating. The camera was remembered afterwards. Not a single photograph survived the encounter.

A Very Successful Nap

At 2:30pm, we made the short drive to MS Resthouse for what we confidently described as a quick rest.

Several hours later, we woke up.

After an early start, a five-hour drive, and an afternoon of cleaning, exhaustion had quietly overruled our plans. We eventually resurfaced at 7:15pm feeling far more refreshed than intended.

Dinner: Same Result

Back at the ancestral home, dinner came courtesy of Muara Tomyam Seafood via GrabFood. Fried noodles, keropok lekor, and iced lychee came to RM31.80 (≈ USD8 / EUR7) and made for a thoroughly satisfying meal.

Regrettably, dinner followed exactly the same script as lunch.

The food arrived. We ate. The camera was forgotten. Again.

At this point, we were beginning to suspect that hunger and content creation simply do not coexist peacefully.

Calling It a Day

The rest of the evening was spent pottering around the house, tackling small jobs here and there before making the short walk back to MS Resthouse after ten.

It had been a long but rewarding day. We had crossed the peninsula before sunrise, survived another round of "light cleaning", arranged repairs for the downstairs bedroom, enjoyed our first taste of home, and somehow failed to photograph two separate meals.

Tomorrow promises to be even busier. Anuar will return armed with paint and plaster, while a day maid from Tony's Cleaning Service joins the effort to bring the ancestral home back under control.

The house has been given fair warning.

Stay tuned! 

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Havironia Music - https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCjoAhuspFpp3GHb6

R & R Gambang East Bound - https://share.google/2t3i39xZJEzuvOO8f

Plaza Tol Kuala Terengganu - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zyPh89Lhic1AbGe7A

Lim Sian Tian - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwgtCpD9R9HkQX8b7

MS Resthouse - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbJYFsB9p9svf9Rn7