Hello everyone! We are Cat and Harold from Kuala Lumpur. Welcome to our vlog, created to catalogue our memories, life’s events and travels.
Why “Have Perut Will Travel”? It’s a play on words from an old Western TV show called “Have Gun - Will Travel”, but we let our tummies lead the way ❣️
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We left the hotel at six in the evening and hopped into BiBi, making the five-minute drive to our dinner destination. Barely a kilometer away we contemplated taking a walk there but the lack of proper sidewalks dissuaded us.
Located within Sekinchan's fishing village Loong Hua Seafood Restaurant was familiar to us, having previously been here in August 2020. We knew that parking was limited so we made sure to be here early.
It is known to be the oldest seafood restaurant in Sekinchan, and we liked its location next to the fishing boat jetty. We sat and watched fishermen busy with their work, fishing boats passed by the restaurant. Loong Hua is also known for maintaining the traditional Sekinchan fishing village cooking style.
We carefully perused their menu before ordering the:
Signature Fried Bee Hoon with Crab
Deep Fried Cuttlefish
A jug of Chinese Tea
Our riveting riverside dinner came to RM125.00 (approximately USD30/EUR25). IN all honesty it was a bit pricey considering the seafood feasts that we've been having in Kuching and Kuala Terengganu before this.
We then hopped back into BiBi and drove back to the hotel, parked then walked over to Sri Kassim Supermart to get some cold drinks and tidbits.
Stay tuned for the next video as we have breakfast while sorting out laundry!
Today is Awal Muharram, also known as Maal Hijrah, which marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year. It is also a public holiday, and taking advantage of the extended weekend we booked a hotel room in Sekinchan, a two-hour drive away.
We last went in August 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, and before the creation of our Youtube channel.
Brendan was busy with his course work and did not join us, so we hopped into BiBi at twelve noon setting a course for a restaurant called Chef Danial Halal. Its Facebook page advised us to make reservations before coming, so we did so for 2:00pm today.
Taking the North South Expressway for the first leg of the journey we turned off onto the Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway (LATAR) continuing on for the next hour or so until we reached the restaurant.
Set within an oil palm estate the restaurant was calm and cosy. Chef Danial previously worked fifteen years in a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur before starting his own restaurant here in Sekinchan in 2011. We perused their menu for a while before ordering the:
Deep Fried Fish in Thai Chilli Sauce
Dry Butter Prawns
Pak Choy Oyster Sauce
Each a plate of White Rice
Together with a round of beverages our first meal in Sekinchan came to RM86.60 (approximately USD21/EUR18).
We then hopped back into BiBi and set course for East Sun Hotel. A budget hotel https://bit.ly/4eHuu53 we booked their 'suite' for RM241.85 a night (approximately USD57/EUR49). The room was well-appointed, clean and modern, and situated within a row of shoplots that housed a slew of convenience stores. Most importantly it was right beside a laundromat!
We settled in and rested till evening. Stay tuned for our next video as we have dinner by a riverside!
It was a lazy Sunday morning. Three weeks after coming back from Kuching I was knee deep in video editing and decided on an impromptu trip to the Exchange TRX Mall to visit the biggest UNIQLO store.
We left our home at eleven headed to them Bandaraya LRT station. I had RM4.30 (approximately USD/EUR1) left in my Touch 'n Go card and was denied entry at the station's turnstile.
I then topped up RM100.00 (approximately USD24/EUR20) and we continued on our merry way up to the platform. A train bound for Putra Heights and disembarked at Plaza Rakyat.
Here we switched to the Merdeka MRT station bound for Kajang. We disembarked at the TRX MRT station for a total fare of RM1.90 (approximately USD/EUR0.40) and walked into the Exchange TRX Mall.
An interesting note to everyone. You can catch the train to Putrajaya from this MRT station.
Feeling a little hungry we decided on an early lunch at the Food Exchange on the lowest floor, the Concourse floor. We browsed each stall before deciding on the Hokkaido Ramen stall and ordered the:
Saba Teriyaki Bento
Chicken Nanban Bento
for a total of RM50.90 (approximately USD12/EUR10).
Then from the beverage stall we got the:
Ribena with Lemon
Ribena with Lychee
for a total of RM14.00 (approximately USD/EUR3).
The total amount of RM64.90 (approximately USD15/EUR13) was a little steep considering we just came back from Kuching, but was about right considering we were in an upmarket mall.
Our meal was enjoyable and and we then began our exploration of this mall in earnest. We rode several flights of escalators up to the second floor and dropped by the Skechers store. There were no offers to be had so we continued browsing.
After browsing several stores we walked into the Levi's outlet here and eventually got:
a denim bucket hat for me
and a straw bucket hat for Cat
for a total of RM156.80 (approximately USD37/EUR32).
Done with the second floor we rode an escalator down and began browsing the stores here. We eventually walked into Cat's perennial favourite Bath & Body Work where she got several heavily discounted items including:
Gingham Body Lotion
Dahlia Body Lotion
Iced Lemon Poundcake Foam Soap
for a total of RM66.75 (approximately USD16/EUR14).
After seeing all there was to see on the first floor we walked into the Uniqlo outlet where I eventually got four AIRism T-shirts for a total of RM199.60 (approximately USD47/EUR41).
We then rode the escalator within Uniqlo back down to the concourse level and walked across to the LC Waikiki store where Cat got a printed summer dress for RM59.90 (approximately USD14/EUR12).
Right outside LC Waikiki store was the Arabica coffee stall, an "independent coffee brand from Kyoto for cosmopolitan souls." This coffee stall used to attract long lines, but today was relatively quiet.
Curious about what the hype was all about I got a hot cafe latte for RM18.87 (approximately USD/EUR4). Though not a coffee aficionado I thought their coffee was smoother than most. Would I endure endlessly long lines for their coffee? Probably not.
By this time we had walked in excess of seven thousand steps so we decided to head back to the TRX MRT station where we caught the train bound for Sungai Buloh. We disembarked at the Merdeka MRT station before walking over to the Plaza Rakyat LRT station.
Here we caught a train bound for Sentul and disembarked at the Bandaraya LRT station for the same total fare of RM1.90 (approximately USD/EUR0.40).
We then made our way back to our home.
Stay tuned in the coming week as we spent forty-eight hours in Sekinchan!
We woke up at half past seven and promptly walked to Kim Coffee Garden to have our white Kolo Mee. We also took away two red and two white Kolo Mee, and together with a round of drinks our breakfast came to RM41.00 (approximately USD10/ EUR9).
We walked back to the homestay and began to pack our belongings away. All this happened off-camera.
We began filming as we bade farewell to Adelyn's Airbnb. After one final sweep of the home to make sure nothing was left behind we deposited the keys in the lockbox.
We sent Adelyn a message informing her that we left packets of keropok and serunding as souvenirs. We then left at ten past ten and arrived at Kuching International Airport (KIA) approximately twenty five minutes later.
Our good buddy Awang Amirul was again indisposed so I drove the rental car into the airport car park where it was securely parked. Due to the ongoing construction in and around the parking area it took some time before we could find parking.
I eventually shared a few photos of the car's location with Awang Amirul and then made our way to the Departure Hall. Here's a link to his Facebook page.
We then weighed our bags, and were relieved that the total weight came in at 37 kgs, within the allocated 40 kgs. We arrived last week with 25 kgs of belongings which means that we added 12 kgs worth of goodies!
We then checked our luggage in and after sorting out items in our carry-on bag we made our way the to Departure Hall. We navigated the Immigration counters and the security checkpoint at ten past eleven before heading to Gate 4. MH2513 was still on schedule to take off at 1:35pm so more than two hours to burn we walked to the Makan Makan food court.
We ordered drinks and a grilled cheese sandwich for a total of RM30.50 (approximately USD7/EUR6). We then settled down and for the next hour or so I worked on our videos while Cat roamed the Departure Hall, eventually getting two Kek Lapis for RM35.00 (approximately USD8/EUR7).
The boarding process began at 1:30pm, we got to our seats fifteen minutes later. We were seated along row 6, and since Brendan had cancelled his seat there was a lady seated in between our window and aisle seat. The lady was kind enough to swap with our aisle seat, and with that sorted we got settled in.
MH2513 pushed back at 1:55pm and took off fifteen minutes later. The flight was largely uneventful and we were soon served our inflight meals. Cat and I both opted for the opted for the Potato with Fish, which in hindsight was not something we cared for.
An hour into our flight MH2513 began its descent and we touched down at 3:30pm. We collected our luggage from Carousel L then headed down to the ERL train station. We caught a train at 4:20pm and arrived at KL Sentral approximately half an hour later.
We then waited a while for Brendan and Puteh to come get us, and we got back home at ten past five in the evening. Door-to-door our journey took about seven hours, which was not bad at all.
We picked you up again after coming back from our final spending spree at Mita Cake House then lunch at Peach Garden at Jalan Song. We spent the entire afternoon organising our belongings in the two yellow submarines. We are grateful to Marvin for repairing the zipper to one of the bags.
I then began work on our videos, while Cat busied herself with laundry and only emerged in the evening. Eager for more local cuisine on our last night in Kuching our interest was piqued by this Dayak food court called Remin Asuh Dayak https://bit.ly/4jntN17 so we left Adelyn's homestay with our rental car at 5:30pm and drove to Marbel Garden.
Remin Asuh (which is the Bidayuh Biatah translation for 'smoke house') opened its doors in 2019 and catered to the local community especially those into country and western music. It offers a variety of food stalls, including those serving Dayak cuisine, BBQ dishes, and other options like grilled Western food, sambal ikan (fish with sambal), and local specialties.
We arrived at 6:00pm and since it was our first time here we carefully surveilled the options before ordering from D'Satay & BBQ Station:
200gm of their 3-layer Pork
10 sticks of their Pork Satay
We then ordered a plate of Midin Sambal Belacan from D&C Juicy Barbeque. Together with a round of drinks our final dinner in Kuching came to RM50.40 (approximately USD12/EUR10) and again mindful of the fact that I was driving no alcohol was consumed.
Seeing as it was our last night we decided to take a leisurely drive to Kuching Waterfront before making our way back one last time to Adelyn's homestay.
Stay tuned for the next video as we leave Kuching on a jet plane!
After our stroll along Kuching Waterfront we got home where Cat got violently sick. Apparently the Dayak cuisine at Lepau did not agree with her and she threw up three times throughout the night!
Despite my protestations she refused to seek medical treatment, and she soon fell asleep. I then spent a few tense hours checking up on her, and fell asleep at two in the morning.
Which brings us to this morning. We naturally slept in and rose sometime after ten. We showered and got ready, hopping into the rental car at ten past eleven headed to Jalan Satok to visit a famous cake house.
Alas by the time we got to Mita Cake House at Jalan Satok twenty five minutes later a long line had formed. We then looked for alternatives, and set course for another outlet along Jalan Tun Jugah. We arrived at five to twelve and were in luck as there were several boxes left, so we grabbed five boxes for a total of RM97.50 (approximately USD23/EUR20).
Since it was coming up to lunch time we decided to head to our new favourite food court over at Jalan Song. We parked our car at the Majlis Tiga Lingkungan Dasar (MTLD) at Tabuan Heights at ten past twelve and walked a short distance to Peach Garden Food Centre.
Alas the stall selling my favourite Sausage Fried Rice only operated in the evenings, so I settled for a plate of mixed rice from a "fast food" stall while Cat opted for the Claypot Stewed Soup with Rice. Together with a round of drinks our simple lunch came to RM33.00 (approximately USD8/EUR7).
We then hopped back into the rental car headed back to Adelyn's homestay. We made a pitstop at Kim Coffee Garden to take away their awesome home grown hot coffee before making it back. I then walked out again to Kenyalang Park in search of cellophane tape to help with our packing later.
After trying a few stores I eventually found cellophane tape at a local 100% Mart and made my way back to Adelyn's homestay. We then spent the afternoon packing all our goodies in the smaller yellow submarine, while everything else went into the bigger bag.
Stay tuned as we finally visit a rumah asap that properly serves BBQ meat!
We picked you up again after our exquisite dinner at Lepau Restaurant over at Jalan Ban Hock. Knowing that we needed to walk off the calories we we drove to Kuching Waterfront, a scenic promenade along the Sarawak River, known for its history, local food, cultural landmarks, and the iconic Darul Hana Bridge.
We managed to find parking beside a mosque and began our stroll. Perhaps our most favourite part of the Darul Hana Bridge is the S-shaped Golden Anniversary Bridge, a unique curved 330-metre pedestrian bridge, supported by two cables that are 45 metres high from two 48-degree outward angled steel towers topped out with stylised hornbills.
This time around we did not walk along the bridge, do watch our previous video on our excursion along the bridge to its end and back. We continued our walk along the promenade that lay on the southern bank of the Sarawak River.
We made it all the way to the Hornbill Fountain before turning back, and even managed to "experience enchantment at Darul Hana Musical Fountain", capturing a few minutes of the water, music, and lights show https://bit.ly/3SFABwp along the Sarawak River.
We made it back to the rental and drove back to Adelyn's homestay and slowly began packing away all our bounty of the past several days.
Stay tuned as we head out in search of a famous cake house tomorrow morning!
We picked you up again after our late lunch at Kim Coffee Garden. We got back to Adelyn's homestay at a quarter past two and began unpacking our bounty from this morning's shopping spree at India Street and Jalan Main Bazaar.
We showered then busied ourselves with our respective tasks; me at the laptop and Cat at the washing machine.
We eventually got ready and left Adelyn's homestay at half past five. We arrived at Lepau ten minutes later and took our seats outside as we waited for Lepau to open. It then began to rain heavily and the waitress was kind enough to allow us in.
Thankfully we made reservations beforehand to dine here because from the reservation signs on seen each table we gathered that they were almost full booked, save for a couple of tables at the back for walk in.
Lepau Restaurant is touted as "an ethnic restaurant serving the best authentic Orang Ulu and Dayak food for all to discover. Winner of the Best Innovative Ethnic Restaurant for the 20th Malaysia Tourism Award."
We took the time to surveil our surroundings. Lepau which means hut in the Kayan language has been in business since 2014. Dayak Daily describes it as "more than just iconic Sarawak food, it also serbes an original Sarawak ethnic dining experience with its beautiful indoor and outdoor ambience, homey atmosphere, and melodious sape music".
Inspired by the same Dayak Daily article we promptly ordered:
Tempoyak Anchovies
Terung Asam Fish
Orang Ulu Red Chili Chicken
Stir Fried Spicy Bunga Kantan
Purple Bario Rice wrapped in Itun Sip
a round of drinks
Soon as we placed our order the waitress suggested we move to a bigger table outdoors, which we agreed with glee. Our new seating arrangements were airy and cosy, for which we were grateful.
our delightful Dayak dinner came to a respectable RM97.75 (approximately USD23/EUR20). An experience not to be missed, we heartily recommend Lepau to anyone looking for authentic local cuisine set in an amazing backdrop.
Stay tuned as we head out to Kuching Waterfront to walk off the calories!
We picked you up after our walkabout along Jalan Main Bazaar. After reaching the famed Cat Statue we hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM5.00 (approximately USD/EUR1) , and as soon as we got to Plaza Merdeka we headed down to the basement carpark and set course for Matang Metrocity. We arrived back Plaza Merdeka and ended our walkabout there. We then hopped into the rental and set course for Petronas Metrocity to meet up with Marvin.
One of our yellow submarines was badly manhandled by the Kuching airport ground staff that the one of the zipper head broke off. Thankfully or slyly, depending on how you look at it the zipper's slider was reattached and left hooked into the lock.
After a few frantic days of searching for a repair shop we finally found Marvin through a Facebook page. He picked up the yellow submarine two days ago and in the interest of time we decided to pick it up from near where he lived, which was in the vicinity of Matang Metrocity.
We arrived at Petronas Metrocity at a quarter to two and filled up RM20.00 (approximately USD4/EUR3) worth of fuel into the rental car. Marvin came a short while later and handed our bag to us.
The repairs including parts and labour came to RM98.00 (approximately USD23/EUR20). We hen set course for Kek Lapis Warisan https://bit.ly/3SAhVOH over along Jalan Pisang. Here we got several bars of their delectable sweet cake including the Hati Parek and Rainbow Cheese and Chocolate Cheese for a total of RM85.00 (approximately USD20/EUR18).
Kek Lapis Warisan Sdn Bhd offers a wide range of customisable cakes, including birthday cakes, cheese cakes, chocolate cakes, wedding cakes, red velvet cakes, butter cakes, banana cakes, and the famous Sarawakian Kek Lapis and Kek Marble. They also have cupcakes for those looking for something different. What sets this cake shop apart is its open kitchen where visitors can watch the baking process and interact with the staff.
We finally headed back to Adelyn's homestay where we parked the rental car and walked out to Kim Coffee Garden for a late lunch. We both had the Sarawak Laksa and Iced Barley, and took away a hot Coffee for a total of RM24.20 (approximately USD6/EUR5). We got back to Adelyn's homestay to rest at three.
Stay tuned as we feast on more local cuisine at an upmarket eatery tonight!
We woke up at eight in the morning and were out the door at twenty past nine. Twenty minutes later we arrived at Plaza Merdeka and parked at its basement before continuing on foot. Since the mall was not yet open the security personnel on duty advised us to take the elevator up to the ground floor then make our way out onto the street.
Our first destination was India Street, a place we have not visited in a long while. With over 140 years of history it was renamed India Street in 1928 to honor the Indian merchants who settled there. In 1992, it was converted into a pedestrian mall and is now a vibrant area with shops selling textiles, clothing, spices, and souvenirs.
We walked along India Street and Cat was immediately drawn to Nizamir Textiles. We walked in and eventually bought:
2 sets of their kain sarung
2 meters each of woven cloth in Sarawakian motif
for a total of RM95.00 (approximately USD22/EUR20).
Still in India Street we then had breakfast at Jubilee Restaurant where we had:
each a Roti Canai
hot Nescafe
Iced Milk Tea
that came to RM9.20 (approximately USD/EUR2). We were made to wait for our Roti Canai and when we enquired apparently our order was forgotten. Mind you the restaurant was NOT busy and we were the only other patron. Our Roti Canai finally made its appearance half hour later.
We then resumed our stroll along India Street before doubling back to Nizamir Textiles to get another seven meters of the same woven cloth in Sarawakian motif for RM140.00 (approximately USD33/EUR29).
We then continued onto Carpenter Street before turning left onto Jalan China before emerging onto Jalan Main Bazaar. From Borneo Point Cat got a dress in local motif for RM35.00 (approximately USD8/EUR7).
From Little Borneo we got several keychains for RM22.00 (approximately USD/EUR5). We then doubled back to Kwang Yan Trading where we got five packets of Sarawak pepper and two packets of Pansuh paste for RM75.00 (approximately USD18/EUR16).
We doubled back along Jalan Main Bazaar until we arrived at Peanuts Anchovies. Here Cat ordered the Green Tea Lemon while I tried the Iced Ribena Sprite Lychee for RM14.85 (approximately USD4/EUR3).
By the time we were done with refreshments it was already a quarter past twelve. We then made the short walk to Borneo Headhunters Tattoo and gifted Robin and Ernesto a packet of Terengganu serunding (meat floss).
We then continued our stroll along Jalan Main Bazaar then continued onto Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman until we reached the famed Cat Statue. We took the customary photo which ended up as the thumbnail for this video. The heat was getting really unbearable which put paid our plans to walk back to Plaza Merdeka.
We then hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM5.00 (approximately USD/EUR1) , and as soon as we got to Plaza Merdeka we headed down to the basement carpark and set course for Matang Metrocity.
Stay tuned as we meet up with Marvin who rescued our yellow submarine!
We picked you up again after our awesome excursion being one with nature at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. We hopped on the first buggy out of the orangutan feeding area and got to the park entrance three minutes later.
We then hopped into the rental car and set course for a smoke house in Batu Kawa.
Literally meaning smoke house, Sarawak is renowned for its rumah asap. These eateries have gained popularity for those wishing to dine while being entertained by live music. It serves authentic Sarawak native dishes and local style BBQ and we have been smitten since our first visit to a rumah asap in 2019.
This time around we were headed to River View Rumah Asap http://bit.ly/3FoxQfQ located along Jalan Rantau Panjang beside the Batu Kawa bridge and overlooks the Sarawak River. Our very first time here, we carefully surveilled each stall before settling on:
Nasi Lemak Sotong Sambal
Nasi Lemak Sotong Goreng
several rounds of drinks
Why no barbecued meats customary to rumah asap? Apparently it was the fourth day of Gawai and the Panggang (barbecue) stall operator did not turn up!
Our first dinner in a rumah asap (minus the barbecue) came to RM28.80 (approximately USD7/EUR6).
We then hopped back into the rental car and set course for the eMart Moyan nearby. Cat had read about traditional clothes being sold here so we thought we'd take a look. Alas the stalls were closed for Gawai, but we still managed to get a few packets of Bario O'grain Highland rice from the eMart outlet.
We also paid Potato Story a visit and got several packets of various chips and fries for supper later tonight. We hopped back into the rental and made the forty-minute drive back to Adelyn's homestay.
Stay tuned as we explore Main Bazaar and the Riverfront tomorrow morning!
We tried visiting the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre a few years ago but the constant rain at the time put paid our plans. This time around we were better prepared and since it doesn't normally rain in the morning we were hopeful.
However a heavy downpour last night cast doubt. When I woke up at six this morning it was still raining so we deferred our plans to the afternoon. After a morning of running errands we left the homestay at ten past twelve headed to lunch at the Premier Food Republic at the ninth mile of Jalan Penrissen.
After lunch we continued our drive to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and arrived at half past one. With its opening time half an hour away a long line had already formed.
Half an hour later we finally paid our entrance fee of RM5.00 each and the buggy ride of RM10.00 each for a total of RM30.00 approximately USD7/EUR6).
We then got in line and hopped on a buggy to the orangutan feeding area. The ride took only three minutes and we began to be immersed in thick vegetation. We took a leisurely stroll to the feeding area and began the long wait to sight an orangutan.
In that time the park ranger held his briefing and laid down his two golden rules: lower our voices and stay clear if an orangutan approaches.
Right at the end of the two-hour window a three year old orangutan made his appearance. Wanting to avoid the crush getting a buggy back we left soon after. We managed to snare the first buggy out and arrived at the park entrance three minutes later.
Stay tuned for the next video as we finally get to dine at a smoke house!
We tried visiting the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre a few years ago but the constant rain at the time put paid our plans. This time around we were better prepared and since it doesn't normally rain in the morning we were hopeful.
However a heavy downpour last night cast doubt. I woke up at six this morning to discover that it was still raining which meant that the orangutans will probably not appear later. We went back to sleep and I later woke up at eight, while Cat continued with her beauty sleep.
I then took a walk out to Kim Coffee Garden to get an Iced Milk Coffee and Toast Bread for RM6.40 (approximately USD/EUR1). Coming back to Adelyn's homestay I showered and continued work for the next couple works on our video.
Cat woke up an hour after I did and after she showered we went on a short walk to Everwin. We got a couple cans of beer and a bar of soap, then walked to the coffee shop nearby to get some drinks.
We got home and while I continued with our videos Cat started a load of laundry. The load was done at twelve and we were out the door ten minutes later. First on our agenda was lunch, and we set course for the Premier Food Republic at the ninth mile of Jalan Penrissen. The drive took thirty minutes and we had a simple lunch of:
2 Kedondong (Ambarella)
Sausage Fried Rice
Kueh Chap Rice
for a total of RM26.10 (approximately USD6/EUR5).
We then continued our drive to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Stay tuned for the next video to see if we managed to catch a glimpse of an orangutan?
We picked you up again after coming back from our market hunt at Kenyalang Park Market.
We got home at half past eight and showered, then chilled till evening. During the course of our conversation yesterday with Robin of Borneo Headhunters Tattoo he had recommended we try a local dish called Manuk Pansuh that can be found across the Waterfront at a place called Kampung Gersik.
We then searched online and found a restaurant called My Village Barok Bistro serving the very dish we were looking for. At five in the evening we hopped into the rental car headed to Kampung Gersik.
The drive took twenty minutes and parking proved trick, so we had to park a short distance away. My Village Barok is located beside the Sarawak river so we took the scenic route along its riverbank until we reached the restaurant.
Known for its vintage atmosphere and a menu that is based on local dishes, My Village Barok is described as having a vintage feel with Borneo touches the name evokes a sense of traditional or rustic ambiance, which is reflected in the restaurant's decor and menu.
Our first time here we carefully perused their online menu before finally ordering the:
Manuk (Chicken) Pansuh
Ikan Terubuk Masin
Umai Ikan
Midin Belacan
Iced Green Tea Lemon
Iced Assamboi Limau Kasturi
2 plates of White Rice
Our sumptuous Sarawakian feast came to RM80.50 (approximately USD19/EUR17).
We realised that we had a little too much to eat and needed to walk off some of the calories. Since we were right by the Sarawak river we went for a stroll along its riverbank to the I ❤️Kuching signboard and back. We then hopped back into the rental car and made the ten-minute drive back to Adelyn's homestay.
Soon as we got back and showered it began to rain heavily. We were thankful as it would cool down the weather in Kuching that was getting very hot and humid.
Stay tuned for the next video as we leave at the crack of dawn hoping to see orangutans!
It boggles our minds that despite coming back time and again to Adelyn's homestay we have not visited the Kenyalang Park Market.
Hailed as a market that "showcases Sarawak’s unity and warmth", a recent article from the Sarawak Tribune describes "walking down Kenyalang Park this Chinese New Year not only brings a sense of nostalgia, but truly encapsulates what Sarawak really means. It brings together 264 vibrant vendors from all walks of life, races, and religions to celebrate the season with a unity that’s uniquely Sarawakian."
With this in mind and eager to experience our first market hunt in Sarawak we woke up at dawn and walked the short distance from Adelyn's homestay to the market, approximately 500 meters away. First order of business is breakfast, and what better way to experience our first breakfast in Kuching then to have Kolo Mee!
We made our way to the plentiful food stalls here on the upper floor and after wandering around for a bit settled on Min Kee's stall number 15.
We ordered the red and white Kolo Mee for RM4.00 each, and together with a round of drinks our breakfast came to only RM12.40 (approximately USD/EUR3).
Note to self: Do not order Kolo Mee first thing in the morning unless you're absolutely starving. The portion of noodles is very, very generous!
A little nugget of information on the area where we stayed: Kenyalang Park was the first large-scale affordable public housing project developed by the Borneo Development Company in the late 1960s and early 1970s and it was also the first satellite city in Kuching. A comprehensive community development project, Kenyalang Park was unprecedented for its time. The project was developed in 3 phases with the first phase commencing in 1968.
Breakfast out of the way we began our exploration of this market in earnest. From the row of cake stalls upstairs we got a bagful for sweet cakes for RM15.70 and two packets of Tau Fu Fa (Tofu Pudding) for RM5.00. We then walked down and toured the wet market selling everything from vegetables to fruits, poultry to red meat.
We bought a hand of banana for only RM1.30 bringing our market hunt haul to a grand total of only RM22.00 (approximately USD/EUR5). We exited the main building of the market and strolled along a row of shops selling fruits, clothing and even Chinese herbs.
We then walked back to Adelyn's homestay and chilled for the rest of the day as I continued work on our videos while Cat tended to laundry and other little chores.
Stay tuned for the next video as we head to Kampung Gersik in search of Manuk Pansuh!
We picked you up again after my session with Robin over at Borneo Headhunters Tattoo. We arrived back at Adelyn's homestay after lunch at Kim Coffee Garden at half past two and showered. I took special care to avoid exposing my new work of art to soap, patting it dry very gingerly afterwards.
We then continued to chill at the homestay only to emerge in the evening. During a previous trip here on our way to Siniawan Night Market we passed by a place called Tasik Biru (or Blue Lake). We were always intrigued with this lake and today we decided to pay it a visit.
As is now our custom we left Adelyn's homestay at five in the evening with the rental car bound for Bau. The drive took about forty five minutes and as soon as we arrived in Tasik Biru town we headed straight to the car park beside the lake.
We took some photos here with Cat doing some modelling before driving up to the car park beside the Tasik Biru Food Village conveniently located a stone's throw away. Alas with it being Gawai most stalls were closed, and the only ones open were only serving drinks.
We then hopped back into the rental car and drove a very short distance to the local Premier Food Republic food court right beside the lake. We walked along the suspension bridge across the lake and back taking even more photos.
Seeing as we were not particularly hungry and the food court was packed to the rafters we decided to head back to Kuching. The drive back took another forty five minutes, and as soon as we arrived in Kenyalang Park we drove past the local food court here.
The was nothing much on offer so we drove back to Adelyn's homestay and ordered in with the Grab app. From Bong Kolo Mee we ordered the red and white variants for a total of RM20.48 including delivery.
Our meal was delivered half an hour later at 8:20pm.
Stay tuned for the next video as we finally go on a market hunt in our own backyard!
We planned to have Kolo Mee at a famous restaurant over at Jalan Green. Alas today was a public holiday on the occasion of The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Birthday and we were not able to find suitable parking at Sin Lian Shin.
We then decided to head down to the Waterfront to try another restaurant but alas it was the same story with Shirley's Traditional Kolo Mee. We eventually found (somewhat dodgy) parking right in front of the Borneo Headhunters Tattoo studio.
I had been chatting with Ernesto Kalum of the studio bouncing off ideas for a simple hornbill with splashes of colour in a watercolour styled design. He said we could see him later this morning for an appointment.
We then took a walk to weigh up our breakfast and eventually settled on a newly opened eatery called Peanuts Anchovies. Our very first time here, we eventually ordered the same:
French Toast with Kaya & Butter
hot Coffee
their signature Iced Milk Tea
that came to a respectable RM26.50 (approximately USD/EUR6).
We spent the next half an hour here chilling before making our way back to the Borneo Headhunters Tattoo studio where I had a ten o'clock appointment with Robinson Unau Gaong or Robin for short, Ernesto's partner in crime. He was a very cordial person and we got to chatting for the next half an hour or so.
We finally got down to the business of my tattoo and I eventually agreed to alter the design of the hornbill to a more bold and tribal look. Robin then set to work at 10.30am and was done with his work of art almost two hours later.
In that time Cat went off wandering and got herself several articles of clothing in the local tribal motif. I called her over as soon as Robin was done and paid him his dues. We hopped into the rental car and drove a short distance to Plaza Merdeka in search of a thin clear sterile dressing for my new work of art.
Errand sorted we then drove back to Kenyalang Park and had lunch at Kim Coffee Garden. We ordered the:
Ginger Chicken with Rice
Bamboo Pork with Rice
2 Coca-Cola
1 hot Milk Coffee to go
for a total of RM32.80 (approximately USD8/EUR7). We then headed back to Adelyn's homestay to rest.
Stay tuned for the next video as we head to Kampung Gersik in search of Manok Pansuh!
We picked you up again after our morning drive to UNIMAS then brunch at Premier Food Republic over at Bandar Riyal. We spent the entire day at home as I began work on our videos, while Cat busied herself with laundry. Lunchtime came and went but we were not hungry.
We continued to chill at the homestay and in that time It began to rain at about three in the afternoon. We were weighing our options for dinner either at Rock Road Restaurant or Topspot Food Court which was open-air dining, both seafood joints recommended by a colleague of mine at our Kuching office.
The continual rain meant that we opted for Rock Road Seafood over at Jalan Rock (naturally). We hopped into the rental car late in the evening and made the 10-minute drive over to Rock Road Seafood. Alas when we got there the restaurant was closed for the next three days.
We then made a few calls before finding a seafood joint that was open over at Jalan Song. We then made our way to Xin Kwong Chin Seafood, but as soon as we got there we were tempted away by the aroma wafting from a food court nearby.
Peach Garden Food Centre boasts a very wide selection of cuisine too plentiful to list down. I took a stroll around with the DJI Pocket 3 and hope that the footage will help paint our words. Our very first time here, we carefully surveilled each stall before settling on:
Sausage Fried Rice
Sambal Sotong with Rice
Sayur Manis
Chicken Wings
2 glasses of Kedondong Juice
Our second dinner in Kuching came to RM58.00 (approximately USD14/EUR12) and again mindful of the fact that I was driving no alcohol was consumed. Before we left we got 3 packets of cut fruit for RM29.00 (approximately USD7/EUR6) which in our minds was a little pricey.
We then made the short drive back to Adelyn's homestay where I continued working on our videos while Cat started another load of laundry.
Stay tuned for the next video as we headed to the vicinity of the Waterfront for breakfast and a 'little' errand!
With nothing planned we slept in, I woke up at a quarter past eight while Cat rose from her beauty sleep an hour later.
We hopped in the rental car and drove out of Adelyn's homestay at ten bound for Kota Samarahan. It's been a while since we visited Brendan's old university so we set course for UNIMAS (short for Universiti Malaysia Sarawak).
Much has changed in terms of the route there as the massive roundabouts have since been replaced with intersections and traffic lights. The drive to UNIMAS took us only twenty minutes and after receiving permission to visit from the security booth we drove in.
Our first port of call was DeTAR, site of Brendan's convocation ceremony. I got out to take some photos before we then headed to Brendan's former college, Cempaka. I also took some photos here then headed to Brendan's former faculty, the Faculty of Education, Language and Communication or FELC for short.
After taking some photos here we headed to the last port of call which was Brendan's former college, Dahlia. More photos ensued.
After that we finally headed out of UNIMAS bound for Premier Food Republic over at Bandar Riyal for an early lunch. A sprawling collection of food stalls serving all kinds of local cuisine from Dayak to Chinese to Muslim.
We strolled along and eventually settled on the:
Kolo Mee
Laksa Noodles
2 glasses of Green Tea Lemon
hot Cofffee
Iced Milk Tea
Our quite simple yet sumptuous first lunch in Sarawak came to RM25.90 (approximately USD6/EUR5).
We then hopped back into the rental car and headed to Aiman Mall to check out the sights before making our way back to Adelyn's homestay.
Stay tuned for the next video as we head out to dinner to parts unknown!
We picked you up again after our late lunch at Kim Coffee Garden over at Kenyalang Park. We spent the afternoon unpacking and settling in before we headed out again for dinner.
I had asked for recommendations on the best seafood restaurants from a colleague of mine at our Kuching branch, and knowing that we would be renting a car recommended that we try the Buntal Esplanade an hour's drive north of Kuching. With this in mind we checked online and settled on Lim Hock Ann as our dinner destination.
We hopped into the rental car at a quarter past five in the evening and arrived at the intended seafood restaurant 45 minutes later. Overlooking the South China Sea it's described as being "renowned for its excellent seafood offerings. Located by the waterfront, the restaurant provides a picturesque setting to enjoy fresh seafood dishes that are a delight to the palate. The menu at Lim Hock Ann Restaurant features a variety of seafood options, from succulent crabs to flavorful prawns and fish, all prepared with expertise and served with local flair. The restaurant's friendly atmosphere and attentive service further complement the dining experience, making it a favorite among locals and tourists alike."
Our first time here, we took our time perusing their menu before settling on:
Ikan Siakap (Sea Bass) In Teochew Gravy
Lala in Lemongrass Soup
Buttered Prawns
each a serving of White Rice
each a glass of Kedondong (Ambarella) Juice
Our first dinner in Kuching came to RM126.60 (approximately USD30/EUR26), which was a bargain given that most seafood joints in Kuala Lumpur easily charge at least double the amount.
Mindful of the fact that I was driving we stayed clear of alcohol and the trip back to Adelyn's homestay was uneventful.
Stay tuned as we wake up pretty early in the morning to explore Kenyalang Park Market!
We were up at six and were out the door an hour later. Brendan drove us to KL Sentral's KL City Air Terminal ten minutes to seven. He had initially planned to tag along but an upcoming final year project presentation meant that we had to cancel his middle seat 6E.
As always we bought our train tickets online and enjoyed a discount so it only cost us RM43.75 each (approximately USD10/EUR9).
This is important since the only way to check in at the KL City Air Terminal was with the KLIA Express tickets. We scanned our train tickets at the turnstile and voila! We were in. We submitted our yellow submarines for a security check before checking it in. Our bags weighed 25kgs in total, well within the allowed total of 40kgs.
We then exited the KL City Air Terminal and walked across past the KLIA Express turnstiles using the same train tickets. The train was already waiting and departed KL Sentral at 7:30am, arriving in KLIA half an hour later. We took the escalators up to the Departure Level and strolled along before having drinks at Costa Coffee.
Our hot Latte and Iced Strawberry Tea came to RM36.35 (approximately USD9/EUR8). We spent the next hour here people-watching and with two hours till our flight departed we strolled past the domestic departure gates at 9:00am.
We were catching flight MH2520 from Gate B9 that would take off at eleven in the morning.
We spent another hour or so people-watching at the boarding gate waiting area and the boarding process began at 10:30am. Brendan's cancelled middle 6E was occupied by Mr Chong who was kind enough to swap with Cat's aisle seat 6D. The cabin crew did not object to the swap as well.
We pushed back half an hour later, but a delay due to a runway inspection by the airport authorities meant that we eventually took off at 11:25am. The flight was uneventful and we were served our inflight meal half an hour later. We both opted for the Fish with Rice.
MH2520 began its descent at 12:35pm and landed half an hour. We got past Customs & Immigration then collected our luggage from Carousel C and walked out of Kuching Airport where our regular car rental guy Awang Amirul was waiting. He offers very attractive rates and you can reach out to him here at https://bit.ly/3IlMUIA
He handed over the keys to the blue Perodua Bezza to us and after fixing our camera onto the windscreen mount made our way to our regular homestay in Kampung Kenyalang Park, hosted by the awesome host Adelyn.
After a quick shower we walked out in search of a late lunch and settled on Kim Coffee Garden where we had:
Sarawak Laksa
Curry Mee
Iced Milk Tea
their signature Coffee
Our first Sarawakian meal came to RM26.00 (approximately USD6/EUR5). We then walked over to the Everwin Supermarket to get some provisions before heading back to Adelyn's homestay.
Stay tuned as we head out to dinner an hour's drive away!
Our fifth and final day meant that it was time to head back to Kuala Lumpur. We arose at six and were out the door forty minutes later.
We walked over to where BiBi was parked and after several attempts finally managed to load our luggage into the boot before checking out of the rest house.
We then drove to Batu Buruk hoping to have breakfast at Kak Pah Nasi Dagang, alas she was not yet open so we began our journey back, eventually driving past the Kuala Terengganu toll plaza at a quarter past seven.
We stopped at the Paka rest area for breakfast at a quarter past eight and had their unique green Nasi Lemak. Together with a round of drinks our breakfast came to RM23.50 (approximately USD6/EUR5).
After a quick potty break we resumed our journey at five to nine and the three hour drive was largely uneventful with very light traffic in either direction. Most of the drive was captured in time-lapse so we hope you will enjoy the calm and relaxing journey. We eventually arrived at our home at precisely twelve, which meant that the entire journey including the forty minute pitstop took us five hours.
We will be in Kuching over the Gawai weekend in early June, so please stay tuned!
We picked you up again as the sweltering heat drove us back to the air conditioned comfort of the rest house. A shower picked our spirits up and we soon returned to the home where we spent the next couple of hours going at our respective chores.
Cat eventually took a nap while I completed the second in our series of videos on Kuala Terengganu. With tomorrow's drive in mind we decided to take a drive to the Petronas station at Batu Buruk to top up BiBi's fuel. We first drove to the rest house to pick Brendan up and began our evening drive to Batu Buruk.
We stopped here for a while to take some photos and take in the salty sea breeze. Dusk was soon upon us so we hopped back into BiBi and continued our evening drive along Batu Buruk before eventually continuing onto Jalan Sultan Mahmud. We drove on for a kilometer or two before making a U-turn at Kuala Ibai and doubled back along Jalan Sultan Mahmud.
We then stopped at the Batu Buruk Petronas to top up BiBi's fuel as well as her tyre pressure before continuing on, eventually ending up at Pulau Warisan near the Pasar Besar Kedai Payang. Brendan was feeling hungry so we decided to have dinner at Kedai Makan MYM.Here we quickly settled on their:
Nasi Lemak Daging Goreng Kunyit
Nasi Minyak Gulai Ayam
Nasi Minyak Ayam Goreng Kunyit
3 Iced Lemon Tea
for a modest sum of RM33.00 (approximately USD8/EUR7).
We then hopped back into BiBi to head back to the home, but not before making a stop at the 7-Eleven along Jalan Pejabat so that Brendan could pick up some snacks. We returned to the home where I continued working on the videos from today, and returned to the rest house at 10:00pm to immediately start packing.
Stay tuned for our next video as we make the return drive to Kuala Lumpur!
Despite the drama with Titan Cafe last night we managed to get a relatively good night's sleep and woke up at half past seven. We woke Brendan up but he opted to continue with his beauty sleep.
As is always the case we got ready and walked over to the home at eight to get a load of laundry going. No trip to Kuala Terengganu would be complete without a visit to my beloved market, Pasar Kedai Payang (PKP). I had very fond memories of the old market, accompanying my mother to this market as she shopped for groceries back in the day when a cluster of five ikan kembung (Chub Mackerels?) cost only RM2.00 (approximately USD0.50/EUR0.40) while a hand of banana was barely RM1.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.20)!
We arrived at Pasar Kedai Payang 1 (PKP1) at half past eight then walked in and went in search of breakfast. There were several food stalls on either side on the aisle and we opted for the first and nearest one, sweetly named Kayu Manis (or Cinnamon). We scanned their diminutive menu and quickly settled on their:
Nasi Dagang
Nasi Minyak
2 Sugar-free Iced Tea
for a modest sum of only RM16.00 (approximately USD4/EUR3).
Breakfast out of the way we walked over to Pasar Kedai Payang 2 (PKP2) to begin our hunt for keropok and other heavenly goodies. We took a stroll around checking the various stalls selling keropok and serunding (meat floss) before finally circling back to Kak Salmah's stall. Here we went a little nuts and bought:
10 packets of raw keropok
2 x 500 gram packets of beef serunding
2 x 200 gram packets of beef serunding
5 x 100 gram packets of beef serunding
5 x 100 gram packets of chicken serunding
2 packets of fish serunding knotted spring rolls
2 x 50 packets of Keropok Ikan Segera SEAmEQ
Our handsome bounty eventually came to RM345.00 (approximately USD81/EUR72), money well spent in our minds since most of these items will cost almost double in Kuala Lumpur.
We walked back to BiBi to store away our bounty then headed into PKP1 to see what they had to offer. Unlike the old cramped and claustrophobia inducing rows of stalls on the first floor of the original PKP the new PKP1 had spacious and organised rows of batik merchants. We toured the ground floor then went up to the first floor to see more of the same.
Truth be told Jakarta's Thamrin City has spoiled us where batik was concerned.
We then headed back to the home to begin our respective chores. A short while later Ah Seng the electrician turned up to install our solar lamp at the back of the home. He also moved the previous malfunctioning lamp to the front, to test and see if it works.
Just as Ah Seng was about to leave my good buddy Vinodh dropped by bearing gifts of Nasi Dagang. We sat and chatted for about half an hour before Vinodh took his leave, he wanted to hitch a ride with us tomorrow but thought twice when we told him we'd be leaving at seven in the morning. He's obviously not a morning person.
By two the heat was unbearable so we beat a hasty retreat to the rest house. We woke Brendan up and showered before heading down to the common area to feast on the Nasi Dagang that Vinodh brought for us. By half past three we went back to the home where I continued working on our videos, while Cat started a load of laundry.
Stay tuned for our next video as we go on another night drive!
