Have Perut Will Travel...: Kuching Day 4 (Muara Tebas │ UNIMAS │ Siang Siang)

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Thursday, 23 February 2023

Kuching Day 4 (Muara Tebas │ UNIMAS │ Siang Siang)

Kuching Day 4!

During our previous trip here we drove to Bako and chanced upon an interesting riverside seafood restaurant. It was however closed at the time, so this time around we made it a point to visit Muara Tebas Seafood for lunch.

Described as "a little gem of a place that only the knowledgeable few know about" we were eager to have lunch at a restaurant on stilts by the Kuching River.

So we began our drive at ten in the morning but went in search of a padlock for Brendan's luggage bag that was to be shipped back to Kuala Lumpur. That out of the way we then drove to a shipping company called Nizaf Movers over at Jalan Keruing.

We got there and found out that they only catered to bulk shipping and a flat fee of RM250 was charge regardless of number of items or weight, so long as it fit a 'pallet'. Undeterred we decided to postpone our search for a reasonable shipping company and continued on with our drive in the general direction of Bako.

Half an hour later we arrived at Muara Tebas Seafood and were immediately approached by a local gangster asking that we pay him RM5.00 for the privilege of parking at the restaurant. Rather than attract unnecessary attention we quietly paid the thug.

We walked into the restaurant and were immediately taken in with the view of the Sarawak River. We perused the menu and settled on the:

Deep Fried Ikan Mancung (Indian Threadfin)
Cangkuk Manis (Sweet Leaves?)
Deer Meat in Soy Sauce
Chicken in Soy Sauce
Oyster Omelette
Plain Omelette
3 servings of Rice
Several rounds of drinks

Our riverside seafood feast came to RM172.80 (approximately USD39/EUR37) which was a little pricey but the novelty fish alone was RM70.00 (approximately USD16/EUR15) so it was to be expected.

Lunch of the way we then decided to settle the shipment of Brendan's large luggage bag.

At Nizaf Movers we were told to try Microlink Express that catered to individual item shipping. We keyed in the name of the company into Waze that suggested the company TJ Pacific so off we went. A half an hour later we arrived at TJ PAcific which appeared closed.

We then tried the second alternative, CTSI that Waze interpreted as K.C Logistics. We arrived have an hour later and were thankful that they accepted Brendan's single luggage bag, we were told that we were only expected to make payment once the bag arrives in Kuala Lumpur.

The rate was quoted at RM5.50 per kilogram and since Brendan's luggage bag weighed 20.25 kilograms the estimated cost would be RM111.40 which was less than half of what Nizaf would have had to charge us.

Mission accomplished we drove back to the Airbnb where I spent the afternoon organising and editing the footage from the last few days.

We emerged in the evening and went on a leisurely drive to UNIMAS. Once there we switched from hyperlapse to normal mode and dropped Brendan off at his old college (Cempaka) before continuing our drive around most parts of UNIMAS before parking at the Student Pavilion to talk a stroll along the bridge of love or Jambatan Cinta.

We then drove to Siang Siang Corner for dinner. This was the first food court that we had ever been to the first time we came to Kota Samarahan in September 2019. It was only fitting that our last time in Kota Samarahan would be spent here as well.

Time has not been kind to Siang Siang, with only a handful of stalls still operating. Cat ordered the Fried Beehoon (what else) while I settled on the Rice with Fried Chicken and shared two set of chicken wings. Together with drinks our dinner came to RM26.60 (approximately USD/EUR6). We then drove back to the Airbnb.

Tomorrow would be our penultimate day in Kuching, and with nothing planned we will be playing it by ear.