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Saturday, 16 March 2024

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

Friday, 15 March 2024

The SMOKEHOUSE Hotel & Restaurant

It's my birthday!

In business since 1937 and touted as "the finest English restaurant in the highlands" The Smokehouse Restaurant has served up the best of traditional country house hospitality ever since. In Malaysian hands since 1977, it continues to offer guests a glimpse of what drew travellers to the Cameron Highlands in the first place with lush gardensand refined British cuisine set beside the stunning Cameron Highlands golf course.

So at a little past one we hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM10.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) to The Smokehouse Restaurant.

Our first times here, we took our time perusing the menu. Since we were still quite full from breakfast at Uncle Chow's earlier we eventually settled on:

  • Rib Eye Steak for Brendan
  • Steak and Mushroom Pie for me
  • Chicken Maryland for Cat 
  • Coca Cola for them
  • Chamomile tea for me

We also ordered dessert of:

  • Apple Pie Tea Set
  • Strawberry Sundae

Our English lunch came to RM377.00 (approximately USD80/EUR73) which was not cheap by any stretch of the imagination but what the heck, it's my birthday!

By the time we were done it was almost a quarter past three, so we decided to take a stroll around the gardens of The Smokehouse. We will let our footage paint our words for us.

We then hailed another Grab car for the same fare of RM10 (approximately USD/EUR2) back to Cameron Fair. 

Our perut was absolutely stuffed we were undecided on whether we would have dinner later. Let's wait and see?

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
The Smokehouse Hotel & Restaurant

UNCLE CHOW Kopitiam

It's my birthday!

Our breakfast destination, Uncle Chow Kopitiam, was only a ten minute walk away . Much like OK Tuck this is also a perennial favourite of ours. Perched atop a sort of hill, the view over one side of the Kopitiam reveals lush greenery. Even the shop itself was tastefully adorned with flowers and plants.

We were a little  late so the place was packed but we were fortunate to snare a diminutive table. We then scanned the QR code and proceeded to order:

  • 2 sets of Chow's Big Breakfast
  • a Ham and Cheese Toastie
  • 2 Teh Tarik
  • a Sparkling Passion Lemon Longan

Our Highlands breakfast came to RM70.60 (approximately USD15/EUR14) which was a little steep by our standards but what the heck, it's my birthday!

By the time we were done with breakfast it was almost half past ten so we decided to explore Tanah Rata properly.

Be sure to watch our previous video of our walkabout around Tanah Rata!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

TANAH RATA Morning Walkabout

It's my birthday!

The birthday boy overslept and by the time we got ready for breakfast it was already a quarter past nine.
Our breakfast destination was only a ten minute walk away so we headed out of Cameron Fair and headed south then turned right onto Jalan Mentigi Utama headed southwest. 

After a while we walked across Jalan Mentigi Utama and eventually made our way along Jalan Royal Lily 4/2. At the end of this road was Uncle Chow Kopitiam. 

By the time we were done with breakfast it was almost half past ten so we decided to explore Tanah Rata properly.

We doubled back along Jalan Mentigi Utama and back to Cameron Fair then stopped by the CS Travel Liner ticketing counter to enquire about printing out our bus tickets for tomorrow's trip back to Kuala Lumpur. Turned out the ticketing system in Cameron Highlands is quite basic, and all we had to do was to tell the bus inspector (?) our seat numbers and we will be checked in.

We then continued our walkabout along Jalan Camelia headed north. At the end of the street we walked across Jalan Besar and turned right headed southeast. We continued along Jalan Besar and walked onto the pedestrian five-foot way. Here were various shops and eateries lining the left side, and we stopped by the Cameron Bharat Plantations Retail Shop to get ourselves some souvenirs.

We ended up with ten boxes of various flavoured tea bags at RM13.50 each (approximately USD/EUR3), then continued our walkabout along Jalan Besar to the very end before doubling back.

We walked east for several hundred metres then walked across Jalan Besar onto Jalan Camelia Utama 1, and walked into Cameron Fair. Here we browsed for sweaters before ending up with sweaters for Brendan and Cat for RM55.00 each  (approximately USD12/EUR11).

We then made our way back to the Airbnb. Stay tuned as we head to a swanky restaurant later for my birthday lunch!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Cameron Bharat Plantations Retail Shop

Thursday, 14 March 2024

OK TUCK Steamboat Restaurant: 10 Years Later!

After our brief visit to the Big Red Strawberry Farm we took a walk to the main thoroughfare of Brinchang town. A short while later we had arrived at our dinner destination, the perennial favourite OK Tuck Steamboat Restaurant. 

Since we already had steamboat last night this time around we perused the menu and settled on:

  • Chicken in Dried Chillies
  • Pork Ribs in Guiness Stout
  • Fried Eggplant
  • Salted Vegetable Soup 
  • Omelette with Shrimp 
  • Plain Omelette 
  • a round of Chinese Tea

We could hardly believe that it's been ten years since we were last here. The main reason why we keep coming back is the pork rib beer (sic) which we take to mean pork ribs marinated in Guiness Stout. We’ve been hunting high and low for the same dish in the Klang valley but to no avail. We’ll let the footage paint the words for us.

Our early dinner came to RM97.00 (approximately USD21/EUR19). We then hailed a Grab car back to the Airbnb in Tanah Rata.

Be sure to catch our previous video of us spending a little time at the Big Red Strawberry Farm and Cactus Valley!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

Evening In BRINCHANG: Big Red Strawberry Farm • Cactus Valley

Strawberries and Cactuses!

Turned out the scones we had had at the Cameron Valley Tea House was so filling that we skipped lunch. I spent the afternoon sorting out footage from earlier in the day then we all took a nap. 

We woke up at a quarter to four and got ready for the next adventure of the day: strawberries and cactuses. 

We hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM18.00 (approximately USD/EUR4) to the Big Red Strawberry Farm in the next town of Brinchang. The kind lady who drove us there reminded us of the revised closing times during Ramadan, 5pm instead of the usual 6pm.

We arrived at a quarter past four which gave us less than an hour. Better than nothing. 

We made it up the steep climb to the cafe here and ordered:

  • Strawberry Ice Cream 
  • Strawberry Jelly
  • Strawberry Pudding

for a total of RM22.70 (approximately USD5/EUR4). 

We then took a stroll along the alleys of fresh vegetables and flowers before making our way to Cactus Valley which was by then closed. 

We continued down into the main road and walked along Jalan Angsana headed northeast before turning right onto Jalan Besar. 

We continued south and at the Fire station walked across and onto Jalan Bandar. 

A short while later we had arrived at our dinner destination, the perennial favourite OK Tuck Steamboat Restaurant.

We had a sumptuous early dinner, then hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM13.00 (approximately USD/EUR3). We arrived at Cameron Fair where we browsed a clothing store in search of thicker sleeping attire.

I finally got a tracksuit for RM120.00 (approximately USD25/EUR23), the nights in Cameron Highlands can get very cold so I should be warm and toasty tonight.

By the way tomorrow's my birthday so do stay tuned, and b e sure to catch our upcoming video on OK Tuck!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

CAMERON VALLEY Buggy Ride!

Buggy Ride!

We picked you up again after breakfast as we walked across the carpark to take a buggy ride for RM15 each (approximately USD/EUR3) around the tea plantation.

The six minute ride down to the base of the tea plantation was peaceful and we disembarked to take a short stroll as well as take some photos of the epic view.

We then hopped back on the buggy and returned to the tea house, then made our way back to the Airbnb.

Be sure to catch our previous video of how we spent our first morning in Cameron Highlands!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Cameron Valley Tea House 2 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9XeWZTS28ZAxbshR7

CAMERON VALLEY Tea House: Morning Gallivant!

Tea House!

We had a good night's sleep and woke up at eight this morning.

We left the Airbnb at a quarter past eight and hailed a Grab car for a fare of RM8.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) to Cameron Valley Tea House 2.

A winding five minutes later and we arrived to a virtually deserted tea house with it being the holy month of Ramadan and all.

We came here just to have:

  • 3 sets of Classic Scones 
  • a jug of Teh Tarik

that came to RM62.00 (approximately USD13/EUR12) which was a little pricey by our standards but well worth it if we took into account the spectacular view here.

After breakfast we walked across the carpark to take a buggy ride around the tea plantation, so be sure to catch our upcoming video showcasing the lush greenery here!

After the buggy ride we hailed a Grab car for the same fare of RM8.00 (approximately USD/EUR2) back to the Airbnb.

I then went for a haircut at Uncle Mike's at the mall downstairs for RM15.00 (approximately USD/EUR3) before we went back up to the Airbnb.

We plan to visit a strawberry farm in Brinchang later in the evening, so please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Cameron Valley Tea House 2 - https://maps.app.goo.gl/9XeWZTS28ZAxbshR7

Wednesday, 13 March 2024

C BUDDY Steamboat: TANAH RATA Evening Stroll

 Steam boat!

We picked you up again after checking into the Airbnb. Deprived of sleep we took a long nap and awoke at half past six in the evening.

We initially planned to have dinner at a restaurant in the town of Brinchang nearby but with no Grab drivers available we made alternate plans.

We wandered around Tanah Rata for a while before ending up back at Cameron Fair. Cat spotted a steam boat restaurant at the first floor so we made our way up to C Buddy Steamboat.

We were seated and asked to scan a QR  to begin ordering. While I busied myself setting up the time-lapse Brendan and Cat perused the online menu and settled on:

  • Two-flavoured pot of Tom Yam and Corn Soup 
  • Platter 1 of Prawns, Fish, Chicken Meat, Pork Slices and Minced Pork
  • 2 bowls of Rice
  • a bowl of Udon Noodles 
  • a jug of Chrysanthemum Tea

Our dinner came to RM119.15 (approximately USD25/EUR23). After dinner we walked down to Oldtown White Coffee and took away:

  • 2 Hot Hazelnut Coffee
  • 2 Iced Honey Lemon 
  • Kaya and Butter Toast
  • Peanut Butter Toast 
  • French Toast

for RM65.90 (approximately USD14/EUR13). We then dropped by a MyNEWS store to get some snacks and headed back up to the Airbnb where I began sorting and organising the footage from today.

We plan to visit a tea plantation bright and early tomorrow morning, so please stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
OldTown White Coffee Cameron Fair

AIRBNB: Cameron Fair TANAH RATA

Airbnb!

We picked you up again after lunch where we walked across Jalan Besar headed south to Cameron Fair, a mixed commercial and residential complex much like our own condo.

The Airbnb host Amirah graciously allowed us check in ahead of time at 2pm, and asked that we contact her point person Ayie.

We placed a call and made arrangements to collect the Airbnb's key and card.

We then made our way up to the seventh floor. Home for the next four days, we'll let our footage describe to you the unit we booked.

The diminutive unit was well appointed and apart from a washer had everything we needed. With a stunning view of Tanah Rata we cannot recommend this Airbnb highly enough.

We settled in then took a long nap, waking up late in the evening. Be sure to catch our next video where we have a steaming dinner!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

JASMINE Cafe TANAH RATA

We're in Tanah Rata!

We picked you up again as we disembarked the Unititi bus and made our way west along Jalan Besar.

We had nothing to eat since six this morning so our first agenda here at Cameron Highlands was to find a place to have lunch.

We eventually settled on Jasmine Cafe, a place that we coincidentally visited all those years ago when we first arrived as well. After a quick browse of their menu we settled on:

  • Mixed Grill for me
  • Chicken Chop for Cat 
  • Lamb Chop for Brendan
  • Strawberry Juice x 2
  • Passionfruit Tea for me

Our first meal in the Highlands came to RM131.00 (approximately USD28/EUR26). A little steep, but this place does bring back memories from the last time we were here.

Do catch our next video where we check into our Airbnb!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:

KL to TANAH RATA: Birthday In The Highlands!

We're in Tanah Rata!

To celebrate my 55th birthday we made plans to spend the next few days at Cameron Highlands. We could scarcely believe at it's been ten years since we last came.

We awoke at six and left our home forty minutes later. I hailed a six-seater Grab car to TBS, but for some reason the Grab car bearing the registration number VFL5758 driven by Mohammad Jasnie decided not to pick us up.

Brendan then booked another six-seater Grab car for a fare of RM31.00 (approximately USD7/EUR6) that duly arrived at a quarter past seven.

In that time the first Grab car did not budge from its location somewhere near Concorde Hotel, and Mohammad Jaanie eventually cancelled the ride!

We arrived at TBS at a quarter to eight and were dropped at the main gate (C) on Level 3.

Hoping to grab a quick breakfast we headed up to Level 4 to find all but Dunkin Donuts closed due to it being the holy month of Ramadan.

We settled on drinks at Dunkin Donuts and at precisely eight in the morning headed back down to Level 3.

We walked past the turnstile and security check then took an escalator down to Level 2 before making our way to Gate 5. We were allowed to board the Unititi bus bearing the registration number VED6544 five minutes later.

At precisely 8:35am the bus departed TBS. Forty minutes later we drove past the Jalan Duta Toll Plaza and headed north along the North South Expressway, well and truly on our way to Cameron Highlands.

Two hours into the journey the bus exited at Bidor to drop a passanger off before exiting at Tapah fifteen minutes later. The bus then made a fifteen minute pitstop at the rest area after the Tapah Toll Plaza.

The bus resumed its drive to Tanah Rata some 60 kilometres away which primarily consisted of twisting roads.

An hour of twists and turns later we arrived in the town of Ringlet where the bus stopped to refuel. A while later we arrived at the Tanah Rata bus station at precisely 12:40pm.

Welcome to Cameron Highlands!

Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/opcAn1Z8y6v44VHfA

Sunday, 3 March 2024

Hari Kraf Kebangsaan 2024

National Craft Day!

We picked you up as we disembarked at the Conlay MRT Station and walked across the street to the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex where the Hari Kraf Kebangsaan (National Craft Day) 2024 was being held. We were feeling a little hungry, so we walked over to Kampung Nelayan Kraf which hosted a collection of food stalls.

We browsed for a while before settling on Nasi Kak Wook for RM9.00 each, a Kelantanese dish of rice with chicken cutlets and gravy. We also had a cup of extremely sweet Iced Sugar Cane for RM3.00 each. Our early lunch came to RM24.00 (approximately USD/EUR5).

We then headed into the arts and craft exhibition hall where Cat browsed to her heart's content. A stall selling Sabahan ceramic beads caught Cat's eye, alas the proprietor was nowhere to be found.

We continued browsed the various stalls and met our friend Lipang Lawai of Raben Beads. Cat got a couple of earrings for RM28.00 (approximately USD6/EUR5). A brightly coloured woven bag then caught Cat's eye at Jenny Geoffrey's stall, so we got it for RM50.00 (approximately USD11/EUR10).

We then came upon Caroline Agan's stall, Cat's favourite beadstress and got from her:

  •  2 pairs of earrings 
  •  2 Kabo necklaces 

for RM260.00 (approximately USD55/EUR50). We then had a drink at the canteen before resuming our shopping spree in the next exhibition hall which housed the household items. Here we browsed for Labu Sayong (an elegant, gourd-shaped carafe that is used to keep water cool) and settled for a medium sized one for RM60.00 (approximately USD13/EUR12) from Qazana Gifts & Crafts stall.

We then doubled back to the arts and craft hall and were glad that Houston Rarandis was finally at his stall. We got two Sabahan ceramic necklaces from him for RM150.00 (approximately USD32/EUR29).

Two and a half hours later we left the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex with a handsome bounty and made our way back to the Conlay MRT Station. Be sure to catch our previous video where I gave a rude GoKL bus driver a piece of my mind!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex - https://maps.app.goo.gl/E5nLrpS8kD4wQLxM7

TBS • Conlay • Titiwangsa: GoKL Driver Gets A Piece Of My Mind!

GoKL driver gets a shelling!

We had an errand to run today at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS-BTS), a 24-hour integrated transportation hub for passengers travelling to more than 150 destinations due south, east, and northern Malaysia.

With my birthday in less than two weeks away we had purchased bus tickets online to a 'highland' destination. We needed to have the physical tickets printed out, so we left our condo at a quarter to eleven headed to the Bandaraya LRT station.

Here we caught a train for a fare of RM2.90 (approximately USD/EUR0.60) to the Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT station. We disembarked and walked into TBS to be confronted by wall of humans!

Our plans to print out our bus tickets disrupted, we decided it best to come back another day, so we left TBS and headed back to the Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT station. 

We then caught a train to the Chan Sow Lin LRT station, where we walked over the MRT station nearby then caught another train to the Conlay MRT Station for a final fare of RM3.50 (approximately USD/EUR0.70).

We disembarked and walked across the street to the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex where the Hari Kraf Kebangsaan (National Craft Day) 2024 was being held, so be sure to catch our upcoming video of how we spent two and a half hours there!

We left the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex with a handsome bounty and made our way back to the Conlay MRT Station. Here we caught a train to the Titiwangsa MRT Station for a fare of RM2.00 (approximately USD/EUR0.40) before disembarking and making our way to the Titiwangsa GoKL Hub.

We eventually caught a GoKL Red Line free bus to Sogo Kuala Lumpur. The driver, as all GoKL bus drivers were, was very rude and said something unpleasant to Cat. It was the last straw as far as I was concerned so I gave him a piece of my mind as we got off. He looked bewildered as I explained that I was filming and asked that he mind his manners.

We then made our way back to our condo, with plans to visit a "BIG HOME Expo" at the Bukit Jalil Stadium next week. Stay tuned!

(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)

📍 Location:
Bandar Tasik Selatan LRT station - https://maps.app.goo.gl/naALjvdCZ2R7Ffmp8
Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/wvjnpQayzeQxWzzN9
Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex - https://maps.app.goo.gl/E5nLrpS8kD4wQLxM7