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Day oneStop 1: Cheong Fong Coffee Shop

12, Jalan Besar Kalumpang, 44100 Kerling, SelangorOpening hours Early morning to evening

Cheong Fong, a coffee shop with over 80 years in business, seems like the place to be for breakfast in the quiet town of Kerling, though there isn’t an overwhelming crowd when we arrive. We try the curry noodles; the soup is bland (perhaps we’d gotten used to MSG-laden ones) but the slices of roasted pork (siew

yuk) are packed with flavours! The nasi lemak is something else,

with sambal so perfect we’re still thinking about

it! Having breakfast in the cool morning breeze; what could be better?

Stop 3: Gopeng Heritage House6, Jalan Sungai Itek, 31600 Gopeng, PerakCall 05-3597828Opening hours 9am to 3pm on weekends

From Kampar, we take the much-improved trunk road to Gopeng. The once deserted town has been

revitalised recently, thanks to better road infrastructure and mushrooming local attractions such as the Adeline Guest-house and Gopeng Heritage House. The latter, a privately-owned-and-run property, officially opened in April 2011. A fan of antiques? Then you’ll love it here as it show-cases artifacts and old memo-rabilia from pre-war days, some dating back 100 years. If you’ve got time to spare, check out Gopeng Museum, located on Jalan Eu Kong 2.

Stop 4: Indulgence Restaurant and Living14 Jalan Raja Dihilir, 30350 Ipoh, Perak Call 05-255 7051Opening hours 9am to 11.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Indulgence Living (the hotel) opens year round.

Set in a refurbished colonial bungalow, Indulgence Restaurant and Living offers only the best in dining and accommodation in Ipoh. The restaurant – serving modern European cuisine – im-ports ingredients from Australia and Europe mainly, with 80 per cent of it being fresh, seasonal produce which are incorporated into its special dishes. The menu is changed on a yearly basis, with only the meat section remaining the same. Take note: the restaurant offers over 300 types of cakes, with something differ-ent served every day. After an indulgent evening of fine food, we head to our homely rooms, just one floor up!

“I seek and hunt for good food wherever I go.” – Julie Song, owner

and chef of Indulgence Restaurant and Living.

KL-Penang-KL, stopping at small towns along the way, in under 72 hours? challenge accepted! By Zara Nasarudin and Rachel law

Hitting the road

Stop 2: Yau Kee Restaurant 55, Jalan Idris, 31900 Kampar, Perak Call 05-465 1738 Opening hours 6am to 10.30pm

Stepping into the restaurant, we are greeted by the delicious aroma of freshly-baked bread. Gargan-tuan loaves sit in their golden glory in the display cabinet while Yau Kee’s custom boxes are piled up at the side for takeaways. We order the smallest of the lot (which serves a minimum of four people, so small is not the right adjective), then a staff butters and cuts open our loaf, revealing steam-ing hot chicken curry! Bread dipped in curry with pieces of chicken can be the most heavenly meal on earth – after desserts, of course! Price RM28 for a small loaf

In Gopeng

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FResH RAsPbeRRy ANd mAsCARPONe TRIFle

FAIRy-TAle-INsPIRed bedROOm; swOON!

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Stop 5: Gerbang Malam IpohJalan Tahwil Azhar, 30330 Ipoh, PerakOpening hours 7pm to 2am

Let’s be honest with you; the nightlife in Ipoh leaves much to be desired. Make your way instead to the city’s own version of Petaling Street. Here, amidst knock-offs, treasures can be found. We come so close to getting a Bally leather clutch at one of the secondhand stalls,

but alas, it’s not meant to be! There are a few vendors selling flats and

slip-ons from Thailand, cheap and incredibly comfy they are! Make sure to drop by the only art stall here. The artist sells sketches that are screen-printed on thin plywood pieces.

Day tWoStop 1: New Hollywood

Restaurant38, Jalan Lee Kwee Foh, Canning Garden, 31400 Ipoh, PerakOpening hours 7am to 3pm

Rather than having breakfast in the old part of town, where cafes and restaurants are packed with tourists, we head to New Hollywood, a breakfast spot popular with locals. What’s special about this kopitiam is that the stalls here only serve pork-free dishes. Here are the must-tries: Hong Kong chee cheong fun, fried kuey teow, pan mee and yau char kwai.

GARmIN NÜvI 50lmWe found 95 per cent of the locations we were travelling to through this device, how delightful! Unlike unpleasant experiences with other GPS devices (we would often miss turnings!), we found the Garmin nüvi 50LM helpful. To illustrate, the ‘junction view’ feature previews realistic visuals of upcoming junctions while ‘lane info’ guided us onto specific lanes and helped us to avoid last-minute manoeuvres. It gives clear directives on its 5” screen display, and is unbelievably user-friendly. You may want to use it even if you don’t need to! Rating: KKKKK

Stop 2: Memory Lane marketAlong Jalan Horley and Jalan Lim Bo Seng, 30300 Ipoh, PerakOpening hours 6am to 1pm on Sun-days only

Fancy yourself a real vintage suitcase, retro eyeglass frame or Coke memo-

rabilia? This flea market is the place to look for it. Also known as Pasar Karat, we see old Polaroid cameras, secondhand leather handbags (prices start from RM20) and even turntables here. We go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ as we spot familiar knick-knacks from our child-hood. It’s best to come early; you wouldn’t want to roast under the midday sun. Hold on tight to your belongings; this is prime pick-pocket territory.

FujIFIlm INsTAX mINI 50sAh, what’s a girls’ road trip without a good ol’ instant camera? The first time we laid eyes on the Fujifilm Instax Mini 50s, we fell in love with its sleek, shiny, piano-black finish and weightless body. Being on the road from dawn to late night, we loved how quick and fuss-free it was to capture spontaneous moments. The camera automatically adjusts its shutter speed according to the background, so you’ll get clear and bright pictures even in low light. There are two capture buttons, one at the top and one near the lens, so make sure to switch off the camera before passing it around lest you end up snapping random, failed shots like we did.Rating: KKKKK

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Stop 3: Funny Mountain49, Jalan Theatre, 30300 Ipoh, Perak Opening hours 10.30am until everything’s sold out!

Funny Mountain’s silky-smooth, melt-in-your-mouth tau fu fah takes the Chinese dessert to a whole other level. It’s so good on its own that you won’t need to add brown sugar to it! The 60-year-old establishment offers a drive-through service too. Nothing makes us happier than slurping down a bowl of hot soybean curd in the comfort of an air-conditioned car. Price RM0.90 for a bowl of tau fu fah; RM1.90 for a small bottle of soybean milk

TOyOTA RusHFor a laid-back and long journey up north and back, this seven-seater offered spacious comfort and we love its green factor. The VVT-i engine emits cleaner emissions and is highly adaptable to changing situations. In other words, it projects power when you’re cruising down the highway and saves fuel when you’re on a leisurely ride. We had a safe and comfortable journey home, thanks to the projector headlamps and fog lamps, which helped us see clearer through the dark, rainy, evening drive back to KL. We love the sporty yet not-too-masculine look of this SUV; perfect for the adventurous female team. If only it comes in pink!Rating: KKKKK

PeTRONAs PRImAX 95 XTRAFuels, they’re all the same right? Not exactly! We went with one of the best, Petronas’s Primax 95 Xtra. The commercial grade gasoline is formulated with advanced additive technology. It reduces internal friction between the cylinder and piston rings, which in turn, gives you more kilometres for every litre you use. It keeps your engine clean all the time for maximum performance. Overall, we spent less than RM160 for our three-day drive; our wallets are definitely happy! Rating: KKKKK

Stop 4: Aun Kheng Lim Salted Chicken24, Jalan Theatre, 30300 Ipoh, Perak Call 05-254 2998 Opening hours 10.30am onwards

With 25 years in the business, Aun Kheng Lim reigns as the city’s best salted chicken connoisseur. Imagine a whole free-range chicken, wrapped in paper with dong guai (Chinese herb) and wolfberries then covered and baked in Australian sea salt in huge woks. As you tear open the paper, you’re hit by the fragrances from the herbs. The salt

and herbs give the tender chicken a mouth-watering flavour. Best way to savour this? We recommend bare hands! Price RM17 for a whole chicken

Stop 5: Taiping Lake GardensOne of the oldest gardens in the country, it hosts a variety of plants, trees, flow-ers, insects – and as we witness – baby monitor lizards! The 64-hectare area was once mining land, which is hard to believe with all the greenery around. We find a spot under a huge tree with spread-ing canopies and have a late lunch. A great way to spend a lazy afternoon. Taiping folks, we envy you!

Stop 6: Penaga HotelCorner of Jalan Hutton and Lebuh Clarke, 10050 George Town, Penang Call 04-261 1891

Standing tall in the heart of George Town, in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this boutique hotel was converted from a cluster of pre-war terrace and shop houses. It holds 45 rooms, a restaurant, a bar and lounges as well as a quiet garden and pool to spend a lazy afternoon in. We check into its Clarke Terrace House, which has two bedrooms and a living area, perfect for the four of us. The rooms at Penaga are furnished with antique Chinese pieces with a modern twist and original con-temporary art works. Each also comes with a Jacuzzi spa bath, so handy after a day of travelling! The hotel normally sees a much older crowd but we do spot young couples enjoying the break-fast spread.

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Stop 7: Straits QuayJalan Seri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Tokong, 10470 PenangCall 04-891 8000Opening hours 10.30 am to 1am

For fun, food and festivity by the sea, head to Straits Quay! Located in Seri Tanjung Pinang, a world-class, master-planned waterfront communi-ty, it is currently the island’s first and only seafront retail marina. Must-gos: Delicious, Kaffa Kafe and Huey&Wah Cafe (gourmet marshmallow cafe).

Stop 8: Spasso Milano3C-G-2, Ground Floor, Straits Quay, 10470 PenangCall 04-891 2888Opening hours 12noon to 11pm

This pork-free restaurant uses imported ingredients and produce as much as possible to serve you authentic Italian fare. With Milanese chef Felice Marti-nelli in the house, we don’t have to ex-plain why we think it’s doing a mighty fine job! At Spasso Milano, it’s all about the food (and wine), so it doesn’t have any of that pretentious ambience some Italian restaurants have. You can dine indoors or al fresco.

Stop 9: The Library 3E-G-3, Ground Floor, Straits Quay, 10470 PenangCall 04-890 5073Opening hours 11am to 1am on weekdays, 11am to 2am on weekends

After a heart-warming dinner, we head to The Library for a round of non-alcoholic drinks. A fat glass of ‘Very Safe Sex On The Beach’, accompanied by the soothing melodies of a live performance and calming sea breeze; perfect way to end the night. Can we just say that some of the waiters there are hot, hot, hot!

Stop 1: Penang National Park Jalan Hassan Abbas, Teluk Bahang, 11050 PenangCall 04-881 3500/ 04-5513530Opening hours 7.30am to 6pm

Gazetted as a reserve in 1928, Penang Na-tional Park is the country’s smallest national park at only 2,562 hectare but home to 46 species of birds alone. An expedition in 2000 by the Malaysian Nature Society recorded

417 flora and 143 fauna species. We go on a 90-minute hike over hilly terrain to Pantai Kerachut. Fret not; it is a fairly easy hike. Warning: the beach may look idyllic but jellyfish roam its waters. The beach is also unsafe for inexperienced swimmers because of the sudden drop off. From the beach, we take a boat back to the park entrance. Plenty of eagles can be spotted along the way!

Stop 2: Food stalls at Balik Pulau Market Complex Jalan Tun Sardon, 11000 Balik Pulau, Penang

We’re here for one thing, and one thing only: nutmeg juice. We settle down at stall #17 (Kheng Hoe Cafe) because the owners look more welcoming. Made from fresh nutmeg sourced from the surrounding farms of Balik Pulau, the juice tastes tangy and sort of weird. But we get used to it after a few sips, and drink the frothy beverage until the very last drop. Head inside the market to stock up on preserved and fresh fruits, shrimp paste and fish crackers.

Day tHRee

Stop 3: Kim Laksa at Nan Guang Coffee Shop 67, Jalan Balik Pulau, 11000 Balik Pulau, PenangHours 11am to 5pm (Closed on Wednesday)

Laksa, laksa, laksa! That’s all we can talk and think about all the way to Penang. We actually plan to sample a bowl at Laksa Janggus but find it closed. So we head for Kim Laksa, a stall in a humble-looking coffee shop next to the former Balik Pulau market. It is one of the best asam laksa we have tasted. The soft yet springy rice noodles and chunks of sardines come in a thick, sour and spicy broth. They don’t skimp on the condiments and shrimp paste, which add a sweet taste to the laksa. Well worth our winding drive to Balik Pulau! Price RM3 for a small bowl of Asam Laksa or Siam Laksa.

Stop 4: Nasi Kandar Kapitan 93, Lebuh Chulia, 10200 PenangCall 04-264 1191

No way can we leave Penang without having a plate of nasi kandar first! So after a quick shower and check-ing out, we make our way to one of the island’s more famous restaurants and sample its all-time favourites: Briyani Chicken La Coppera and mango lassi. We’ll let the picture do the talking.

California 37 by TRAIN

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On public holidays, the stall

sells up to 400 bowls of laksa!

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