Up & Down Perak (Journal)

3 people, 4 little friends, 1 car.

30/12/2008
-Left PJ 7.30am

-Headed North. First destination- Kellie's Castle, near Batu Gajah
-Missed turning. Reached South Ipoh. Asked for directions. Bought map. Back tracked.
-Arrived Kellie's Castle. Admission RM3. Lovely blue sky. Cool building- got old feel. Had a moat. Best feature was rooftop. No fence. Wobbly legs. Not for the faint hearted.

-Next stop- Kuala Kangsar (royal town). Passed by Ubudiah Mosque & Palace.
-Went to Perak Royal Museum. Small place. Nothing to see.
-Lunch. Went to tourist centre. Got more maps.

-Following destination- Taiping. Fell asleep in car. Woke up, reached town already.
-Looked for hotel. Dismissed several shady looking ones (One looked like a cemetery in a horror film). Finally opted for Furama Hotel. Most decent looking. Reasonable rate. Rested briefly.
-Went for stroll. Taiping town is small. Can cover by foot. RAIN. Seeked shelter at The Store. Had McD. Back to hotel.

-Left hotel 7pm. Dinner at hawker centre. Went to Taiping Zoo's Night Safari. Couldn't really see animals in the dark. Better than my expectations though. But Singapore Night Safari is still better.
-Returned to hotel. Watched scary movie. Zzzz..
END OF DAY

31/12/2008
-Checked out. Breakfast at nearby food court
-Sight seeing at Taiping Lake Gardens. Beautiful scenery. Mountains, water and blue sky. Went boat paddling on a 'sampan' for 1 hour. Seriously used up energy to row boat.
-Exhausted. Went for more food at a old looking restaurant. Not bad.
-Went to eat cendol and laksa at a recommended spot from the Internet. Nothing special.
*NOTE: Food in Taiping VERY cheap. Laksa RM2.20, Noodles/Chicken Rice RM2.50 - 3.50

-Left Taiping. Next stop - Ipoh. Reached 4pm. MORE RAIN.
-Sight seeing at Ipoh Railway Station and also Birch Memorial Tower. Nothing to shout about.
-Due to strange time (not lunch not dinner), many food places that we wanted to go were closed. Had Tou Fu Fah at 'Funny Mountain'.
-Went to expensive place called 'Indulgence' (near Specialist Hospital) for tea. Yummy brownies.

-Left Ipoh around 6.45pm. Continuous RAIN. Dark also. Luckily sis was skillful driver.
-Reached PJ around 9pm i think. Went to Old Town (PJ not Ipoh) to eat Bak Kut Teh.
-Went home. Showered.
-Went out to 1 Utama area. Just in time for countdown + fireworks.

This was a fun trip. Definitely an appropriate way to say bye bye to 2008. =)