Malaysia (Kuching & Bau, Sarawak) July 2018

" Never lose hope, you never know what tomorrow may bring " 

" Let your hope, not your hurts, shape your future "

" The world is flat. Wherever you are travelling and if you need a rest, a corner of good hope awaits you " 

" My 4 days Cuti Cuti (Vacation), Jalan Jalan (Walkabout) & Makan Makan (Eating) free & easy visit with my wife to Kuching & Bau, Sarawak (The Land of the Hornbills), East Malaysia from 3-7 July 2018 - my last visit to Kuching was in 1977, a lapse of 41 years " 

Why Kuching (in English is called Cat) ? I had been thinking of visiting Kuching for quite sometime. In 1977 while working, I won a lucky draw in one of my company's annual dinner. My wife and myself were given two free tickets (4 days 3 nights) to board a Malaysian owned cargo ship plying from Port Klang, Selangor to Kuching, Sarawak. It was not a cozy sea journey as both of us were first timers as the ship had to sail passed the rough South China Sea ! But it was fun and our first visit to a capital town in Borneo island, east of Peninsula Malaysia ! 

This re-visiting Kuching trip after a lapse of 41 years brought us fond memories on this Cat city - meow meow to my Good Old Days giving us the opportunity again to visit the old landmarks of Kuching with an old colonial charm, listening to the historic tales of the White Rajahs (ruled from 1841-1868), Sir James Brooke, Borneo island, Fort Margherita, Astana (Palace), Japanese occupation in Sarawak (1941-1945); visiting the Sarawak & Chinese History Museum, Chinese migrants arriving in Sarawak (early 19th century & mid 20th century), window shopping for cat souvenirs, eating kolok mee, evening walk along the Kuching river waterfront etc …. glad that my wife and myself had made it to this 4 days 3 nights Kuching trip one more time ! 

In this trip, we were able to do a day trip to visit the Wind Cave & the Bau town (once upon a time a gold mining town) by taking a public bus from Kuching (1 hr 30 mins) ! 

Comfortable hotel stay, good food & exploring the Kuching town at our own leisure made our trip a very pleasant & enjoyable one ! 

Travel Itinerary : Kuala Lumpur > Kuching > Bau > Kuching > Kuala Lumpur " 

Total expenses incurred (4 days): Rm582 per pax = US$145

Air Asia ticket: Rm218 (inclusive of travel insurance, no luggage check in)
LRT trains: Rm2.10 x 2 

Sky bus from KL Sentral to KLIA (return): Rm6 x 2 (seniors)

Kuching Airport taxi (return): Rm30 x 2 

Hotel (3 nights) : Rm363 (twin bed room)
Food: Rm124
Public transport: Rm12
Currency Exchange: US$1=Rm4.00

Travel Highlights : 

1) Kuching, Sarawak

2) Bau, Sarawak

My 3 nights stay at Harbor View Hotel, Lorong Temple, Kuching City Center (Rm121 twin bed room) 

Kuching International Airport

KLIA2 Airport, Kuala Lumpur

Air Asia flight ETD (expect to depart) Kuala Lumpur 12.05 ETA (expect to arrive) Kuching 13.55

 

Sweet & sour chicken rice at KLIA2 Food Court - Rm9.90

Sky bus from KL Sentral> KLIA2 - Rm6 (one way, Seniors)

Rapid KL train from SS15 Subang Jaya > KL Sentral - Rm2.10 Seniors 

Rapid KL LRT train rides from SS15 Subang Jaya > KL Sentral 

Return flight ETD from Kuching 10.50 ETA Kuala Lumpur 12.35

Corner of Good Hope, Kuching - 41 years ago, I visited Kuching on a day trip with my wife. I could still remember this old shophouse located at a corner of a row of the Main Bazar Old Shophouses facing the Kuching Waterfront & the Sarawak River. How time has flown ! The Corner of Good Hope building though looked a bit worn out, but still standing tall in this "Cat" city …… "meowing" to me and my wife, welcome back to Kuching ! 

After a 4 days visit to Kuching, it was time to say bye bye to this Cat city and "meow meow" our way back to my home place in Subang Jaya. Home Sweet Home !