Vacation Part 2 KT here we come

When you are on vacation, you seem to eat like there is no tomorrow. That was the case for me, not so much I wanted to eat but finding the food that suits my hormone laden tastebuds. After breakfast at the hotel with a view of the rough morning seas, we got ourselves ready to go to Kuala Terengganu. A heavy downpour which began the night before continued through morning and we figured, yeah, surely it will stop raining sometime today.


We were wrong. Except for a bit of sunshine between Cherating and Kijal, the rest of the trip into KT and back was just rain. And it got worst as we were approaching KT. The wind must have been very strong evidenced by coconut trees swaying to one side and the rough South China Seas with its huge surfer waves crashing to the shore. It took us 3 hours to get into KT. And that was with MrM driving like crazy. I was not able to sleep worried if we got ourselves into an accident, I would die sleeping. (Yeah, like consciousness would make dying any better) I was so hungry by then and told MrM the first thing we have to do when we arrive KT is EAT. Yes eat with capital letters. Food again.


I wanted to have the keropok losong at that very place I had them for the first time in 2006 and all I remembered was the shop was connected to a house and the house was pink in color. Not much help there, I know, but I am from Seremban folks and apart from having no sense of direction, I don't have a sense that KT is so much bigger than Seremban!


We drove into KT town centre and followed the directions to Pasar Payang. Getting to Pasar Payang, in the rain, with other cars with the same intentions, was a challenge by itself. We were lucky we secured parking right in front of the Pasar! Alas Pak Long and Mak Long (who had Aliah in their car) took sometime to find parking. When we finally met again at the entrance of the Pasar, we went straight to the wet market to see what we can buy.


I ended up buying 1kg of local daging serunding, roti bun that looked so fluffy (tapi taste taklah sefluffy mana), little pandan dodol for Zarif (Zarif loves anything with pandan) and MrM bought kuih bahulu bakar and the bahulu is the size of your mouse okay? 4 for RM1.00. He went berserk with those bahulus. Then we went upstairs, more for Pak Long and Mak Long. I think they bought kain batik and I bought Aliah a Made in Thailand ragdoll for RM8.00. Aliah was certainly happy with the RM8 ragdoll despite its low quality appearance and make. My kids....despite all the expensive toys, the ones that make them happy are the cheap ones and till today Aliah sleeps with that ragdoll.


Oh yes, I forgot to mention that since I am the pregnant woman and I want to eat that keropok losong at the very same place, I texted my friend Pyl to find out directions to go there. I even texted a boss from office who is from KT as to where the location of this place where we had the keropok losong, without realizing that she is in San Diego!


Pyl's directions were okay, but MrM doubted my ability to INTERPRET directions. To top it of, the signposts around KT are all near the traffic lights, meaning as you approach the traffic light r junction then only you would be able to see whether to go straight, turn left or right. So mulalah marah, upset....yalah semua perut tengah berkeroncong the last decent meal was our breakfast in Cherating. The 3 hour drive to KT, the cold rainy weather and the Pasar Payang shopping, isn't it any wonder that all of us were already hungry? With Pyl's guide, we followed directions towards Taman Tamadun Islam and by a stroke of luck, we finally found Kg Losong (and they were many Losong, I tell ya).



The first time I was there I had the benefit of the van driver to ferry us around. I was in KT three years ago to conduct interviews for local university scholars. The van driver brought us everywhere and waited for us. The second time, Wan Noor borrowed her cousin's car and brought us around to all the same places i.e. Pasar Payang, Losong and Noor Arfa batik outlet. I am hopeless in finding directions and the two instances I was there I never bothered to remember directions. MrM should know that by now when many years ago we were traveling as students where with me as a co-pilot, what was supposed to be directions to Dallas from Houston became San Antonio instead, or was it just going round and round the Houston circle road.....I don't remember....

When we finally got to the shop, we ordered RM9.00 of losong to be shared amongst the eight of us. It was cold, the losong was hot from the kuali, we were ravenous, and that became the most wanted losong for all of us.....

Thank you Pleda.....for the help in directions. And yes aku nampak Norai Keropok Lekor tu.....camana ek tak ada exclusivity pulak dah nama tu...

And the day is not over yet for us.....to be continued.....