2019 Drive to Thailand – Day of Rest

Gazing out the window, admiring the beautiful surroundings at Taiping!

On our first drive to Thailand, in my younger days, we used to cover 800km on the first day straight from Singapore to Alor Setar, and then another 600km to Phuket on the 2nd day. As I age, I prefer to limit myself to a max of 600km per day, and with some rest days here and there for me to recharge. As the only driver in my family, I am more conscious now of the need to pace myself. Attempting to cover too much ground in one day can be rather stressful, not just for the driver but also tiring for the passengers, especially with young kids in the car. Bad weather and an untimely traffic jam can set your schedule back and it is no joke trying to find your hotel in the darkness, and all the more so if it is a new place you have not been before.

It was good to be able to spend a day practically doing nothing in Taiping. I tried to find a car workshop to change my front brake pads, but many workshops were closed and those that were open did not carry the brake pads for my make and model. Thankfully the guys did a check and told me that my brake pads should be able to last for another couple of months. Perhaps I’ll try to get them changed at an authorised Peugeot workshop in KL on the way back. I did send my car for servicing just before this trip, but I was unhappy that they quoted me a few hundred dollars just to change the brake pads, which I felt was rather ridiculous.

Talented entertainers at the mall add to the festive spirit, singing in 3 languages!

We wanted to catch a movie as a family, but there was nothing suitable showing, so in the end, we lazed around in the room and had a yummy dinner at Sushi Mentai. The kids love their Japanese food and after the Sushi King outlet at Taiping Mall shut down, we had to walk out to get our sushi fix. At RM1.80 and RM2.80 per place, the food at Sushi Mentai was extremely reasonably priced, with some interesting offerings that are different from that at Sushi King. However, we found that the quality of the rice wasn’t that great, so I guess it was a “some good, some bad” experience.

After returning to the mall, the kids had a good time playing at the bouncy castle in the basement. Very cheap, RM10 per child for unlimited playtime. Good to let the kids expend some energy, and at the same time, the adults can get a bit of time to relax and to chat, so it is a win-win!

Part 5 – Setting off late on a long leg isn’t a good idea!