I was due to make my way to Johor Bahru on the coach from Melaka, I enjoyed my time in Melaka but I was looking forward to seeing what differences Johor Bahru has compared to Melaka. My coach was due to leave at 1:30 so i had planned to get there a little bit early and grab something to eat.
This is where Malaysia is quite different to Australia, when I think of the Perth train station and the food and beverage options there is maybe somewhere to get a coffee and then a bakery serving pies and sausage rolls that have been sitting around all day. The food selections at Melaka sentral are completely different to Perth! There is such a wide range of food avaliable, from chinese stir fries to chinese breads and buns to indian curries. I was so surprised that there was just an enormous range of food available.
I walked around for a little bit until I saw a sign directing me out of the air-conditioned comfort of the terminal and to a food hall, after walking down a hallway I was greeted with a number of stalls all selling yummy stuff and people from the wet market across the road eating there. I went up and asked one of the workers what they like from here and they smiled and said “roti prata very good” and pointed in the direction of a particular roti prata stall.
While I was looking over the menu I enjoyed a very tasty lime juice which also cooled me down instantly.
I placed my order and not long after I was greeted with the smell of buttery roti prata. I have to admit that I did make a rookie mistake of reaching in to tear off a piece of this roti and i burnt my fingers slightly as it must have come off the hotplate seconds earlier. This caused the workers at the next table to laugh at me and hand me some tissues. After leaving it to cool down enough that i tore off a piece, dipped it in the vegetable curry and took a bite. It was amazing, flaky and buttery with a nice level of spice from the curry. Absolutely fantastic and I know its something that i will look back on fondly when I am in Australia.
I was feeling extremely happy after this meal and I feel that time and time again when you are travelling if you search a little bit off the beaten path of the lonely planet guides you can find some real gems. This is just another great meal that confirms that point.
My mum and I during the week had decided to plan a little shopping day out on Saturday. We were going to go to midland for a few things and then go into Kalamunda and have a little walk around. I have to admit that every time I go to Kalamunda I am surprised by how serene it is. It really is the sort of place that is locked in a time warp (in a nice way of course).
