June 2010: If you're tired of KL, Malacca and Cameron Highlands, why not drive to picturesque Ipoh, the state capital of Perak?

The journey stretches over 600km, and can be achieved in 6-7 hours (not including rest stops).

Based on my recent drive-up to Ipoh, here are some tips to make it a motoring pleasure:

1. Use GPS
If there isn't an installed car-satellite navigation system in your vehicle, use a portable one. Before you set off, test it out and familiarise yourself with its working. Also, make sure the maps in the system are updated.

I took up a three-year-old GPS system that has not been used for a while and I ended up lost for an hour because I didn't know how to use the search functions correctly.

2. Be aware of the road culture and driving behaviour
In Malaysia, if a fast car is approaching from behind, the driver in front will move out of the lane to let the faster car pass. This is quite different from Singapore where the driver in front hogs the road and gets a kick from preventing anyone overtaking him.

3. Have someone you get along well, to ride with you
Long road trips are boring and if you don't have the right company, can be unbearable. That said, the trip is also an opportunity to know someone better.

4. Take turns at the wheel
Many woman drivers will simply let the man do the driving. As a woman driver, if you are confident in handling traffic snarls in Orchard Road and the CTE, you should be able to handle some long straight half-empty roads for an hour or two.

5. Choose a reliable car
The last thing you want is for your car to break down in the middle of a road next to the jungle.

For my trip, I drove the Volkswagen Polo 1.4 (A) up. This critter has a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox that changes gears indiscernibly, and gives the 1,390cc engine the boost it needs when it hits its maximum 85bhp at 5,000rpm or 132Nm at 3,800rpm.

The Polo feels reassuringly solid, especially for a long ride. At high speed, it holds itself very steady, giving the driver much-needed confidence.

The boot space was a little tight with two weekend luggages, but if there are only two people riding, the rear seats have more than ample space to hold the rest of your stuff.

6. Prepare coins and small currency notes
Get ready with a basket of coins and denomination notes of less than 50 dollars each. A friend said he paid more than the customary amount (usually 50 ringgit) when he was stopped for speeding because he only had hundred dollar bills in his wallet - you don't expect the officer to return you change, do you?

7. Bring shades and sunblock
This is not just to look cool. Shades keep your eyes comfortable as you stare at the hot, never-ending tarmac in front of you. As for sunblock, please apply a lot on the thighs if you are wearing shorts and seated in front. I didn?t do it and the tan line I got from my shorts was so yeech!

8. Bring your own mix of tunes
I made a big mistake by forgetting to take my personal compilation of MP3s. You can bring your auxiliary jack and iPod along. There's nothing more fun than belting out your favourite songs on the move.

9. Have plastic bags as garbage disposals
Bring along plastic bags that you can tie to the seats and use as thrash bags. Also, some passengers on long drives may throw up due to motion sickness. Do not be an Ugly Singaporean, i.e. someone who throws peesai, wrappers and cigarette butts out of the window the moment they cross the Causeway north.

10. Have buns and packet drinks on hand
Here's a tip: buy your snacks at the petrol kiosks across the highway.

11. Get some sleep
When it's not your turn at the wheel, catch some shut-eye and rest up for your next driving shift. Driving to Ipoh from Singapore in smooth traffic took us 6-1/2 hours, which can be challenging.

12. Wear slippers or sandals
Most people take off their shoes during a fairly long journey in the plane or in the car. It would be more convenient wearing slippers or sandals so that during toilet stops, you can get out quickly.

The route
The direct route to Ipoh is simplicity itself: from Tuas Checkpoint stick to the North/South Expressway (E2), heading for Kuala Lumpur, but turn off before the city at signs for Nilai. Follow the road markings towards Shah Alam and you will be on the E6 that skirts around KL. You will soon see signs for Ipoh and at the next toll you simply peel of to the left back on the Expressway (now E1) heading directly north to your destination.

Ipoh then and now
This historic town began as a thriving mining and industrial centre in the 1890s with the discovery of the world's richest deposits of tin in the surrounding Kinta River valley. It was also famous for its clutch of millionaires who made huge fortunes in rubber, hence Ipoh was once known as "City of Millionaires".

The collapse of tin prices and the closure of mines at the end of the 1950s saw Ipoh turned to almost a ghost town. Many business people left to seek their fortunes in other parts of Malaysia, as well as Singapore.

The town is surrounded by marvellous limestone caves that tower over it. Several of these caves are open to the public and are tourist attractions. The limestone hills extend both 20km to the north and south of Ipoh.

The town is divided by the Kinta River and this division has led to what is known as the "New Town" and the "Old Town". The colonial railway station - dubbed as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh - is run down, but still stands as a reminder of the days of affluence and British rule. The historic Majestic hotel resides on the third floor of the station, although this appears to have lost some of its former glory.

A pasar malam springs up from the station's grounds on most evenings.

Bean Sprout Chicken, Sar Hor Fun
The most famous home-grown dish in Ipoh is Bean Sprout Chicken. You should also try the Sar Hor Fun, Hong Kong Chee Keong Fun and the local take of Char Kuey Teow. There are hawker centres at Jalan Clarke, opposite the Excelsior Hotel, Jalan Leech and Jalan Dato' Tahwil Azhar.