Sabah, Kota Kinabalu - Day 3 (26-June-2008)

Ulu day - aka Sabah Tea day
Wanna have a cup of Sabah Tea for the breakfast?

Today's main event was to go water rafting at Padas. We got to take van trip for about 3 hours to reach the hydroelectric station.
We walked across the river from the hydroelectric station, leaving all our belongings in the van, which will pick us up a few hours later in Beaufort town. We are not allowed to take picture at the hydroelectric station.. dunno why.... and then we cross a small gate to an old railway, for a trolley ride.

There is a police standing there, and I felt like illegal immigrant, crossing the border, with no IC and money. Luckily nothing special happen and I still dunno why would there be a police stationed there. Each trolley can fit 2-3 person plus the "driver". I caught the first trolley with Kok Hui. We enjoyed the view, accompanied by the "wee wee" high pitch sound from the wheel and the railway. When the trolley stopped the ears feel so relax..

we are ready for the water rafting!

After some high calories teabreak, the Instructor Amin gave us briefing, and divided us into 2 groups. Hoo Yin and I joined the AngMo Group together with Amin. This team loves singing so much. When we reached the "washing machine", our boat nearly capsized, and the lady in front of me fell into the water and the instructor managed to save her in short time. The whole water rafting was real fun, except sometimes when we were bored, the team suddenly triggered by someone and energetic to row faster. Actually can pandai pandai not to crazy with them, need to save energy for the hiking mar.

Next itinerary was to get a "nostalgic" train to Beaufort town where the driver waiting for us. All the way, we passed several village and schools. This is the main transport used by the citizen here. Suddenly feel that we are from such a modern world and there is still people living 20 years backward in Malaysia. I am so lucky and feel grateful for things that I had so many years. Grateful to my parents for trusting me and let me explore my wonderful life.


Dinner was at the Bak Kut Teh below the backpacker's hostel. Then is the packing day to prepare the bag for hiking. Too bad, Kok Hui started to fall sick.

Sabah, Kota Kinabalu - Day 2 (25-June-2008)

Nemo day

2 dive sessions at Sapi Island, with the guidance from 3 instructors, Mus, Eugene and Bob. This is just an introductory diving session, where we will dive to maximum 6 meters only.

Everyone was so exciting to get the wet suit and diving tools.

Due to hot sun and only 2 people can choose the wet suit and diving tools at one time, the one who queue was the baskets instead.

Then, queue to get onto the boat.

We are READY!

Mainly we need to learn 3 things, (1)how to remove the water from the mask while diving, (2) how to get back the oxygen mask in the water (3)simple hand signal. The first lesson is hard, as my mask's plastic was harden and not flexible. After a few fail attempts, Bob lend me his Private used mask. WOw... good quality stuff is really different. Hoo Yin and I were teamed up to dive with Bob. Either he is great or both of us are very obedient.. so we dive for quite long compared to the rest. The hard part of the diving is how to control the breathing, and sometimes will get stuck for trying to use the nose to breath. As using the mouth to breath for too long, the whole mouth seems dehydrate and the throat is extremely dry. It makes me wanted to cough and this is the first time I used the hand signal to request to surface. The second time, my goggles was not wear properly and loosen... so.. surface again. Sorry ya.. Hoo Yin, got to drag your time as well.

There's only one cafe in this small island for us to have lunch, in fact, it is quite nice. After rest for about 2 hours, for lunch and photo session, we continued with the second dive session. This time, Ee Ling did not join us as she really feel uncomfortable with diving. This is a longer distance dive, which we seems to reach the other side of the island, and we travel back with a boat. By the time we reached the beach, it is about 5pm and the we are the last batch of people on the island.

Dinner at a chinese restaurant nearby. A small shop but filled with people. It is amazing to know that they serve food really fast, yummy and cheap. Sure the boss very rich.

Sabah, Kota Kinabalu - Day 1 (24-June-2008)

Free & Easy day

Touched Kota Kinabalu at approximately 2pm, where the rest of my team mates, all fly from Penang together, except me from KL, were waiting for me at the airport. A new experience for me to travel with only knowing half group of the people. First stop is to check in to North Borneo Cabin at town center, on top of a famous Bak Kut Teh shop. Here, there is plenty of not so common bank, such as Affin, Alliance, OCBC, bla bla bank... but CIMB and Maybank like not in the vicinity area.. hmm.. interesting. North Borneo Cabin Then the tour guide, Ah Seng brought us to have lunch and do shopping for hiking attire and "kampung adidas". I bought an extra sandals though, as they said that we need 3 pairs of shoes... sports shoes for the first day, "kampung adidas" for hiking up on the second day, and sandals with strap for getting down to protect or toes.
Today is more like free and easy day, and introductory days with the rest of the team mates, they are Szu Zhen and Han Ling (Sony rep), Eddie and Hoo Yin (Finisar rep), Ee Ling and Huey Yee (Agilent rep), Kok Hui and I (motorola rep, although I am Ex-Motorolan.. tak pa lar). Free and Easy means walking around the town, capture whatsoever photos that seems will leave some memories here.
special signboard found in KK. The place where this uncle standing is the location of the rubbish bin, and toilet is just nearby.
"milk fruit" .. to be eaten together with milk.
The Ikan Masin is having some massage here.

Barbecued seafood. Nice especially with their sauces.

Raw crunchy seaweed with strong "sea" taste.


Beautiful sunset at the water front. An ideal place for dating.......

Had some snacks at the pasar malam near the Filipinos market, and stroll along the water front. Dinner at the food court with chinese sea food, and cultural dance performance. The dance that I like the most is macho man wearing feather on their head.. forgot what is the dance called, but there is surely a baloon shooting scene. Highlight of the day is the bamboo dance where some of my team mates also join the crowds.
Oh yeah.... the macho man dancePart of the dinner