K.Kinabalu - I love youuu

What an ultimate holiday!

Like I've said before, I have not been to a real holiday for a good "blessing-in-disguise" years and Kota Kinabalu is a purrrrrfect holiday for me!! and the most happiest moment is when i met my college close friends whom i didnt meet since i graduated. We were close friends until people thought i'm a sabahan too... as i can speak sabahan very well that time... and when I was there the accent automatically blurted out altho a bit rusty and my kids didnt understand me but they decided to try and follow the accent hehe

Heres about my KK trip..prepare for the looonnnnnng story...hehe

Well, the trip started out very uncool.. the flight was delayed by both us and airasia.. i can only afford airasia though... y delayed...hmm..i wouldn't want to disclose it here as it is da most stupidos reasons and again also "blessing in disguise" . Our flight was suppose to be in the morning but ding dong ding dong we end up ariving almost at night..so half a day plan in kk was cancelled..but nevertheless..thank you to Judith...after checking in da hotel she brought us to Atlantis seafood restaurant at Penampang manage by her brother and my other friend Monica is already waiting for us...Twas a good dinner...fresh shrimps, clamps, fish and fresh brocolis and salads..makan udang sampai tak larat tengok. Then after that she drove us around KK town. At night the city/town are very much alive... although we are all mega tired we enjoyed the 'rounding'. Back to hotel..freshen up..pengsann. Oh..hotel is Megah D'aru..a budget hotel for rm138 per nite for a family room ( one single bed and one double ) bolehla...cool hotel ..still new..i think less than 3 months old...staff are all very helpful. recommended by Judith - near to her office hehe...

Next morning, after breakfast, she brought us to Tanjung Aru resort Jetty - where she said is the most safe and well manage and "untourist-trap" as when you want to go to the islands compared to other jetties where the boats are manage by filipinos ( she has some kind of phobia towards filipinos ). We chose to go to only one island Pulau Manukan... instead of island hopping
( they call it T. Abd Rahman Parks )...with the kids we dont think we want to hop here and there..infos on other islands here. At the jetty we paid rm25 for adults and rm12 for the kids for the boat fee, and you can rent out snorkelling and diving equipments (rm10 each - no deposits ) , mats etc.. We only rented the snorkelling masks and a mat. They will ask you what time u want to come back to the mainland - write your name and i chose 1530hrs ( be sure you keep the receipt- as they want to check before u go back ). P.Manukan only 20 minutes away from the jetty. At the jetty they'll asked your name and time again and at 3.30pm they will look for us and call out your name or the boat wont go without you ( this is a good safety management ). Anddd This is where the heaven is...water was crystal clear..like Tioman... fishes are everywhere...like Tioman...To 'enter' the Pulau we have to pay a conservation fee for rm3 for adults. My other half forgot to bring his swimming trunk aka shorts so wanted to buy it there lah..but at the entrance theres a shop...waa...ok...ok got shop...but da bermiud is rm50...INSANE!...then we walk on, praying theres another shop..nasib baik ada...that shop sells everything and also rent out snorkelling and diving eq. So he got his short for rm10..and my kids got their 'sand-castle-toys' for rm15
( which end up me who is 'trying' to build a castle - never did that before hehe almost jadi..15% of da castle onlylah) and a nice rounded base bag for rm20. but to rent out things there u have to pay deposits for rm50 - so better rent it earlier at the jetty. The island is insanely beautiful...the whether was rather hot and the suntan lotion doesnt work for us all..i swam and snorkelled amongst the colourful fishes..not just the small ones but the big ones too..the size of your hands and arms!! ( this is unlike the main island in tioman - a lot of fishes by your side are only at da small islands ) I just wish i could fish them and eat them..hehe..but they didnt allow of course..my next trip is surely gonna be a fishing trip. 1 hour before 3.30pm we freshen up in a fairly clean bathroom - and we're hungry..we dont think we want to have lunch there - besides being expensive and not much choice - I dont want to rush eating as i rather be back at the jetty at least 15 minutes before..so we bought snickers from the shop. As we arrived at the main land .we strolled around the exclusive Tanjung Aru resort while waiting for Judith to pick us up. After that she sent us back to da hotel. Had lunch at the mamak restaurant near the hotel. After that she brought us to the town - the filipino market where they sell cheap pearls...well m not into pearls really - friends kirim - i was totally blurr on what to buy - the place is so narrow and warm - I cant stand it..quickly buy the jewelleries which none is mine...other half and Judith did the bargain coz m not good at it...quickly get out from there...fuhhh fresh air..then she brought us to Sempelang..for a good ikan bakar dinner...and then round2 lagi at kk...back to da hotel -pengsannnn

The next day, Judith is not around, she pergi KL pulak got work to do. We rented an underpower automatic wira for rm180 for 24 hours. (Thank goodness we had Judith earlier, if we were to go around ourselves with cabs everywhere even for a merely 5 minutes distant will cost you rm15-20...no meter ;-i) After a kelam kabut breakfast ( the baby is not in a good mood since arrived in kk - shes too tired ) we drove out to Tanjung Aru beach...nice and calm beach facing an open sea ..just took some picts there..and then to Sutera Harbour Beach Resort - an exclusive yatch/golf/beach resort..took some picts..drove to town trying to look for signal hill but didnt make it there..we got a bit lost..Decided to go straight to Kinabalu Park. To go to Kinabalu Park you have to b extra adventurous becauseee ... There is absolutely no signboards of Kinabalu Park or Kundasang, besides having maps printed and prepared earlier and a compass from Judith, we have to stop for 3 times and asked people esp at the gas stations to make sure we are on the right road..we only know that the junction to KP is at Tuaran..but trust me along the 50km highway from KK i cant see any signboard on KP not until at the junction at Tuaran..there is only one signboard we can rely on that is a small green signage of KEM BINA Semangat Kundasang ( and oh btw..it is cheaper and flexible to b more 'adventurous' like this then taking on a package trip to KP..it'll cost you almost rm400 per person well actually cheaper if u want to take a bus...but not with kids lah) and other signage is Ranau..if y're heading to KP means you're heading to Ranau..and Ranau is further up then KP..same roadlah..the only almost-45 degrees -slant road..yeap..pretty scary...to go to the base of Mount Kinabalu you need to drive like u're goin to Cameron Highlands. It took us less than 2 hrs to get there..and when y're there...huuuuuu...anotha heaven...theres nothing much in KP actually..but the exotic scenery and the prestigious Mount Kinabalu sight is exhilirating although we can only see the 'clouds' covering it and covering our road!..in KP u just hafta drive around and stop at da museum. 7km frm KP is where the Kundasang is...to shop for cheap and fresh fruit, flowers, vegetables and honey..but before we went to that market we went up for lunch at Perkasa Hotel...anotha exhilirating sight. At Kundasang market i only bought 2 small bottles of honey (rm16 -after bargaining) some keropok, dried mushrooms and fruits i havent seen and eaten - tampoi and Ganisten ( weird taste too hehe ). At 6pm plus we started our journey down... we planned to actually takes some picts of scenic view and sign boards on da way down...unfortunately...nothing can be seen...y?..besides da camera is not powerful enuf...well i dont think theres any powerful enuf camera when all i can see is white white white...we drove only 20km per hour otw down.. cant see a thing..vision only 20 feet...huuuu..what an experience..we moved like leading to a somesort of portal or something...only for the last 20km down we can actually see where we are...itupon dah gelap...their 6.30 pm is like 7.30pm darkness here...so no more picts taken.. then back to da hotel for a while..15 mins after that out for dinner with anotha friend Kas..to a semenanjung own restaurant - siamese food - Rahayu Restaurant near tanjung aru..not bad cooking but da service was slow..dono y theres so many ppl that nite...

Last day...alas..can wake up lazily....packing...12.30 noon checked out. Leave da bag at da hotel coz our flight is at 8pm..Went to Promenade Hotel and have lunch - buffet..my other half fren frm KL is there for work and training so he belanja...Promenade is a nice hotel in KK town but not for smokers..just recently they 'activate' the law that the hotel building even in da lounge where they have live band is a 'no-smoke' zone..so ;-P
After that back to filipinos market again to buy some more the little2 manik and pearl kirim by my frens that i've forgotten to buy earlier..again ..none for me..tak minat..then to the dry dry food market.astonished by the dried gamat ( sea cucumber ) and the dried seahorses...didnt dare to buy those..although is quite cheap..Then its a bit rainy so lepak at centre point ( pertama complex plus campbell lookalike ) - finally bought for myself something - a handbag ( made in cheras ) for a 50% discount...then went to take da bag at the hotel and to the airport..only 15 minutes drive and cost us rm25 ;-(. The kids just cant stay put in da plane..by da time we arrived LCCT i'm like Jetlag...got home arnd 12 midnite. the next day hafta to see Judith and KL frens till late ( tak sempat kemas barang lagi nih ) Saturday...hafta meet clients and some errands...Sunday planned to clean up..but i got tooth ache - exactly gusi ache... maybe due to my body heat - no rest -'jetlag'. Monday..hafta settle my work in KL....anddddddd TODAY...PEACE!!! manage to write here... For those who has been to KK Sabah...u must agree with me that the place is superb..besides da scenic da ppl there are very friendly and warm ( except that i dont like the cab fare ) and for those who has not please please go there...checkout airasia promotions or if u want luxury you can take the MAS... I will definitely b there again one day ...fishing! fishing!!also to places i've didnt get to go.. Pulau Gaya, Pulau Mamutik, Poring Hot Spring, Borneo tip in Kudat , da Yayasan Sabah building, Mensopiad Culture Village, Museums..and perhaps Sandakan and Sipadan...I think to cover all u need to be there for 10 days - and ideal for backpackers and yang bujang2 - with kids - they will be too tired...

Iklan: Twas the first time for my kids to fly... actually da first time was when they were babies so didnt actually know what they were in..Amar...loves airplanes and helicopters... so when landing time...the lights were turned off...evryone were basically quiet...and then there were a loud sound of the tyre heating the runaway right..and then the plane slowed down...Amar face was full of anxiety and he asked " abah, kenapa helicopter ni...dia dah rosak ke..takde bateri ke?" [Dad, what is wrong with the helicopter..is it broken? no battery? ] { kids will be kidss..hee heee}
Another funny Amar face - first time lookin at da Mat Salleh at the beach with bikinis... imagine his face..

PEACE