Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Night Bus To Sandakan

28/6/2007 (Thursday) Rainy Night

There is NO bus from Semporna to Sandakan, but there is 2 bus from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu daily which stops at the checkpoint of Batu32. Batu 32 is just half an hour distance to Sandakan. Only 2 bus leaves Semporna at 7.30pm to KK.


I have no time to lose as i don't want to spent for accomodation at Semporna. Hence, i rushed to the bus stop after the diving session. I got a ticket of RM30, however when i went abroad, they told me no place in the bus. After surveying the surrounding in the bus, i know this is not the place for a tourist like me to kick a fuss here. (Safety First :)) Try negotiate, 2 ways for me, first get refund and take the bus tmr 7am, 2nd, sit on the aisle( the pavement between seats).



No big deal sitting at the carpeted floor. Thats where i sit...... Nevertheless, the driver takes 6 more "last minute passenger" like me before the bus finally set off. I can feel the eyes focused on us like we are those PATI (Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin) OMG !! Since we sat side by side, we chatted quite happily. They are all kind ppl, just that their malay is hard to understand. i remembered my feeling that time is unexpectedly calm and light hearted. No more hatred for paying the same ticket price but got myself a carpeted seat, morover I felt gifted to be given such a "seat" where i can feel exactly how "kampung" people here squeeze themself in such a fully seated bus. Thts their daily routine.


Almost all the passanger is bumiputra and it's a normal scene here. The movie played is Zombie Di Kampung. I prefer chinese style horror show as it really chills if it's horror based or amusing if it's comedy-based but PLS not like this one : Atas Pagar, nor a tickle feeling of fear when watching all amusing white-paint-covered"zombies" chasing the villagers, neither will you feel any sense of laughter. Conclusion, still have a far far distance to go in the Malay movies industry to go into the intrenational arena.


Maybe i was fated to endure the adventurous scenario here. Suddenly a police road block is just at the end of the road when we are about to leave Semporna. "WHat a luck", the driver sighed. He slowed down and ushers us to hide ourself among the pessanger seats and 3 of us went hiding in the toilet at the end of the bus. No mood of feeling suffocating, we just hope that the police is not going to detect us. Luck is at our side as one of the police just get up and shine the torchlight around and gets off the bus in 30 seconds, we stayed there until the bus moved on only we came back to our "seat". What a fantastic experience! If in penisular malaysia, this type of "hide and seek" action sure drive me mad and i sure argue with the driver. "Why should i stoop so low, hiding here hiding there like i had done something wrong while i had paid 30 bucks". Its better to cooperate here as i was like in the tiger's liar... Unexpectedly, i found that i feel satisfied of this real-life exprience. Sometimes, the outcome turn different if you don't get agigated easily.

Since i was sitting on the aisle, another unforgettable experience is my face was squeezed to the wall when i tried to plumpy lady passby. Her huge round buttock just squeezed my face to the wall as she have a hard time getting through the narrow passageway. Just imagine squeezed by a big backside, can feel my specs getting off... how much pressure she suppresed to my poor face... I try to snap a shot silently so i can remember this incident forever.Here is she...

Finally i reached Batu32 at 10.30pm and my friend with his father is already waiting in their 4WD.

Conclusion, after all the special experience tonight, i really didn't feel like blaming anyone, nor the conductor, ticket attendance neither the driver. Sincerely i feel lucky to be granted such a rare opprtunity for so many interesting encounter in few hours.


Just hope no more backside-slamming experience!! Haha




Monday, July 2, 2007

Mabul Island 3Dives

7月28日 (四)


早上六点,迫不及待的跳起来了。一直担心隐性眼镜戴不下。半小时戴好后,收拾简单行李便到Uncle Chang Resort 报到。


结果等到八点半,船才出发。。。认识了一班来自KL的朋友都去SIPADAN潜水。 还有一位较友善的朋友,SIMON,他过后就是我的DIVE BUDDY。大家都有些共同点,性格较Adventurous,主动认识别人。


久违了,美丽的海洋,
我来了。。。


出海了!!!


美丽的海景。俏丽的干榜渔村。。。

又认识了这位热情的澳洲人,名叫Giles,来自QueensTown, 是名潜水教练PADI DIVE INSTRUCTOR。他打算在这附近找工,一边旅游。为期一年。他还带了一台海底录影机。价钱约AUS2500 !!!真PRO!!




到了P. MABUL Lodge 了。




想起“汪洋中的一条船”



碧海蓝天,真美!

场面火辣!!!18SX!!






她是今日的女神。

女神万岁!!!





全副武装,万无一失,准备出发!!!



AWANG (DIVEMASTER), SIMON 和我!!






为何要跟这两位仁兄拍照???他俩来自UMS,来SNORKLING。这此经验让他们决心考DIVING LICENCE。左边是MAN,右边叫DOL。(刚好=MANDUL好记)。


大难临头!!!


他们兴奋地给我看来一整包的“战利品”贝壳,我倍感伤心。心想只在海面潜水就已拿走这么多贝壳;若学会潜水,岂不要将整座珊瑚搬走???

告诉他们有水警会抓,他们反而感谢我的提醒。。。

在这里,见到许多国外潜水游客,非常有公德心,连路边兜售贝壳制品都拒绝购买,反倒是我们大马人自己破坏自己美丽的海洋。

身为潜水者,我与他们一样,不知不觉,都很鄙视这些拿或购买贝壳制品的败类!!!



Semporna Dragon Inn--龙门客栈

7月27日 (三)晴 到了Semporna, 询 问 多 间DIVE SHOP 都没有SIPADAN的空位了。要等到6月30日才有一个位!如此热门的潜水景点,果然名不虚传!最后选择了MABUL (因最靠近SIPADAN)。
Uncle Chang Resort 最便宜。以下是价钱:
SIPADAN 3Dives Trip= RM340 (Include National Park fees)
Mabul 3 Dives Trip = RM210

马上定购了Mabul 3Dives Trip 明早8am 集合。
接下来找地方过夜。龙门客栈Dragon Inn 最美又经济。我选Dorm (RM15/晚)。很喜欢这个地方,虽然简单,但很平静。
猜猜看这是什么地方???




厕所 !!






这里是龙门客栈的餐厅,
许多海鲜美食,但蛮贵的。
明天早餐来这用餐。
远处望去,美不胜收!!

巴 士 奇 遇 记 !

7月27日(三)

终于偷得一两天闲空,既然来到了这个因潜水而享誉全球的市镇-仙本那 (Semporna),不去潜水太对不起自己了吧。其实内心里早就已经心痒痒了,两年为了去朝思暮想要到P.Sipadan 潜水眼看就要实现了!!!兴奋时刻

LAHAD DATUSEMPORNA 没有豪华巴士了,就只有这种本地人称之为
巴士Bus Henti-Henti. 一趟还是RM18.00。这种“巴士”非常折磨人,一路上都像坐过山车般剧烈摇晃、马路有一直绕山而行、加上没有冷气,好晕!


好笑的是,居然有当地的土著( 画 黑圈 的 老 人)把两只大公鸡装进黑纸带抱上车。开始我没注意到,直到听到我后面一直有ko-ko-ko-ko 叫,方知 大 事 不 妙,只能希望 公 鸡 别 跳 过 来。 果 然,就 在 这 两 位 土 著 要 下 车 时, 突 然 间 两 只 大 公 鸡 跳 出 纸 袋, 在BUS 里 到 处 乱 蹿。 真 是 鸡 飞 狗 跳, 那 两 位 土 著 一 边 喊 一 边 抓 公 鸡, 扑 来 扑 去, 生 怕 公 鸡 跳 出BUS。 那KAMPUNG 鸡 有 很 会 飞, 大 家 忙 抓 鸡, 我 吓 得 一 直 闪 着 鸡。 空 间 太 小, 闪 也 闪 不 了, 鸡 毛 满 天 飞。 最 终 公 鸡被 抓 着 了, 结 束 了 这 场 闹 剧。

在 这 里, 无 奇 不 有!!! 可 笑 哉!!

My Sabah Trip

Very nice to Sabah. Picture tells more than words. Lets see !!

7月23日 (六) 晴


好多行李。。。

12.50pm : 士乃 (Senai Airport) 去山打根



廉价航班上飞机喽!



飞机上



美景




















4pm 抵达山打根机场,朋友接机等候许久。


7月24日 (日)晴

哇!五点天就亮了,真不習慣。。

7am : 等巴士準備去拿篤 (LAHAD DATU) ,巴士费十八零吉。告别了西马的康庄大道,一路上马路许多窟陋,山路崎岖。




这是最“豪华”的巴士了,(四个位〕


美食天堂 !!!