Will Gayana be next?

Manukan Island. This is one of the popular resorts at Kota Kinabalu and is the second largest of the five tropical islands. The island is known for its sandy white beaches and snorkeling. Being the backpacker I am, discovering things on my own, I didn't sign up on the tour packages but instead went on doing what I like to do which is exploring. With that I saved at least a 100 bucks.
What we had to pay for:
RM 50 - Boat ride back and forth per person
RM 20 - For goggles, snorkel and life vest (but you can rent them at the island itself at a cheaper price). You can pay a bit more for flippers if you want to swim faster.
RM 50 - Take away food for 13 people at one of the food stalls. Not bad. Unless you want to dine at one of the restaurants or buy the package tour.

* Note that we had to deal with an agent from Jesselton Point but do make sure you have proper goggles. Otherwise, you might be unlucky to get sea water leaking inside your goggles while snorkeling.

We didn’t try rafting and the banana boat looked tempting. Maybe next time? I, however, tried the parasailing (RM180 for 10 mins —> expensive aye?) but I really enjoyed the 10-minute parasailing. Two thumbs up. A friend of mine had a bad experience with the parasail in Empire. It may be cheaper but I do NOT recommend you to Parasail there after hearing the story, imagine falling high up from the sky crashing into the sea. Because their motor got jammed?! That's just mad. Inexperience. Which was why I rather pay a lot more for my safety.

All in all, it was great fun especially the snorkeling bit. A recommended island to visit if you happen to be in KK.

I have never seen a dozen shades of green!

Although we didn't get a change to get hold of the KNK Passport provided by our friendly neighbourhood officers at the Tourism Department, we felt that the feeling of satisfaction is more than enough to leave a stamp in our heart. It is my second trip to Temburong. First one was strictly work related with some emceeing job I had to do and this second one is a strictly have-fun-go-wild-run-around-naked one. We took the monster truck to Limbang, crossed the ferry to Temburong. I know a lot of people are hoping for a bridge to be built so that it would be easily accessible, saves time as well and that's clearly understandable but its people like me that don't get to ride on ferries and is loving every second of the 2 minute ferry ride. Hey, if they put two ferries together, they don't actually need to build a bridge. I think two ferries connected is about the width of that river. We drove to the Trandie Marina Resort and took a longboat to the National Park, registered and paid $5 (comes with a park ranger). Then we disembarked into the best preserved tropical rainforest of Borneo. We climbed the very high scaffolding of the Canopy Walkway, the structure rises over 50 meters high on top of 850 meters high hill. That's from the ridge top to above the tree tops. Once you get to the top, all you can see is the amazing and panoramic view of the tropical rainforest, the clouds, the sounds of birds (you'll spot a few hornbills) and insects. The primary rainforest carpets about 78 percent of Brunei’s land area, most of which you can see from the Canopy Walk (Don't trust me, I tend to exaggerate).

Here is a video I made...Its really crappy. My first time using the video function in my camera. I didn't even know what to say! Please ignore my I love NY t-shirt. My sis bought it for me when she was living there.

Notes:
1. Please bring the OFF or any form of insect repellent.

2. Do not wear perfumes, bees will love you and you don't what that do you now?

3. 50 meters on a 850 meters hill, not recommended for people who are afraid of heights.

4.Once at the top, don't look down the forest floor, you'll feel dizzy. If its OK for you or you like the dizzying perspective then, look down...its amazing to know how high you've climb.

5. If you've not done any form of exercise, you'll NOT make it! Turn around and dip your feet in the river and wait for your buddies to get back and tell you all about their non-stop stories.

6. Oh yes, wear proper shoes, the track gets a little muddy.

7. If you missed out on it, don't meet your friends for 1 week because that's all they're going to talk about.

8. Have FUN!!!

The treehouse at Trandie Marina Resort. There are a few treehouses there and other abseiling activities.
The boat ride to the National Park, it was a whole lot of fun with the rapids. Recommended for rafting.
The Canopy Walkway above and the KNK logo. Photo by Spacemonkey. He was the first to reach the hilltop.
Sungai Apan waterfall. The water was soooo COLD! I kid you not. Photo again by Spacemonkey.

Spirit Snuffed Out

On Sunday, Theycallmeck blogger CK was spotted with a mystery man in a football match and left just before the half time.

The blogstress have said to have a major illness!

She took to her blog to announce her news:

Well, as many of you know I have been having trouble with my health lately but it didn’t stop me from going to a football match. The doctors thought I had tonsillitis, but when I wasn't feeling better after some rest, I decided to get an intensive checkup. When I heard the results I was in utter disbelief. The doctors told me that not only I had tonsillitis, but both of my cheeks were exhausted!! He said my left one was particularly bad, all this because I was smiling way too much for the cameras!!! He said I had just over done it with the excessive smiles over the past few weeks and so my muscles became fatigued and transferred the overload of stress to the bones around my cheek area - causing them to be stress! He says that type of injury can happen when celebrities step up the amount or intensity their smiles. Typical me- I throw myself 1000% into anything I do- that's how I went from being homeless to where I am today- but I just had no idea I could over-do smiling!
Shock does not begin to describe it. I am heartbroken to say I will not be smiling in this season of Football fever. I'm sad I won't get to go through the rest of the experience smiling with my mystery man. I don't really know what to say. I am sad and mad and disappointed and just blown away at all that has happened. I also feel particularly upset for my partner. This wasn't the way I wanted to go, but my health must come first. The good news is that my doctors say with rest and care, I will recover completely with no long-term damage. I hope I will be able to come back and with a new set of smile after my injury heals.


Such a bummer.
Get well lady!

P/s: I seriously think I’m coming down on something. My throat feels very hot, row and scratchy. I’ve got the snizz’cold too. I think I had too much salt yesterday.

My weekly dozes of On Ons

The Pain. The Drive. The Satisfaction. Yeap, it's my fourth skip along in the scenic rural sides and still trying to grasp the idea of picking out thorns in my finger with a needle every week. I am a clumsy one really and that’s the one impressive quality the blokes seem to find classy these days. There is this one gentleman I find quite sexet. I know you will never slip into this site of mine, but if only you can slip into my arms. Jeg synes du air flot. Jeg vil gerna kysse dig. I tend to talk Danish when I’m feeling all…you know. Back to my skip along in the woods, the best thing about it really is having a Britney right after and...hmmm...talking about the pearl necklace!? Hmmf…its best I didn’t know what it meant.

Dear readers, I’ve noticed my hits seems to be escalating like a mad woman chasing after a rat in the kitchen and if I somewhat do not make sense in this post, my apologies. Sometimes fantasy takes control and there's only little you can do about it.
This is a picture of One-Tonne-Man (wan-tan man) a.k.a Kungfu Panda a.k.a I'm-so-in-love-with-my-headlamp

Know-it-alls

Conversation from know-it-alls must eventually draw to a close rather than offering my opinions, leading to him/her being defensive and causing him/her to dig in his/her heels. Most times, I like to be left alone and spare myself from all these dramas. Boy, do I not fit in, so I've been practicing these lines over and over again for conversation enders. I'm pretty sure the know-it-alls will like the sound of my lines as they need not prove their brilliance to me once heard.

1) "Obviously you know your stuff,"
2) "You always have something intelligent to say,"

Whatcha reckon?

Commentating A Historic Event

The rain is still dominating life in this tropical island at the moment and made it rather interesting. Our island has been in the headlines concerning the mythical Nabu snake of the Baleh river (in terms of picture fakery), attacks on the Penan indigenous communities in Sarawak and now even endangered species, pygmy elephants VS palm oil plantations. Conservationists for years have shown interest to baby our island and with that we’ve been getting a lot of attention from others. In our fraction of the isle, on a much blissful note, we celebrated 25 years of independence from Britain and that morning we had endless blue skies. It was quite a beauty from where I was stationed at, the top end of the stadium terrace. I did my part for the nation as a commentator, reporting on this historic event on the airwaves. Boy was I feeling patriotic despite not holding a yellow-card…yet. 

And Oh yea, I’m a product of a 1984 baby and as my colleagues call it ‘Anak Merdeka’. At 25, life for me continues along the same path and sometimes with unavoidable dirt, all part of the rain and shine excitement living in home land.


This is where I was stationed, top end of the stadium terrace. Our Broadcasting Booth.

Now, That's ART!

Beautiful. Pleasant. Artsy. Nikki showed me this video when she got back from KL last month and I thought it was one of the cutest stop motion video clips I've ever seen. First thing in my mind was, How long did it take to complete the video! Looks really simple but trust me, the complexity involved is mad! It is one of those happy-feel-good-make-you-smile type of video. It compliments well with the song too. The vid reminds me of the end of Adele's Chasing Pavement, my favourite song from the playlists these days. Incredibly creative use of sheets, pillows and socks. I love the part when she is walking down the stairs (pillows) and jumping from one pillow to another, swimming with the fishes (socks), in a train, hanging from a cliff, lets not forget the 'hair movement' in all the frames. With all these shots, the Israeli actress/model must be really exhausted after all that stop motion. Watch it and be impressed, be very impressed! This vid makes me want to sleepwalk.


Fun Facts:
* The video was shot all stills - roughly 3225 still photos for the entire video, using one camera, hanging from the ceiling for the main body of the movie.
* It took 4 weeks before shooting to create an animated computer generated storyboard for the video, with 3d dummies for the characters.
* It took only 2 days of shooting for the live actors on set to re-create the 3.5 minutes computer sequence, frame by frame.
* Some of the bed sheets used in the video were taken from Oren’s own bedroom and are now considered collectors items, worth at the moment not very much and therefore used as bed sheets.
*Each of the wonderfully talented people above have worked on the video for a fraction of their normal rates (except Oren who worked for his normal rate of zero).

Great Barrier Reef island caretaker

I remember reading an article on the radio about the Barrier Reef caretaker job thinking how great it would be if i were to apply. Me, CK in Australia's tropical island paradise, the sand in my feet, surfing the waves, fine dining, scuba diving, sailing the Great Barrier Reef to picking up the mail all for a $150,000 salary! It is truly indeed the best job in the world. The application process doesn't really demand much, just a minute video explaining why you would be great for the job. Advertised as the "Great Barrier Reef island caretaker" the role includes cleaning the pool, collecting the mail and feeding the fish in exchange for free luxury accommodation on Hamilton Island and a $150,000 six month position. Steven, the guy in the video, popped into the studio one night after hearing his favourite NERD tune on the radio, told me he heard about the job from his mother and decided to why-not-give-it-a-go. I have smacked his job application video with 5 stars.
This is where you can view Steven's video and rate it 5 stars! But it looks like Steven is up for some stiff competition with one of the world's wanted man. How oh How can you ever defeat a man who is "outgoing", "familiar with sandy areas", experience with videos and delegating tasks? But really there is nothing for Steven to worry about. Best of Luck!

Friendster not so friendly

Good old Friendster, my buddy, always known for its edginess! Used to be the most popular social online network in the days. Yeap, you heard me, it’s sure not a typing error. I am really talking about Friendster. Why? Randy asked me the other day when was the last time I was on my Friendster account. I seriously can't remember. Just like everyone else, I instantly fell in love with Facebook and have to admit, an addict too. Sorry buddy for the negligence, met a new mate. Today, I decided to check if my account was still up and running or has good old Friendster shut me down. As expected, it was working well. I added a couple of friends. Read tons of random massages on my inbox. Had some comments to approve. One comment really caught my attention. It was about my profile picture, info and my shoutouts. I was just so excited to wait for my profile page to load, can’t even remember what I wrote and the pictures I have in there. This was what I wrote in the shoutbox as a joke years back in 2004. The cheeky me then. American television comedy-drama series, Desperate housewives of the street of Wisteria Lane was huge then and I decided to switch roles in my little play head to look for a house husband myself. This was the info on my profile page along with an old picture of me in gigantic bug eye sunnies just like how Nicole Richie likes it. Had to blur off certain details, I think i have enough people stalking me already. Certainly do not need more. ...This Ladies and Gentlemen, Readers, Fans and Bloggers is HOW I GOT MY ARSE KICKED IN FRIENDSTER!