Kota Kinabalu Hotels
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Borneo Adventure
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Its funny how we decided to go to Borneo in the first place.The May Day was coming up , so we knew that if we took friday off we could have a four day weekend. The only trouble was that to go out of the country we would need a visa and that would take time.So it had to be within Malaysia.
During the tea break of my french class, Leila suggested that we go to borneo.......and that got me thinking. a number of people had spoken of Sabah ( which is part of Borneo island) very highly and this would be an excellent chance to actually check it out. I couldnt wait to tell osama. I quickly dialled osama's number...
Osama:"Assalam u alikum!"
Me:" w'salaam".
Osama:"Jaanu, lets go to Sabah on the weekend. because Chris just went there and he says its beautiful"
i was dumbfounded. I was about to suggest the exact same thing.
Me;" hey thats what i was gonna say to you."
Osama " Okay lets go then....I ll find out about the tickets."
And thats how it happened.We decided to fly Air Asia.Its a budget airline so the fares are really cheap.maybe because it doesnt fly from the normal KLIA terminal but from the LCCT terminal which itself is old and bare. They actually charge for checked in baggae. RM 3 for each bag that you check in. So we checked in the luggae and went to wait for the plane to arrive. Suddenly I noticed all the people who were waiting got up and started forming a line near the door. Thats weird i thought to myself. Then i heard the announcement that our plane had arrived.so I went and stood in the line. But the line just wouldnt move.And then it started moving all at once.When we reached the plane I realized why this was so. there was free seating so they make everyone board at once. !!!
The flight was two and a half hour long. I settled into my window seat. There was as expected no inflight entertainment.The snack trolley arrived in half an hour. You have to buy anything you want and pay right there. I just found the whole concept quite amusing.In the seat pocket they have a list of items they sell and when the trolley arrives to your seat you just have to tell them what you want and they give it to you.We had taken a morning flight so by the time we were about to land it was midday. Kota kinabalu from the air looked like a maze of green and blue.......with a few very organized rows upon rows of red tin roofs. I wondered aloud to Osama what those red roofs covered. But it was just amazing that even from the plane I could actually see to the bottom of the sea. i mean the water was so clear that I could actually guage where the sea was shallow and where it was deep.Because I could see the white sand whereever it was shallow. The view just held me spellbound till we landed.
The airport was really small. We hurried down the steps of the plane and through the corridor into the immigration control area. Now I wonder why were we hurrying.....i guess because everyone was. As I took in the surroundings and the people....most were malays in traditional dresses, a few foreigner backpackers, I suddenly noticed a short stout woman rush past me. I was captivated by her headscarf. It was light green chiffon and at the back of her head the cloth was folded in the shape of a rose. I mean how could someone possibly tie a rose at the back of her head. It was pure art. I had to get a closer look . Maybe she had just pinned on a rose of the same material. So I pushed past people to get behind her. And to my amazement i saw that it was actually tied. I wish now that I had taken a picture. i guess i was just too engrossed in the creative design that I forgot to take one.
A guy from the resort had come to pick us up. When we met him i was struck by his polite manner. We got into the car and were told that the resort is 40 minutes away, since its a little out of the town. The town seemed quiet and slowpaced.I was amazed at how small the town was. Just a few buildings of banks,two malls , a few hotels and roadside restuarants and that was it. But all of it was very organized.
As soon as we pulled out of the town i was struck by the lush greenery on the mountains. It was thick and dense and every possible shade of green you could possibly imagine was there. The road was double laned and on one side was the calm azure sea with the sun reflecting off the surface ripples and on the other was the dense forest climbing the mountain.The side of the road that was facing the sea was lined throughout with tall palm trees swaying gracefully in the wind. The red tin roofs belonged to reams upon reams of wooden houses built on stilts in the middle of nowhere. The locals build all their houses on stilts both on land and in the sea. I wondered why the gaily painted houses were on stilts. I later found out that they either park their cars underneath or keep their cattle under the house. If the house is on the sea then they keep their boats underneath.
The kota kinabalu mosque has a blue dome and white minarets. It looked especially beautiful when we caught the first glimpse of it.Against the backdrop of the late afternoon sun it had a strange tranquility around it.I was mesmerized.I couldnt really capture its beauty on the camera.
When we arrived at the resort, we were greeted with a welcome gong.At the sound of the gong everyone turned to look in our direction and then the local musicians started playing their local primitive music instruments to welcome us. We were immediately served peach iced tea with sour plum. It was really the most refreshing drink i have had in my life. i felt instantly energized. We were then shown to our room. Built on 400 acres of land the resort is airy, spacious and beautiful. from the balcony of the room I could see the cotton white sandy beach and the calm emerald green water lapping at its shore.I couldnt wait to hit the beach. After praying asr we headed out. As the soft warm white sand squished from underneath my toes, and the cool waves whooshed silently, I was overcome with delight.Everything was a wonder. I suddenly felt like a child discovering something for the first time and milking the joy of discovering the simplest things. I edge to the sea and put my feet out for the wave to touch it. but the wave rolls back , beckoning me to follow it into the sea and i do just a little and then i see another wave forming and coming towards me. the white foam frothing up. here it comes...Oh it looks huge ....and here it comes.It wets my legs upto my calves and suddenly i feel the sand moving from under my feet and sinking deeper. I quickly step out, delighting in the queasy feeling.
They call this place "the land below the wind" an old seafarers name because it lies just below the typhoon belt.Before i knew it, the sun began to set. the whole sky turned orange and brilliant shades of pink. in the distance i could sea fishermen returning to their houses. Dinner for me was grilled sea bass...chef's speciality. I am beginning to develop a crush on this fish. I have enjoyed it every single time I had it and this time it was no less delicious.
The next day we arose early to catch breakfast.And then caught the bus to town. Osama had some work at the bank and i wanted to look for souvenirs. So we strolled through the little town.there was one shop selling handicrafts and it had the most beautiful shell necklaces and jewellery. Interestingly the shop was owned by a woman who even had a baby. she kept the baby in a little make shift cloth swing. Most of the items were very reasonably priced and I had a hard time choosing what to actually buy. Osama made me try everything before we actually walked out of the shop.I was one happy shopper that day.
When we got back, we quickly changed into water proof gear for parasailing.I was nervous and excited at the same time. Afterall it was my first time. We got into the boat and whizzed out into the sea. The parachute was let out and then we waited for it to catch the wind. as soon as it did we were strapped on
to the parachute and told to just sit on the boats deck. Slowly the rope was then slackened and we rose in the air. 5 feet then 10 feet....then 20 feet.....and then we were really high up.....just floating. Wind whizzing past our hair, with nothing but the deep blue sea beneath us and the setting sun infront of us.It was exhilarating. I relaxed slightly. I wasnt going to fall. I started thinking that this must be the view birds get and what must it feel like to them. Suddenly the boat was turning and the rope slackened. I panicked. And then without any warning we splashed in the water. my eyes stang from the sea water and the water was ice cold. I held on to the rod for dear life. And then the wind picked up the chute and we were in air again. The wind was sending shivers down my spine.It was so unbearably cold. I laughed and choked and shivered at the same time and told osama I love you through chattering teeth.....he found it extremely funny. Kept replaying and making fun of my chattering rendition of "I love you". And then we were slowly just brought down to land.
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