Trip to the tip of Borneo ~ Kudat, Sabah

Once a month, Nico get one Saturday off which give us an opportunity to discover Sabah beyond KK. So our first trip outside Kota Kinabalu was Kudat, 3 hours long drive through Tuaran, Kota Belud and Kota Marudu. Road heading to Kudat was quite good with some small repairing here and there along the way but it was completely dark if you travel at night  like us. 

We stayed at Kudat Golf and Marina Resort near to Kudat town, which is old and served horrible breakfast. Since we left on friday evening we got 2 full days to enjoy Kudat, 2 days is more than enough since there's nothing much you can do in Kudat after all. 

After eating horrible breakfast, we drove to Tip of Borneo at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau which is around 23km from Kudat Town. This is where the end of Borneo land on the northern side of Sabah. It was hot when we arrived and the view was amazing and not so many tourist was around. 

I believe that you are not supposed to go down but Nico saw people doing it and he want to check what's down there too. Its slippery of course and Nico end up fall and cut his finger. 

After tip of borneo, we make a stop at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau (if im not mistaken) beach, (stretch of beach on your left side on the way to tip of Borneo) to eat our packed lunch and swim. It was afternoon and hot but we had a good time. It was white sandy beach with crystal clear water and surprisingly clean, i mean, really clean. We don't even feel those sticky, sweaty feeling after swimming in the sea at this beach, thats how clean it is if you ask me. 

Since it was early in the afternoon and not so many people around, we have the entire beach for ourselves accompanied by few hungry dogs who steal our white bread. But seeing how hungry they are, we are more than happy to share our food. :)

(thats my Brad Pitt...loooolllll) 

(very clear and clean water) 

We decided that its going to be a beach day seeing how good it is after Tanjung Simpang Mengayau. So we drove along the coastline, follow some signage which we didn't know what and we found Kelambu Beach.

So, whats special about this secluded beach? It has a white sandy beach which stretched out to an island, left side of the beach come with calmer water since there's no waves and the right side with waves. Its not deep and perfect for family and swim. Be careful with jelly fish since we found few but other than that Kelambu beach is a nice place to spend an afternoon. 

 (Kelambu Beach)

(At the small island)

(the calmer side)

Since Kudat is a small town, there's nothing much we can do here in the evening except eating seafood at Esplanade Sidek. There are few big and small restaurant here which served seafood but by the time we went there at 8pm almost all shop out of seafood. We thought seafood in KK already cheap but surprisingly Kudat are so much cheaper. 

 (Squid)

(Tiger Prawn)

We ordered half kg of tiger prawn, one plate of squid, one medium size crab, one plate of veggie, 2 rice and 2 soft drinks for RM61.  Thats how cheap it is. :)

We checkout after breakfast since Rungus Longhouse, Bee Farm and Gong Factory are on our way back home and its quite far from Kudat town. Its easy to go to these places since you can easily see the signage from the road side. 

Our first stop was Rungus Longhouse. We actually wanted to stay here but we couldn't reach their agent number. Price was RM55 per pax (if im not mistaken of cos)(for malaysian) and RM85 for non Malaysian.But no need to freak out, they have mosquito  net and modern toilet for your stay :) They can be contacted at +60135527191, Mr Angkung. We plan to go back to Rungus Longhouse and stay there when Nico parents visit us end of this year since its going to be priceless experienced for us and also for them. 

We then proceed to Gong Factory, which is actually a stretch of road in a village which everybody do gong. We were initially looking for a factory and only notice that all the smalls shop we saw along the way was actually the factory. It was Sunday and we've been told that people not working but the shop still open. Only one shop actually working and the noises of clashing metal echo the entire village, i guess it will be funny if we were there when everybody working. It will be one noisy village. :) I wanted to buy small gong to decor our third room wall but my hubby want a big one, so in the end we get a big one for RM100. Nico's mom love gong, i wonder if shes going to buy all if she sees all these :)

(entrance fee to the village)

Our last stop was Honey Bee farm. Here they do it traditional way. Equipped with smoked, no safety suit and they lead us to see a box full with honey bee. It was scary since most of us tourist wear shorts but thankfully no one get bitten. The most amazing thing about this honey bee farm experienced was, we get a chance to eat honey right from the wax. She cut the wax that she just smoked into small pieces, told us to eat it like chewing gum, just suck in all the sweets and throw the wax. Most of us hesitate to do it at first thinking that we heard it wrong but then we all try it and it was owh-so-sweet and taste heavenly good. Of course we purchase one bottle from them afterwards but we bought the wild bee honey. 

(we suck the honey from the white part)

All in all, it was a good trip to discover other part of Sabah which of course so much different from west Malaysia. Next entry will be about our back to nature trip in Sandakan. :)

Our Official Dais (Pelamin) : By Zaifie Zainal

I've been searching all possible website and Facebook page for a dais which suit us. I want something simple, elegant, with flower, not too pink and definitely no panel. I was finally come to Zaifie Zainal page, i was immediately fall in love with her dais. I show it to Nico and surprisingly he love it too. 

So we immediately make an appointment with kak Zai and arraged everything. I don't even bother to ask her if i can see other dais design since im so in love with this one. When im in love with something, i definitely didnt want anything else lol. 

On our wedding day, kak Zai make an arrangement with Duchess Place to set up our dais. We weren't there when they put it on. After they finished and we are on our way to Duchess, kak Zai hubby call and told me everything done and we just need to turn on the light. 

My heart melt the moment we walk in, the dais was so beautiful to my opinion and compliment Duchess dining hall perfectly. 

Zaifie Zainal is highly recommended by us if you looking for Dais and dress, or better get the entire package from her. Kak Zai, if you read this, thanks for making my wedding day so beautiful. 

Our Official Venue : Duchess Place Jalan Ampang

Duchess Place has been on tv for so many times which usually featured a wedding of celebrities. Me and Nico agreed to have a small wedding which is only attended by close families and friends which make Duchess Place is the perfect location. Wedding in France usually will only have around 100 guest while malay wedding which usually done at home attended by 1000 people. 

I always wanted a small wedding, there's no point inviting people that we didn't know or didn't like to our wedding. To see all the familiar faces and people that we love during the wedding is the ultimate joy. 

Since i have big extended family, which included cousins up to 3rd degree and 8 pairs of uncles and aunties from both sides of my parents, not to mention my parents cousins, uncles and aunties, our small wedding in the end accommodate 360 guest which 300 guest come from my side and only 60 guest from Nico. 

It was a right choice when we choose Duchess Place since they not only provided venue but also catering, dais, main table decoration and cake to make our arrangement easier. However, we only take venue and catering package from them because i decided to have my own cake design and im in love with dais from zaifie zainal.

 (Our entrance to dais)

 (Guest Tables)

 

 (Main Table)

With all these beautiful set up, i couldn't ask anymore better than this. We are so satisfied and got nothing to complaint during our big day. Its really a night to remember :)

1 years old KIMI

Our little Siamese kitten is not so little anymore. According to our vet, Kimi was 8 months old when we took him to the clinic in Nov. So this month, Kimi celebrate his first birthday with us. They lady who fill in Kimi info was so cute, she said since Kimi born in March, so why don't we put 13.03.13 in his birthday column. I just say yes even though i wasn't really care about it :p

On his birthday, i feed Kimi tuna in olive oil (human food, not cat food) which we always have to add in into our salad. he enjoyed it so much. 

Kimi grew big and its amazing to see his color changes from the time we found him until now. He ate a lot and its make me happy to see him fat and healthy. One thing that i really cannot take is, his biting habit. He bites a lot, especially when he's hungry or asking for attention. In fact, i am writing with one hand right now while another hand holding a string and play with him...its tiring, but i have no choice. Its either this or get bites lol. 

Recently Kimi has this habit of sleeping with us. Usually he sleep outside but since our door broke and not be able to lock, its easy for him to crawl in, in the middle of the night and join us in bed. Its funny because sometimes he choose to sleep in between me and Nico, and makes us feel like we have baby which we should take care not to hit while sleeping. 

So, this is one year old kimi....so much progress and hope he will live a long life with us. 

 ( am i sexy?)

(Love those eyes)

 (look at those teeth)

( hello...)

 (well, he's bored)

 (owh, again those eyes)

(yes kimi, i'm your slave)

Hoa Lu Tam Coc ~ Halong Bay on land

This post has been long delayed since i got so many things to write but no times or maybe i didn't find time to write any. Honestly, i'm not really sure why, probably lazy.

If you read my earlier post on Halong Bay or you have been to Halong Bay itself, you will understand why people called Tam Coc Halong Bay on land. Instead of sea water, we are now on a river, small boat, rowing by hand and cruising between the limestone hilly side. 

When we arrived at the jetty, what we saw was a lot of small boat. Our guide was a petite vietname girl age 20. At first i was skeptical either she can take us or not but apparently she did this for a living and she use to it. 

We then pass the village along the river, duck under a small bridge and finally our journey through Tam Coc famous river start. We ask our guide why people row with their feet and not their hand? She said its tiring and require a lot of energy, feet give more power during paddling and easier. 

Half way during our cruise, she ask if we can help her peddling by using extra paddle. We said ok since this is bonus experienced for us and we didn't mind lending a helping hands. We then find out that Tam Coc river cruise took at least 2 hours to complete. 

The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, it was quite since no one use engine boat, maybe because of shallow water, im not really sure. Everybody was enjoying the view, the limestone and green vegetation all around and its almost impossible to hear anyone making noise. When you enter a library, you are supposed to be quite, but here no one tell you that but everybody seems enjoying the silence and simply back to nature. 

Our journey continue through more limestone and caves. It was pretty exciting since we still on the boat and have to mind our head while we go through the limestone. At the end of the river, there are a lot of boat selling drinks and snacks waiting for us. Its also gives our guide a chance to rest before heading back to jetty. 

It really an amazing experienced to be here. Halong bay has it own charms and you cannot simply wave this tour off by thinking that Tam Coc is no different from Halong bay except its on land. Trust me, its completely different feeling and it completely amazing. 

If i had a chance one day, i will definitely go back to Hanoi, just to experienced Halong Bay and Tam Coc all over again. Its a life time experienced that i wont forget and carved into my heart. 

The sweetness of doing nothing for 2014

Dec 2014

(View of Hong Kong Skyline during river cruise)

Sept 2014

(During our 2 weeks trip to Palawan, Bali & Lombok)

(Blessed to swim with this turtle during our snorkeling trip at Gili Island) 

(Balinese Dance at GWK)

(Snorkeling at El-Nido)

May 2014

(Medhufushi Island Resort staff getting on small boat to shallow water)

April 2014

(The main highlight at Sandakan Sabah besides Orang-Utan)

March 2014

(One of Borneo best beach, Malaysia)

February 2014 

  (The island present its name beautiful island in Brittany, France)

  (The famous La Rochelle tower, France)

(Musee des commerces d'Autrefois aka old shop museum, France)

(Donkey Sanctuary, France)

(Place de la Bourse, France)

January 2014

(Finally be able to see Rafflesia, the biggest flower in the world, Malaysia)

We MOVED to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Earlier this year, we came to Kota Kinabalu for a visit and we like the life here. When we went back to KL, we heard a rumors saying that Nico's company (which was also mine before) tendering a project in KK and we were pretty excited about it. We start to dream about getting a chance to be part of the team and live in Sabah. 

Nico finally get his expat contract offered and they want him to go to KK as his first expat assignment. We was so happy to received the news and thank god that its right after the wedding. 

Its been a month since we moved here and we love everything so far. Its quite a change from busy city life of KL to a quite laid back environment of KK.  

We rent 3 bedroom apartment at The Peak Vista Condo Likas, with an amazing sea view. Renting is expensive but we lucky that Nico's company pay for it.

At the moment this is what we LIKE about KK :

1. Fresh Seafood ~ It is very cheap and fresh. Even for Kimi we cooked him fresh fish and he never want to ate canned food anymore. There's also variety of choice and we eat seafood almost everyday.

2. Island ~ Living in KK make us feel like we are on vacation all the time. We only need 5-10 min drive to get to Jesselton Jetty, hop on a boat, 20min boat ride and we are as good as having vacation. With 4 different islands to check we don't have to go far for weekend gateway. We love beaches and island, so this is perfect for us.

3. Weather ~ There is no monsoon in Borneo but of cos its still raining. Since we moved in, i woke up everyday to hot and sunny weather, which promise an amazing view on my balcony and enough to brighten up anyone mood. But, the sunny sky wont stay for long, around 3 or 4 pm, it will started to rain which also good to cool off the warm temperature.

4. Cheap local grocery ~ Tamu or pasar or local market can be found almost everywhere in sabah. Its really shocking when we discovered that we still can buy fresh vegetables (fresh bean, brinjals, kangkung, etc) for RM1. See you can find that in KL.

What we DISLIKE about KK :

1. Traffic ~ We come to notice that people here drive pretty slow. Sometimes there's a traffic jammed for no reason. I didn't drive fast but i didn't drive 60km per hour on the main road either. Traffic usually bad on monday, tuesday and weekend, especially during lunch hour in city center.

2. Parking ~ Its really pain in the a** to get parking here. Thats all i can say.