Support Groups

It has been a challenging couple of weeks. Too many decision makings, too many sudden changes, I am trying to keep myself afloat. Tonight I went to the beach to clear my head a little. It has been forever since I'm out on the road by myself. 

Observation tells me that people live for others. I'm not saying it in a very suicidal manner, I meant in a way that people actually work harder or do more things because of or for the people they love and by that they're then 'living'. The people around me that night was filled with so much love. They're around their best friends, families, lovers :) 

Tonight I learn that our support groups are the most important and most vital thing one could ever ask for. The belief that there are people who care so much for you, and there are people who put faith in you - is a recognition of your being in life. 

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.  - Mother Teresa 

If support groups are difficult to find, look for one. There are some people out there who share the same values and beliefs as you do. Doesn't have to be in a form of a romantic relationship, it can be in groups of people that share the same sports, ideas, or shared communities. 

Support groups. 

Love, 

Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.

Pulau Sapi @ Tunku Abdul Rahman Parks

Before I proceed to my write up on Pulau Sapi, let me do the duty to carefully explain to you why there are so many people talking about so many islands at the mention of the word, Sabah. Reason why I'm doing so is because whenever people visit KK City, they have very limited time in exploring most of the natural gorgeous attractions, and sometimes ended up just moving around KK City. And when one does that, people would usually end up asking, why are there so many mentions of islands when we get to experience none? 

As you can see from the previous Matthew Paul map below; Sabah is situated close to top north of the Borneo Island. That said, it's a privilege to say that tons of islands are under the local towns and cities surrounding the shores of this particular part of Borneo island. From Sipitang (look out from South left), imagine yourself  "walking" from the Sipitang's shore / beach walk up slowly to Menumbuk, Kuala Penyu, Pulau Tiga, Kota Kinabalu, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Layang - layang, Mantanani, Langkon, Kudat Pitas, Lankayan, Berhala - keep walking until you reach (probably) the last step of Sabah, say maybe a land in Tawau.

As you are walking (by the Borneon line), imagine how easy it is when you can simply ask what are the nearest islands to that town or city, that is Sabah for you. Different from other states say maybe something that is right smack in the middle of peninsula, it is difficult to associate an island (unless a private one) to the state. You'd either have to drive out (PD or East Coast of Terengganu) or fly out. Sabah is blessed with a beautiful location and it's natural resources that are circling it. That said, if you are right smack in the middle of Sabah, you too need to spend time and cost on travelling to go to the nearest shore. 

So today, I ventured into 1 out of 97837482 Sabah's island/ attraction. Pulau Sapi.


Firstly head to Jesselton Point (which I will blog another day), to get through any tickets because they have tons of boat or package operators there.

Jesselton Point

Pulau Sapi is listed under the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Among others are, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik, Padang Point/ Pulau Gaya and Sulug. 

Growing up as a kid, dad used to bring us to Pulau Manukan a lot. Back then it was a really famous spot, now not so much - maybe because it is poorly maintained, or there are lesser fishes and corals (no food). So I kept hearing good things about Pulau Sapi, and the fact that it was a half an hour boat ride from home is no excuse I shouldn't check it out myself.

Pulau Sapi is known as it is now is because the shape of the island, seen to be similar as a cow's head. Sapi is the Malay term for Cow.

So what's in Pulau Sapi?

People. Lots and lots of people. It's not an issue if you can still find a quaint little place for yourself to relax, and it wasn't an issue for me cause I got myself a nice spot next to super hot Japanese men /thumbs up/. And what about the water if you may ask? Crystal clear. The better compared to Manukan.

By 11AM - the beach gets really packed

And even when Sapi has to accomodate so many people, the beach was still super clean. Perhentian Kecil was even more dirty in fact (the surroundings only), but the waters still proved crystal clear. 

Likewise, Sapi's water was beautiful.

So what did I do? Or what would one do? 

Snorkel! Diving! Water sports! Any sun and fun! 

At one point of swimming around I was swarmed by these fishes I got a super freaked out. Thinking they'll probably start munching on me, I started vigorously swimming away from them /phew.

Source

Sea Walking perhaps?

Sand Turtle :) 

Among other attractions in Sapi besides a bit of hiking is this massive lizard! I think they rare them because there were 4 massive lizards walking like a boss in the island. Of course everyone couldn't help but snap loads of pics with it. I was no exception :P

It didn't struck me that I brought the randomest of items to Pulau Sapi until my brother told me that my bag was massive. I was like, eh. Yeah. And decided maybe I should dissect it and share it with everyone what on earth I bring around most of the time. Besides the Dumbbell (this is my gym bag), I've been bringing everything else in there around me most of the time.

Could you guess what they are just by looking at the first photo?

I know, I wasn't sure either :

At the thought of coming to Sapi, I figured I needed to play around with a certain budget for a day trip to Pulau Sapi. I look at value of things depending on what I can do with the money in terms of travelling, moving around and experiencing certain attractions. (E.g when my brother told me he had to fix his speaker for RM 3K, I nearly died because it would worth 20 return flights to Manila for me). 

That said, I told myself that my budget shouldn't burst RM 50 for the day. 

Here goes, 

RM 23 - Return Boat Transfer

Island	*Fare per pax/boat
	Adult (return)	Children (return)
Manukan Island	RM23	RM18
Mamutik Island	RM23	RM18
Sapi Island	RM23	RM18
Sulug Island	RM25	RM18
Two island hops	RM33	RM28
Three island hops	RM43	RM38
Four island hops	RM53	RM48
Boat charter for one island	RM204
Boat charter for Malahom Bay	RM204
Boat charter for Police beach	RM204                                                                                  From Blog Malaysia

RM 7.20 - Fee Terminal (compulsory) 

RM 3.00 - Conservation Fee (something like for maintenance and management of the beach)

RM 7.50 - Mixed Vegetables with Rice

RM 10.00 - Snorkeling Mask and Life Jacket 

Total: RM 50.70 

Okay so it burst of more than RM 0.70. But let me tell you how slick I was in getting cheaper deals with the Snorkeling mask and Life Jacket. A guy from the operator I bought the ticket from actually told me to loan the jackets from someone working there who can specifically give me RM 10 for both Snorkel Mask and Life Jacket (usual is at RM 15). The moment I reached Sapi, I started scouting for this one dude (name written on a piece of paper like he's got my next clue or something) and eventually got it for RM 10. Good way to save some money :)

  

Upon arriving the terminal back from Sapi after a long day of snorkeling, sun and fun, I decided to burst it even more, something for myself :) Two scoops of Gelato ; Nutella and Chocolate Chips flavour = RM 8.90.

So all in all, I spent about RM 59.60 for an entire day of beach, snorkeling, lunch, relaxing and self indulgence. While to some these means two jugs of beer, a blouse, or even a book, I converted the value to a day of beach, equally good! :D 

Here's where I strongly recommend you to save more on your budget. Get your own Snorkeling and Mask equipment. If it comes with Flippers, better. It is economically better in the long run. After last weekend, I realised I'm getting more and more in love with snorkeling (water activities), I ought to get myself the equipments myself. And last but not least, bring your own food! The only reason why I didn't bring my own food was because I wanted to try it out myself and account it in my a traveller's day trip budget.

Some local boys actually chatted up with me, making sure I was okay (since I came alone) - they were really friendly, I love the people I meet while travelling or moving around. They're really genuinely nice. Other eye candies would be the hot Japanese men seating next to me. /phew/ God bless them all! 

So if you're around KK and have a day to spare?



Get your ass up early say around 8am, and boat up to Pulau Sapi. Bring Frisbee, bring beach balls, bring bikinis, bring books, bring nothing - it's all up to you to make do of how your beach day should turn out :)  

Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.

Gaya Street Market, KK (Sundays)

My family's Sunday's traditions would be getting up real early, maybe around 7 - 8am in the morning, have some breakfast and pay Gaya Street a visit. It has been like that since we were kids - until today. Almost kind of feel like there's something amiss if we don't just (at least) glance through Gaya Street on Sundays. Gaya Street Market is only open on Sundays. So what's in Gaya Street Market? Probably only the randomest stuff in the city.

How to get there? 

It being right smack in the city, makes it easy for people or tourists to reach Gaya Street. You can opt to take buses (from all over wherever you are) and stop at Padang Terminal, cross the road and that's where you can start the walk for the market. The stretch goes right up just before Ipoh Old Town Kopitiam. It is about a half an hour of sightseeing for a side of the market, and maybe an hour or more if you make a turn and cover the next stretch (lined in red).

It starts from 6.30am - 1.00pm. I can see from TripAdvisor that everyone recommended to start the market early due to the fact that it gets really crowded, stuffy and really hot after 9am. This is mainly because most first Sunday masses' end around 9am, and right after the masses Sabahans would usually spend their Sundays taking a walk around Gaya Street. So if you are uncomfortable with the weather perching up real hot, take their suggestions and come earlier. There are tons of old coffee houses and shops along the street, have a hearty breakfast to begin your day and just take a stroll in the market.

I was greeted by this lovely lady helping her mum out :)

Just like other tourist attraction markets, Thailand usually being the most famous in having markets, Gaya Street Market too has the randomest of stuff. And by random I mean;

A couple of Christian statues / crucifix

Old Books

They even sell chicks among other animals for adoption or to rare them. Some of you might find the idea of selling animals (especially in cages) a little disturbing, but I sincerely believe most do good out of buying our caged friends here :) 

Like some people who would buy birds just to release them, very good for the karma. 

You can choose to do that instead :) 

Colourful Birdies

Some even come to Gaya Market just to get massages from the Blind Society. They're quite big here in KK. simply because they work real hard to survive. They open every Sundays, and have regular meetings / AGMs. I would know because I personally have helped them during my time in high school. 

Society of the Blind Sabah

It's called the "Mosquito Repellent" Plant - how, apt

Or an elaborated, beautifully sequinned Baju Kebaya from Gaya Market maybe? 

Toys - perfect for the little ones

But of course they have hardware items! 

Other kinds of toys - perfect for the older kids :P

Local paintings. 

Local paintings - some are drawn then and there

A couple of lovely butterflies. These are for interior decorations, something for the curtains, the rooms maybe. 

 And Gasing. Learn from this dude how to rope the gasing in/ out :) 

Learn how to play the Gasing

 And something for the ladies, plenty of pearls and Parios along the way 

Last but not least, some Bornean Cigar. 

One of my favourite stall would be this uncle playing the Gamelan. The Gamelan actually plays a real classy harmony, perfect as a background music for you to just rest and relax to. Check out the video I took, and tell me this isn't classy! 

You can finish Gaya Street Market, easily in an hour or maybe more if you're serious at bargaining and shopping for some stuff. Suggestively, you can squeeze the market in before the islands or maybe before flying or busing of to another district. It's one of the oldest market tradition here in KK :) 

Love,

Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.

World Press Photo Expo, KK

Rushed to One Borneo last night just to catch the World Press Photo Expo with brother before he drives back to Kota Marudu.

Oh my God, the pictures were incredible.

I teared looking at most of the photos. Which was something I didn't agree with (maybe I'm in denial). Most of the photos are tragic. World is filled with tragic truths, and because of that, in most cases, photojournalism tries to convey messages that we should appreciate what we have. But I believe the world is filled with the good and the bad, and the good seems to be underrated most often in photojournalsim especially. Why is that so?


Sigh. Am I indenial? 

In the midst of all the photographed tragedies deemed as best stories of the world in '11, I saw this. The brightest among all.

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo   

Joséphine Nsimba Mpongo, 37, practices the cello in the Kimbanguiste neighborhood of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. She is a member of the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste (OSK), Central Africa’s only symphony orchestra. During the day, Joséphine sells eggs in Kinshasa’s main market, and rehearses with the orchestra most evenings during the week. The OSK was founded by its current conductor Armand Diangienda in 1994. Initially, just a few dozen musicians shared the small number of instruments they had at their disposal. Today, the OSK can muster 200 players for a concert. Most are self-taught amateurs who hold down day jobs all over the city. 

Photo credit:  

Panos Pictures for Der Spiegel 

Andrew McConnell speaks about the project: 

"I was sent on assignment by Der Spiegel magazine to photograph the Kimbanguiste Symphony Orchestra in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Two German filmmakers were in town to premier a movie they had made about the orchestra and I was to document the event. The orchestra practices at the conductor’s compound in the Kimbanguiste neighborhood of the city, a place filled with musicians that reverberates to the sounds of string, brass, wind and percussion instruments. The compound was separated from the street by green corrugated plastic and I made the picture with the intention of showing two worlds side by side, one chaotic, poverty ridden and sad, and the other rising above all that, beautiful, inspired, and full of possibility."

My heart sank, I was holding my tears, and acknowledged these amazing hidden creatures out there. That despite the chaotic life we live through, we should live passionately and embrace moments that make us the happiest in life. Easy, slow, true and close to heart.

World Press Photo, Kota Kinabalu 
Monday - Friday 11.00am - 10.00pm
Saturday - Sunday 10.00am - 10.00pm
1 Borneo Hypermall, Jln Sulaman 88400
KK, Sabah
            + 603 2333 2888      

Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.

Bukit Kokol @ Kasih Sayang Health Resort

Part of this year's mission was to keep exploring Sabah. I was so engrossed with going international before this that I keep forgetting that I'm actually staying on one of earth's most mysterious and breathtaking island. Sabah, Borneo.

This will be a small step in pursuit of my mission. What was supposed to be a "destressing trip" with Ying Ying turned out to be a romantic affair between me and my mum to Bukit Kokol. Situated among the hills of Sabah's crocker range, Bukit Kokol is around 2000 feet above sea level, with unobstructed view of Kota Kinabalu city, temperature meddling around 20degrees, and just about 30 minutes drive from the city, making it perfect for those who wants a quick fix getaway.

As you can see from this map by Sabah Matthew Paul as well, Bukit Kokol should be situated around the red-highlighted area, up hill.

Getting there is the easiest. From the three way junction, between Indah Permai (One Borneo/ Menggatal), Inanam and Tebobon, head to Inanam and keep left. A few minutes later you will see a signboard that says 'Kasih Sayang Health Resort'. Turn in to Jln. Kokol @ Poring and just drive uphill. You are on the right track if you keep seeing 'Kasih Sayang Health Resort' every ten minutes :) Or you can follow the simple map below.

Office: +6 088 246 404
Resort: +6 088 470 866
Resort Mobile: +6 016 8333 3856
Fax: +6 088 246 011
Email: ksreservation@yahoo.com

Kasih Sayang is a health centre. About 30 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu Airport, it consists of 16 rooms, with the capacity to accomodate about 40 or more people. It has a spacious restaurant, with a huge deck overlooking the KK City and can serve about 80 guests at one time. There's also a function room with karaoke facilities and a mini spa for massages, herbal steam and foot massages. Besides it just being a place to rest and relax, most corporate companies conduct their seminars there as well. (Kasih Sayang Resort)

How to get there? There are no public buses going up the hill, so I suggest you could rent a car (better 4WD, but anything will do cause I did it with my Gen2) among your friends for a night or two or something. If that is too costly for you, opt to take a cab and share it with each other. But coming down would be tricky so you might want to arrange with the cab driver for pickup.

The view driving uphill got immaculate every few minutes. Amazing new sights catch our roaming eyes every now and then, it was a like a feast to the eyes and soul. Everything was just so beautiful. 

And this particular view was the most spectacular to me. 

This is church St. Joseph, the small building next to it is a community Basil church. We wanted to attend the first mass (8.00am) at St. Joseph just to check out how the locals nearby celebrate masses, unfortunately, the mass was postponed to a later time so we skipped it :( 

One might not believe that this was taken in Menggatal, Sabah. Probably "mistaken" it by Rio's world class statue of Jesus Christ, I can only say allow me to slowly experience what this mysterious island has to offer and slowly unveil the hidden gems to you. I envied the lives of some of the kids here, they could just laze around or hang out by the cliff to chill. They have drinks and books with them, and even the animals are taking it real slow. 

When we reached Kasih Sayang, we were greeted by this fella who refused to budge, so we left him there basking the sun :) 

This is one part of the view. Towards the end of this stretch as you can see is a small kampung, must be the residents of some of the staff at the resort. Most of these forests are virgin forests, untouched and untempered. 

There were a few families at the resort at that time - kids running around, parents doing their own share of romantic catchups. It's a perfect family place for a weekend getaway. Other activites including walking down this trail in the picture below and walk around where the greens take you. 

Mum brought papers, I brought a sketchbook and books. Such a serene environment, I fell asleep while reading.

We stayed at the Standard Room (two singles), with THE MOST AMAZING VIEW. Front view of the resort would be the regal Mt. Kinabalu, and behind us is the KK City View. Forget TV, naturally detailed view like this is simply THE way to go..... 

Bukit Kokol's view is amazing. I get all defensive when people say that all sunsets, and all sunrises are the same. Of course... it's not. That feeling of being there at that time and place in the midst of everything else that's happening in your life; can never be replaced by another. Everything is as different as it gets, simply by associations (not only physically) but based on our relations to the situations at that time. "This is where I met xxx, or this is where xxx and I had steamed crabs" No two place is the same. 

As for me, I was high on the feeling "blessed" to have the privilege to experience it :) 

There were chirpings of birds, nibbling of insects. We should constantly remind ourselves how beautiful and calming nature is. Especially while we still can. All these might just disappear in time. 

Mum is the cutest thing when she whips out her camera. She would extend her arms about a metre long, and starts squinting over the LCD Screen. But believe it or not, despite her cartoonish ways of doing so - she takes some really mean pictures. 

Shower Room

We had dinner at the resort's restaurant with the picture perfect KK City as our view. 

I 'm glad the food wasn't expensive - in fact, some were even cheaper. Mum loved the broth, while I had some carbonara to chomp it all down.  

Nothing was hiked up so dramatically, and they have these amazing healthy drinks that tasted so delicious and supposedly to be good for you :) 

Before I dozed off, I sketched something that I thought was the most beautiful scene of the day. My drawing is fugly, but the scene and my memory of it isn't :) So I insisted. I was busy colouring it, drawing all the lines like I was Picasso or something. 

This was what I tried to drew; My adorable mum looking out on the sunset, simply living in the moment. Love, love. 

With the beeping of night creatures to lullaby us to sleep; I slept like a log that night after the sketch.

And then, there was the sunrise. 

The gorgeous sunrise. The rays that creep upwards the sky for a newer day and newer promises. 

The buffet breakfast was adequately done up. There were the usual coffees, teas, eggs, hotdogs, meehuns and toasts - all the right things to make a good breakfast :)

After breakfast we decided to head to the St. Joseph church to take more photos and extend our exploration. 

The ever so beautiful St. Joseph church of Bukit Kokol. From this point, you could also see the whole city of KK, Pulau Gaya and other islands. 

This place is beautiful and is just so welcoming. I could almost just sit and stare at the static sight of absolute perfection all over me, all day long, but then I won't be able to share with you any of these and let the pictures do the talking :) 

Love,

Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.