Diving At Last.......

Last weekend I got a chance to dive in Sipadan even though it's a peak season for divers. Thank God, I knew people here who can arrange for me to dive in Sipadan even it's kinda last minute coz most tourist have to wait for days to get a permit. Thank you guys!!!

I went and stay at Billabong Homestay in Mabul. It was not a fancy resort and provided only basic accommodation and food. Maybe I'm so used to travel in luxury and kinda not comfortable in that type of place BUT the divers/snorkelers that I met there was friendly and we became instant friends. Since I went there alone, so I just hang out with them through out the day.

Unfortunately I was sick with high fever and throat infection since last Thursday. I took an injection on Friday to ease the fever. Came Saturday I was still groggy but still decided to get in to the island but I didn't dive on Saturday just chill out on the beach with my new found friends there. Sunday, I still not very well but I don't care coz this was the last time I can go diving before the fasting month. So, I went for a 3 dives on Sunday (2 in Sipadan and 1 in Oil Rig).

Me and My Frog Fish

During my first dive, I have a slight problem to equalize but as experience diver, I just hang on and go on with it. After seeing how amazing the Barracuda Point, all the grogginess was gone. It was really amazing that day with school of barracuda dancing. I LOVE IT!!!!!! I saw white tip sharks sleeping under the big hard coral and that was amazing as well even though the sharks in Sipadan were much smaller than in Palau. The last dive, I saw one of my favourite fish i.e Frog Fish. I don't why but I really like to see frog fish maybe coz it has a limb (kind of). Overall, it was a good weekend dive trip even though I'm still kinda sick (not fully recover) until now heheheh.

Me and Scorpion Fish (i guess). It's a scorpion family type of fish

Thank you guys who made my weekend. I hope to see you guys again!!! esp to Maja & Anne Sofie (the danish girls), Jimmie the Swedish guy, Daniel the Swiss guy and Goh from Kuching. And to those helping me out to get the Sipadan diving permit, thank you sooo much. I hope to dive in Sipadan again after Aidilifitri... Oh ya, forgot to mention that I tried out my new Suunto D4 dive computer during my last dive and I'm happy with its performance.

Good As GOLD

Rafa officially become world No.1 today and perfectly fitting with his GOLD medal achievement in Olympic Beijing. It was long overdue and I'm so happy it finally been realized. He got a great year with Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Olympics and I hope he'll continue to win the US Open next week and the Aussie Open in January 09 to complete the Golden Grand Slam. CONGRATS RAFA!!!!!In the women draw, finally Elena Dementieva nailed the BIG one. She came sooo close three times (twice in Grand Slam and one at Sydney Olympic). I'm glad she finally win the GOLD medal and she'll always be my sentimental favourite.

And at last Malaysia won its first medal after 12 years albeit silver but it was a good achievement considering badminton might not be in 2016 Olympic. I hope we'll get our first gold in London 2012.

The host nation China now leading by a massive gold medal margin and incredibly they won the gold medal in variety of events including fencing and rowing (which is European dominant games). They definitely looks good for overall champion.
Anyway, the week belongs to RAFA the GOLD MEDAL CHAMPION and crowned No.1 in the world. VAMOS!!!!

Olympic Dream

It's Olympic fever until 24 August 08. I really hope Team China can finally win the overall champion after came so close in Athens four years ago. I love the Olympic and always wanna be part of the atmosphere. I was in Athens during the last Olympic and the atmosphere was phenomenal. We just like hanging out in the street watching the Olympic in the big screen and everyone was so overjoy with the atmosphere. Athens came alive until late in the morning. It was like 24 hours party in the city. I really missed Athens and the Olympics environment. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to Beijing for this Olympic edition. Looks like I have to wait for London 2012 then.
Speaking of Olympics, I really enjoy watching Kayak/Canoe Slalom and Gymnastics coz it requires endurance, skill and grace to perform to the very best level. These are the few of my 'must watch' Olympics program apart from Tennis (just because Rafa is playing hehehe). I was so happy that Team China finally regain the Men Team Gymnastic title but sadly Japan was relegated to second after their superb performance. To watch them perform was really extraordinary and you can tell they really work hard for every skill they performed. In Slalom, Togo finally won a medal. It was an amazing achievement being an African nation to win a medal (even if it's bronze) in Kayak Slalom coz this event was being dominated by the European.
But the event that truly captured the Olympic spirit is Modern Pentathlon coz you have to be good in Shooting, Fencing, Running, Show Jumping and Swimming to win it. It was the ultimate test of Olympic spirit. Some people say that they're jack of all traits but master of none but that was very pessimistic thinking coz they have to master each event and it requires a very high level of discipline.

For Team Malaysia, too bad that our archers were bundle out by their nerves. We should be good for silver but it just not meant to be. They still have individual event tomorrow. Our track cyclists look very promising for a medal esp in Keirin. I hope they can bring cheers to Malaysian. Our badminton players are always the hope to bring back medal but they failed to deliver time and time again for the last two editions. I hope they get it right this time around and no more excuses for them. The rest of the Malaysian athletes were only just making up the numbers. Even the ever so strong Daniel Bego (in South East Asia) was not even the slightest match in the world stage. They all faded like in the brightly lit atmosphere.

In my opinion, some events should be drop from the Olympic like Softball and Baseball coz it doesn't really captured the Olympic spirit. Even Tennis and Basketball should be reconsider coz they already have their multi million dollar professional league and events. At least Softball will definitely be out comes London 2012. Now, how I wish I'm an Olympian hehehehe.

East Kalimantan Island Archipelagos

Now, I really can't wait for my diving trip this coming October. I hope there'll be no unforeseen circumstances along the way like 'supposed to be' my Malapascua trip last year. FYI, I already booked the Maratua Paradise Resort for 6 nights and my accommodation in Tarakan (juz in case I need it). The problem now is the flight from Tarakan to Berau coz the only airline operated that route (that I knew of) is Kalstar and currently they suspended all their flights schedule until 31 August 08. So, I can't do any booking until September 08. I hope they'll resume their operation sooner. In the meantime, I'll tell you more about the dive sites.

Maratua : They called it the 'big fish' country coz we can see a lot of large pelagic around the area. I hope to see eagle rays, schools of tuna, barracuda and hammerhead sharks (probably at 40-50 metres).

Kakaban : Expect to do wall diving with big pelagic as well like schools of travelly, jack, tuna, barracuda, white tip sharks, leopard sharks etc... The unique thing about Kakaban is that in the middle of this island lies a non-stinging jellyfish lake in a brackish water. The water have lower salinity (almost fresh water like). It's similar like the non-stinging jellyfish lake that I went in Palau, Micronesia.

School Of White Tip That I Took In Palau

Sangalaki : The ultimate diving experience coz here I would expect to see abundance of Manta Ray (Mantas). I love seeing mantas in the open sea coz they 'dance' beautifully. My first Mantas experience was in German Channel, Palau and it was sooo overwhelming. I hope to see it again in Sangalaki.

Mantas Photo That I Took In Palau

Derawan (if time permitted) : The unique thing about Derawan is the unusual small creatures native to the coral environment. It's like you can't see it at any other place (that what they said). I hope I have time for Derawan.

Here are some of my best underwater photos for Mantas and underwater cave that I took in Palau, Micronesia

Planning My Next Trip

It's time to plan for another trip. This time I planned for a diving trip in island archipelago of Sangalaki, Maratua and Kakaban in Makassar Strait, Kalimantan and I'll include Derawan if time permitted. I suppose to go for this trip with Alie (my dive buddy) but unfortunately she can't commit to our scheduled trip from 24 Oct - 01 Nov 2008. Look like I have to go alone this time around. Going alone means I have to fork out more money due to single supplement charges and all but I can't think of any other suitable time that I can go there.Planning a trip is never easy especially if I'm going to these kind of remote places. The logistic part of planning itself enough to give me a headache coz there will be so many ways of transportation involved this time around and limited choices. It's time to get creative playing around with the limited options in order to save some time and money. We'll see... or else I can just hire an agent to do it but of coz with a lot more extra cost. We'll see......
I choose to base my diving in Maratua Island coz it's cheaper and comfortable. The most important thing that I have to consider in my planning is the 3-4 hours boat transfer schedule from Berau-Maratua. I have to catch one of the boat going in and out to/from Maratua or else I have to pay much much more to get there. There will be ONLY one boat transfer to Maratua on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and ONLY one boat going out on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. So, I have to base all my other logistic planning from these boats schedule.
OPTION 1
I'll take a ferry from Tawau to Tarakan on Friday then overnight in Tarakan. On Saturday I'll take a flight Tarakan to Berau before catching the boat transfer to Berau. Going back, I'll have to take the next Friday boat out to Berau before boarding a flight Berau-Tarakan then overnight in Tarakan before going back to Tawau on the next day. For this option, I have to stay 2 overnights in Tarakan which can offer nothing much coz of the limited ferry schedule to Tawau.

OPTION 2
I'll take a ferry to Nunukan on Saturday and on the same day boarding a flight Nunukan-Berau before catching a boat transfer to Maratua. Going back on the next Friday, I can choose either flying back to Nunukan or Tarakan coz either way I have to stay overnight at either place coz of limited ferry schedule back to Tawau. For this option, I can save 1 overnight stop which can save me some time and money coz hotel in Tarakan doesn't come cheap either but it can be a hassle and risky to catch all the connecting transportation in a day. It can work perfectly if there is no delay in any mode of the transportation.

Diving trip is never cheap and I hope I can still find another diver who wants to join me for the trip so that I can avoid paying the single supplement charges. If anyone interested, just call me for the cost and arrangement. In the mean time, I'll start planning.. I'll update my progress from time to time.... I'll tell you guys later in my post what's so special about these dive sites.