My Paradise in Celebes Sea 2011 - Day 1 , 4 June 2011

Really sorry for late to write a blog to share with all of you about our amazing trip to Sipadan, a truly paradise.

After meeting my friends in Kuala Lumpur, we sat off to KLIA early morning to catch our flight Air Asia to Tawau at 7:20 am and arrive Tawau in time at 10:05 am.  We shop around in the airport to get some idea of the price of T-shirt and the pattern before we got our rental car, an old Kancil.

Tawau didn't change much, in 25 minutes time we arrived downtown and drop off the car rental personnel.      We quickily set off to Sin On market to order fresh fish and prawn.  The price of Grouper is RM 16 ( increase RM1 compare with last year 2010) per kilo.  West Malaysia price is RM45 per kilo.  We bought lots of fish and a 4 kilo Grouper.  We ask the fish monger to store for us.  After shopping for more than 2 hours, we went to eat fish noodle, we are very clever, we still remember how to go to these places after a year.  The taste not that good as last year and we went to eat 猪肉包.  The shop is not open so we went to eat 波罗包，still very tasty.  Later we went to Semporna.

Sister with 4 kilo grouper 

After a long drive, we arrived Semporna and check in, its too late to go to Bukit Tengkorak ( I missed this place again), so we have a walk around the hoter, the best hotel in Semporna- Seafest Hotel.  Its a 3 star hotel which only cost RM100 a night.

We managed to take lots of photo and shop around.  The fish is so cheap, about 30 small grouper only cost RM 10, we bought 3 big grouper that cost only RM10 and squid RM 10 for our restaurant to cook.

   

locals in Semporna

We arrive Thien Wang Restaurant with hungry stomach,  looking forward to have a delicious and cheap seafood.  After a while we found that the cook from Thien Wang is not working there anymore and his helper can cook for us.  So we have a try, the food not even tasty at all.  I am so sad as I purposely want to have seafood in Semporna as last year the food is excellent, this keep me coming this year.  What to do, so went back to hotel and rest.  We tried to look for other alternative.  We hope that the turtle, fish and coral stiil the same. Hopefully......

Hoping to go to Eastern Europe

Been busy recently, very busy untill wake up early to key in the NKRA for the Kementerian Pelajaran, tons of work at school included doing 2 big show for my HM and fellow colleague, doing all the rubbish job that not really help the children in school ( to my HM, she thought benefit herself).

Today just finish key in TOV of 4K in NKRA, just got time for me to write my blog.

A month ago, I just knew we don't need to give tuition to those standard 6 pupils, ahah, than I can go for traveling.  My friend prefer to go to Europe, so I phone all the major travel agent in the whole Malaysia to get a seat since I am running short of time to plan for my usual traveling behavior.  Finally we choose Eastern Europe as both of us never been there and manage to get 2 seat from Mayflower on 5 July.  While we waited for the agreement of my HM (first time in my 18 years of teaching career, I need to get the agreement from HM to go oversea), we was late as Mayflower only left 1 seat.  So I recall back Lye Peng said they have spaces, so immediately we went to Lye Peng and place a deposit.  Unfortunately when we have place our deposit, Lye Peng mention they have only 7 people, so they need to get more people in Matta Fair.  Since we are out of sources and its difficult to get the agreement from HM(得到“她”的允许，难如登天，因为“她”以为“她”出钱给我们去的）, so we agree to wait untill 22-24 July.

While we were waiting, I still try my best to get other package to other places.  During Matta Fair, we went and asked Lye Peng and they have no extra people to join the tour and gave us back the deposit.  We shop around and found Hong Thai, Yeh, they have 5 more seats.  When we ask for more detail , only knew they have only 10 people, plus us 12.  What to do, we still place another booking and looking forward they will go.  Yesterday 29 July I called, they didn't confirm yet, I told them less than a month to departure, they said wait for next week.  Hopefully next week we can get the answer. Hoping to go to Eastern Europe. Just pray hard

I must be crazy liao

Today is a busy day for me, I bought 3 types of ticket.
1.  Aeroline bus ticket from Penang to Kuala Lumpur 1 June 2011
2.  Kenya Airways ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Nairobi from 26 November 2011 to 14 December 2011
3.  Air Asia ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Bali from 2 June 2012 to 8 June 2012.
Am I crazy?  I bought 1 year later air ticket, all my holidays are fully utilize.  Today I keep on checking the internet to get all these ticket and luckily Ching is free in the afternoon and manage to grab a lowest price ticket to Bali.  Although is not 10 cents ( I don't believe Air Asia have 10 cents ticket to other country), we still work hard to get that ticket.  The joy for snatching the ticket is unbelievable.

To me the most happy moment for grabbing cheap air ticket was last year 22 February 2010 midnight, we bought Malaysian Airline ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Buenos Aires for only RM 4313, cheaper than normal RM 2600 per person, save us lots of money.

Its fun to grab cheap ticket, hope that all the airline will do this annually.

财散人安乐

上星期三18 May 2011付了去东非的50％旅费，给肯尼亚Safe Ride Safaris USD 2270,  坦桑尼亚Basecamp USD 2550,希望它们不会关门大吉，也不会骗我们，如期接待我们，让我们在东非有个美好亲近动物的机会。今天我也用Maybank2u付给旅行社RM 7900出Kenya Airways机票。以下是我们东非行程：

Day 01: 27.11.11: Arrive Nairobi. Meet on arrival at JKIA and transfer to Giraffe Manor. Meals Plan. {B, L, D} http://www.giraffemanor.com/

Day 02: 28.11.11: Nairobi - Nanyuki (to visit equator sign board) - Sweetwaters Tented Camp - Chimpanzee Sanctuary - Morani the tame rhino. Meals Plan. {B, L, D} http://www.serenahotels.com/serenasweetwaters/default-en.html

Day 03: 29.11.11: Morning and afternoon game drives. Full day Sweetwaters Tented Camp. Meals Plan. {B, L, D}

Day 04: 30.11.11: Sweetwaters Tented Camp – Lake Nakuru Lodge. Afternoon game drive. Meals Plan. {B, L, D} http://www.lakenakurulodge.com/  

Day 05: 01.12.11: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara. Afternoon game drive. Mara Mara Serena Lodge. Meals Plan. {B, L, D} http://www.serenahotels.com/serenamara/default-en.html

Day 06: 02.12.11: Morning and afternoon game drives.

Ø  Optional Hot air balloon will be arranged this morning for an extra $450 per person - http://www.saferidesafaris.com/balloon.htm

Accommodation at Mara Serena Lodge. Meals Plan. {B, L, D}  

Day 07: 03.12.11: Morning game drive. Transfer to Isebania. Meals Plan. {B, L}  

We drive to and enter the world famous Serengeti National Park.• Game Driving from the entrance gate to your hotel in this the probably most famous of all National Parks in the world!• Overnight in www.mbalageti.com BLD

Day 08: 04.12.11: 

A full day, dawn to dusk Game Driving in the Serengeti National Park.• Today we have over 14,000 km in which explore the ever changing flora and fauna, in this park made famous in the Film "Serengeti shall not die" by Dr. Bernhard Grzimek. • You too shall never forget the splendour of the rolling savannah and open plains, home to the most spectacular migration on our planet! • Overnight in Serengeti Wilderness Camp BLD

Day 09: 05.12.11: 

A full day, dawn to dusk Game Driving in the Serengeti National Park Overnight in Tented camp as per attachment BLD

 

Day 10: 06.12.11: Our last game drive in Serengeti National Park taking in some of the "Kopjes / Inselbergen" granite outcrops in which many predators love to sit and look out over the plains for their prey.• Lunch is a packed lunch. En-Route to Ndutu area En-route we stop at Oldupai Gorge to visit the 'Cradle Of Mankind'.• Overnight in www.ndutu.com BLD

Day 11: 07.12.11: Full day game drive Ndutu area overnight www.ndutu.com BLD

Day 12: 08.12.11: Ndutu area game drive – drive to rim of the crater overnight http://www.sopalodges.com/ngorongoro/home.html BLD

Day 13: 09.12.11: Ngorongoro Crater - a World Heritage Site - where we spend the maximum of six hours allowed game driving!

• Down inside the Worlds Largest Perfect Caldera (collapsed volcano) with a permanent residence of circa 30,000 animals.• Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtakingly exciting place to see the only remaining Black Rhinos in East Africa.• Overnight is http://www.sopalodges.com/ngorongoro/home.html BLD

Day 14: 10.12.11: Drive to Tarangire National Park - Game Drive arriving back just before dusk to • overnight in luxury tents, self contained/shower etc., situated on the slopes overlooking the Tarangire river, a permanent water source, enabling you to enjoy the sight of the wildlife coming to drink. www.tarangiresafarilodge.com BLD

Day 15: 11.12.11: Drive to Arusha and overnight www.ilborusafarilodge.com BLD

Day 16: 12.12.11: 08:00 shuttle to Nairobi, Nairobi (shopping for wood carving such as giraffe).Overnight at Nairobi Safari Club. Meals Plan. {B, B} 

Day 17: 13.12.11: Nairobi - David Sheldrick Elephant orphanage - Giraffe centre AFEW – airport home

Sipadan, I am coming

  This photo I took in Mataking Kecil on 16 June 2010

In 2 weeks time, I will go to Semporna and surrounding island to visit my friend-Turtle and have my favourite seafood in Thien Wang Seafood Restaurant. This will be my 4th time to Sabah.  I love Penang,  I love Sabah too especially the beautiful Celebes Sea. Hope that all my Celebes Sea friends (turtle, fish and corals) still remember me.

My first blog

King Penguin at St Andrew Bay, South Georgia at 29 November 2010

Antarctica is a paradise.  I want to make a blog long time ago, I keep on giving excuses too busy.  When I saw my fellow friends in Ocean Nova blog, I told myself, it is time to share my travel experience.