GOLFING IN KOTA KINABALU

Last week my Japanese friend Miura san came to Kota Kinabalu for a break. We had a round of golf at Dalit Bay Golf CC on Tuesday. Shimada san, a travel consultant, joined in the game. Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club, about 40 minutes drive from the city is part of the luxurious Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort. This 6,197m, par-72 course offers a challenging round of golf for the experienced and social players alike.

Off the first tee

The magnificent view of Mount Kinabalu from the tee box 9. River mouth view from the 11th tee box.

This par 3(11th hole) is the Dalit Bay's signature hole. The "service" Par 3 17th

On Thursday, we were at the Sabah Golf and Country club.This is the Sabah's oldest 18-hole golf course opened in 1976.This challenging par 72, 6335m championship course is acknowledged as one of South East Asia's toughest courses. The club house

At tee-box 1

Sabah Golf CC is my home course but I have not played there for more than a year. It was great to be back as the fairways and greens have been well-maintained.

From the 2nd tee box- a challenging Par 5
View from the 9th green.

The 18th par 5 green where I managed " 4 on 1 putt !"

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I enjoyed the 2 games despite a long layoff of over a year. I should go back to active golf for at least 2 or 3 times a week.

JUNGLE TREKKING

The last time I trekked the Borneo rainforest was in the 80's. Yesterday, I took the challenge to take the trails of the Crocker Range jungle with my tour partner, Mr. Yunus Sampeh. Our main objective was to check out a waterfall down the jungle valley at Utan Paradise. It was supposed to be a leisure trek of an hour +( I thought) but we took more than 2 hours to complete the tour. To me, the return leg from the water fall was torturing because of the several slippery uphill slopes. My partner had no problem since he is a young man. I am too old for this game. Trail signs put up by Utan Paradise operator.

A leisure walk from the starting point. This was the first tall tree we came across. A giant creeper making its up to the canopy. Jungle ginger.

A rattan with seedlings. Wild flowers on the jungle floor.

Hello, hello! Yes, yes..your hotel has been confirmed....you need tour?........ With the modern technology, business can be conducted anywhere even in the rainforest.

Tall trees all the way as we trekked deeper into the jungle.

A coiling tree ?After 20 minutes of leisure walk, we began to face the many steep slopes leading to the valley. Thicker undergrowth near the water fall.

It took us 40 minutes to get down to this water fall. The water was crystal clear and the air at the water fall was very refreshing. We stayed for about 10 minutes enjoying the cold mountain water.

The returning leg was a challenge. This is one of the uphill trail. I had to take a rest after every 20-30 steps.

We brought back a souvenir from the jungle. These leeches are not poisonous or carry any disease but just blood-thirsty. The ankles are the most common places the leeches will crawl onto and bite. If you like jungle trekking but do not like leeches, you can wear anti-leech-socks which are available from most of the (rainforest) trekking operators.
The trip was very rewarding. At least I know my strength now....what I can do and what I cannot do! I do not think I will return to that water fall again!

SPRING IN JAPAN

Spring in Japan especially, April means Cherry Blossom (Hanami), new fiscal year, new job, transfer, moving residence, new school year, etc.etc. Japanese spring time is always colourful with flowers blooming everywhere especially in the countryside. l would like to share with you these beautiful pictures taken by my good friend, Miura-san in Arakawa,Tokyo. Cherry blossom season is almost over thoughTulips - one of my daughter's favourite flowers.

Pure white tulips

Fantastic colour combination

Typical Japanese houses in the back ground.

ANIMAL SHOW AT LOK KAWI WILDLIFE PARK

I heard so much about the aminal show at the Lok Kawi Wildlife park. I decided to see it for myself on Thuesday. The openning of the show was a coconut-husk peeling contest between man and the beast. The first one to finish peeling off all the husk of a coconut would be the winner. A young and energetic man from Singapore took the challenge.

" Are you ready? 1,2,3 start" !!! "I am almost done" A real hard nut to crack!

"The winner is..............." !!!

A pair of Macaw parrots showing off their beautiful colours.

This Borneon hornbill has been trained to swoop over your head and catch food thrown by the trainner when he blew the whistle. This young Oran Utan posed for the camera at the end of the show.

Before leaving the park, I took a look at the Borneo Pygmy Elephants and their 2 "newborn". Beautiful animals!

There are 2 shows at 11:15 and 15:30 daily, EXCEPT FRIDAY. In the event of inclement weather, there will also be no "show". Show can be cancelled without notice.

HANAMI

It’s cherry blossom (sakura) time in Japan. Sakura is a symbol of Japan, and it's said that there are over four hundred varieties of cherry trees in the country. The most popular kind of sakura which can be viewed everywhere in Japan is somei-yoshino (Yedoensis). My friend from the land of the rising sun sent me these pictures taken 2 days ago at the Ueno park, Tokyo.

During the cherry blossom season, "Hanami" (Cherry blossom viewing) parties are held all over Japan. People have fun, drinking, eating, and singing during the day or night. It is like a picnic under sakura trees. It has become a Japanese custom since the very early days.

Thanks to Miura san for reminding me of the cherry blossom season. I have some very fond memories of the many hanami paties I attended during my eght years stay in Japan.