KLIAS WETLAND: AFTER EIGHT YEARS!

Last week, I joined a couple of friends to Klias Wetland. I used to frequent the area many years ago when I was still in the tour business. This was my first visit after eight years.

 2 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu. 

Along the "upgrading" Pan Borneo Highway

 

 

 The scenery brought back very fond memory!

 We took the river cruise in search for Proboscis moneys and other wildlife.

A boat ahead of us spotted some monkeys.

 

 As we approached, there was a group of long tail crab-eating macaques

 An Iguana was spotted on the tree branch.

The baby one was hiding on the a dead wood.

We moved a few hundred meters upriver and we found the Proboscis moneys.

A mother and her baby

Another one was hiding from our camera.

 

 Another group of people cruising

 A lone coconut tree, amazingly tall.

 Trying to spot Proboscis monkeys on these huge trees along the river.

Look like a jungle "haunted house".  

This double Decker was used many years back for the cruise. It is now left ideal as visitors have decreased over the years.

There were only a few boats loaded with visitors.

Returned to the jetty just before dusk.

 Enjoying a Malay style buffet.  

After dinner, at about 19:00, we took the boat again to watch "Fireflies". There were still plenty of them. A few trees were lighted up along the river. It was a very good experience for some foreign visitors who have never seen so many fireflies. Unfortunately, their images could not be captured by the normal camera or smart phone.

The river cruise was relaxing and refreshing. It's fantastic to end the evening with the amazing fireflies.  

 

5,2 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HIT SABAH 08 MARCH 2018: UPDATE

Climbing activities have been resumed on 10 March, following the clearance given by the Kinabalu Park Authority after a field damage assessment.

 

The summit area

 
A technical team of 47 people lead by the Director of Sabah Parks took the mountain trail leading to the summit confirmed that the trail and all ancillary facilities were not affected by the earthquake. There were no major damages.

 

 

File pictures of the majestic mount Kinabalu. 

This is good news as the mount climbing activities are back to normal. According to the mount Kinabalu Park, there have been only a few cancellation so far. 

5,2 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HIT SABAH 08 MARCH 2018

At about 09:06pm, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter at 16km south west of Ranau, jolted Mt. Kinabalu, the Interior and west coast of Sabah. Repeated tremors were felt in the city of Kota Kinabalu.

 

This was the second major earthquake happened after the last one (6.2 magnitude) shook Mt. Kinabalu and killed some 18 climbers including mountain guides on 06 June 2015. As of this evening, there was no report of serious damage or loss of life. 

During the tremors, there were 239 people including 130 climbers and 42 mountain guides at Laban Rata area (where the climbers and guides were to spend a night there before the summit climb in the  morning).  

 Climbers assembled at the Emergency gathering point after the tremors

Following the emergency procedures, all Mt. Kinabalu climbers, mountain guides including workers at Laban Rata area were ordered to leave immediately. They started their "descend" at 09:40pm and reached Tempohon gate near Park HQ at about 04:20.

The Director of Sabah Parks told the press that a team has been sent to do damage assessment of the trails up Mt. Kinabalu. He would make an announcement when his team returned.

Meanwhile, all climbing activities have been suspended till further notice.   

 
** Pictures - courtesy of Whatsapp groups

GONG XI FA CAI - THE DOG YEAR!

To day is Chinese New Year Eve. It's time to wish everyone "Gong Xi Fa Cai". Good luck, good health and all the best!

 

It's will be a "new day" tomorrow! Let's celebrate!

The Dog is the eleventh of all Zodiac animals. Dog is always honest, loyal, a truest friend and the most reliable partner. May the year of "Dog" bring peace and happiness throughout the world!

SUNDAY MARKET - DONGGONGON, PENAMPANG

It's worthwhile to visit the Sunday open market in Donggongon, Penampang where farmers and traders come together and sell their best produce ranging from vegetables to fruits and all sorts.

We were there this morning for breakfast at Kadai kopi Loi Hin before visiting the open market.

We always love the "Ngiu Chap" here. It's superb!

My favourite "Milk tea, You tiao, Ngui chap and Neck bones soup"

 

Youtiao

Tender chunks of  beef slices, mixed with tongue, tendon, meat balls and "bee hoon" in  clear flavorful broth.

Beef neck bones soup 

After breakfast, we walked over to the open market just a minute from Kedai Kopi Loi Hin.

 

The round shape brown fruits hanging were the "Tarap", a native fruit found in Borneo Island. Known for its strong aroma, a favourite for the locals. The fresh is soft and creamy white. It's RM5.00 per fruit.

 This jungle durians were selling at RM20 per kg.

 

Other local fruits - Bananas, pineapples, papayas, rambutans, water melons and avocados. 

 

 

 

 Durians and taraps were everywhere!

Bambangan, the wild Jungle Mango, an exotic fruit of Borneo.

Huge and small local yam(s). 

 

From this stall, we picked up 3.9 kgs of local "kampung" durians at RM10 per kg. The smaller ones were cheaper at RM5.00 per kg. 

 

 

I always love the our local "kampung" durian - creamy, sweet with a very slight bitterness.

KOTA KINABALU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - A NIGHTMARE FOR PICK UP AND DROP OFF.

Kota Kinabalu Airport is probably the worst airport in this region in term of Traffic control for pick up and drop off. The authorities especially the Malaysia Airport Berhad, Kota Kinabalu seemed to turn a blind eye on the situation. There is no designated zone or lance for pick-up and drop off passengers.

 

The service roads of the terminal has become a parking area leaving very little space for vehicles to drive through.

The worst situation - many vehicles were left unattended even at the center of the service road. All these vehicles should be towed away by the Airport Security of Police.

 

 The Pedestrian walkway was also not spared.

The Malaysia Airports Berhad should take immediate action to ease the situation. They should look at other airports and learn how to implement an effective control system. If I am not wrong, the situation has been "like that" for many years after the terminal was opened in 2008.

*(Pictures taken on first week of January 2018)