Friday, 14th August 2007

I always have good intentions of trying to update the blog more regularly but somehow it does not seem to happen.

Saturday, 1st August we found out that the fuel injection pump was going to be ready for pick up later on during the day so we decided to catch a 9am bus down to the ferry terminal at Muara to do our Customs, Immigration and Marine Department check out of Brunei to save time. In all about an hour's journey for $B1.00 each. Once done we then waited a little while to catch a bus back to the city, BSB, and then caught another bus out to pick up the fuel injection pump, then back to the yacht club, back onto Pied A Mer, finally back on board at 3pm, only to find that while we were away the boat had dragged about 500m when there was a bit of a blow. The yacht club staff actually boarded it to make sure nothing drastic happened and then finally the anchor took hold. The next 3 ½ hrs were spent with Dave fitting the fuel injection pump back on - not an easy job at all in a small confined place and once fitted the injectors had to be bled several times before the engine would finally start. We finally up anchored at 6.50pm (found 5 plastic bags stuck on the anchor so no wonder we dragged) and headed down the river in the dark, then out to sea to do the 103 miles to Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu. We sailed and motor sailed most of the way in order to arrive at Sutera to meet up with Leith and his friend Bjorn and to go to the final rally dinner. We had some good sailing but a few more problems with the motor - found the alternator wasn't charging the batteries and also it would not idle. However we made good time and arrived at Sutera Harbour Marina at 12.20pm on Sunday, 2nd August having done 103 miles in 17 ½ hrs.

Sutera Harbour Marina is a fabulous set up and along with the marina, three first class hotels, a 27 hole golf course, numerous swimming pools, including a 50 metre one, a gymn, badminton & squash courts, bowling alley, movie theatre, tennis courts and numerous bars and restaurants plus a free shuttle bus into town and back hourly and we in the marina have the use of all these facilities. Luxury living really at a fraction of the price!

Leith & Bjorn arrived to join us not long after we arrived as they had flown up from Kuching the night before.

Sunday night was the big rally finale and what a night it was too. The evening started with cocktails on the promenade and all us ladies were presented with a 6 metre piece of material which would make a sari. We then adjourned to the covered tennis courts for the dinner and entertainment and what a fabulous night it was and all for free and put on by the Sabah Tourism Board. You can see what a night it was when you look at the photos.

The alternator was taken away to be looked at on the Monday and apparently only needed a service but did not arrive back until last Wednesday.

On the Monday morning, Hardeep (Sail Malaysia organiser) gave us all a lesson on how to put on a sari with the 6m piece of material we were all given - there is quite an art to it and I also got her to show us how to put on a sewn together sarong from the lovely pieces of batik we were given in Terengganu.

Last Tuesday (4th) Leith, Bjorn and us hired motor scooters for 24 hrs and we set off to what is the new Immigration building to do our bit as we had not checked in since leaving Brunei. Well what a performance, we were sent from pillar to post and all to no avail so gave up and then we all took off to the Mt. Kinabalu National Park - an 88km trip from Kota Kinabalu. With Dave and I on one bike it was a bit hard on the rear end for that distance and hill climbing all the way so could not go very fast. However it was worth the trip and it was decidedly cooler which was nice. Kinabalu Park is a World Heritage site and we went as high as 1866m above sea level which is as high as one can go before stating the walk to its peak which is 4095m. Dave is quite keen to do the climb which one usually does over two days but you have to have guides etc. and is quite an expensive exercise and only small groups can go at a time and you have to do it through a tour company. Finally got back to town just after 7pm ad went to the big night market for some supplies and had dinner there - Philipino barbecue which is mainly fish and is well known here and was very good.

Dave and I set off into town on the scooter first thing Wednesday morning to do the customs, immigration thing as we were illegal immigrants up until that point. Once again we were duck shoved around but finally after 2 hrs got it done with a bit of a wrap over the knuckles from Immigration! We then took the scooters back and that afternoon got the alternator back and on but still having a few problems - the light and the alarm won't stop going while the motor is running. However we decided not to worry about it for a couple of days and headed out to a couple of islands out from Kota Kinabalu for Thursday and Friday for Leith to do some diving and us to do some snorkeling and Dave and I gave the hull of the boat a good clean. We spent Thursday night in Police Bay, Gaya Island along with Solan and we had a barbecue dinner together. Solan had cleared out and are heading up to the Philippines, across to New Guinea, the Solomon's, Louisiades and then on down to Townsville and hoping to be there by November. A big trip in such a short time span and they left us on Friday morning.

We came back into the marina late Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning the boys left and flew from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan and haven't heard from them since as they were going up a river for 3 days to do some jungle trekking as well as hoping to dive at Sipadon. Leith flies back to Melbourne this weekend and Bjorn is staying on for another 3-4 weeks so he may spend a bit more time with us on the boat.

There is a big market in Gaya Street (which is closed to the traffic) on a Sunday so we went there but it is mainly trinkets, souvenirs etc. with a little bit of fruit and vegetables = wouldn't bother going again, although I bought 2 light shift dresses (they are cooler to wear than shorts etc.) for $NZ14.

This week has been pretty quiet as we have spent most of it waiting for the mechanic to come and look at the alternator. Was to come on Monday and finally arrived Wednesday afternoon and the alternator came off again, was to come back this morning but as yet we are still waiting.

The tooth that I had fixed in Terengganu lasted about 4 weeks so on Tuesday I went to a dentist here to get a crown done. Was there for 2 hours and have a temporary crown for a couple of weeks. Eat your heart out all those who have had crowns done in NZ or Australia - total cost 600RM ($NZ260). After having that done took myself off to a hairdresser to get my hair cut as I had not had it done since the end of March in Langkawi. It was a really short hair cut though. Was a bit hit and miss as to what I would get but it is fine and I am quite happy with it.

Dave was working on the wiring of the anchor switches on Monday and decided to let himself down into the boat from the front hatch (shower) and slipped, catching his ribs on the edge of the hatch so is now in agony with either cracked or broken ribs. Fortunately we have a good supply of voltaren.

Tuesday night the remaining yachties who are still in the marina went to the Kota Kinabalu sailing club for dinner to celebrate Ginny from Pura Vida's 60th birthday. Was a good night but by the time we came to come home the heavens had opened and we had some pretty solid rain for a couple of hours.

Dave and I went into town late yesterday afternoon to have a bit of a look around and do a few things and had dinner in town at a Chinese restaurant before getting the resort bus back. I think that just about brings us up to date. It is now only 6 weeks on Monday until we fly into Auckland and I am really looking forward to our trip home as you can all imagine.

KOTA KINABALU

Kota Kinabalu or KK as it is commonly called is the capital of Sabah and was granted city status in 2000 and has a modern infrastructure and quite a vibrant city It was originally named Jesselton after Sir Charles Jessel, the Vice Chairman of the British North Borneo Chartered Company and was a British settlement. To liberate North Borneo from Japanese occupation during WW1, Allied Forces bombed and completely destroyed Jesselton, leaving only three colonial buildings standing. The high cost of re-building forced the Chartered Company to relinquish their land right over North Borneo to the British Government. North Borneo became a British Crown Colony in July 1946 and Jesselton was selected the new capital of North Borneo to replace Sandakan which was also destroyed during WW11.

Jesselton was renamed Kota Kinabalu on 30 Sept 1968 for the majestic Mt. Kinabalu which is the highest mountain in SE Asia. Most of KK has been built on reclaimed land.

There is certainly a lot to see and do in Borneo and it surprises us that there is not more promotion of it as a holiday destination in NZ. I will endeavour to load photographs tomorrow