Home Sweet Home (Apr. 25, 2015)

Well, now my adventure is really complete! It was an amazing time and I am grateful for all the wonderful experiences I had.

I enjoyed a fantastic visit with Jan, and on the last day, we went into Vancouver and met up with my cousin Suzy and her partner Mike. Both of them were looking great! We went out for lunch together, then back to their place for a short visit before Jan had to take off for the ferry. It's a good thing she did go early because there was a Quilting Show in Gibson's this weekend and the ferry was over booked. She managed to make it onto the afternoon ferry, but many others did not. I think she said that the next ferry was also over booked. Anyway, she got back to Gibson's on the ferry she hoped to catch, which was great.

I stayed with Suzy and Mike for the rest of the afternoon, as they were going to drop me at the airport for my 10:30 pm flight to Toronto. It was really nice. We sat and chatted, and Suzy and I went for a nice walk through the beautiful park area around their place. The time just evaporated, and then it was time to go for the plane. They got me there in great time, and I went through a busy check-in and security line, to get to my departure lounge in good time. I didn't wait too long before they started boarding the plane. It was a full flight but a good flight.

I arrived in Toronto at 6:00 am today, and Mike and Shelley were at the airport to meet me. Rachel wasn't feeling well, and was down with bronchitis so she didn't come, which I'm very glad of. Mike dropped Shelley and me off to get my car, and then I drove to my place with Shelley. We all arranged to meet at a favourite restaurant so that I could take my dear friends for breakfast. Rachel was feeling well enough to join us, so the four of us munched our delicious breakfasts, talked, caught up, and tried to believe this was real.

I returned home, with Shelley, and we met up with Sandra, my neighbour and dear friend. She wasn't awake when we went for breakfast, but was up for a visit and a little walk in the neighbourhood with Shelley and me. It was a lovely sunny day, and a perfect thing to do before returning to my place for a nap.

I was met with a beautiful orchid, container of coffee, cream and orange juice, in my fridge. Sandra had been up to her tricks, and I was truly touched. Shelley met me at the airport with Mike, and had a bag of my favourite Kensington Market coffee to take home. She and Mike had gone there a few days prior, and agreed that this would be a great surprise, and it was! Tonight, Sandra is making dinner for me as I have no groceries and am pretty tired. I will sleep this afternoon, then make my way next door to join her and Joe for supper. It is so nice of them to cook for me.

Thank you to all my beloved friends for the warm, warm welcome home. If I was feeling blue that my adventure was ending, it didn't last long because of all of you! It is nice to have people you know, that care so much for you. I am a lucky person and cherish you all.

So that's my story friends and family. I don't know if I will post many more blogs, but you never know. I am home safely and am cozy in my wonderful apartment. I do love my home. Thanks for following me for so many months, and sending your energy. I felt you all there with me at various different times. It was very cool.

Bye for now. Hope you are still smiling!

Chilling in Gibson's (Apr. 15-21, 2015)

Apr. 14-21, 2015 - For my mom, who was having Blog withdrawal......lol.

So, I’ve been having a great time in Gibson’s with Jan, my stepmother. We have had great, sunny weather for the most part, and have been enjoying several games of golf at her beautiful club. It’s called the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club and has the most beautiful views throughout the course. Even though my golfing hasn’t been of any substance, the views, company and relaxation have compensated nicely. I will post some photos of the actual course, when we go there to play next. I thought I had some photos, but realized I hadn't yet taken them. It's so pretty, I want to be sure to have some of the course.

Waiting for ferry to Gibson Landing

Jan and I golfing

One day, Jan and I went for a hike in a park that’s not too far from her place, called Cliff Gilker Park. It was lovely, with the famous huge BC trees, covered in moss, and the smell of cedar and pine throughout the forest. We saw a couple of little streams and it was such a peaceful place to walk.

Another day, we went to play golf on a neighbouring course, in Sechelt, another town, down the highway a bit. It’s definitely not as pretty as Jan’s course, but was fun to play for a change. It too, had gorgeous scenery to take in, as we walked the course. It was great weather and we had a really nice time.

Outside the club house, before our
hair got wrecked

The end of one of the holes

Mountain view from the fairway

A water trap 

Other than that, we have just been spending time together, chatting, reading, having delicious meals, and going for some walks if we’re not golfing. It’s great to catch up with her and be amongst the beautiful surroundings in her home. My dad is all around and Jan has done such a fantastic job of decorating, renovating and organizing her place. It is really, really comfortable and a wonderful place to spend time!

Yesterday we drove down to the waterfront and went for lunch, then a nice walk along the ocean. It was again, a lovely day, and we strolled along looking at the sights, watching the dogs play, and enjoying the wonderful views. There are a lot of little artsy shops to poke around in along the walk, so we had a great time looking in them. I took a photo of Molly’s Reach for those of you who are old enough to remember The Beachcombers. This is the place that they shot that series, and since it’s still here, I thought I’d better take a picture of it, and the famous boat, to share with you.

View from the marina

View from the marina

Beachcombers' restaurant, still in
operation

Me by the Persephone

Today we played in a Scramble Golf Tournament for Ladies, at Jan’s club. It was a lot of fun and since we played Best Ball, it made our final score for the round, a lot better. It was great to be outside and the lunch that they served afterward was delicious. There was a spinach, strawberry and glazed pecan salad, chicken/spinach cannelloni, and a really yummy graham wafer and Key Lime tart for dessert. A lunch made in heaven!

A table of golfers

This was our team today.

I won a door prize!

Safely back in Canada (Apr. 14, 2015)

Hi Everyone,
I am safe and sound in Gibsons with Jan. She met me at the airport and the plane was early. We were really happy to see one another and she looks fantastic. We drove to the ferry to go to Gibsons, but missed the 5:30 ferry, and were forced to have some supper at a lovely little pub, and a drink to go along with it. We've been catching up and are now at her place. What a beautiful place she has, in a lovely area of the country.

More tomorrow, just wanted to let you all know that I am safe and sound in Gibsons.

Leaving SE Asia (Apr. 14, 2015)

Apr. 14, 2015 - In case I don't get to post this......Happy Birthday Mike, for tomorrow. I hope you have a great day!

Well, last night’s party was fun, but took a long time to get going. The food seemed to take forever to be ready, and I was starving, along with all the other people, but the time it was. We all dug in and it was good. They did a Hot Pot idea, with lots of fresh veggies and meats to choose from to drop into the pots. One pot was not spicy, and the other one was, so there was a nice choice for those who might not like it too spicy. It was a full hostel, and many guests that stay there are Chinese, because Ying, the owner is Chinese as well. Others stay there too, but often there are a lot of Chinese guests, I’ve noticed. 

The star of the party, is Benjamin’s (the guy who now works at the hostel) puppy, Ralph, who he found all dirty and skinny in the street. I love Ralph (both Ralphs) and spent a lot of time cuddling and playing with him. Part way through the evening, Ralph had hit his limit, and just plopped down and went to sleep. He is so adorable. 

Food for Hot Pots

My friend Ralph

More food

Drinks for all

Sleepy

Smoky

Fun

As the food was being prepared, a really funny episode happened. Yes, here we go again…..lol. One of the girls who also works there, Nancy, was preparing the spicy soup base in the little kitchen inside the hostel. Another guy was working on lighting the coals for the barbecue, outside. So the stage is set for some hilarious antics. Well, sure enough, the soup that Nance was making, needed some peppery spices, which she added, and which either burned or got really hot, before she put in any liquid. So every time someone in the hostel came down the stairs, they were hit with this spicy, burned smell that immediately sent them into a coughing fit, so they ran outside. That seems like a smart idea, however, the guy working on the coals, wasn’t doing too well, and there was smoke from whatever he was trying to cook, filling the courtyard. So all the people outside, were coughing from that. It was very funny to watch this scene…………..someone comes down, chokes, runs outside and continues to choke on something else. About five or six people did this, and during all the coughing and sneezing, they were also trying to work the fans, and air conditioner to get rid of the spicy and barbecue smoke. As you can see from the photos, it took some time to dissipate and everything smelled like smoke or spice. A funny funny scene that could only be truly appreciated if you sat in the corner and watched. I was laughing myself crazy, and at the same time, was also coughing which made it even funnier. 

I went to bed just before midnight because I wanted to be somewhat fresh for my incredibly long journey ahead. My bags were all packed and ready to go, I just needed to shower and take off. I decided to leave around 9:30 am so that I could leisurely make my way out to the airport, to arrive the three hours before departure. I took that subway and then the City Line Train out to the airport, so it was nice not to be pressed for time. 

I made it out to the airport at 11:00 am which was perfect, and spent my last Thai Bhat on a Subway 6 inch, so that I wouldn’t be starving later. I did pack some snacks and a bottle of water, so I wouldn’t die, but thought I’d like to save the snacks for the Hong Kong airport.

It is weird to know that this is one of the last travel blogs I will write, until next I go abroad. I will post this, and perhaps add to it once I get to Hong Kong, where I will have a two hour lay over. My suitcase is checked right through to BC, so that’s great. I don’t have to deal with getting that and re-checking it. Perfect. 

I hope you all had a good sleep and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in the next couple of weeks. 

Friends and Songkran (Aor. 12, 13, 2015)

Apr. 12, 2015

Today I got up early, did yoga and got ready for the day. I was going to meet Martin, Cez, and Kevin at Chatachak Market. That’s the huge weekend market that I went to the last time I was here, with the Spanish guy, Viktor. 

Anyway, I was there to meet them around twelve or a bit after. It is really nice to know how to get around somewhere, for once…..lol. We met up and walked around the market for a while, looking at the countless, endless stalls. It’s such a huge market and rather exhausting and somewhat overstimulating for more than an hour or two. We stopped for something to eat, and that was really nice. It was pretty hot out, so that also plays havoc with your nerves. Not anything like the first time I visited Bangkok though. 

Me, Martin, Cez and Kevin at lunch

Everyone was selling things for shooting water, at the market today, in addition to the clothes, food, and everything else possible. That was of course, for Song Kran which officially starts tomorrow. They have started blocking off the major streets and bringing in huge containers for water. It’s a really big celebration and everyone is off work for it. I think it is several days that people get off for this. Everything will be closed starting tomorrow, except the shopping malls. They are open and no water or guns are allowed in the malls or on the public transportation.

After we shopped and looked around the market for a while, and had something to eat, we left to catch the subway. They were going to a large mall to pick up something they needed, but I felt like going back to the hostel and relaxing. Actually, I had other motives. I forgot to tell you in yesterday’s post, that I went to the massage place I found last time, and had an hour’s massage. The guy who did my massage, was named Pi, and was fantastic. He did a great job and I felt amazing.

I asked him if the shop was open so that I could come and get another one before I leave. He said that the shop would be open today, but not the next day, or for several days after. I decided to go back and get another massage instead of going to the mall. I thought that was a no brainer…..lol.

Well, this time, the massage was great again, but I guess that massages in Thailand can range in boundaries from soup to nuts, literally. Pi, doing his fantastic massage, got to the hip and stomach area, and massaged my lower stomach and intestines which was awesome. He did this yesterday, as well so I thought nothing of it. Then he kind of flipped my legs over his legs, and kept massaging, then began to move down further and further. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing. He was about 21, gorgeous, and totally buff. I think it is actually a gay friendly massage place, so his intentions were very liberal, but not for me. As his hands moved down into the ‘no go’ zone, I gently moved them up, and said that was ok, not to do down there. He laughed and said. “Ok madame, no problem.” The thing is, even after that, I didn’t feel awkward as I knew he understood and wouldn’t proceed with that anymore. A totally different way of thinking, and it’s just what it is, nothing more. I kind of like having the perspective that it is only a business suggestion and nothing else. 

Anyway, the massage was great, and I was super happy that I went. My body sure did have some kinks in it from all the diving and going up and down the boat ladder with the tanks and equipment on. I was a little sore, but in a good way. So funny about the extra massage options. 

Then I had a bowl of pork wonton noodles and soup on the corner, and followed it up with a coconut ice cream that I bought from the little old man with the single cart. I had found him and his wife, the last time, and their ice cream is famous. You might remember me describing my new concept of the ice cream sandwich, on bread. That was the little cart episode.

A great day and evening. Then I went to bed, happy and relaxed.

Apr. 13, 2015

Today I woke up early, to the sound of my What’s App. It was around 6:30 but I wasn’t tired anymore because I went to bed so early. The message was from Jon, to Face Time if I was up. Then I got a voice text from Livi, asking that I FT her when I woke up. So, I got out of my bed, grabbed my computer, and FT’d them. It was so much fun. Livi was genuinely excited about telling me that in two more days, I would be returning to Canada. I was so touched and felt her love from that. She was bouncing and really happy. What a sweet person she is. Both the kids are so dear and loving and Amanda and Jon, you’ve done such a great job.

After that FT, I decided to try to call and see if my beloved Step Mother was home for a chat. As luck would have it, she was, and we had a great talk on my Magic Jack phone. I love that crazy phone. We were talking about how soon we would be seeing one another, and how long it had been since we had a visit. I am really excited to be spending time with you, Jan. It will be a great way to ease my way back into the Canadian life. The weather first of all, but just the quiet setting and beautiful scenery will be good for me. It is just perfect for getting my mind around returning to my life in Toronto. I don’t know if I’m ready for that, but will be doing it anyway, so spending some time with you before that, will help a lot.

Then I got showered and took the Skytrain to MBK Mall, to buy a few last minute things for the kids. It was Songkran, so I had to pick my way to the subway station carefully or I would be soaking wet. Even that wouldn’t be too bad, because it’s so hot here, that you dry off pretty fast. I ended up taking a little longer route, so that I could scope out how I would get to the airport tomorrow, as the festival will still be going on, and I really don’t want to have a soaking wet suitcase to put onto the plane, if possible. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but I’d rather avoid it if possible.

Street at 11:00 am

A few people already starting

Blocked off main road at 11:00 am

I found what I wanted, then picked my way back to the hostel. Here are some of the pics of the festival. It doesn’t really get crazy until later in the day, late afternoon and evening. Then it goes on all night. Everyone is always soaking wet, and they wear these cheesy Hawaiian shirts for the festival, so there are many wet, flowery shirted people wandering around.

Looking out from the bridge of the
mall after I went shopping

Some fun with water

The throngs of people from the Skytrain stop, returning home 2:00 pm

From Skytrain platform

Same view from 11:00, only now
it's 2:00 pm

Tonight, there is an All You Can Eat and Drink Party at the hostel. I’m glad because I feel like doing something, but not going out into the throngs of people to be shot at…..lol. It’s fun, but seeing it and getting wet this afternoon was enough for me. So, the party tonight will be perfect, and I don’t have to go anywhere. Everyone coming back to the hostel right now, is soaking wet, and full of energy. It’s a really nice way to end my time here, though I’m sorry to be leaving SE Asia.

Back in Bangkok (Apr. 11, 2015)

Apr. 11, 2015

Well, I arrived in Bangkok without any problems, and made it to the hostel on the public bus and Skytrain. It was kind of nice not to have to use a map or GPS, because I’d done it so many times before, that I knew where I was going. I couldn’t check into the hostel yet as it was too early, so Benjamin, the new American guy that works here now, came with me to sort out a SIM card for my phone while I’m here. 

Ian, the other guy that worked here five months ago, had left and now Benjamin, about 31 years old, Hawaiian and now living in New York, was the front man. He is really nice and needed something for his phone so happily came with me, and helped me organize my stuff. For $5, I got a SIM card and three days of data, which will work perfectly while I’m here. That way I can text and talk to Martin, use the GPS if needed, and anything else that might come along.

We went for lunch together before sorting out the phone, and he took me to a Japanese Hot Pot restaurant in the mall, close to the phone place. It was delicious, and we had a great time chatting and eating. His partner just proposed to him, and he was delighted. He was telling me of the issues they have encountered with his partner’s mother, not liking Benjamin and blaming him that her son is now gay because of him. Tough situation, but Benjamin seems to be dealing with it well. The in-laws live in Sweden, so they are far enough away, that he has time to think about how to act when he sees them.

Benjamin at lunch.
Look how yummy the food is....mmmm

Me at lunch

After that, we came back to the hostel, I checked in, took my stuff to the room, then relaxed for a while. Later on, I went with Benjamin, and two of his friends, to the Mall, to ‘make over’ one of the girls. She was a cute little Chinese girl named Nancy who also works at the hostel. She is going to Benjamin’s birthday party at the end of the month. She needed some new clothes and make up, which she had never worn before. Anyway, it was really fun, and reminded me of Peter and me shopping together, for my make over, in Montreal, one year. She got many nice things, including a designer dress that looked fantastic on her. She was glowing and so pleased with her new stuff. That’s such a great feeling.

We were to go to a night market after that, but learned just before we left, that due to a festival the city is having, the market was closed. So instead, we just came back to the hostel, but it was around 11 pm by this time. The festival is called Song Kran and I think it's the Thai New Year. Everyone sprays water on one another in the streets to celebrate this holiday, so it should be fun to experience in a day or two, just before leaving.

I opted out of going for a few drinks, thankfully, because they stayed out until the wee hours of the morning, and I’d been up since 3:30 am the day before. I went to bed, and was happy to sleep in the air conditioned room.

I am going to the weekend market with Martin and Sez, his partner, tomorrow so that will be nice. I can’t wait to hear what he’s been up to for the past half a year.

Leaving Semporna for Bangkok (Apr. 10, 2015)

Apr. 10, 2015

Today I got up early as usual, and puttered around, slowly getting my stuff ready to go. I took everything out of my suitcase, and repacked it, weighed it to be sure I wasn’t over weight, then went to find some breakfast. I went to that restaurant, Al-Nifisah, that is two doors down from the Lodge I am staying in. The young girls who work there are so cute, in there head scarves that match perfectly with whatever they are wearing. They always have big smiles to great you with and are happy to try and help you in any way they can.

I asked what a traditional breakfast might be, and they said that roti with banana and iced coffee with milk. I said that would be fantastic, and ordered it. They brought it over and I munched away, looking out at the people passing on the street in front of the restaurant. Semporna isn’t very pretty, but it’s a friendly little town. The roti at this place is so delicious, soft, and tears perfectly. I really like it. 

I finished up my breakfast, then went to the grocery store to buy some munchies for my 12 hour wait in the Kuala Lumpur Airport, for my Bangkok flight. I got some nuts, an apple, water, and two boiled eggs from the restaurant that I had breakfast at (old habits die hard, Mom...lol). Then I went back to the hostel and had a shower to be ready for my 10:30 taxi ride of 1.5 hours, into Tawau. While I was waiting after I was ready, one of the Dive Masters who I had been diving with said I should go back to the restaurant and get a 'Take Away' roti, with some curry sauce. I did that and was all ready for a long wait at KL Airport.

Well the ride to Tawau and the flight were good. Well, I had an interesting encounter on the plane. The flight wasn't super full, but I was in a middle seat between two men. When I went to the bathroom, I noticed that there were a couple of rows, with only one person, by the window, so I asked if I could take one of those aisle seats. They said it was fine, so I took one, and realized that the guy behind me was really tall, and if I tried to recline the seat, his knees would be squished. So I moved to the other vacant seat, with a short man behind, and lots of leg room. I sat down, and reclined the seat a bit, but not fully. Suddenly, I felt the seat get jammed back to a straight position, so I tried again. Then I realized it was the guy behind me, pushing the seat back up so I couldn't recline. I turned around and asked if it would be ok to recline the seat just a little, and indicated that his knees weren't being touched at all. He said no, and told me to move. I said there was no where else, and I would just put it back a little. He kept shoving it back to the upright position. So, the third time he did it, I just pushed against the floor to keep the seat slightly reclined, and kept my feet planted until he stopped trying to do that. I couldn't believe it, but finally he stopped, though he kept jamming the seat when he would get up and down. It was actually quite funny, and I felt like laughing about it as it was happening. He had tons of room and was adamant about not letting my put the seat back at all, though he was a small man with lots of room. Anyway, other than that, the flight was good and I arrived at the KL Airport without issue. 

I was not looking forward to waiting the twelve hours until my Bangkok flight, and managed to have a nice coffee with an Australian guy who was diving where I was, and was on his way home, but stopping in KL for two days. He was really nice and we sat for quite a while chatting before he had to go.

Then I decided to try and find some place to sit or lie down, until my ealry morning flight. As I was walking around the airport, I saw a sign that indicated Sleeping Capsules, so I went to find out about it. I was so happy I did, because for $30 Canadian, you can rent a bed in a kind of warehouse area of the airport, that has pass key access, showers, towels, lockers, reading light, and charging stations. It was a gift to find this, and I happily rented one for twelve hours. Oh, there is WiFi as well.....yeah.

My little capsule with
pull down privacy curtain

View of floor with capsules

Looking down to 1st capsule floor

Pass key access for entry/exit

Bathroom and shower area complete
with hair dryers

One side is female only, the other
side is male only

So, I cozied down in my little capsule bed, took out my computer, and updated some of the pics for my blog. I haven't gotten very far yet, because I have to copy one of the Memory Cards to my computer and choose the photos, but it's a start. What a lovely way to end the journey to Bangkok. Now I will get up refreshed, clean, and ready for my early flight, arriving without a sore back, and being tired. Wow, what a fantastic idea to have in an airport, and totally affordable.

More from Bangkok.

Last Dives and Day in Malaysia (Apr. 9, 2015)

Apr. 9, 2015

Well, today there weren’t enough people to go to the third and final northern island, so we went to Mabul instead. I was diving with two other people, and both of them were very experienced so our dives were long and lovely. Our Dive Master was Val, a really sweet Italian girl who was great at finding things and very funny.

We saw several things that I either hadn’t seen before, or had only seen once before. The Painted Frog Fish was one of them. This one was a bright yellow colour and was incredible. I also saw two Ghost Pipe Fish which are super interesting and look like the lacy leaves on a plant that they live near. You really have to look carefully to see them. We saw many many Crocodile Flathead Fish and some Stone Fish as well.

• pics of Frog Fish and Crocodile Fish

It was sad to say goodbye to the diving, but I have had such a great time here and have seen so many wonderful underwater sights. I have now done 92 dives. Can you believe it? Apparently, in the diving community, it is customary to do your 100th dive naked. I don’t know about that, and am happy that I don’t have to deal with that now….lol.

Tomorrow morning, I catch the taxi from the Dive Shop, along with several other people going to the airport at the same time, to catch our flights. It’s nice that there are several others because we then split the 90 Ringet fare to the airport, which is about 30 dollars Canadian. I fly to Kuala Lumpur, then have a twelve hour wait at the airport there. I catch a flight to Bangkok after my wait, and stay in Bangkok for three days, then fly to BC. I am really looking forward to visiting Jan, my second mom, and it’s a good way to return to Canada. I can handle the weather in Gibsons first, then ease my way east and hope it's gotten a bit warmer......lol.

For now, I’m just chilling out and will get up tomorrow to organize my stuff. I don’t have to get the taxi until 10:20 am, so that will be easy and not early.

More from the KL airport, I’m sure.

Bye bye Semporna and Borneo. It’s been fantastic being here and I’m a much richer person because of it!

- pics of Semporna town

Diving Mabul and Semporna (Apr. 6, 7, 8, 2015)

Apr. 6, 2015

Today I went diving to the Sipadan Barrier Reef, which was great. I won’t go into all the fish and marine life I saw, but will tell you that I was with Cinta, and Geir again, so we had a great time. Cinta and I were leaving after the third dive, to go to Semporna. Geir would meet us in Semporna the next day, as he wass going to Sipadan tomorrow, and we will already be there. 

It’s nice to dive with the same people and get to know them a bit. I found out that Geir is a banker in Norway, but I think I told you that already. I also found out that Cinta is a Tax Lawyer in Spain and is presently doing her Masters in Sociology to do Human Rights Law, hopefully for some NGO, in another part of the world, where there is good diving. I thought that was cool and applaud her for it. She calls me her little Canadian Unicorn Fish because of my funky hair do, to keep the hair out of my face, while diving. You’ve seen it, and I’ll post it again when I have good WiFi.

So after our last dive, our luggage was already down at the jetty, and we pretty much boarded the boat and left for Semporna. I had already said my goodbyes to my favourite local dive masters, and the staff that work at the resort. They were all so very sweet and made my time there incredibly memorable. 

The trip back to Semporna took about 50 minutes and I just sat on the boat contemplating the wonderful experience I just had, at the Mabul Beach Resort, and diving in Sipadan. What a fantastic time and opportunity I have had to meet such interesting people and share so many amazing underwater sights with Mother Nature. Happily, I also reflected that it’s not over yet, because I was hopeful that there would be enough people to go to some of the northern islands to dive, that are only accessed by the Semporna Dive Boats. It's still Scuba Junkie, but too far from Mabul to go to these islands on a day trip from there. 

We pulled into the harbour and took out stuff off the boat. Still in our wet diving clothes, we walked the short distance to the Scuba Junkie Lodge, which is the dorm and hotel. Yeah, air conditioning and not many people in the room. I was pleased, and so was Cinta. The first night we had four in the room, including us, then the second night, only Cinta and me. It was great.

We had an early night, as I have been doing for two straight weeks because I’m so tired at the end of each day. It was nice to eat some dinner that wasn’t the regular resort food, which after a week gets a bit tiring as they do the same thing each day of the week. We went to a local restaurant and I had a Tom Yum Soup and she had Mie Goreng which is noodles and chicken. Both were great and put a perfect end to our day.

Apr. 7, 2015

Well, luck was on my side because there were enough people to go to one of the northern islands today. An island called Mantabuan. It was untouched, and not many people have dived there so the coral is incredible and so are the fish. I was shocked at how lush the coral gardens were and how colourful. It was a great day diving with Cinta, and we saw many wonderful sights. We ate lunch on the boat, docked at the beach of this lovely island.

• Pic of Mantabuan island

On the way to the island, there were lots of uninhabited places along the way, with sandy white beaches, and crystal blue water with palm trees poking into the sky when you looked at them. Absolutely amazing and super pretty. A very different perspective than the boat rides around Mabul and Sipadan. I’m glad that I got a chance to see this. 

- pics along boat ride

There were again, lots of healthy coral gardens and lovely reefs with billions of reef fish to see. I found it so interesting that Mother Nature paints such beautiful pictures under the sea. For example, when we passed a huge coral growth that was pink, the fish that hang out there were green. Another coral was brown, and the fish hanging out there, were blue. The third one I saw was a deep red coral with purple fish hanging out in it. So beautiful and perfectly matched. There were also other fish and marine species to see, and we had no shortage of interesting sights.

After diving, Cinta and I went next door to the bar, where everyone goes after diving, to use the internet and have a drink. There were many Westerners there, and all the Dive Masters. It’s a friendly local bar, and by this time, Geir had come over from Mabul and was showering so that we could all have a last meal together.

We decided to have seafood, as this is a port town and we thought it would be fantastic. I asked Lisa, the woman at the front desk, where to go, and she told me ‘Fat Mom’s’ just overlooking the water. We walked over there and found a string of restaurants overlooking the water. However, there was only one that was packed to capacity. We had found Fat Mom’s. We got a table, but had to share it with another couple as there were many people waiting and not enough tables. That was fine, as it was a huge round table.

We ordered Sweet and Sour Prawns, Mixed Garlic Fish, and Barbecued Lamb. There was also a ginger and onion vegetable dish with seaweed, that was just fantastic. All the dishes were amazing, and we polished off everything. They include watermelon and a rice custard, for dessert, which was nice. Dinner was really fun and we all enjoyed chatting around the table on our last night together.

Geir and Cinta were catching the taxi in the morning to go to Tawau airport. They were both on the same flight back to Kuala Lumpur, and were going to share a hotel for one night before each departed to their respective destinations. Oh, I think Cinta was not going directly to Barcelona, but instead, to Koh Tao to visit her sister, who lives there. Then she was going back home.

Another early night ended this day, after I got some videos off of Geir’s Go Pro collection of several dives we all did together. He was very sweet to allow me to have them, and I was happy to go through his raw footage and choose quite a few that I wanted.

Geir and Cinta also signed my memory book before leaving for bed, as I thought we might not have time in the morning. Geir wrote his bit in Norweigan and read it to me. He was happy to have met me, and enjoyed the diving together. I am welcome in Norway anytime. Nice man.

Apr. 8, 2015

I wasn’t sure if they would have enough people to visit another of the northern islands, but as luck would have it, they did. Today we went to another island called Sibuan. I got to dive with a local guy that some of the locals had recommended to me, from Mabul. His name was Pajan, and he had eagle eyes, and a real love for diving. 

On our boat ride out to the island, we saw a huge dark cloud, with a funnel coming down from it. OK, rain, we thought, then it just teamed down, and the funnel cloud got stronger. Suddenly, we had passed it, and were out of it, though it was like a tornado, for several minutes. Truly weird and spooky, but ok, as it passed.

• pic of funnel cloud and rain storm

Again, we arrived at a beautiful, uninhabited island that we would be diving around for the day. There were many things to see, but Pajan outdid himself and found us a huge white Frog Fish, that moved, which is really cool because they rarely do. It shows off the details in their webbed feet, and how they move. This is definitely the way they got their name. Truly weird but lovely creatures. Then he found us a Ghost Pipefish, which is not very common, and usually blended in with reeds or vegetation. This one was hovering beside a rock so we could get a good look at it. Neither of these creatures I had seen before. Well, the Frog Fish, yes, but not this large, or in white. Both were really cool.

One of our dives, we saw the largest cuttlefish I have ever seen. I thought it was a diver swimming in the distance, got closer, and realized it was a cuttlefish swimming, and it was about 1 meter long, which is massive for a cuttlefish. It was really cool.

We also saw many of the regular things, but the site was so undisturbed that it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the day.

When I got back, I showered and met up with Lena, who was coming to Semporna for one overnight, on her way home. We ate dinner together with another girl, early 20’s, from Montreal, named Daria. We had the best chicken roti for dinner, which was not at all what I thought it would be, but was delicious. The three of us chatted and ate, then I walked Lena to her hotel, came back to my place, and crashed. 

Tomorrow I had hoped to do Mantaking Island, the third and final northern island, but they didn’t have enough people to go, so we are going to the Mabul area, which of course I’ve dived, but maybe we’ll go to a site I haven’t been to, or one that I really liked. It’s my last day of diving, so I don’t care where we go. One more time, then I’ll pack it in for a while. What a fantastic run of dives I’ve had. SO lucky.