Haha do we want more of these?....
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Penang Jelly fish
In retrospect he did say that there were jelly fish at that beach... But to my defence he made a bigger deal out of the fact that the water was deep and had big waves compared to the calmer Monkey beach around the coast. Big waves and deep water I'm ok with.
After I finished the 3.6km walk over to Pantai Keracut (beach in the Penang national park) and seeing that there was minimal surf I did an observation walk down the water line looking for anything that might resemble jelly fish. I didn't see anything so decided I'd have a swim after checking out the turtle sanctuary. Which was super cute. The ranger goes around looking for any newly hatched nests in the morning and helps the weaker ones that haven't made it out yet. They then keep them until they're a bit bigger and stronger, giving them a slightly higher change of living in the sea. It's still pretty hard for a little turtle out there though.
Well and truly looking forward to this swim (I was super hot) I picked my spot and headed in.
It didn't start well...I was in up to my waste and stood on something. It was big. Much bigger than my foot. It was definitely alive. It was somewhat squishy and slippery but solid. I have no idea what it was but it freaked me out a bit. I'm not a big fan of things I can't see that are bigger than my foot. My reaction to stepping on this thing was to hit the float position. Feet off the ground perfect , won't step on any thing weird again.
Maybe a minute or two of pleasant floating went by before my right forearm started to tingle. I hadn't felt anything touch it but the tingle began to grow. Not to bad so I floated on. And then another spot.. Ok I should have believe the local guy. I got out pretty quick smart and would have to say that they got a fair bit worse.
Not super bad but worthy of a Google just to make sure it wasn't 'going to get serious'. It didn't seam so I continued on my day mission.
The crazy thing now (2days later) is I get these random pain sensations like the stung area every now and then, most regularly on my forearm but in random spots like my big toe or a palm size spot on back. Apparently they can last for a few weeks.Still don't know what stung me but lesson learned. Although to be honest i think it was worth it. I was VERY hot.
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| lots of pretty butterfly's on the walk |
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| topic paradise....aka jelly fish revenge..... |
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| I have lots of pretty flower and tree pictures |
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| Cute little baby turtles! |
Malaysia Mainland
After Borneo I headed back to the mainland where i had just over a week exploring Kuala Lumpa and Penang. Awesome time in both cities, very different from each other. I got nicely and well and truly "misplaced" in KL (i prefer not to use the word lost, as i generally work it out and it's no biggy). Also helpfully in KL, located high in the sky for reference points are the KL tower and the Petronus Towers. Although i was actually aiming in the other direction on the map at first, i took advantage of being 'misplaced' in the wrong direction and detoured to the KL tower. Loved that i had to sign a disclaimer when i went up to the observation deck that i wouldn't throw myself off it. I found this amusing for two reasons (a) if i did throw myself off i obviously wouldn't be holding anyone accountable for that and (b) why would a spend a lot of money to go on holiday and up one of the tallest towers in the world to end it? so many questions, but a very cool view! I was actually surprised at the amount of parks and jungle bits within the city and helped with my orientation too. I knew how to get home.
Also one of my fav past times in Malaysia was every time i saw a Petronus petrol station (Malaysia's oil company) i imagined Harry Potter drawing his wand and yelling "Expecto Petronus!" and vigorously waving his wand at the petrol station where a Stag would then run round the forecourts..."cough cough" - i spent a few hrs on buses looking out the window and I'm of the impression that there are very few competing petrol distributors as i had this scene running in my head a bit...
Also had a fantastic time at the Malaysia Festival of Colours, very bright and cool seeing the different heritages of Malaysia celebrated. Was quite a big event, the King and Queen of Malaysia were there as well as the Minister of Tourism. Seeing 6000 performers dacning in unison was very impressive.
I stayed at a great backpackers in KL called Reggae Mansion. It must have to be one of the flashes backpackers I've ever stayed at. Really cool vibe with a roof top bar and also a cinema! Meet a cool bunch of travelers here and had a few big nights visiting some of KL bars and clubs. On one particular night we were have a few beers on the roof top bar and we'd meet these 3 people from Chile. There was about 7 of us all just chatting and enjoying the evening when one of the girls fully just keels over. She was clearly unconscious and had slid roughly off the bench she was on into the ground. Me and the Chillian guy jump over to help. Go Surf Life Saving Training, as I totally dropped into patience response and monitoring checklist. I was suprised none of the bar staff even remotely stepped in to help. She was still breathing but her heart was racing. I'm not sure, but to me it looked a bit like a seazure but without the shaking. When she started to come round that was definately what it reminded me of. She got up after about 5min and seemed Ok, we sugested perhaps no more drinks! Eventful that's for sure.
Also one of my fav past times in Malaysia was every time i saw a Petronus petrol station (Malaysia's oil company) i imagined Harry Potter drawing his wand and yelling "Expecto Petronus!" and vigorously waving his wand at the petrol station where a Stag would then run round the forecourts..."cough cough" - i spent a few hrs on buses looking out the window and I'm of the impression that there are very few competing petrol distributors as i had this scene running in my head a bit...
Also had a fantastic time at the Malaysia Festival of Colours, very bright and cool seeing the different heritages of Malaysia celebrated. Was quite a big event, the King and Queen of Malaysia were there as well as the Minister of Tourism. Seeing 6000 performers dacning in unison was very impressive.
I stayed at a great backpackers in KL called Reggae Mansion. It must have to be one of the flashes backpackers I've ever stayed at. Really cool vibe with a roof top bar and also a cinema! Meet a cool bunch of travelers here and had a few big nights visiting some of KL bars and clubs. On one particular night we were have a few beers on the roof top bar and we'd meet these 3 people from Chile. There was about 7 of us all just chatting and enjoying the evening when one of the girls fully just keels over. She was clearly unconscious and had slid roughly off the bench she was on into the ground. Me and the Chillian guy jump over to help. Go Surf Life Saving Training, as I totally dropped into patience response and monitoring checklist. I was suprised none of the bar staff even remotely stepped in to help. She was still breathing but her heart was racing. I'm not sure, but to me it looked a bit like a seazure but without the shaking. When she started to come round that was definately what it reminded me of. She got up after about 5min and seemed Ok, we sugested perhaps no more drinks! Eventful that's for sure.
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| Observation Deck KL tower looking over at the Potronus towers |
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| Towers by night from backpackers roof top bar |
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| Me and my Petronus |
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| Bar closed, party continues outside the 7 eleven |
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| Impressive 95m flag pole |
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| Afternoon set up of the festival of colours, loved the giant balloons! |
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| The best looking worse tasking fruit I've ever tried. I asked around and they soak it some weird marinade |
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| Cave tour at the Batu caves KL |
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| Cheeky monkeys at the caves |
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| Got to love giant gold statues |
Monday 10 June 2013
Round 4 - Malaysia Mt Kinabalu
There is nothing quite like a mountain summit climb and I'm glad I fitted in a Mt Taranaki summit before i left NZ as it was fresh in my mind to compare the Kinabalu climb to.
We did start our day rather hung over and were getting a little concerned when we were still waiting for our mini van to leave KK two hours after we had arrived at the bus station. Our main concern for that was the Kinabalu national park people advise people to be at the park no later than 9.30am. As it was 8.30 by the time we left KK with 2 1/2hr trip to the mt, we hoped it wouldnt matter to much!
Note tip for travelers, minibus vans in Boreno leave when they are full, even if they give you a time they are leaving.
As Glenn has written a great blog about this bit of our trip when he was stuck sitting on an old filter cover in the isle on our bus back to KK, I'll just post some cool photos! Check out Glenns blog for a great read.
Just as highlights
- Fantasic climb - beautiful sunrise
- Never thought I'd got to a hot spring in the tropics (Poring hot springs) - brilliant though, we did rounds of hot colds jumping between the pools
- Amazing dusk swim under a waterfall with a natural vine swing rope
- Very cool gitar jam season at dinner to help Glenn with his "30 before 30 list"
- Very painful 'boreno fish massage' IT IS NOT LIKE THE THAI ONES
But have a read of Glenns write up!
glenns blog
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| At the top after our 2.30am ish start! |
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| Sun rise at the top of Mt Kinabalu (highest Mt in South East Asia 4,095m) |
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| Sitting at the top looking back east toward KK |
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| Cloud spotting while the sun came up! It's totally a dragon right? |
After the first day staying at Laban Rata
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| Just like the money! |
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| We passed about 15 of these guys on the way down. They were carrying metal building frame girders up just on their shoulders, they were building a new accommodation house and were climbing all the supplies in. |
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| Poring hot springs. Great little place. |
The fish massage.......
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| They were big.... |
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| Hard to get a picture of the 'massage' damage due to lighting but here you can see the bite marks across Glenn's back. Our legs were like this but allllll over. It didn't come out well in a photo though. |
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| Last sunset in KK |
Thursday 30 May 2013
Round 3 - Malaysia Boreno (Sabah)
While think about going to Borneo I'll be honest in admitting that I was a tad confused at first. Once I'd sorted out that in fact Borneo is the name of the island and that 3 countries have regions on Borneo (Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia) i was in a better space to sort out how to get there. Best bit was that I'd pre-arranged to meet a good friend of mine from Palmy there. Glenn was flying in from the Philippians having arranged a week off the boat he's working/sailing back to NZ on.
I had one pre booked activity locked in which was to climb Mt Kinabalu, the highest Mt in South East Aisa. But apart from that we were just going to sus out some other activities once we got there.
Due to my odd arrival time i got to wake Glenn up at 12.30am only a few hrs before he had to get up. Unfortunately for Glenn being a dude on a boat apparently makes visas difficult. If he leaves a country that he arrives in by boat he creates all sorts of problems that even I'm not even sure i got the jist of, and i got to hear all the details. Because of this, on his first day in Kota Kinabalu (KK) (the capital city of Sabah, one of the two states of the Malaysian portion of Borneo) he had to fly to Kuala Lumpa to get a seamans visa so he could get back into the Philippians and avoiding a NZD $1,200 fine. So first day for me was to go exploring and sus out some actives.
I signed us up for the next three days to do our PADI dive course! One of the cheapest places to do it in the world and also some amazing things to see - lucky for us we had an amazing Aussie/South African teacher, Ryan, who we got on great with and who took his camera out one day - fantastic pictures below. Also he may have encourage us to have a few more beers the night before our mountain climb, which to be advised is not the best way to start a 4000m climb.
But my first day adventuring was not quite with out any hitches.... I totally sorted the public transport but told myself i need to work on my "but that was so cheap face" as i got a little bit of a laugh from the driver when i gave him far to many Riggot (local currency). The trip cost me NZD 15c equivalent. Although i had the land transport down, my first travel mistake came when i wanted to head out to Matukan (one of the islands off KK). When the boat dude gave me a wave to which i thought meant "yup your boat" i followed the other people onto the boat. Got a good seat, settled in, until a nice guy asked me kindly "where are you off to?" In retrospect I might have guessed I was on the wrong boat when I appeared to be one of the few people who were not in some kind of uniform. Oh well, turns out i was not only on the wrong boat i was heading to a island much further away. Might have taken a bit of mission to get back! Got on the right boat and had a great afternoon snorkeling around the coral with the fishies.
Also started off the old "no ice" for travelers with a fail. But to be honest I've been sweet so far. The first beverage I got she asked if i wanted ice, i couldn't help it, it was too hot, humans need ice when it's that hot. So I'm committed now. Ice all the way.
I had one pre booked activity locked in which was to climb Mt Kinabalu, the highest Mt in South East Aisa. But apart from that we were just going to sus out some other activities once we got there.
Due to my odd arrival time i got to wake Glenn up at 12.30am only a few hrs before he had to get up. Unfortunately for Glenn being a dude on a boat apparently makes visas difficult. If he leaves a country that he arrives in by boat he creates all sorts of problems that even I'm not even sure i got the jist of, and i got to hear all the details. Because of this, on his first day in Kota Kinabalu (KK) (the capital city of Sabah, one of the two states of the Malaysian portion of Borneo) he had to fly to Kuala Lumpa to get a seamans visa so he could get back into the Philippians and avoiding a NZD $1,200 fine. So first day for me was to go exploring and sus out some actives.
I signed us up for the next three days to do our PADI dive course! One of the cheapest places to do it in the world and also some amazing things to see - lucky for us we had an amazing Aussie/South African teacher, Ryan, who we got on great with and who took his camera out one day - fantastic pictures below. Also he may have encourage us to have a few more beers the night before our mountain climb, which to be advised is not the best way to start a 4000m climb.
But my first day adventuring was not quite with out any hitches.... I totally sorted the public transport but told myself i need to work on my "but that was so cheap face" as i got a little bit of a laugh from the driver when i gave him far to many Riggot (local currency). The trip cost me NZD 15c equivalent. Although i had the land transport down, my first travel mistake came when i wanted to head out to Matukan (one of the islands off KK). When the boat dude gave me a wave to which i thought meant "yup your boat" i followed the other people onto the boat. Got a good seat, settled in, until a nice guy asked me kindly "where are you off to?" In retrospect I might have guessed I was on the wrong boat when I appeared to be one of the few people who were not in some kind of uniform. Oh well, turns out i was not only on the wrong boat i was heading to a island much further away. Might have taken a bit of mission to get back! Got on the right boat and had a great afternoon snorkeling around the coral with the fishies.
Also started off the old "no ice" for travelers with a fail. But to be honest I've been sweet so far. The first beverage I got she asked if i wanted ice, i couldn't help it, it was too hot, humans need ice when it's that hot. So I'm committed now. Ice all the way.
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| immature spotted shrimp ( i think?) |
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| Suba Helen! |
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| Suba Helen AND Suba Glenn! |
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| Dive Buddies |
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| Crazy rock fish |
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| Sea anemone - not that red to our eyes underwater though, red wavelength first to be lost |
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| Moray eel! |
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| Baby Barracuda |
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| Clown Fish - 'Nemo' |
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| They are born into their individual anemone where they grow a resistance to the sting, this acts as a protection mechanism |
Wednesday 29 May 2013
Round 2 - Aussie Part 2
After some big city living and a bit of personal chef-ing for David and Kylie (I'd cook for them while they were coming home from work) I headed south to Gary and Kelly's. What I thought might be a bit of a lax out week in South Sydney turned into a week of theme parks on the Gold Coast with G and K + niece Sala, and nephews Jay and Nelson! I've never been to a theme park before so it was debatable who was more excited... Well maybe not so much for sponge bob. Jay and Nelson won that one but dolphins, roller coasters and water slides? "cough, cough" errrrr me....
Loved hanging out with the kids and was super impressed by Salas guts for the bigger rides! you'll be tall enough for all of them next time dude. Massssssssiiive thank you Gary and Kelly for the trip it was fantastic! I have to say it but SUCKERS for the timeshare/holiday thing. Although it did sound like a good deal. They were all prepped with a back story and escape plan but they still got sucked in haha.
A quick checklist of an incredable week with the Nickless'
- Went to a game of 'footie' league (Dragons vs Egales)
- learned some very R18 chants and player slurs. We were not standing in the PG area....
Became a much bigger fan of the Dragons because of it. Almost poetic some if it... almost.
- Swam with dolphins - for reals, just saying
- Took Sala on her first roller coaster
- Went +4 Gs and -1 G on the superman ride ..... holy crap.... just the once was enough.
- Build a sand castle in the 'golden sand' of the gold coast
- patted a sting ray
- rocked a spongebob hat - got out classed by Kelly wearing it
- Rode kids rides in style - enjoyed them. glad there were kids around to justify me going on them
- Had a shoot out with Jay and Nelson on the streets of Gothem - i recon i won but they insit they did
- Demoed and drenched the other people in pirate ships with Gary. They did not go home even
remotely dry.
- Translated some female language for Gary. "Get a Bazinga T-shirt for Kelly"
- Saw some great shows! Extreme jet ski's, dolphins, stunt car racing and batman being 'batman'
Ridiculously spontaneous (maybe not again Kelly?? haha) Brilliant week and awesome to do it with family! Thanks so much!
Loved hanging out with the kids and was super impressed by Salas guts for the bigger rides! you'll be tall enough for all of them next time dude. Massssssssiiive thank you Gary and Kelly for the trip it was fantastic! I have to say it but SUCKERS for the timeshare/holiday thing. Although it did sound like a good deal. They were all prepped with a back story and escape plan but they still got sucked in haha.
A quick checklist of an incredable week with the Nickless'
- Went to a game of 'footie' league (Dragons vs Egales)
- learned some very R18 chants and player slurs. We were not standing in the PG area....
Became a much bigger fan of the Dragons because of it. Almost poetic some if it... almost.
- Swam with dolphins - for reals, just saying
- Took Sala on her first roller coaster
- Went +4 Gs and -1 G on the superman ride ..... holy crap.... just the once was enough.
- Build a sand castle in the 'golden sand' of the gold coast
- patted a sting ray
- rocked a spongebob hat - got out classed by Kelly wearing it
- Rode kids rides in style - enjoyed them. glad there were kids around to justify me going on them
- Had a shoot out with Jay and Nelson on the streets of Gothem - i recon i won but they insit they did
- Demoed and drenched the other people in pirate ships with Gary. They did not go home even
remotely dry.
- Translated some female language for Gary. "Get a Bazinga T-shirt for Kelly"
- Saw some great shows! Extreme jet ski's, dolphins, stunt car racing and batman being 'batman'
Ridiculously spontaneous (maybe not again Kelly?? haha) Brilliant week and awesome to do it with family! Thanks so much!
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