We Are Very Sad...

CARMEN: We went to Kinabalu National Park on Boxing Day. There was one or two landslides I think. After driving round the National Park, we went for lunch at Kinabalu Rose Cabin, not far away. It was drizzling a bit most of the day but we enjoyed the trip.

TESSY: But when we came back..., when we came back..., in the late evening, and switched on the TV...

CARMEN: I dunno what to say. Dad said that the earthquake in an island in Indonesia caused a huge wave that killed many many people.

TESSY: Its called Tsunami, Car.

CARMEN: We did not even feel anything here?

TESSY: Yeah...

CARMEN: I had nightmare and I don't know why God made this happened. Do you Tess?

TESSY: Dad said God always have a good reason for..., for..., anything we said is bad.

CARMEN: Huh? I don't understand. Nevermind.

TESSY: We are just sadddddd, for the children especially :(

CARMEN: Dad said go to this link to see how we can help or make donation.

Sandakan Vacation: Day 3

Tuesday, 21 December 2004

CARMEN: Not much on day 3. Didn't do much except at the hotel.

TESSY: We ate breakfast..., we ate breakfast..., at the hotel's restaurant, Plantation Cafe. It was good.

CARMEN: Yeah. But we didn't do anything more. We really wanted to go swimming again, but dad said NO!

TESSY: Cause we have to go to the airport by midday Car.

CARMEN: We suppose to go to Sukau, stay on a river lodge and go for a river cruise to watch the long nose monkeys...

TESSY: Its call the Proboscis Monkey, Car.

CARMEN: Whatever! And we also suppose to go to Selingan island to watch the turtles giving birth and baby turtles hatching from their eggs. But dad said he is still not too fit yet.

TESSY: The weather was not too good too Car. Dad said..., dad said..., better to go during the dry season. In the middle of the year, I think?

CARMEN: Oh...,maybe next time. And that's where the story ends, I guess? Hmmm..., let me think... Nope. Tessy cried on the plane because she didn't get a window seat. Poor baby. Ha..., ha..., ha...

TESSY: Don't laugh at me Carmen, or else I will cry again and you will..., you will..., look at my sad face.

CARMEN: Just kidding Tess. But dad bought you a pack of Kit Kat at the airport to cheer you up?

TESSY: uummm, I like Kit Kat chocolate.

CARMEN: That's all folks. The End of our Sandakan vacation. We really had fun, especially at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, and all the delicious food for Tessy. I hope you've enjoyed reading this, and if you haven't been to Sandakan yet, you should you know. But not for shopping though. Just enjoy the greens, forest, orangutans, and wildlife... Hoepfully, dad can post the photos of our vacation here soon, but don't bet on it. He is always very busy.

TESSY: Enough Carmen. The End!

Sandakan Vacation: Day 2

Monday, 20 December 2004

CARMEN: Today, we went to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in the morning. It was raining but at least we got to see 6 or7 orangutans coming out during the feeding time.

TESSY: At first..., at first..., it was..., it was..., boring. Waiting and waiting and waiting. In the rain.

CARMEN: And we forgot to bring our raincoat. Luckily, John, the tour guide, borrowed us some umbrellas. But it feels like a real adventure, right Tess?

TESSY: Yeeaaaah, Carmen. The orangutans were very funny, and dad said, they are..., they are..., our closest cousin.

CARMEN: As if...?

TESSY: Car, according to Stanley's "Great Big Book of Everything", they got..., they got..., 96 percent DNA same as human beings?

CARMEN: I like when the orangutan pee and pooh while hanging on the robes. That was funny I think.

TESSY: Then, we..., we..., went to watch a video about the orangutans and the Sepilok Reha..., Reha..., tion centre? Hmmm, I don't know. Its just too hard to say.

CARMEN: It's Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Got it Tess?

TESSY: Thanks Car. Then..., then..., we went for lunch. Yipeee.

CARMEN: Eat, eat, eat again Tess?

TESSY: Never mind.

CARMEN: We ate our lunch at a beautiful restaurant up on a hill call English Tea House Restaurant. I like the place. So cool and...

TESSY: It was hot, Car.

CARMEN: I mean cool, as in cool, ok?

TESSY: Oh I see. We played the Croquet game I think? A bit..., a bit..., like golf?

CARMEN: And the lawn was so pretty. Dad said the theme of the restaurant is an English style during the colonial time, whatever that is.

TESSY: And..., and..., we saw a Thomas Edison's gramophone, and..., and..., an old telephone of last time.

CARMEN: Yeah, and then, we went to visit the Agnes Keith Newton House Museum, just a short walk from the English Tea House.

TESSY: Did you know that..., that..., Agnes Keith wrote the book "Land Below The Wind" last time? That is..., that is..., how Sabah, our home, got its nickname.

CARMEN: And its the name of our blog too... Cool eh? And the real house was actually destroyed long time ago during the war I think, but was rebuilt according to the same structure.

TESSY: It is a haunted house you know.

CARMEN: Yeah, and mom told us that the master bed room is where Agnes Keith and her family saw a ghost. A lady wearing a white dress with blood stain. Dad actually took a photo of us in that room. He was not suppose to take pictures but he did not read the sign I think. Luckily, the photo came out alright..., without the ghost standing next to Tessy. Ha..., ha..., ha...

TESSY: Carmennnnnn.

CARMEN: Just kidding Tess. After that, we went to a city tour of Sandakan. Not much there. Went to a shopping complex call Wisma Sandakan I think, and not much things to buy there, but it is better than Centrepoint mall. And we also went to the Water Village and saw the island across the sea where Agnes Keith was, in prison, by the Japanese. John, our guide told us that.

TESSY: It is called Pulau Berhala Car. It is..., it is..., a prisoners camp.

CARMEN: Then, we also went up a very steep and winding road all the way to a Chinese Temple. John told us that that road was the first road built in Sandakan long long time ago, before our grandparents were even born. I think the road is Jalan Tanah Merah or something? John said the area below Jalan Tanah Merah is Bandar Leila I think, the first Sandakan town. But we were getting really tired and didn't enjoy it too much. We just can't wait to get back to the hotel for more swimming.

TESSY: Yeah, and that was..., that was..., where we went once we went back to the hotel.

CARMEN: And I finally did the slide down to the swimming pool, right Tess?

TESSY: Very good Car. And someone in the recreation centre, told you..., told you..., you can be..., can be..., Miss Malaysia when you grow up?

CARMEN: Tessy, I know already that you want to tell everyone about the lady who told me I am going to be Miss Malaysia someday. And I want to join the Miss Malaysia contest when I grow up I think?

TESSY: Then dinner..., dinner...

CARMEN: Tessy. So excited about dinner, huh?

TESSY: That's correct, Car. We went..., we went..., to..., to..., Sandakan Garden Restaurant, up on a hilltop. We ate..., we ate..., a Steamboat meal.

CARMEN: I didn't see any boat there, Tess.

TESSY: Steamboat, Carmen. A meal where you throw in all the food..., all the food..., into a steam pot yourself to cook it?

CARMEN: I know Tessy. Just kidding...

TESSY: It is a good place to eat as we can see Sandakan town down there.

CARMEN: Then, back to our hotel to sleep, while mom read "Land Below The Wind". She bought it at the English Tea House.

TESSY: Dad told me that the price of the book is cheaper..., is cheaper there than in..., in..., Sandakan town.

CARMEN: That's it for Day 2.

Sandakan Vacation: Day 1

Sunday, 19 December 2004

CARMEN: Today, we went to Sandakan by air. We were so excited cause it was our first time to go on an aeroplane. Can you believe that? It takes about 40 mins to reach Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu and it was a thrill for me and Tessy to fly in a 737 Boeing as we both got to sit by the window seats. It was real fun, you know.

TESSY: I sat with dad, and mom with Carmen.

CARMEN: Enough of the airplane Tess. Ok, where are we? Oh, when we get to Sandakan airport, dad's friend I think, came to pick us up and sent us to Sabah Hotel or known as Renaissance Sandakan Hotel last time. Dad said it is the most expensive and best hotel in Sandakan.

TESSY: Car..., I don't think so. I think..., I think..., Rasa Ria is much better.

CARMEN: Tess..., for Sandakan, it is the best ok? At least it has a bathtub, not like Mimpian Jadi.

TESSY: Hmmm, alrite...

CARMEN: We have a grand time at the hotel, at the swimming pool with the slides and everything. Not bad really, but their outdoor jacuzzi pool was out of order.

TESSY: Later, we went to Sandakan town for shopping...

CARMEN: Sandakan don't have any shopping mall like in Kota Kinabalu. I mean, I can't live here. Without shopping complexes and malls? It will be too boring. I live for shopping. Oh, they also have a Centrepoint, but their 'Centrepoint' is just a small itsy bitsy mini mall.

TESSY: At night..., at night..., we went to eat at a seafood restaurant called Ocean King, not far from our..., from our..., hotel. The taxi driver told us.., the taxi driver told us..., that the restaurant is very popular and..., and..., the food is delicious. But, Car and I were too sleepy. We couldn't keep our eyes open.

CARMEN: We were too tired from the afternoon swim at the hotel's pool.

TESSY: Yeeaaaa, Car..., that was fun. I like the slider down to the pool. And..., and..., you were..., were..., scared?

CARMEN: Whatever! Tessy, please don't embarass me.

TESSY: Hmmm Car. Ok.

CARMEN: The End for Day 1 at Sandakan.

Tambunan Rafflesia Centre

CARMEN: The Rafflesia Centre at Tambunan is a cool place to visit you know. Tambunan is more than 1 hour drive from Kota Kinabalu city I think?

TESSY: Carmen, I think it is longer than that as we..., we..., always drive slowly to..., to..., enjoy the cool breeze along the way.

CARMEN: Ya, like at the TreeTops. I dunno the name of the place but I think it is halfway between KK and the Tambunan Rafflesia Centre, and there is a restaurant there and opposite the restaurant, there are some treetops accommodation where you can stay overnight. That is why I call the place TreeTops.

TESSY: We hope to find photos about..., about..., this place another..., another..., time, but for..., for..., now, we would like to..., to..., tell you about the Rafflesia Centre.

CARMEN: The Centre is at the Tambunan Rafflesia Rainforest Reserve where you can find the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia of course. But the Rafflesia doesn't bloom everytime and you got to be real lucky to catch a glimpse of it. And the flower will die in a few days.

TESSY: And you have to walk very far into the..., the..., rainforest sometimes. We never got to see..., see..., the Rafflesia as it was just too far away. The guide at the Centre also..., also..., did not want to..., to..., bring us as he just came back with..., with..., another visitors. But dad said the Rafflesia is..., is..., really smelly Car.

CARMEN: Grose. Yukiee smell and lots of flies too. I saw that on a video once at Kinabalu National Park. But the trees there are real huge and there are lots of colourful butterflies.

TESSY: And bees too, Car...

CARMEN: Ya..., but dad said if we don't disturb them, they won't disturb you.

TESSY: We love the Centre as the air is so..., so..., fresh and very..., very..., cooling.

CARMEN: But you should ask the guide there or call the centre earlier whether there is any bloom. If none, tough luck. Try again another time.

TESSY: Car..., they can always..., always..., take a look at the..., the..., fake Rafflesia inside the..., the..., Information Centre.

CARMEN: You mean the replica Tess?

TESSY: Yes Carmen. It is very big and..., and..., it is not..., not..., smelly, right?

CARMEN: Ya Tessy. Wanna go back there again one day?

TESSY: Yes, I will go back there again when..., when..., daddy is..., is..., 100% well.

The Rafflesia Information Centre and entrance to the Tambunan Rafflesia Rainforest Reserves	Trekking to the place where the Rafflesia blooms through rather dense rainforests at the Reserves