Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Part 1)

Got off to a late start......the plane arrived late so our boarding time was also moved to 9:45am (at least it was only a 20min delay) but surprisingly we still managed to leave MCIAA at around 10:15am....something to be said for Air Asia efficiency. 

For Filipinos, especially for the Muslim residents in Mindanao, Sabah is a highly sensitive and divisive issue in the country. It was leased by the Sultanate of Sulu to the British North Borneo Company in 1878 without relinquishment of its territorial rights over the state however in later years, Malaysia has interpreted the agreement as the complete cession of rights and that the Sabahanons has exercised self-determination and prefers to be considered Malaysian when it joined in 1963. The ownership remains a subject of debate and remains unresolved to this date. Oh well……enuff said on the subject. 

I always get patriotic whenever I go out of the country....lol

Flight time is only 1 hour and 33 minutes, experienced a slight delay on arrival due to runway traffic but landed at Kota Kinabalu Airport about noon time. Did not really have time to absorb the place yet, I just sort of whizzed through it. The airport is a bit small so we cleared Immigration immediately. Changed some currencies and took a taxi for RM30.00 to my guesthouse, Borneo Global Backpackers. 

Checked in at exactly 1pm, left my luggage inside and off to the city center to look for lunch and my LP guide book. It’s becoming a ritual now for me, the first thing I do in a new place is to go search for my Lonely Planet guide…..my travel bible! Hahahaha Took a regular bus to KK center which I paid only RM0.80 for a one-way fare to Marina Court. My destination is Centrepoint Mall, not only for my LP but also to have lunch, I’m famished! 

After going up and getting lost in the number of floors, finally got to the 5^th only to be told na sa taas pa daw talaga ang bookstore……hay naku, exercise talaga! Got it for RM89.90 or less than 30usd (bargain na ba talaga ‘to?)…..so off to lunch at this mini-food court tucked in the corner of the mall. I had rice + 2 viands + coke for only RM6.80 (not bad for the price but di ako nabusog hehehe). After living once again back in the Philippines, every single shopping mall I encounter abroad seems really small in comparison! hahahaha 

I just realized it’s a long Chinese New Year holiday for everyone here. Most of the shops and offices are closed. I went into one of the tour operators at the Wisma Sabah building and they were really helpful. They gave me options on whether to join a tour group or have a “do it on my own” trip to the TAR islands……decided to just try it on my own coz the rate is a bit steep at RM175.

I walked passed the Central Market, with its lantern-strewn stalls of fresh vegetables and fruits. I have no clue though of what the dolphin statue along the junction of Jl. Tun Fuad Stephens means.....

  
Went to look for the Atkinson Clock Tower, a landmark in KK……passed by the backpackers area of Jalan Gaya…….ummmm, no way am I going to stay in one of these places…..it doesn’t look safe at all!!! My room at the BGB seems okay enough, so will stay there for the time being. 

Guesthouses along the Jl. Gaya road

Gaya Street though have another name....Australia Place....

As in feeling ko never-ending na lakaran ito……..when I saw a KFC, I immediately went to buy my dinner only to realize na halos every street corner sa KK has KFC! Hahahahha kahit sa Karamunsing, sandamakmak ang KFC.

And there I was, with my bag of KFC dinner, went to the bus stop and took the first bus…..after asking the conductor whether it passes through Karamunsing…..at mega dire-diretso talaga without stopping! As in, di pa makapagsalita ng English ang lolo mo kaya windang ang byuti at naka joy ride sa bus! Buti na lang me bisdak ako na katabi, she introduced herself and told me she will help me get on a different bus.

As much as I want to be with other Pinoys whenever I’m travelling overseas, there are times when caution is the name of the day. Really sorry to have to decline the invite to her house but I am just not comfortable enough to go to a stranger’s house even if she is a Filipino.

Thanks to Globe roaming, it really saved the day for me……after walking nonstop forever, tinawagan ko na lang ang BGB to get their directions to their place and also checked it through google map…by the time I finally located and arrived at the place, it was already past 6pm….I was going around for 2 hours!

Enough walking for the day….magFB na lang ako! Hahahaha

Shots around KK Center....