Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, or I'm glad we have a 4x4

325 km - 6 hours...

First hurdle on the journey was to get out of busy Kota Kinabalu. Make sure to fill up before embarking on the journey as the petrol stations are sparse... Which can only be a good thing as the next 200 km are going up and down to get beyond the majestical Mount Kinabalu; There are enough of slow vehicles to overtake without petrol tankers!

Kota Kinabalu night market

We wandered into the night market for dinner with fresh seafood in mind. Luckily it was a bit breezy as the fish smell is quite pungent on a still day (as smelled from the Le Meridien's pool, opposite the market). The market was really busy due to the extra traders for the Chinese New Year but there was enough choice in stalls to find seats.

The road trip

The day arrived when the Pajero that spent the last 3,5 months at the workshop was put to test: 4 adults and a toddler, 604 miles, 5 stops... What could possibly go wrong?!

Club Tropicana - all non-alcoholic drinks are free

The 63 Squadron's Annual Dinner had a slightly different tune to the ones I've experienced before. The welcome speech introduced the evening as an "informal and relaxed way to spend time together" - although it also apologised for bad food before even getting to the buffet part of the evening...!

It's raining, it's pouring....

Since we've lived here, no one has really been able to confirm when the rainy season is; every time we've had some rain (for more than 2 hours a day, that is) someone has announced with great authority that "this is it, this is the rainy season". I don't know about the seasons, but it sure has been rainy, and it hasn't stopped for 10 days...

Happy New Year!

6 months have gone by since we arrived to this abode of peace they call Brunei. I can't really believe it! So many things have happened - or we are still waiting to happen, and yet it feels we haven't really achieved anything.

Welcome to follow our lives as we try to get our lives sorted at the Equator and travel around Asia (hopefully). Some pics from our beach Christmas and first "proper trip" to follow.