Our alarm clocks were set at 730am. A few of us went to BED the night before till around midnight. The good thing about BED was that it was a 5 minute walk from our apartment! So close. Can come back any time we want to.
So, after a lousy breakfast, and tapaued KFC, we went to Jesselton Point. We went to the tour office (cant think of a better name to call that place). Basically you just walk in, and as soon as you walk in, they (tour operators) literally shout at you to come to their stall.
All trying to vie for customers. It was absolute madness inside. Siao one. Very uncivilized, and we customers just blindly go for one of the tour operators behind the counter. The guys chose a dark skinned guy. There were 8 of us in total, so it was much easier to haggle for a price.
Yes, be sure to negotiate. I knew that I wanted parasailing. The rest, I would decide later. I read up online that it costs about RM 180 for two persons.
Six of us decided to go for parasailing, so we managed to come up with RM 140 for two persons. Cheaper at least. Same case for the banana boat (but I don't remember how much it is). You also have to pay taxes, and other stuff including the motor boat ride, and snorkel gear. I don't remember how much -_- Sorry. Cs still has the ticket and receipt though, if any one is interested. Heh heh.
Got our stuff and went on the boat. It was about 11am by that time. Bright and sunny. Nice day out at sea/the beach..
It was about 20 mins ride to Pulau Sapi. Spot the bag of KFC in cs' hands. Haha.
On the boat, It felt surreal! I'm finally on holiday! Not in the office. Such a great feeling. I'm out at sea. Ready to have fun! It feels like such a high. We were all smiling widely and busy taking photos..
This feeling lasted some 5 mins..The next 15 minutes, I was trying not to feel dizzy or listen to ah boon talking about sharks -_-||| What the hell, I don't know who he was trying to scare. Or maybe it was just bravado wtf.
Before you knew it, the boat was slowing down, and we arrived...
Crystal clear waters! Felt like jumping in right then and there.
It was so hot though - not that it stopped us from doing anything. Just applied sun block non stop - and you come back in almost the same shade of skin - like me.
We were on the island from about 11 am to 4pm. I re-applied sun block about 3 times. So yea, no surprise that the guys got sun burnt whereas, I (rockstar) came back in the same shade of skin! Nye he he he he *evil grins.
Back to topic.
We chose to go to Pulau Sapi on a Thursday, hoping to avoid the crowd. It was crowded still - but manageable. Not too crowded.. Should be worse during the weekends. Most people there were tourists. Yea, I could tell by their accents - Koreans galore. Plus lots of hot babes in bikinis (ang mo).
Everyone looks so bulky. Wearing our life jackets (its a must on the boat) and carrying our bags, food (KFC and snacks cos food on the island expensive so we kiasu), and our snorkeling gear.
So we went on the island to change into our swimsuits (we girls) and find a somewhat safe/inconspicuous spot to leave our bags.
Safe/inconspicuous spot = none. There are no lockers (sucks). The island is quite small. Plenty of benches for us to use (mostly occupied by 1130am). Those people arrived so early. Most of the tables and chairs are already occupied (most of them are for the use of people who buy the buffet only).
Cs said on their previous trip to Manukan Island, they paid about RM 95 for the buffet but it sucked. Yea freakingg pricey. So we did the right thing by bringing lots of food to the island this time..
So we shared a table with some other people. More like, we shoved their stuff aside to make space for all our stuff. Sorry man. But how ler? Bury our stuff in the sands ar?
They really should introduce lockers. To be on the safe side, we brought our wallets, and camera on the boat with us.
Yea, on the boat cos we be going out to sea again! Motor boat brought us to the island to get changed, then go back to the boat to go parasailing!
Cs and I were the first to go on. The guy helps us get fitted with the harness. It feels like being wrapped in a huge (and wet) diaper.
We are driven out to sea, then they let out the parachute. Or balloon whatever.
Just sit on the floor and the guy clicks you in place and advices you to bend your knee when they dip you into the water.
Oh yea. You tell the guy driving the boat whether you want to get wet or not. Of course getting totally wet is more fun. Get splashed!
And off you go into the air..
We went up quite quickly. The lighter you weigh, the higher you go. If you're heavier, then you don't fly as high.
Its not scary at all - unless maybe if you're afraid of heights
After a few minutes when you're done admiring the scenery, if you're wu liaw people like cs and I, you get to talking about the litter in the sea. How it is dirtier further out to sea, but cleaner closer to the island etc.
Its fun when they dip you into the water though. Nice to get wet after being baked in the sun. Must be noon around then. No lar. Actually, it wasn't hot at all. We were in the shade of that big balloon what.
After 15 mins: wet as a duck.
Next is Ryu and Nicholas' turn to get harnessed
Remember what I said about how the heavier you are, the lower you fly. *coughRyu*coughNicholas*
Haha kidding kidding. I didn't say this. I am quoting the guy driving the motor boat.
Alvin and wee lee get soaked after them..
Initially, at the tour operators, we bought tickets for 6 of us for parasailing only. But ah tee and boon saw how much fun we were all having, and wanted to play too.
So Alvin the businessman strikes a deal with the guy driving the motor boat. Li hai. Remember I said we paid RM 140?
Alvin talked his way into paying RM 100 for 2 persons!!! Li hai! Actually, the guy wanted RM 110. He only relented cos ah boon said that he had played parasailing before at Thailand.
To which the motor boat guy said: Thailand? Tidak bagus! Sini bagus. (In English, it means Thailand no good. Here good).
Apparently, he used to work there but quit and came here. Maybe cos Thai Bath is less than Malaysian Ringgit. Hmm..
We also learned that he took his license (for parasailing) at Australia. They had to take a course and earned a cert before operating this boat. Learned about operating a boat during different weather conditions etc. Cool. Sounds pro to me.
So ah tee and ah boon paid RM 50 each. Lucky buggers. I wouldn't be surprised if Alvin hit it big one day the way he haggles. Better than my grandma wtff. Haha.
Moving on.
Lucky that cs and I were the first to go on, because I got seasick in the end.
From this...
to this:
It sucks big time. My head was spinning non stop. I tried staring at the scenery. I couldn't talk anymore. I tried shutting my eyes and concentrating on breathing in and out. I kept burping but only air came out. Nothing to throw up. Maybe cos I hardly ate anything for breakfast. Lousy mee.
Wee lee was sea sick too. The motor boat guy handed out gum to both of us saying it would help. No it didn't.
While the guys were having fun, WL and I were staring at each other. She turned white. So pale. Then green. Then she threw up. Yea. For real. I tuned her out after that. Tried not to listen to the sounds of vomit - pretty sure that would make me worse.
We were on the boat for an hour plus, close to two hours. It just got worse the longer we stayed on the boat.
But let's not dwell on that.
Next was banana boat. Its the yellow kayak look alike on top.
Its a 5 seater kayak look alike. Nothing to hold on. The purpose was to get dragged behind the motor boat, and then eventually fall off. Then climb up. Repeat action.
Wee lee and I were both too seasick by then to join in. We paid for this too but didn't get to play. Good thing too cos it doesn't look so easy. The guys were full of stories about who bumped into who.
Cs' lip was bleeding, and so was another guy's foot. Cs' chest hurts and Nicholas (I think) was complaining of pain in his sides.
About cs' chest, apparently he flew off the banana boat and landed very hard-smack on the water - so the impact was what hurt him. He couldn't sneeze or cough for a week (no exaggeration. serious). It was so bad that he went to the doctor a week later in Kuching -_- We were quite worried by now- what the hell could have happened?
Doctor was very nonchalant - said probably a bone broke - but these things are self healing. Nothing we can do. So don't worry. Prescribed some painkillers and that's that. I'm happy to report that he is almost back to normal now though. Phew. Thank God!
So yea. Water sports - a bit risky.
The guys seemed to have fun though. Shouting and laughing gleefully.
But because it was so deep, it was quite hard to climb back onto the banana boat. Have to have strong arms. (They said).
They fell off twice and climbed back up twice. Duh
I like this photo. They look like illegal immigrants. Haha.
Some of the guys went on twice. So ah boon and ah tee are wet here but Alvin is still dry..
Got back to the island after that. WL and I were only too happy to be off. Finally. We were still dizzy though and I was afraid that it would spoil my day.
Tried putting my head between my knees. Didn't work.
Only felt better after cs helped me massage my head. *_* Yes I'm a lucky girl. Not only does he massage my head and shoulders, he is actually good at it. Thanks baby. Seriously though, I felt better after that.
Started talking again after I got some nuggets into me. I share something disgusting with you guys ok.
Cs was enjoying his fried chicken, happily munching away when he unearthed a whole bunch of flies eggs under the fried chicken skin. Yuck!! I shall refrain from showing the photos here. It is so gilik!
In our haste to go parasailing, we didn't tie up our KFC plastic bags properly. Kinda lost appetite after that.
Said KFC. By then, most of us had err finished eating before cs found those eggss. So..we didn't throw away much stuff.
While waiting for the sun to set (not literally), we went around taking photos. It was too hot to snorkel still!
I didn't wear a bikini this time cos didn't want to accidentally flash myself while playing water sports..Should not have worried. Life jacket made it impossible for anyone to see anything. The guy himself buckled up my life jacket so tight it made breathing difficult.
This is now my wallpaper..so nice. Back then on the island, I didn't feel that it was that fun or that relaxing etc. But now, looking back and reminiscing, fucking hell I miss those days! I wanna go back!
Applying sun block almost religiously. Siao one.
WL took much longer to recover from her sea sick. So she didn't snorkel or walk around even. Just slept..poor thing.
Cs and I went snorkeling around 2pm. There weren't much fishes (only small fishes) around even and the water was so cloudy - like too much people's pee or something. Maybe it was lousy timing or what I dunno.
But when the guys went to snorkel about 3pm- they saw lots of fishes and they said the water was crystal clear T_T
Nooo....Why?? My first snorkeling experience was off by one hour??
By 3pm, I had already showered and changed. Dammit!
There! Ahh never mind. By then, the freak in me was terrified that I would be burnt. Two shades darker whatever. Didn't care about them fishes anymore.
The shower facilities i.e. toilet at Pulau Sapi sucked. Sucks big time. It stinks and it is always crowded. Typical women bathroom story. Women toilet are always crowded while the men are always empty. Why ar?
Women have smaller bladders? Women take longer to change or count how many hair they have wtf! Haha!
Anyway. Toilet facilites! They don't have proper toilets i.e. toilet bowls. They have stalls for you to shower. Thats it! So if you want to pee, please go to the sea. Yea and make it hard for other people to snorkel.
The island is quite small, I wouldn't want to go back again. Its a once in a life time experience. I mean it in a good and bad way okay. I am more to the pampered traveler type. Next time, can we please go to a proper toilet-resort like island to play? Haha.
That said, I did have fun still though. I think it was being with a bunch of friends, good company= great holiday!
The boat came to fetch us at 4pm. So that's it.
Wait no. That's not it. I have something more to add on. We asked the boat to come at 3pm. But we were late. They left. And came back to fetch us at 4pm.
The boat that came back to fetch us at 4pm was the guy who took us parasailing. If you remember correctly, the guy who took us parasailing too RM 100 for his own use. No tour operator to take the money from him. Illegal so to speak.
He came back totally different. Complete 180 from this afternoon. Before this, he was a professional. In the evening, he sounded drunk. He was talking very loudly, and singing loudly, and just very happy overall. All the side effects of alcohol.
Yes, we suspect he bought alcohol with that RM 100. Lol. It was quite obvious. He was totally different. Just weird.
OK. That's it for now.
Night. Bye~
