My 33 : Kota Marudu (Ep 1) - Good Memories Remained

“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose."
- Kevin Arnold

I wouldn't say that my stay too long, but I did enjoy Sabah. Even with less than 2 years a lot happened compare to my stay in Kuala Lumpur for my whole life. Sabah provides a lot of excitement, bet it either city or village, modern or traditional, concrete or jungle and many more.

In term of my practice, here I learned a lot compare to my Peninsular colleague. Here you can perform most of the surgical procedures, manage patients with limited facilities, learn without much pressure from your superior but more on the cases you see and plus, plus, plus. I do really miss Sabah, and I won't regret to be in Sabah - thanks to MOH that put me there. But I do regret I have to come back early nevertheless I do hope I can be back there as a specialist.

So here some of my memoirs about Kota Marudu, a lonely district in Kudat division - fame for Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili (the MP), corn and posisang! What? Posisang - yes a tiny smelly beetles that came-out during full-moon. They can turned white pole - to back pole.

From left : Hospital Kota Marudu or locally known as Hospital Lotong; hey - that's me!

From left : my room; with my dedicated director - Dr Zayrod, really adore his passion and hardworking. Best teacher and collegue.

My last surgical procedure - BTL. Here I learned a lot - LSCS, appendectomy, BTL, etc.

Below here are pictures with most of the staff, quite a small hospital with huge commitment. They are all my friends, teachers, mentor and everything. Miss all of you a lot!

Flag of Sabah

Mount Kinabalu - viewed from Kota Belud, I think this is the view they've taken for the flag of Sabah

My 32 : Ranau - Hot Springs & more ...

"A pictures worth than thousand words - so, do enjoy our last league of Sandakan - Kinabatangan - Lahad Datu - Ranau's 2007 trip"

PORING means bamboo in Kadazandusun's language
Fame for it's hot springs, canopy-walk, butterfly garden, waterfalls, bat cave etc.

From left : why I can't see the bottom - gayat la!; how many of us 1, 2 ... 6, 7 - hey you, step down first. no wonder I here that 'crack' sound; just be brave, it's too high to hold onto

From left : don't worry - you can still sms'es here on top of the tree; one of the canopy-walk platform.

Those who're altophobia or simply doesn't trust the cable - do not attempt this walk as no insurance covered. Who need that, try - one of your memorable things to do in Sabah.

Kipungit waterfall : Meditate while the icy-cold water flows above your head. Hehehe

Relax at the nice waterfall

From left : hot springs area; the source of the hot springs in this park

From left : waiting for the enclosed bathtub available; I can't show much on what happen inside, only 'heads' are allowed. :p

From left : shot with Viviane on her wedding's day; friends together with V and her husband - just nice, the wedding was on the day back from our Sandakan - Kinabatangan - Lahad Datu trip

My 31 : Kinabatangan (Ep 2) - Ancient

"All places are alike, and every earth is fit for burial. "
- Christopher 'Kit' Marlowe (1564 - 1593); English poet, dramatist and Translator of the Elizabethan era.

AGOP BATU TULUG
KINABATANGAN, SANDAKAN

The museum sign board - easily missed as heavily covered by trees

On the way to Lahad Datu from Sandakan, you will not missed this ancient burial site. Agop Batu Tulug or Batu Tulug cave (from Orang Sungei language) located 41 km from Kota Kinabatangan. This limestone cliff reaching 39 m high can easily seen on your left side while driving about one and half hour drive from Sandakan to Lahad Datu.

The origin of this place still unknown but popular belief it was an ancient burial site for the early Chinese settlements. Agop Batu Tulug was first explored in 1894 by an expedition team led by Mr P Brietag - the manager of tobacco estate in Kinabatangan. Further exploration and survey made by the Sabah Museum proved that this place provides valuable information regarding Sabah's past history.

From left : looking the burial site; the cave contains more than hundred carved coffins aged 200 - 250 years ago.

From left : the coffins made from 'belian' hardwood decorated with carvings of buffalo head, crocodile, house lizard and snake - resembles death and darkness power; this place are well maintain by the Sabah Museum Department that provide facilities such as staircase leading to caves, bridge, footpath, toilets and huts for resting (as above).

With Azlan on the way down from the burial site

Looking Up - And Better to Close Down Ur Mouth!

My 30 : Kinabatangan (Ep 1) - Swiftlet Nests

"God gives every birds its food, but He does not throw it into the nest."
- Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 - 1881); United States novelist and poet.

GOMANTONG CAVE
LOWER KINABATANGAN, SANDAKAN

With Hisyam infront of the cave's entrance

Kinabatangan, a district located in Sandakan division. The size of this district is bigger than the size of the state of Pahang (the largest state in Peninsular). The name of Kinabatang famous for - 1 : the second longest river in Malaysia after Rajang, the river runs 560 kilometers from its headwaters in the mountains of southwest Sabah, to its outlet at the Sulu Sea, east of Sandakan. 2 : Who would forget the outspoken Member of Parliament represented Kinabatangan - Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin with his controversial remarks in the Parliament such as "bocor", "bigfoot of Kinabatangan" and quarrel with Karpal Singh.

From left : the main office, here it stated the fees for the cave's entrance (not including special permit for Gua Sumud Putih)

Rattan ladders that used for the bird nests collection - so high and a high-risk job to do. I'm not sure whether any insurance company able to cover them!

The other will be the Gomantong cave - famous for it's swiftlet nests. The cave system consisted of 2 main caves : Gua Sumud Hitam and Gua Sumud Putih based on the colour of saliva produced to make the swiftlet nests. Gua Sumud Hitam is easily access while Sumud Putih required special permit as it located higher and quite dangerous to climb-up.

The birds' nest collection is an ancient tradition, and the trading of these nests has been done since at least 500 AD. Twice a year, from February to April and July to September, locals with licenses climb to the roof of the caves, using only rattan ladders, ropes, and bamboo poles, and collect the nests.

The caves not just home to the swiftlets but it contains million of bats and massive amount of cockroaches! Watch your feet when you walk inside the cave - you might step on them. For those who're phobia to cockroach or Katsaridaphobia- do not light the floor as you might scream to death with the amount of cockroach you can see. Trust me as I too a Katsaridaphobia.

My 29 : Sandakan (Ep 3) - Jungle Man

"The majority of husbands remind me of an orangutan trying to play the violin."

Honore de Balzac (1799 - 1850); French novelist - famous for his novel describing French society in Comedie Humaine

SEPILOK ORANGUTAN REHABILITATION CENTRE
SANDAKAN

An adult orangutan with her baby being fed by the centre's ranger

Visit to Sandakan didn't complete if you guys didn't pay a visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The centre located 25 km from the city centre - nearly 30 - 45 minutes drive. The centre was established in 1964 by the Sabah Forestry Department with the main objective to rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned baby orangutan from logging sites, plantations, and illegal hunting. Now, the centre had expanded their role not just a one-stop education centre fot orangutan but to the other endangered species in Sabah such as Sumatran Rhino. Till this blog posted - the admission fee is RM 5 for Malaysian adult.

Capturing the finest moment of orangutan with it amazing acrobatic skill


Hmm - show off ;p

DANGER - FIRE!