2 days more towards 2021. Cringe …
Even with C19, time passed by without slowing down.
2020 is almost gone while 2021 is just around the corner. Gone were all my unaccomplished plan for year 2020. “But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.” [8:30]
So, how my 2021 would look like? Continue cringing … I guess 2021 would be as bleak as 2020.
Staying positive is hard but that is the challenge.
To stay motivated in 2021.
Cheers
MM
It has been a while since my last post. I am enjoying every second of my “stay at home” moments due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “I need my long rest from the outside world,” as I tried to convince myself to accept the fact that the C19 would be around for the next few years. And, I would be trapped here at home.
Call me paranoid, but I do not want to take my chance caught messing with the C19.
I am an introvert anyway. Home is always my heaven. “Changing your perspective changes your experience.” Stuck at home is not the end of the world, right?
Then, I started writing again.
I re-worded and re-organised the articles that I wrote for NST, all 36 of it on the subject of photography tips. Compiled it into an e-book and decided to sell it to generate some income during this hard economic time. “This is better than just sitting and complaining about my loss of income,” I told my BFF.
Yeap … 36 articles over the past three years. An achievement from someone who started from zero. A boast to my confidence.
Some sneak peeks from my Basic Photography Tips e-book. I made it simple, straightforward and presentable so that you won’t get bored while reading the 75 pages of the book.
If you feel that the articles could add value to your photography passion as it did to mine, support me by clicking the orange button above and buy my book there.
Extra careful y’alls when you are at the outside. Follow the SOP … 1 meter apart, mask on, sanitise your hands. Stay safe and stay cool under the mask!
Cheers!
MM
Fallen sick during the Covid-19 lockdown (MCO) was not an easy experience at all.
You’ll be treated as guilty with the virus until proven innocent. Especially when the symptoms relate to anything with sore throat or flu, regardless of whatever explanation that you have.
On 15.04.2020, I was unlucky as I developed an allergy reaction to “something” that I could not figure out at that time. The symptom was a sore throat. It started as a slight irritation in my throat for a few days but turned into a sore throat.
Since a sore throat was one of the SIN signs of Covid-19 infection, I was scared that I could be wrongly diagnosed if I seek help so I left it untreated. It went bad to worst.
When I tried to seek preliminary treatment from the nearby clinic, the doctor chased me away like I was a filthy dirty human infected with the virus without even bother to help. One of the nurses suggested that I get treated at the nearby private hospital instead. My throat was badly swollen to the point that I could not drink or eat at all for 2 whole days.
I am glad that I have a good health insurance. So, I have the luxury to check-in to the nearest private hospital. I seldom fall sick, alhamdullilah and a random visit to a clinic or a hospital is a rare occasion for me. Being admitted to a hospital as a suspected Covid-19 patient first rather than as an allergy patient was painfully difficult.
When the Covid-19 test came out negative then things started to get easier for my allergy to be treated. I was admitted for 6 days and treated for severe allergy due to late aka delayed treatment. Allergy to what?
The culprit is … Virgin Coconut Oil or VCO. Yes, the doctor was puzzled too.
I ‘think’ I had an allergic reaction to VCO. I took 2 tablespoons of the oil at night every alternate day for 2 weeks before the incident. And each time I took the VCO oil, it would irritate my throat for a few hours. My doctor asked me why I didn’t stop consuming the oil as soon as I felt the irritation. My answer was “I thought that the VCO is harmless, who have ever thought that the oil that has been well used for generation can create such havoc to one”.
Strange but true. I actually googled on any allergy incident after consuming raw VCO and yes, there were a few cases where people complained about throat irritation after consuming the oil.
Falling sick during lockdown (MCO) was a self-realization experience for me. I am not trying to create a “drama sangat” moment out of the incident, ok. But it is interesting to see things that randomly happened in your life from a different perspective.
“Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn’t matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough.”
Richard Feynman
Due to the MCO (movement control order), cross-state border or interstate travel was restricted. During emergency case like mine, your loved ones could not reach you on time. And being physically isolated from my family, my loved one and the people that honestly cared about me during my most fragile time makes me rethink of how lonely life could be.
For an introvert like me, I don’t see isolation as a problem but being left alone when you are terribly ill to the point that one couldn’t tend to oneself is sad.
In the end family matters the most.
I do not own many friends as I don’t easily open up to people. But among those little friend groups that I have, I am blessed with some that helped me out during my sick days. Thank you and alhamdullilah. Jazzakhallah khairaa. May Allah (SWT) return your kindness.
There is always one spoilt apple in a barrel.
The one so-called best-friend-ever that showing your true color. All the sweet words and the sweet thoughts vanished through the thin air as I passed through my fragile moment. The thought that this gutsy girl has a Covid-19 symptom therefore she has the virus (because she wanders around a lot) overrule your humanity judgment.
Yep … that BFF abandoned me when I needed help to seek treatment for my near-fatal moment. Completely “krik krik krik” moment from your side. The virus scared the “toot” out of you, you damn scared that you would lose out when you helped me. It struck me that I had made a wrong friend choice.
I forgive you … my little friend. But hear this, that train has left the station. You have shown your true color. And your true color does not match my brilliant color. I shine. Ahhhh finally I managed to let out all the words that stuck in my chest to the open –live and learn!
Cheers
MM
On our way out of Polumpung Melangkap in Kota Belud … we, the 3 traveling Sumandaks make a quick stop at a small town of Tamparuli to visit my local Tuaran Dusun friend, Lano Lan. A well-known local journalist cum photographer who writes for our local newspaper, NST for years.
I need to check out some interesting places in Tuaran for my next visit. And, who else should have known this place better other than the local journalists, right? So … I asked him, “Lan! we have 4 hours, please enlight us on why we should spend more time here in Tuaran”.
He laughed at the idea of how he could ‘excite’ us, the Sumandaks.
We started with a walk on the most well-known hanging bridge in Tamparuli. This bridge is made famous by the song ‘Jambatan Tamparulli’ means the Tamparulli bridge. I used to listen to the song during my school day years. “Jambatan Tamparuli” is the title of a Kadazandusun song composed and sung by Justin Lusah in the mid-1970s.
The song tells the story about a lady walking in high heels on the Tamparulli bridge.
As we strolled down the bridge, coincidently there was a street musician singing with his guitar at the other entrance of the bridge. I requested him to sing the well-known song “Jambatan Tamparulli” for us … he obliges. And listening to him singing ahhh! what a way to enjoy my “Jambatan Tamparulli” moment.
If you happened to bump into him while crossing the bridge, don’t forget to give him a good tip ya.
“Jom! let us have a quick lunch at this place that I really like,” suggest Lano Lan. Mee Rebus a local boiled noodle at Terminal Cafe in Kiulu village, super delicious for the hungry Sumandaks who had only a cup of ‘Maggi in a cup’ each for breakfast 😂 , yummy!. The best part of having a good local guide is that we could plan our limited traveling time in the most efficient way.
Done with our lunch.
Next, a short drive to the famous fish feeding, campsite, fish conservation area (Tagal) of Kampung Poturidong Baru in Kiulu. Crossing another hanging bridge to enter the riverside fish conservation area of Poturidong village. Another fish feeding area, so I thought?
My first impression?
Clean. Crystal clear river water. Well-maintained recreation area. Beautiful green spot suit for nature lovers.
And the fish omg! y’all should look at the size of the fish crowding around our feet as we splashed the water surface with some fish food in our hands. As big as my thin crus. And, there are hundreds of friendly Kelah fish here making loud sucking sounds as they sucked on my hand and my fingers. Amazingly gross … lol. I like it though.
This area is in the red zone area, a conservation area gazetted as a no-fishing area. A good place for camping too but I personally prefer sleeping on a bed, I’ll stay in a chalet instead.
Residents of Poturidong village has been practicing a traditional approach called Tagal system for years to breed fish and to protect their precious natural asset, both the river and the fishes. Fishing is illegal here. The fishes are harvested once a year during the dry season.
My mom said that Kelah or Empurau or Belian dish is famously tasty. I have yet to taste it but I am sure that Nazz must have loved the fish so much as I heard her calling the Kelah fish by a dish name 😂 … “Hey! Kelah goreng (fried Kelah) over there, masak tempoyak Kelah over here, asam pedas Kelah on this side”.
The long and winding Tuaran river that runs throughout this area is well-known for wild water rafting activities too. I should give it a try. As we drive along the river I couldn’t help but noticed numerous hanging bridges along the river, connecting one village to another. A good Instagramable-spot detected.
Thanks, Lano Lan for a quick eye-opening tour to Kiulu. We would come back again soon and stay for a night or two to experience more natural wonder of Tuaran, In Sha Allah.
Contact Lano Lan for his local guide service. DM him on his IG and Fb account or WhatsApp him at +6016 838 8290
Are there any other interesting places that I should visit here in Tuaran? Share it with me. Leave your suggestion on the comment area ya.
Sharing is caring. Semoga memberi manfaat.
Thanks and cheers
MM
PS —}: ‘Sumandak’ means young lady in ethnic Kadazan-Dusun dialect.
And we, 3 very curious Sumandaks (Nelly, Nazz and I) traveled together and explore some parts of Sabah in 12 days. Traveling solo is cool, trust me … been there done that. But traveling with curious and same-minded traveler friends is way cooler.
A special way to deepen or weaken friendships as travel will remind you why you became friends with them in the first place, and how good it is to spend focused time together. I would share about places that we went to during our 12 days journey in Sabah and share them here, in my blog. In Sha Allah.
I was looking for a good sunrise and sunset spot when I was in Tawau just recently.
My friend, Zell suggested that I should check out some beaches at Kampung Batu Payung for sunrise. The village resides along the coastline of Jalan Tinagat road. The only place in Tawau that has sandy beaches. This place brings back sweet memories, when I was young my father used to bring me and my brothers here for our weekend gateway.
So, we went driving along the coastline when I spotted a jetty on one of the beaches. A burger stall sits strategically next to some well-decorated benches. I saw several hammocks tied to some trees around a shade. Seeing the burger stall, our children screamed that they are hungry (just after our ‘big’ lunch, 2 hours ago lol). We then decided to check out this place.
USBA Jetty at Kampung Batu Payung is owned by a 71 years old man, Uncle Sabturani bin Angsa. USBA stands for Usaha Sabturani Bin Angsa. Usaha means effort, so USBA stands for the effort of Sabturani bin Angsa taken care of this place.
Uncle Sabturani came to greet us at the bench while I was busy with my cameras, attempting to capture the sunset. My children were dangerously goofing around in one of the hammocks and he was worried that the hammock might snatch and hurt them. Well, children usually would listen to a stranger than to their parents, right?
This is the only place along the Tinagat road that has an Instagram-worthy spot. Except for the warning sign “Tinggalkan tempat ini jika bukan suami isteri atau muhrim” which are written at every corner of this place, this place is soothing. The warning sign says, lovebirds or unmarried couples are not welcome here and please leave this place as soon as possible. So, if you are unmarried lovebirds, you are not welcome here. Please respect that.
This place is for family hangout and for anglers, oh yeah … and for a photographer like me, lol. He provides hammocks, small surau (prayer place), light for the night anglers. And, if you are hungry … just order your Ramlee burger from the nearby burger stall.
Since this place is a private place, I think it would be good if we can donate some tips for his effort in maintaining the area. The donation box is just next to the surau.
Across the road is Uncle Sabturani’s home where he converts it into a little cozy personal museum, displaying his collection of antiques. He called his little museum as Rumah Khazanah USBA. Old telephones, lights from the previous old lighthouse, his records collection and his well-maintained record player etc.
Ahh … he was a videographer for events and weddings during his younger life, so he showcases all his old video making equipment at one corner. And, he has a storytelling corner too where he displayed old pictures of places in Tawau. A passionate storyteller, it shows when he eagerly narrates the early story about Tawau and Sabah to our children.
“Melopong mulut” our children listening to his story.
My little daughter Arissa loves his museum so much. When I asked her why she likes this place? She said because she could touch and test the things there (direct interactive), most museums do not allow us to touch the items on display. And, the children are happy that they were allowed to leave their message on his logbook. Easy entertainment for the children.
There is a donation box located outside his museum, I strongly encourage visitors to drop some donations for him as a token of appreciation for his effort.
As I said earlier, the jetty has an Instagram-worthy view but the condition of the beach here is another story. We as Malaysians generally are still not doing much about our rubbish, particularly our plastic issues. The beaches along Tinagat road are filthy with all kinds of trashes. So, if you plan to walk along a clean romantic beach here you might as well forget about it.
Of all the things that being said, if you happened to pass by this area, I still think that the USBA jetty and Uncle Sabturani are worth a visit.
Time well spent here in Tawau. Sharing with you timelapse landscape videos of a few places that I went during my stay in Sabah. Stay curious and keep on exploring your surroundings.
Cheers
MM
