Malaysia Trip March 2011

Kapalai


We got a late Sunday night flight out (9 hrs) - unfortunately with no sleep, into to Kula Lumpa then hopped on another flight to Tawau. 1 hr drive through the Palm Oil plantations to Semporna Port for a 45 minute boat ride to Kapali. 


We checked in and had lunch then went to the dive centre to gear up. Our first dive was 30mins later in the man made reef of boats and house frames. The water was lovely clear and warm. 

We had a lovely dinner watching the sunset and tried to have an early night as we had to be up early for a 5.30am boat ride to dive at Sipadan.


Mikey went to sleep quickly but I kept hearing things outside so went out on to the balcony and watched at least 10 turtles swimming past the balcony light and come up for air. I went to sleep with the doors open next to the bed watching turtles swim past - Awesome!


Kapali Dive Summary
We managed to visit Sipadan on two day visits (8dives) - all of them - Amazing!


Turtles, Massive bump-head parrot fish, sharks and lots of other fish.

Turtle

We also managed to visit 6 other dive sites viewing rays, nudibranches, and lots more fish!

Nudibranch

Unfortunately thought the wet season was still hanging around, so only the 1st and last days where sunny.


We meet up with a lovely honeymooning couple from Wales and London, who are about to head to the Falkland Islands for a year.

Also some pro-divers form Springfield in Brisbane, who where enjoying a relaxing visit.
It was great to relax with them all at the end of the day, comparing notes from the dives.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Due to not being able to fly 24hours after diving, I just snorkeled around Kapali in the morning for an hour. Packed up had lunch outside in the shade for an hour and got burnt to a crisp!

Green Turtle on the sand bar

Boat, then drive back to the Tauwau then flight to Sandakan, then on to the Sandakan Nature Resort in the pouring rain! Had dinner and bed early due to early pick up the next day (only on boat transfer a day).




Lankayan


With the continuing pouring rain we got transferred to Sandakan Yacht Club, for our 1.5 hour boat ride to Lankayan Island. Unfortunately for us that was not the case this morning!


The Sulu Sea was very rough, with 3m swell, plus the rain! It was like riding a mechanical bull for 2:45 hours!


We all cheered when we got off the boat!
We were shown to our rooms, had a quick shower and changed into dry clothes.

Lankayan Island, when the weather cleared.

We had a beautiful chalet overlooking the beach with a 4 poster bed with mossie netting (I called it the princess room).

Our bed room at Lankayan

View to our chalet while snorkling

We then checked in and had a lovely lunch. We then walked out to the Jetty and sorted out our dive gear. We then had our orientation dive off the Jetty.


Lankayan Dive Summary
The resort, beach, staff and food were wonderful.
But unfortunately we didn't have very good weather, it rained most nights and morning then cleared up for the rest of the day. 

Nudibranch

Diving was a mixed experience (we believe it would have been better in nicer weather), towards the end of the week when the weather was a bit better the dives where great.


Unfortunately the current can be very strong and I got dragged on one dive (2 others as well) and had to get rescued by the boat, but I went back in on the 2nd go (the 2 German divers refused).

Spotted Ray

Lion Fish

We saw puffer fish, lobster, schools of fish, but the viability was mainly poor. The dive masters were very professional and we always had 2 on every dive.

Mikey and I snorkelled out the front of our chalet a few times and saw some Jawfish and various other fish.




We loved watching the baby black tipped sharks swimming in front of the restaurant every night.

We were also lucky enough to see 61 Hawksbill Turtle hatchings - we watched them get released on the beach and about 50ish swam off to their new life. 10 were very tired from their ordeal and took a bit longer to get going. Unfortunately we know at least one became shark breakfast - Yikes!

On the last day we hired a kayak and paddled around the Island and got to see 3 turtles (very fast swimmers).

Jawfish, found while snorkeling

View from our deck chairs

Had and early night (first night without rain) as we had to be up at 5.30 for the boat ride back to Sandakan (much better this time). Van to the Airport then fly to KL. 


Kuala Lumpur


We checked in to the marvellous Pan Pacific and the Airport. Hopped on the KLIA Express  train into the City (28 min ride, compared to the 90 min drive), then changed trains to the KLCC.


Came out the station at the KL Petros Twin Towers (KL's most Popular tourist destination), these buildings are a feat of engineering - Amazing!

Petronas Towers

We then went into the Suri Shopping Centre underneath for 4 hours of shopping. Back to the Hotel for a rest then early up for our flight back home.


In summary a great holiday, the rain didn't stop us from doing anything!


Gallery






Slide shows

Kapalai

Lankayan

Alan Jackson - Concert Brisbane

Friday 11-March-2011,

Mara and I went to one of Alan Jackson's Brisbane concerts.

We saw Alan earlier in the week down at the Hunter Valley. The Brisbane concert was still great but the sound quality down at the Hunter Valley was a lot better (I actually blame the venue).
Alan basically did the same set with an additional 4 songs.

Overall another great night :)

CMC - Rocks the Hunter Trip

March 3-7, 2011

Over the last few years I have been tempted to go to CMC rocks the Snowies, which is a fairly recent festival organized by CMC (Country Music Channel). Unlike the Gympie Muster and other festivals this one gets international artists.

This year the festival was moved to the Hunter Valley (Hope Estate winery) so we thought lets do it as it is easier to get to and we have time share accommodation down there.


Thursday 3, March
Maria and I flew down to Newcastle airport with Qantas and picked up a hire car for the 1hr drive to our accommodation. On the way we stopped off at Kurri Kurri for lunch at one of the pubs.

Another 30 minutes drive to Pokolbin and our accommodation. After a settling in we headed of to Harrigans Irish pub for a meal and a few drinks.

The Concert stages from the road

Friday 4, March
Day off, headed to Maitland to look at a few shops before heading back towards Pokolbin. Visited the smoke house, and the Hunter Chocolate factory (Yum) and lunch at at a nearby cafe.

Then off to Tyrells Winery for a tasting and tour. The tour was great and a one hour long wine tasting was enough for Maria to get a little tipsy. Next Stop Blue Tongue brewery to get some cooking school information for our next visit in September (Des's wedding). Back to the unit and then Back to Harrigans for Dinner (fish and chips, well I am on Holidays)

Tyrels Winery

Saturday 5, March
We caught the shuttle bus from our accommodation at The Grand Mecure - The Vintage and 10 miutes later we were at the Hope Estate with 13hrs of Music ahead of us.

Our setup for the weekend, we got a good spot nice and early.

The venue was great with one massive stage for the international acts and major australian artists and a small "Oz Artists" stage for the up and comers.

Buxton Hughes

Michael And Maria

The McClymonts

Well here is my review
10:30 - Liam Brew - Has improved since we saw him at the Muster in 2009,
11:45 - Dean Brody (CAN) - very good, didn't really know much about him, but ended
          up buying a CD.
1:00 - Stephanie Brownlee - Not that good, needs a few more years performing, some of the songs
          are good but needs more experience, seemed to try too hard. Maria really didn't like her at all.
1:30 - Buxton Hughes (USA) - Never heard of the before, OK.
2:30 - Harmony James - Good artist, very laid back compared to the high energy of
          other artists.
3:00 - Emerson Drive (CAN) - Very good and got the crowd really going.
4:00 - Wilson Pickers - Not really our kind of music (blue grass) but the crowd did
          seem to like them. Great for lying down on the picnic rug and relaxing.
4:30 - Troy Cassar-Daley - Another relaxing country artist, I enjoyed it, but to slow for Maria.
5:30 - Busby Marou - They really surprised me. Really enjoyed them.
6:05 - The McClymonts - Very Good, Maria hated them before this concert  but now wants to
          see them again. Great energy, and probably the only Australian artists that I think could
          make it big in the USA.
7:20 - Mark Wells - Can't remember much to be honest, probably getting dinner, or another
          Bundy and cola.
7:55 - Kasey Chambers - Still can't see why people love her.
9:10 - McAlister Kemp - Good honest Aussie band.
9:45 - Joe Nichols (USA) - Entertaining, and the crowd just loved him.
11:00pm back to the shuttle bus and a well deserved sleep.


Sunday 6, March
More of the same.

Stage

Dianna Corcoran

Alan Jackson

10:00 - Wilson Pickers (again)
11:15 - Jonah's Road - Probably my favourite Aussie Group these days. Deserved a longer set.
12:15 - Jayne Denham - Not really my cup of tea, reminds me of a female Jimmy Barnes
12:45 - Russell Morris - Yes the the singer from the 60's, did a great set. Still has a good voice.
1:45 - Markus Meier - Alright (that's all I remember)
2:15 - O'Shea - Never herad of them, but were ok
3:15 - Victoria Baillie - Good up and coming artist. Improved since I saw her at the Muster
3:45 - Jack Ingram (USA) - Started slow but by the end had the crowd begging for more.
          Very good high energy Country Rock.
4:45 - Dianna Corcoran - Very Good, deserved to be on the Main Stage instead of the next
          artist (or Kasey)
5:20 - Jasmine Rae - Getting better, some good songs.
6:20 - Peter McWhirter - OK - Getting food and Bundy again.
6:55 - John Williamson - Good really got the crowd going during the last 3 songs.
8:10 - Springfield - Interesting, pretty good
8:45 - Alan Jackson - Very good (better than the Brisbane concert that we went to
          the following Friday)
10:15 - Back to our accommodation.


Monday 7, March

Packed up and headed to Kurri Kurri for breakfast then off to visit my Aunt Riet near Gosford. Riet prepared a nice and filling lunch. It was great to catch up again after 3 years.

Brenie, Riet and Michael

Back to the airport in Newcastle for our return flight home.

Hopefully we will be back next year, and it is looking good, as Maria prefers this festival over the Gympie Muster.

Slideshow

Gallery

Birthday Dinner 28 Jan 2011

I organised a birthday dinner at L'Acadamie training restaurant at Springhill.

39 of us had a great 3 course meal for $20 each - Bargain!

It was great to catch up with so many of our friends! Wonderful night out.

Gallery, Slideshow

Australia Day 2011 - Stradbroke Island

Instead of heading up or down the coast like everyone else, this year we thought we might do something different and go to Straddie for the day. Unfortunately a lot of high school kids thought that would be a great idea too.

We arrived early and bought our Gold Cat ferry tickets, in the beautiful sunshine, by the time the boat pulled in there was 180 people waiting to board - 165 where high school kids! We where so close to not going.....

When we got dropped off at One Mile Jetty the ferry captain had advised that there where not enough buses to take everyone as they had had a quite summer due to the weather, and they had had 130 people go over on the ferry before ours. So there was a mad dash for the bus queue.....20 minutes later we took off for Point Lookout. 20 minutes later we arrived (thank god it was air-conditioned!).

We grabbed a gelati and de-stressed looking over the ocean. Most of the kids had disappeared to the beaches, so we strolled around the Gorge, unfortunately there was no marine life due to the dirty water in the gorge.

We then walked up to the Straddie Pub for a lovely lunch and a few drinks overlooking the ocean, it was lovely (and no kids!).

We then walked to Cylinder Beach for a dip, I was too full from lunch, so I sat on the rock under the shade of a tree and watched all the swimmers. Mikey went in for a swim.

We then chilled out on the grass in the shade for 30 minutes then walked up to the bus stop. The buses where pretty packed again for the ride home. The ferry was much quieter on the way home with some very burnt bodies.

Lovely day out in the end!

 

Slideshow

Gallery, Slideshow