Visa run to Brunei

A two day trip, which was quite urgent because my Visa would expire in a few days. By ferry from KK to Labuan (quite a rich history) to Brunei. Roughly about 5 hours on the water one way.
Duty free paradise Labuan was a nice opportunity to buy some goodies. I found Bowmore whiskey there and couldn’t resist to buy one and share with some whiskeylovers here…and uhm…It’s already history.

In Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, I stayed with a lovely australian lady, who teaches at university in BSB. A 5 star hotel couldn’t beat it.
As I only had one day I quickly went into town and walked around some hours till my feet hurt.

My first impressions based on one day: Hmmm…a rich, amazing quickly evolved, bit boring, neat, kitchy, anti-drugs oilstate. Brunei people seemed quite shy and quiet.

This label you find everywhere, even on water bottles.

Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, which was unfortunatly in repair…

rich kids showing of their pimped cars

I wonder what’s the benefit of having a laptop in your trunk?

Brunei peeps

Sarcastic advertising. I couldn’t keep my eyes of it.
The sign is placed just at the start of Kampung Ayer, the water village, the old core of Brunei.

Can you imaging that the government wants to get rid of the water village? People lived here for over 1300 years. It’s like wiping the country’s history in one sweep.
No, let’s build shopping malls and go the “modern” way…*sigh*

Some nightshots.

They clearly have enough money to pay the electricity bills.

It happened to be the day before National day. I saw the preparations for the big parade.

Salam

Future Plans

Hello all…A brief post to let you know I’m still ok. I got a few worrying mails from friends, probably because my postrate is going down and I sound less excited.
Well, there’s only one reason for that: work…and all what comes with it. So I’m really focused on my jobs now and handling them with as much care as I can, even more then I was in Belgium. It’s like I have the feeling I need to prove something here, being…I can do it as good as everywhere, even on the toilet, as long as there is connection to the www.

Of course, in between I make new plans and my future itinerary for now is roughly like this (don’t shoot me if it changes…again..hehe):

February:
-Visa run to Brunei

March:
Sabah, Borneo:
- Sukau, few days on and at the Kinabatang river.
- Exploring the world class coral reefs around Sipadan island close to Semporna.
- Kota Marudu and neighbouring kampungs to have another taste of local (non touristy) life.
- Flying back to Kuala Lumpur and spend a few nights there again with my good friend Lizan.
- Flying back to Bangkok and see my Thai friends

April:
- Thai new year (Songkran) and waterfestival in april.
- Flying to Manila (Philippines)

April/May – June:
- trek around Philippines

July:
-Flying to Jakarta, meet Bert and trek together through Java

august and later
…who knows, probably Sulawesi and after maybe some volunteer work in Cambodja/Laos…? Still big question mark there.

That’s it for now. Take care!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Happy Chinese new year!

4 days of fireworks, dragondancing, drinking, eating (oranges), meeting people…and most of all…gambling till dawn. Games that are most played: Gin Rummy, Russian Poker and Katam – Katam (crab – crab).

So yep, Tomtom gambled for the first time in his life. The first two days I won, the 2 last days I lost all of it.
Katam – katam was my favorite. Very easy to multiply your money, even easier to lose it all. 3 dices, 6 symbols and you put your money on a possible combination. And…some play with serious money, not a few euros or ringits…

I even made history here by being the first white man playing this game! The dealers (the ‘bank’) were kinda surprised I joined. They probably have some good fun now with my 200 ringits. Grrrr.

My pics are bad this time…uhm…The camera has been drinking.

Below some dragondancers

…gin rummy

katam-katam. Imagine 20 people around the table (which I can’t put on the blog of course). On the picture the bank strikes again…they strike sometimes a few thousand with one throw of the dices. I think I found my new job (grin).

Time to work now…