Paddling Back in TimeA gentle mist hovers in the morning, Kinabatangan River, Bilit. Sabah, Malaysia. Up at 5:30 to face a long queue for the 6 toilets. We had a 6:00 boat ride on the agenda. The sun was almost rising and the sky was sort of orange when we boarded. There was a mist over the water and some of the trees-very atmospheric. I did pull out the camera to capture some shots. We saw a crocodile, macaques, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and giant kingfisher, Malaysia’s largest. 

Back for breakfast, then had a short break to get ready for our 9:30 jungle walk. I am glad that it is not the wet season, so no need to traipse through the mud or deal with leeches. Again, worked up a sweat with very little activity.

Island RetreatMabul Beach Resort, Mabul Island. Sabah, Malaysia. Up at 5:20, happy to beat my alarm so as not to wake my roommates. Bread, jelly, and coffee for my first breakfast, then off on the boat at 6:30 headed for Pulau Sipadan. 

We had four nice dives there, with breaks (food and coffee) between each. The diving is interesting because of the 600M drop off to open ocean. You never know what critters you might find. We found a bunch, all of which I can remember are in my dive log. Another good day of diving with great dive masters and new friends. 

It would be in my top 3 sites, but in my opinion is not as good as Bunaken. Still, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to dive here to see for myself.

Market RunTraffic by the market, Dawei. Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar (Burma). This is another image from the market by the river. To get a more painterly look I boosted the saturation, contrast, and sharpness, then smoothed it down again in different software.