Things to do with the family - Tip of Borneo Part II

Recently Cinda and myself decided that we needed a break and a good way to do this is to include  a long drive.   We decided that a revisit to Kudat is in order and the tip of Borneo - Simpang Mengayau (SM). I did a search to find some decent place closer to the Tip of Borneo to enjoy the beaches there. I came across The Tip of Borneo Resort for only RM150 during the off season even though is was during the 1st May Labour holidays. Cinda sorted out the payment and realized it was owned by a friend of ours, Tommy Lam!!

So off we headed north to Kudat in our trusty Toyota Avanza. The boys were particularly excited about it!





Tested out the GPS on the phone even though I didn't need it. The country side was good with a bit of paddy fields and oil palm plantation. The drive was about 186KM.

As we arrive SM and the first view was breath taking, one of the cleaner beaches I have been too in a long time.

The beach was about 150m from the Resort (you can just about see the roof from the beach)

Forgot Ashe was in Australia and registered her as well!!

We then decided to do a walk about before swimming at the beach.

Beautiful day for a walk about and after 8 years there has been some changes and places to stay and eat.

Then to the beach for a swim. There were hardly anybody the next group of people were maybe 500m away!

The water was clear and cool and stayed at the beach until it got dark. We went back to the Resort to shower and change. Now everybody was hungry. We headed to for Tip Top Bar and Restaurant at Tampat Do Aman for some food to load up after a long day about 500m form where we were staying. The owner, Howard Stanton was friendly and enjoyable to be with. (thanks for the beer Howard!!) The restaurant had your western and local fare. But beware the chicken wings are hot and spicy as my son found out. It is a lovely place to hang have some food and a couple of beers. The rrive to Kudat Town will take another 20 minutes or so that will just have to wait until the next day.

Next day was rainy and for some reason I had a headache. We had the complimentary breakfast at the Resort and headed for Kudat Town. The roads are interesting here as at quite a few T junctions, both direction could get you to your destination!!!

You can actually get the KK and Kudat both ways. I personally prefer to turn left to head to Kudat eventhough it points to the right!

I enjoy the architecture and the old houses that we pass by to our drive to kudat. The town itself is pretty ordinary but the seafood is excellent.


 I enjoy going to the same corner stall next to the fish market every time I head this way and this is no different.

The food was excellent than back to the Resort for a swim and nap. We finally checked out at 5pm with Tommy's blessings and headed back to KK. We stopped half way for some really yummy BBQ corn. Yummy and we arrived back in KK for dinner at about 7pm at Kopi Ping. Chat with Ashe on Skpe.
All in all was one of the most relaxing trip we had, wished we booked an extra day!!!!

Things to do with the family - Tip of Borneo part 1

(Part 1 - 2003 & Part II - 2011)
Kudat town and district is the northern part of Borneo, "the left year of the dog". It is a town I have visited many times over the past 15 odd years. The place my dad was born.

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It was founded by a bloke by the name of AH Everett under the care of the British North Borneo Company in 1881 and was the first capital of North Borneo. But problems with pirates, the BNBC shifted the capital to Sandakan in 1883 (the year Tottenham Hotspurs Football Club was born, but I digress). It has the oldest golf course in Sabah, established in  1906. It is a pretty quiet town but it has beautiful beaches including the Tip of Borneo - Simpang Mengayau - most northerly part of Borneo. Some records suggests that the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan stop here for forty two days for some ship repairs as well.

My visit to Simpang Mengayau in December 2003 with Cinda (wife), Ashe and Tristan (kids) and Ursula (sister) was brief to say the least as we stayed in town at the Kudat Golf and Marina Resort. It is more accessibly and the road signs are decent (there were none exsistent about 10 years ago!).

The seafood in town is great if you know where to look (more in Part II). Then at night we ended up at KFC!!! And the kids and myself only swam at the pool at the resort.

Ursula with Tristan and Ashe

Would have Been My Parents' 59th Anniversary

On the 25th of August 2010 would have been my parents' 59th Anniversary.  Unfortunately my dad passed away  on the 4th September 2003. We were however fortunate to have celebrated they 50th Anniversary in 2001. Dad decided a week before the date to have a do and to invite their close friends and family to the house, We had mass for mum and dad to renew their vows as well. Had tents erected, Hyatt to cater the food and some roast lamb and lots of dessert. On the day my parents stayed mostly in their bedroom as we got the place ready for the mass, the tents, the dinning tables, organizing parking, covering the defects of the house with material and lots of flowers. The joy was to see their face of utter shock and joy and appreciation.
Glad dad decided to do it! Heres to you mum and dad, God Bless!

These are pictures of the weeding on the 25th August 1951 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in then Jesselton (Kot Kinabalu) and the party afterwards. This period ooze style and class not needing the glamor of current weddings.

I like the cool cars in the background

Cutting of the cake

The Guest waiting for food

Mum and dad also had a hard time deciding to celebrate their 25th Anniversary in 1976 as dad's brother was killed in a plane crash in that year. They went ahead and we all enjoyed it. It was held in Hyatt the people who catered 25 years later.

The following photos are from the 50th Anniversary.

The blessing by Msgr. Primus Jouil 

The lovely cake was done by my sis-in-law  Patsy

The dessert table

Dinning el fresco

The following of pictures of mum and dad over the past 50 years.

What to Do As A Father! - An Essay Road Trip

In 2006 Ashe (my daughter) then Primary 3 student was given a mid term assignment to write about her up coming holidays and hand it in after the holidays. To be honest, Cinda and myself had nothing planned other than being relieved that we could sleep in a little bit. So we decided to plan a driving trip to visit my eldest bro Jules and Tips the wife and my grand nephew (and godson) Damon. They live in Keningau (about 138km from KK) then it is a relatively short drive (50km) to Uncle Richard and Cousin Gerald diary farm in Sapong (just after Tenom).

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So we decided on a 4 day break. First is the drive over Crocker Range which reaches as high as 4000 ft above sea level. Views are mainly secondary forested area. At the highest point at Gunung Emas we had a coffee break before heading to Tambunan. The main interior of the Dusun folks. A political stronghold of PBS.

Then to Keningau. The name Keningau is derived from Kayu manis (Cinnamon) which apparently grew in abundance in the area. Its guarded by two major ranges the Crocker on the west and Trus Mardi in the East and South. My dad was the District Officer (the first local DO I might add) in the early 1960's when my brother John was born. Jules now resides in the town. (further details of Keningau refer to http://www.kinabaluweb.com/keningau.html)

The drive took was enjoyable and the kids go through many phases - excitement (early in the drive), curious, hunger, boredom which usually leads to sleep and then ....ahhh silence.

In Keningau we stayed with Jules who is a proud owner of a farm, about 20 minutes away. Here you see him showing a cocoa pod to my kids.

His farm includes papaya, coffee, cocoa and the main cash crop oil palm.

Tristan and myself next to a coffee tree.

Coffee beans before they are plucked, dried and fried and grinded. Throw it in a sock and pour hot water...ahhhhh! (I think I need a coffee break) Ashe of course had samples.

The cocoa pods on a tree.

Cocoa is tasty, sweet-sour taste. The beans are used for chocalate and made into cocoa butter (which are used for cosmetics as well) Tried to get Ashe to eat one but was reluctant. She however kept a bean for a sample for her essay.

The next day we visited Uncle Richard, Unty Pu Chan and Gerald. Below is the house they live in which was built in 1950's and renovated in early 2000. It is beautiful and the nearest thing to paradise. My grandad John Baxter who was English came pre WWII and worked as a Plantation manager, married a local and never went back. He passed away at 90 odd years old. He was believed to have brought in Coffee and Cocoa into Sabah. We had few acres of coffee trees at the back of the house. As a kid on holiday he would make us pick coffee beans, and paid us 5 cent a bag. We then put in on a corrugated roof to let it dry. But it was satisfying to drink coffee from your own land. But we did feed quite a few mosquitoes in the process. But it is currently a diary farm 500 odd cows if I am not mistaken (all the milk you can drink). Real fresh milk you can smell the cow!!!

Gerald's 4x4 BJ40 Land Cruiser.

We of course visited the diary farm and said hello to the cows.

Here Cinda with the kids and Damon. All in all it was a great experience for all of us!!

Special thanks to Jules, Tips and Damon for welcoming us in their home. Tips has the best recipe for pork belly barbeque which I always look forward to.

On the way back home and "Are we there yet!?" and "I'm tired!" and "I need to go wee wee!" and "I'am hungry!!".... when are they going to sleep?

Without saying, Ashe of course got a 'A' for her essay and we had a very educative, fun and enjoyable time together!!!