Soul Feeder

       You know the feeling of wandering around, doing small things that could fill the empty part of your soul? Trying on new activities just to see whether it could heal the burning curiosity in your head. Trying to feel the satisfaction of ‘trying’? I am searching for the satisfactory feeling of trying. Trying new activities, new hobby, exploring the unknown side of yourself. I am Auji. These inner searching of your true self thing, have led me to the darkest secret of this idealistic town. I was once lost in Putrajaya, and I think I lost myself too at the end of the day.

       I am one of those soul who are easily inspired by the actions of others, no matter on what medium it was conveyed; photos, videos, television shows, facebook groups, humanity posters on the streets, even by the stories told by unknown mouth to the others. It ended up bugging my head for the whole week, asking myself what have I done to the society or to any particular people in need to ease their burden or their pain? And I am one of those soul who are ill-equipped, penniless, and end up just keep on hitting the share button on facebook to only help spreading the news. No, it wasn’t a bad thing, but hitting up the share button did not satisfy my hunger to help. I want a tangible deeds, I want to hold their hand and look into their sad eyes and tell them that there are people who care about them out there and they are not alone. 

       I bought a new camera. Graduating school for my degree certificate is like bailing myself from the jail. 16 years in school – the primary stage was an idealistic phase, the secondary was a dreaming phase while the college stage was a destruction phase. School is demoralising, as for me. I wanted to start living life, and by living life is by trying new things as they say. So I started to learn photography. Photography was not a new thing for me, I always love pictures. Always love taking pictures. Camera is bag full with memories. I never had the chance to have a good cameras, and by the likes on my pictures on Instagram, I think I’m quite good in it. Don’t you find it funny, how we define ourselves by the amount of likes we get on an apps? I mean, don’t you think we are too focused on getting likes rather than genuinely doing things we love and sharing it with the public. Nevertheless, I am too one of the souls who put up pictures on Instagram at certain hour of the day so that I can have more likes than usual.

       That fine day, I went for scenery sightings. Putrajaya was my choice. I am too tired to see the darkness of our ‘big apple’ town, Kuala Lumpur. There are too many sufferings looks in her occupant’s eyes. Dark spots were everywhere whenever I turn my head to any corner. I need a new town, a fresh town. We can have better life if we leave the dark past behind. Putrajaya is a symbol of new start.

       I arrived at Putrajaya by the train. I was alone today, and packed up light. Just me and my camera. The train was quite empty. I could not help myself but to take few shots of people inside the train. I wonder what were they thinking when they were looking outside of the window. Was it the weather today, was someone crossing their mind, wondering where should they eat tonight or simply looking at the blue sky and how the skies stay afloat without any support or maybe who, what is God?

       And there was this girl, sitting at the end of the train coach.

     She was in all black. She wore a black dress that look ripped at the end with a pair of handsomely looking boots. Her hair was the blackest and silkiest that went down to her knee length. It was puffy at the top of her head but were layered down. I bet she must be one of those rock or metal band vocalist or something. But the only thing that bug me is that her face is hidden beneath her hair. I wanted to see her face, I want to see her skin, I want to see the shape of the eyes, the puff of her lips, the tip of her nose, I want to touch her silky hair, I want to see everything, touch everything..

       Wait...something is totally wrong with me today. 

      In a split second, the girl look at me. At this distance, at two-coach-far, I swear I could really see her eyes clearly. It was..

      ‘Putrajaya, Putrajaya’ says the automated train operator, announcing the station that we have arrived.

       I was distracted by the announcement. I picked up my camera on my lap and search for the girl. She is nowhere to be found. I bet this would be her stop too. The moment I step out of the train, I catch the glimpse of her ripped-end black dress at the corner of my eyes, but the moment I turn my head to see her, she is gone. I had never feel this kind of emotion before to a stranger. I feel, lost and strangely, very sad.

      Remember how our mothers used to say never talk to a stranger when we were kids? Well, I should have listen although I am 23 years old. 

***

       I was lost, and just wandering around the administration precinct. I don’t know where I am going. I went on walking and snapping around with a blank mind. I stopped at the building with the steel-structured entrance arch, walked through it and cross the building and went to Masjid Besi. It was simply beautiful, just how the mosque shine by the sunlight as if it were made from pure gold.

       Despite the warmness of the scenery, I still could not help thinking about that soulless-eyed girl. Her eyes were as cold as the winter, but were very dark. I had never witness such dark eyes in my life, although we Malaysian are very common with black eyes. The eyes were so deep that I too can feel the emptiness in her soul. It was so dark, that by looking through those eyes, I found myself lost even in the lights. I feels like my soul were drained by the infinite darkness but the desire to look into those eyes again is something I can never explain. How can someone be so desirable only at the first look?

       ‘Looking for me?’ 

       ‘Ohnenekkau’ This melatah thing got to stop. Its 2014 already. Holy crap it’s the soulless-eyed girl! She smiled overlooking the scenery. 

        ‘Looking for me?’ she asked the same question again.

       ‘Yea.. I mean no….. I don’t know’ will it creep the hell out of her if I say yes? But how did she find me..

         ‘You’re a photographer?’ she asked.

        'A self-proclaimed one’ she smiled again to the answer. I never had the answer to that kind of question. I mean isn’t the answer obvious? But I never have the guts to label myself as anything because I’ll have to be at the par as the label says I should. I wanted to be wrong and proud, and not ashamed by it.

        ‘Can I take your picture?’ I asked her. 

        ‘No. I don’t think you can handle what you’ll see’ she looked up to the sky.

        ‘What do you mean?’

       ‘We only show to people what we want them to see’. I could not put a verbal reaction to that. I can only look at her pale face that never look into my eyes as she speaks. She smiled. That hypnotizing smile.

        ‘Let me show you around’ she says to me, but looking at the sky.

        ‘You lives here?’

        ‘No.’ she grabs my hand and we run. I never feel this happy. I am already lost by the way, so why not?

***

       ‘We don’t know yet what the cause to this disease are. What can we say is all 60 victims were found everywhere around the city of New York at almost the same time. They were all put into a quarantine ward in a hospital and were given extra care. The experts are conducting medical checkup and any findings will be notified soon.’ Said uniformed-policeman in the tv.

     ‘Would this have any relation to any terrorist act?’ asked one of the reporters that were surrounding the policeman.

        ‘We do not know anything yet but every possibilities were being measured in the moment. Thank you’.

***

         This just proved how messed up I am with the technical part of photography. I could not snap a single photo of this soulless-eyed girl. Only blurred, shaky, shadow-like black figure were captured. I mean I’ve put auto mode on and still, not a single picture can be taken. What a photographer. 

       Creepy. That was my first word when I saw the retweeted picture of the victims from the diseases spreading in New York. They were bed-ridden with eyes opened and their fingers clamped tightly as fists. The nerve creating green lines on their hands appeared greener than the usual. They were as stiff as the dead. However, the fear in their eyes that looked through the hospital ceiling gave me goose bumps. It was red and tears were running down, maybe because they were exposed to the air for a long time. Over 1 million retweets and I wonder how viral it is now on Facebook. I bet the person who share the photo in the first place must have regret it. I bet her or his phone must have exploded due to the 1 million notifications. I think he or she deserved that. That’s for not respecting the sick and his privacy. I would be mad if someone posted my sick or dead face on the internet. God knows how idiot people can be, speculating, manipulating, creating opposite truths which will hurt my family if they read our society’s two cents. 

        ‘What’s that?’ she asked. We were sitting by the riverbanks. 

      ‘I’m not really sure but someone retweeted this. It says that this is the picture of the victims in New York. You know the diseases affected 60 people in one night. I didn’t believe in first place but the news confirmed it. Creepy right?’ I answered.

          She just smile. 

          ‘I thought this kind of thing only happen in movie. Will they wake up as zombie later or something?’ 

          ‘No, they won’t.’ She answered. I snapped. 

          ‘How do you know?’ I asked again. She only laughed.

       ‘Holy crap, the victims with the same symptoms were found in Beijing last night! It’s the exact 60 people too. It this some kind of early sign of apocalypse or what?’ The news have spread worldwide in every social network and media possible. 

          ‘Are you in love with someone?’ She asked me while standing up. She took a pebble and throw it into the man-made river. I bet everything in Putrajaya is planned. Even her river were man-made.

          ‘No.’ I am still scrolling my Twitter timeline to see any news about the disease.

          ‘Good. Have you been in love?’ She asked again.

          ‘Yes. Why do you asked?’

          ‘So you must have undergone those heartbroken phase right?’

         ‘Hell yeah’ I put my phone on my lap and looked at her. It is almost dawn. Putrajaya is drowned in orange and purple hues. It started to be dark now. It is always a wonderful time to be in this hour as if we are in a different place. 

           ‘I hate heartbrokens. They sick the hell outta me. Selfish bastards’

           ‘What, are you against love or something?’ I started to feel confused. 

          ‘I love people in love. They are so intensely in love that they would do almost everything to their lover. They don’t really think. They’ll always listen to me.’

          ‘Are you a love doctor or something? Why they listen to you?’ How can a love doctor be so dark and gothic-ly looking; I asked myself.

           ‘But you know, I hate the heartbrokens. They cried and act stupid to gain attention from their exes. Throwing away their self-respect and dignity, asking for a second, third, God knows how many more chances. Who would ever want to be with someone who are so weak?’ she did not answer my question, that’s for sure. 

            Then, she started to slowly walk down the pavement. I picked up my phone and followed her. 

            ‘Hey, you didn’t tell me you name’

            ‘D. you can call me D’

            ‘D as if the alphabet or D-e-e or..’

             D as if the alphabet, she said to me.

***

          I looked at my watch and it is almost 9 p.m. We did nothing, just walking down the pavement and looked at the lights that form small dots of colors from distance. It was calming and serene. It was different from Kuala Lumpur. There are not many cars on the road here. I did not see the impatient waiting faces in the cars that were stuck on the highways, texting anyone they could or singing to the song that they actually hate on the radio or people opening their windows, smoking out their frustrations. It is almost quiet here. Man, I really got to go. I don’t know when in the last train to KL and how can I get to the station. Where can I even get a taxi here?

          ‘I think I got to go’. Last time I check, I am still interested in man and this feeling, this sad feeling of leaving her confused me. Spending a few hours with her, and now I am a bisexual? This girl is sure dangerous. 

           ‘Stay. Stay with me tonight’. This time, for the first time she speaks, she actually looked into my eyes. She did not avoid my eyes. What does she means stay with her? That eyes, how can it be so desirable?

        ‘You said you are a photographer? Right?’

        ‘A self-proclaimed one, remember?’ I answered.

       ‘I lived a long time. I never had a friend. You know, you stayed, even when we are lost…’ she stopped. And the continued.

        ‘…even when I did not looked into your eyes when I speak. You stayed. I know people like you, you think you are lonely, and you think you are happy with that. You keep dark things to yourself and speaks or tell happy things to people around you. You pushed people away, but when you love someone, you love deeply. When you guys broke up, you think people don’t understand you and grieved your own way. Tried reconciling to your lover with ways that actually make you look like a fool. Heartbroken, some of you even cuts themselves, smoked stupid things, spaced out, and pushed more people away and worst, your own family. Even killed yourselves. After he is gone, you keep asking who you are. Because you have been a part of someone for so long that you forget who you are as a person.’

        I am speechless. I am not like what she says I am. I just live my life the way I want it to be. I am happy to be alone. I am used to it. I only know her for a few hours. She does not know who I am. Wait…yes, I only knew her for a few hours. Why did I bother staying and listen to her?

       ‘You said you are happy to be alone. But in fact you are not. You stayed. You stayed with a totally perfect stranger like me. You love doing new things, things that are different because deep down, you want to meet someone who understand you, who are just like you. And lived your happily ever after.’ I stay quiet, surprised to the words she said.

         She continued, ‘So now, here is my deal.’

         ‘What the hell? You analyzed people like me, then a deal? Who are you Miss D?’

         ‘You wanted to make a different to the world, right? You want a happy world?’

         Just so you know, I am too very confused here.

        ‘1 million over retweets? The photo of the victim in New York. Can you imagine what will happen to you if you could photograph how the thing happen?’

       ‘I don’t understand you. What are you talking about?’ I started to feel scared. I might have just be friend with a terrorist. FML.

        ‘All of those victims who were found in New York and Beijing, they were all heartbroken. Idiots. I have to do what I have to do. They did not care about their surroundings anymore. They don’t even care about themselves. I am tired of listening to their cries and their wish. I could hear it every seconds. I lived a long time and I can’t stand it anymore. I hear their wish every fucking second; of not wanting to live anymore. Of dying and leaving this world...’

       ‘…so follow me tonight, and photographs how it happen. You can write about this, stop them. Stop these little bastards to only be in love and not cheat on each other or broke up ever. I can’t stand them anymore. You can have your happy world and these disease will go. I promise. Help me, help me Auji.’

         ‘What are you?’ My eyes were filled with tears. I am so scared. You know, I never told her my name.

***

        A soul-feeder who feed in sad, heartbroken souls to keep her alive on the earth. The body who lost his soul to the devil is bed ridden with opened-eyes and clamped fists. She will wonder around town at 0000 hour midnight and finished at 0001 hour. 60 seconds and drink in 60 souls at a time, every night in the city around the world. New York, Beijing, Putrajaya and who knows next?

        I lied a bit. She does not need souls to keep alive. She is alive for God knows how long. She need them idiots to shut up because she can hear their mourn and stupid wish. These is the only way I can help her. To stop people from breaking their lover’s heart. To keep D at ease. She lived a long age and this soul-feeding is one bit of thousand ways she can do to keep human shut. We could have bigger amount of victims or other types of calamity.

         I attached the photos I captured that midnight in a blog and clicked the publish button. I sent it to every email I have, and tweet it. I am ready for any questions and these photos are real 100%. I have not sleep since last night. I don’t think I can for another weeks. I can still see the fear in those victims’ eyes. I am still getting goose bumps from the event. I still remember her looks and the neon bluish-white fog that were sucked by D from the victims’ mouth. I still see the trembling body of the victims and their hands were frantically waving in the air as if they were in serious pain. How can I ever sleep to those vision?

         Never get lost kids. And shut up now, will you?

Random

Setiap kali aku perlu diingatkan,
tentang apa yang benar apa yang salah,
apa yang patut apa yang tidak.

Sedangkan Nabi Muhammad tidak berdaya menarik Abu Talib untuk bersama dijalan Dia,
apakah yang telah aku lakukan sehingga aku hidup didalam IslamNya?

Sesungguhnya hidayah itu milik Allah.


*Pada status bangsa, aku dikira sebagai berbangsa India. Tapi tidak pulak pada adik-adik aku. Kalau kita ada kuasa, jenis bangsa yang pada darah buktinya juga kau boleh ubah. Carilah ilmu lalu kau peroleh kuasa*

Sabah Trip #3

*sambungan dari part 1 dan part 2*

Selepas kami check in dan settled down di apartment tu, kami pun mula bergerak ke Restoran Nelayan. Memang susah nak cari walaupun dah google jalan. Sampai tahap sesat gila lepas tu siap tanya pakcik guard satu kondo ni. Pakcik tu lukis jalan siap dan sampai jugak. Sebelum pergi kami memang dah telefon restoran tu dan dia kata diorang tutup pukul 11.00 malam. Sebab dah sesat apa semua, dalam pukul 9.00 malam kami sampai. Tapi yang terkilannya front desk cakap restoran akan ditutup pukul 10.00 malam sebab diorang ada event. Kitorang memang dah lapar sangat siap masuk angin perut hampir naik bengang sebab kenapalah tak bagitahu awal-awal nak tutup awal. Kalau tak, tak adalah sesat sesat sampai kemana hala. Last-last dia kasi juga masuk. Mula-mula kitorang nak set steamboat je, tapi dah alang-alang nak makan seafood, kitorang order lauk.

Dah nak order boleh pulak waitress cakap boleh makan sampai 9.30 je sebab nak tutup awal. Lagilah bengang. Argue punya argue, last-last boleh makan sampai pukul 10. Servis agak kurang memberangsangkan dan aku sedih. Warning siap-siap sini makanan dia mahal. Mahal gila. Takyah ceritalah berapa harga dia. Tapi kalau mahal pun servis baik, rasalah berbaloi kan.

Yang tengah tengok telefon tu kira orang kuat yang mempertahankan hak. Hmph!

Okay kalau nakgi makan jugak, order ni. Prawn with salted egg. Sedap kawww. Tapi yang tak bestnya, kita kena order minimum 300gram. Mengada.

Lalu kami pun pulang dengan hati yang hiba-hiba kenyang gitu. Tapi, orang lain still tak keluar-keluar lagi walaupun jam dah nak pukul 10.00 malam. Tak adil!

Tapi sebelum tu kitorang singgah di Filipino Wet Market dulu. Ingat nak beli souvenir, rupanya dah tutup jadi kitorang pun jenjalan sahaja di pasar tu. Aku tak suggestlah korang nak makan situ, unless ada orang tempatan yang bawak sebab aku tengok macam kurang hygenic tapi depends lah korang jenis perut kental, takdehal kot. Sini lebih macam pasar malam jelah.

4/9/13

Ni hari yang paling dinantikan selepas tidur malam yang bergusti hang aku, berebut selimut. Yelah satu selimut share 3 orang T.T

Kitorang bangun awal-awal sebab nak pulangkan kereta dan nak beli tiket. Kitorang pulangkan kereta di Jeseltton Point dan meneruskan acara selanjutnya yakni berenang-renang dengan ikan. Masa di jeti memang banyak sangat kaunter yang jual pakej-pakej. Tapi Rantau Memanjang ni jenis tak sabar so kitorang terus pergi kat satu kaunter ni. Tapi sebenarnya, kaunter-kaunter ni menwarkan pakej yang lebih kurang je harganya. 

Kitorang ambil pakej dari company Summer Cruise untuk 2 pulau dengan equipment untuk snorkeling. Untuk equipment dapat RM 15 untuk 3 barang yakni google, straw bernafas, dan life jacket. Untuk harga tiket dalam RM 31 tak termasuk conservation fee RM 3. Total nya semua RM 46 untuk island hopping.

Summer Cruise ni recommended lah sebab dia friendly. Dan berlesen. Penting ye benda ni sebab nanti Polis marin akan check bot kita, lesen drebar apa semua. Mula mula tour guy yang macam akan panggil-panggil kita tu nama dia Jai. Memang biasa dia akan panggil kau sayang so takyah syok sensorang. Dia memang baik dan sentiasa ingatkan kitorang bot akan depart pukul berapa apa semua. 8.45 a.m kitorang pun bertolak lah. Barang snorkeling pun dah dapat siap-siap masa di jeti. Senang takyah nak sewa-sewa lagi masa dipulau. 

First island, Manukan!

Manukan ni besar sebenarnya. Tak pasti pulak antara Manukan, Sapi dan Mamutik mana lagi besar tapi kalau dibandingkan dengan Sapi, Manukan lebih besar. Nampak tak different in colour gradient air laut tu? Tu tandanya perbezaan pentas laut, yang cerah tu lebih cetek, yang gelap tu lebih dalam...dan menakutkan. haha. 

Jujurnya, aku takutkan laut. Aku fobia. Fobia dengan ikan-ikan yang besar. Selalunya aku memang elak lah untuk masuk dalam Underwater World atau kolam ikan atau tempat berakuarium gigantic. No way, sekian terima kasih boleh pecah peluh jantan aku. Tapi sebab aku teringin sangat atas dorongan sahabat, aku gagahi.

Masa mula-mula sampai, sebab maklumlah semua gegel, maka rajinlah abang life guard menyapa. Ada cakap yang tak pandai berenang, ada yang cakap takut nak masuk. So si abang life guard ni nama dia Alex, pelawa untuk bawak kitorang masuk laut. Dia kata ada possibilty untuk nampak penyu tapi kena masuk dalam sikit. Last-last demi awek awek, Alex pun pi tukaq baju berenang. Alex pun ajak lagi seorang life guard untuk teman kitorang Azrin namanya (harap betul lah eja). Siap simpan barang lagi kat tepi pondok guard so that enam-enam awek RM boleh bersnorkeling bersama sehati sejiwa.

Dua orang ni pawer berenang, so diorang berkerja sebagai penarik Ilah yang hujung belah kanan sekali tu.

Pendek cerita, lepastu Alex bawak Ilah pi tengah laut, Azrin pulak bawak aku pegi tengok gamat. Lagi empat orang dibiar tengah laut. hahahahaha. 

Alex dan Ilah honeymoon dalam laut. zzzzz.

Azrin tunjuk gamat. Aku pun ohh ahh ohh ahh jelah walaupun cuak teruk. Waktu ni dah habis tour, so kitorang pergi lah dekat yang lain-lain. Ilah waktu ni dah hilang berhoneymoon. hahaha.

Waktu arus sangat kuat, sebab angin deras. Aku memang stamina out habis, so nak ke tengah laut tu, memang Azrin ni je yang tarik. Rasanya haritu saja aku dah bakar berpuluh ribu kalori T.T kesian lah guide minah tak berstamina ni. Waktu nak balik ke pantai lagilah teruk. Kena tolak dek arus sampai ke hujung zon snorkeling. Aku berpaut je dekat tali penanda zon tu dan almost give up. Si Azrin ni dah ke depan dan aku sorang-sorang kat belakang. Dahla fobia, kena tinggal pulak pastu letih. Aku keep on chanting, breathe breathe jela dalam kepala kengkonon feeling movie. Last last si Azrin ni kesian, dia tarik lah aku balik. huwaa.

Abang leman kita ni hipsterz sangat dia warna biru gemilang. Besar gila lebih besar dari tapak tangan kita.

Nilah photographer berbakat kami. Nampak tak google sebelah kiri tu ada air separuh? hahahahaha

Alex ada kata, kenapa island hop 2 pulau? Dia kata satu pun dah cukup. Spend je sehari suntuk. Sebab ikan yang ada dekat pulau lain pun ada dekat pulau ni, karang kat tempat lain pun ada kat sini. Kami pun speechless lalu membawa diri ke Pulau Sapi pulak. Overall, Manukan memang best, tapi kalau ada orang yang guide macam Alex dan Azrin nilah. Peramah dan suka nak tunjuk apa yang ada di pulau ni. Tapi kitorang lah yang skeptik sikit sebab kami ni perempuan semua takut kena tipu ke apa pulak. 11.45 pagi, bot pun datang nak ambil kitorang ke Sapi.

Kalau nak dibandingkan Sapi dan Manukan, Sapi ni lebih banyak karang dan lebih cetek. Arus dia pun kurang deras tak macam yang di Manukan. Tapi, dari segi kebersihan, Manukan lebih bersih dan lebih tenang. mungkin sebab masa kami sampai di Manukan pagi lagi, orang pun tak ramai. di Sapi ni ada kedai makan so dah penat berenang kitorang makan kat situ, lepas tu berenang balik kitorang pun balik. dalam pukul 4.30 macam tu, kitorang pun sampai di jeti. 

Tak tahulah korang nampak ke tak, tapi aku punya cuak, aku gigit benda straw bernafas tu sampai putus T.T Tapi aku sangat berbangga dengan diri aku sebab aku berjaya masuk dalam laut instead of menjadi penjaga beg di gigi air. *Pats shoulder*

Sebab kereta dah pulangkan, kami pun ambil teksi untuk balik ke rumah. Dari Jeseltton Point ke Apartment Api-Api, kami dicharge RM15, mahal sikit tapi katanya harga standard. Sebab disin tak banyak penduduk setempat guna teksi jadi pendapatan diorang bergantung dekat pelancong. Takpelah rezeki memasing.

Sebab malam kelmarin terkilan tak habis lagi, malam ni kitorang oergi seafood hunting lagi, tapi kali ni di Restoran Sri Melaka. Kitorang buat kering je jalan kaki. Baru backpackers. Hahaha. Tapi sebelum tu kitorang singgah waterfront dulu untuk tengok sunset. sini memang ramai gila orang tapi kebanyakkannya pelancong.

Ye aku memang buas. bye.

Lepastu kitorang pun menujulah ke Restoran Sri Melaka. Kat sini kitorang order Asam Pedas dia sebab aku dengan Bangmas baca kalau datang sini wajib try asam pedas dia. dan ye, memang sedap ala-ala nyonya. Asam Pedas ni tak pedas tapi cukup rempah ratus. Lepastu kitorang order sotong goreng tepung dan sayur pucuk manis. Orang kata sayur ni kena try sebab ada dekat Sabah je, so kitorang pun try. 

Nampak gigih tak order? haha bab makan ramah je bertanya. Total semua makan cuma RM85 je weh termasuk nasi dengan air bancuh-bancuh. Murah yang amat! 6 orang makan RM85 mano nak dapat?

Lepas tu kitorang pergi night market yang berdepan je dengan Restoran ni. Suggestion aku, korang shopping lah mutiara dekat sini, instead di PasarKraftangan yang bersebelah je dengan Filipino Market tu.  Sebab apa, sini lebih murah dan peniaga dia lebih friendly. Kalau nak yang mutiara berkualiti, beli lah yang mahal sikit. Pasar Kraftangan KK tu boleh jadi 2 kali ganda lebih mahal dari yang di night market ni so takyah nak teragak-agak nak berbelanja. Kalau tak, menyesal.

5/9/13
Kitorang pun bangun awal pagi tapi takde arah tuju nak kemana. Jadi kami decide untuk pergi dekat satu tenpat yang kami nampak masa mula-mula sampai di KK iaitu tempat ni

Kental tak kental kitorang jalan dekat 30 minit jugak nak sampai sini. Tempat ni betul betul depan Suria Sabah. For the sake of good pictures, sanggup jalan tengah panas.

On the way balik, kitorang singgah Pasar Kraftangan yang aku sebut tadi tu. Dan ye, mahal. haha. Tepi Pasar Kraftangan ni ada tempat jual ikan masin, ikan bilis apa semua tu so korang boleh sekali harung je nak membeli buah tangan basah.

Kitorang balik ke rumah, kemas dan check out. Untuk buang masa, kami pun pergi melepak si Centre Point. Lepas lunch, kami masuk Karaoke untuk habiskan masa. masing-masing dah penat sangat untuk meneroka KK. Dalam pukul 4 petang kami bertolak ke KKIA. Charge teksi RM25 untuk teksi biasa. 

Masa nak balik memang hujan lebat. Flight sepatutnya 8.10 malam tapi ditangguhkan jadi 9.15. Waktu tu memang nak mengamuk dengan orang ramai dengan bateri tak ada. Fuhh, betul-betul feeling perantau!

Nampak tak terjelepok macam mana, macam mana ramai orang?

Tammat pengembaraan 4 hari 3 malam di Sabah.

Gambar sumber FB Khalilah Naim, Shaza Amalina

*Part seterusnya adalah tips dan summary expenditure*

Sabah Trip #2

*Sambungan dari part 1 disini*

Untuk masuk ke sini, kami hanya perlu tunjukkan tiket Kinabalu Park yang kami beli pagi tadi tu. Dalam Kinabalu Park ni ada Mata Air Panas, ke Poring apa tah nama dia series aku terlupa.

 Inilah rupa air panas tu. Sebelum naik ke tempat canopy walk tu, kita akan lalu dekat air apans ni.

Takyah bayar jugak untuk masuk sebab semua ni dalam Kinabalu Park tu. Kira pakej lah. Kami juga diberitahu yang kami boleh melawat bunga Rafflesia yang tengah kembang sekarang. Lebih kurang 2-3 minit perjalanan dengan kereta. Bayaran yang dikenakan katanya RM 20 seorang. So kitorang pun menolak lah sebab macam kena tipu jek. Haha. Kalau satu kereta RM 20 okay lah jugak. Dahtu pakai kereta kitorang so, kitorang pun meneruskan perjalanan mencari Canopy Walk.

Lebih kurang macam nilah perjalanan naik nak ke canopy walk tu. Jadi pakailah kasut atau sandal yang selesa ya.

Cerita tak berapa nak kelakar, aku dan beberapa orang RM bersiap kemain sebab ingatkan Canopy Walk t uterus ada depan mata takyah nak memanjat dah, rupanya hmmm kena memanjat jugak around10-20 minit perjalanan. Karubi siap pakai pencil skirt uols. Hahahaha. Nasib baik takde pacat. Kat sini. Memang AHMAYZINGGGGG. Pokok-pokok yang jambatan digantung tu sangat tinggi. Besar lebih kurang 2-3 pemeluk jugaklah, ke besar lagi. Sayang sangat dekat hutan ni, dan sedihnya kalau pokok-pokok ni kena tebang.

Ni jelah gambar kitorang Rantau Memanjang yang cukup semua dalam gambar. Aku kat depan sekali tu, Kekna, Karubi, Ilah, Bangmas dan Hani.

Bangmas macho si penukar tayar.

 

Tinggi jambatan ni berbeza beza. Ada yang lebih 50 meter tinggi jugaklah aku rasa. Memang menggeletar lutut bagi yang gayat tu.

Kat bawah ada sungai. Ngaaa best gila. Aku nak duduk sini taknak balik!

Kat sini ada charge yang kena bayar untuk camera. Kitorang bayar untuk satu camera je. Satu camera RM 5. Sebenarnya diorang tak check pun, tapi ikut tahap kejujuran korang ah nak menipu ke apa. Tapi apa salahnya bayar kan, dah benda share-share.

Habis kat sini, kitorang pun bertolak ke Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau. Ranau ni lebih kurang 30-40 km dari Kundasang. Kira atas lagi la, tapi Ranau ni tak sesejuk Kundasang. Biasa je cuaca dia. Jalan dia teruk sikit nak naik ke atas. Berbatu dan berbukit-bukit sikit. Kitorang pun order kah the satu jag, minum beramai-ramai. Teh dia sedap, keras. Ewah. Tapi, kalau nak dibandingkan, Cameron Highlands lagi cantiklah kebun dia. Jadi, aku sarankan kalau Korang terlebih lebih masa, datanglah kesini. Kalau tak, takyah pun takpe. Kat sini ada rumah panjang tapi korang tak boleh masuk dalam lah. Tak ada charge dikenakan. Tapi sebab kitorang rushing, kami balik jelah.

Dalam pukul 3 lebih kami bertolak balik dan ingat nak singgah Jambatan Tamparuli dan Rumah Terbalik.

Dalam perjalanan balik, kami singgah Pekan Nabalu untuk beli cenderamata buat keluarga dikampung. Kat sini cuak sikit sebab banyak anjing. Lulz. Tapi akak tu kata anjing-anjig ni bertuan so, kitorang pun jalan dengan penuh watlek watpis.

Habis kedai kakak tu kami kecah pilih t-shirt. Dekat sini dapatlah t-shirt I LOVE SABAH tu dalam RM15 sehelai. okay lah kan.

Malam di Kundasang tu Mak aku call, kata cari Buah Cinta sebab buah ni cuma ada di Kundasang sahaja. Aku tak pasti lah betul ke tidak tapi cari jelah.

Ada jugak gerai buah-buahan dekat sini tapi tak sehebat macam di Cameron Highlands lah. Apa yang aku nampak, Kundasang/Pekan Nabalu ni lebih kepada pertanian yang terarah ke sayur-sayuran. Habis shopping dekat sini dah agak lewat dalam 4.00 petang macam tu. Jadi kitorang pun turunlah menuju ke KK.

Dalam perjalanan turun tu, kami ada berhenti di beberapa tempat sebab scenery waktu tu taokleh aku nak gambar. sekejap sekejap duduk dalam kabus, sekejap pulak view sunset yang cantik sangat. Masing-masing memang terpaku lah. Dengan langit merahnya, dengan matahari orennya, dengan kabus putih, dengan saujana gunung ganang hijau. nak nangis terharu Allah bagi juga peluang tengok sunset di Kundasang.

Ni dalam kabus T.T

Ni pulak second stop. 

Yng ni third stop. Yang ni punya view memang tak tahu nak cerita. Yang ni paling agung, paling awe.

Sampai di KK dalam 6.30 lebih. Kiranya kami sampai di KK waktu tu dah maghrib lah. tak sempat nak singgah di Tamparuli dan rumah terbalik. Kitorang terus check in di rumah kedua di KK iaitu Apartment Api-Api yang betul betul berhadapan dengan shopping mall Centre Point Sabah. Memang strategik tempatnya. Kat bawah tu ada MCD, mamak, 7-E. Kira lengkap lah. 

Apartment ni ada 2 bilik, 2 toilet dan satu dapur. Kedua-dua bilik dan living room fully aircond. TV pun okay ada astro tak salah aku. memang recommended sebab rumah nid ekat dengan segala tempat. Kira sesuai untuk backpackers yang fitrahnya kena berjalan jugak. Rumah ni semalam RM150. Kami sewa untuk 2 malam. Seorang bayar RM 50 sahaja. 

-Akan Bersambung-

Gambar sumber FB Khalilah Naim, Shaza Amalina

Sabah Trip #1

*yang ini bukan cerpen-puisi. yang ini cerita pengalaman. hihi*

Assalamualaikum.

Semester baru dah mula. Dah resmi yang aku sekarang adalah anak Tahun Akhir dekat UM. Semester last belajar. Sebelum start semester, aku dan Kumpulan Rantau Memanjang  (RM) sesaja vacation ke Sabah. Tengok dunia sebelah sana. Dan betullah apa orang kata, kau akan jatuh cinta dengan Sabah bila dah jejak ke sana.

Untuk pengetahuan korang, RM dah rancang untuk kesana sejak dari Mei 2013. Tiket AirAsia kami tempah pada Mei dan return tiket hanya RM98 sahaja. Jadi, rajinkanlah untuk menjadi penunggu setia web AA untuk promosi-promosi baik punya. Kami travel as backpackers, memang handcarry je 7 kg seorang Cuma waktu balik je kami book extra luggage 20kg untuk 6 orang. Maklumlah pompuannnn kennnnnn.

Kami travel ber-enam. Semuanya wanita. Dan Alhamdulillah, selamat je sepanjang perjalanan dan yang penting, keselamatan kena jaga sentiasa dan berani. Kalau malu, sesat tak jumpa tempat padan muka rugi je masa korang.

2/9/13.

Kami check in melalui internet je siap-siap, senang. Flight pukul 8.10. waktu nak check in ni, ada masalah sikit. Kekna bawa beg luggage jenis tarik-tarik tu yang memang cukup-cukup 7kg. Tapi semasa lalu dekat tempat scan, ada pisau didetect dalam beg dia sedangkan kekna dah aware yang beg dia tak ada apa-apa. Aku mula-mula macam ingatkan pisau blade atau a plate of iron je. Bila discan lagi sekali, rupanya pisau Rambo yang macam nak bunuh orang tu. Masing-masing dah cuak sebab gate dah nak tutup. Dan bila cari pulak pisau tu tak jumpa. Habis bukak seluk merata poket tak jumpa. Akak polis tu memang dah lain macam muka dia dan berkeras mintak cari jugak. 3 kali scan semula tak jumpa-jumpa jugak. Akhirnya, perasan ada satu zip yang macam extension untuk beg dan rupanya ada dalam tu. 

Dan seriously, pisau tu kalau aku jadi polis pun aku takkan lepaskan beg tu sebab pisau macam nak bunuh orang T.T waktu tu kitorang dah berserah jelah nak ambil beg tu pun ambil jelah asalkan tak terlepas flight. Dah naik belon, belon pulak ada technical problem. Dah satu hal menunggu lagi dalam 15 minit untuk baiki.  Dalam 10.40 pagi, belon selamat touchdown. Disebabkan kami dah inform awal-awal pada abang kereta sewa yang flight delay, kereta pun sampai lambat sikit. Pada mulanya kami nak sewa kereta Avanza tapi Avanza dah habis jadi dia bagi Alza. Dan kawan, Alza save minyak gila. Dari Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) kami dapat kereta, terus menuju ke Kota Kinabalu.

Sampai di KK, semua dah lapar sangat dan singgah di Restoran Kak Nong sebab nampak macam ramai. Singgah dekat sini, semua okay dan RM pun order lah Nasi Ayam Kak Nong nama diberi. Dan Ya Allah, punyalah lama menunggu. Dahla masing-masing lapar dah masuk angin, sekali dengan air pun sampai lambat.

Nasi ayam ni sedap, ayam dia tu special dan lain dari yang lain sebab dia bakar dan kuah black pepper. Ada acar buah sikit. Ada sup semangkuk kecik (perlu ke bagitau?). Cuma part nasi dia tu memang tak boleh nak pergi sebab nasi dia macam pulut sikit. Mungkin pakai beras pulut kot. Rasa rempah-rempah sikit. Overall, kasi 4/5 bagi aku. Tapi makan tak habis jugak sebab perut masuk angin. Sayangnya rezekiiii T.T

 Nasi Ayam Special Kak Nong.

Dalam pukul 2.00 petang macam tu kami pun bergerak ke KUNDASANG! Kenapa huruf besar? Sebab hati aku sekarang dan selamanya, ada kat sana. Ewah melampau.

Jalan naik ke Kundasang, Hani take over pemanduan ke atas. Jalan dia macam nak naik ke Cameron Highlands, tapi tidaklah sesempit dan bersimpang siur bagai ular kena palu. Jarang jugak jumpa tanah runtuh macam jalan nak naik ke Bukit Fraser. It was a steady and Alhamdulillah, a safe drive. P/S, jangan lupa baca doa dan pakai seatbelt. Ewah (lagi).

Kitorang sampai dalam 4.00 petang macam tu dan alang-alang dah sejalan, kitorang singgah di Hotel kitorang dulu. Dah book siap-siap untuk satu malam melalui internet. RM 150/malam bilik untuk 5-6 orang.

By far, tempat ni best, selesa, view CANTIK GILA. Servis pun okay, tak ada kena charge kalau mintak extra selimut. Tapi bergantung kepada kadar customer la. Kalau full, susah sikit nak dapat extra barang-barang tu sebab limited. Dan hotel ni tengah dibesarkan. Ada Kebun strawberry kat atas tu tapi RM tak naik pun sebab sibuk kejar benda lain. Nak tengok stroberi, pi Cameron highland. This place, is recommended!.

Ni masa dekat hotel. Pukul 4.15 petang lebih kurang suhu baru 21.5 degree celcius centu sejuk mak aihhhhh.

Lepas tu, kami ke Desa Dairy Cattle Farm, Mesilau. Kalau kesini, boleh tengok lembu beratur nak makan sambil diperah susunya. Ada jual susu segar, susu kambing, aiskrim susu etc. tapi sedihnya time kitorang sampai, susu segar perisa original dah habis so beli susu coklat dan susu kambing. Pehhh susu kambing dia memang betul fresh siap bau kambing. Tapi habis jugak aku telan (tutup hidung ah).

Lembu beratoq nak makan sambil diperah susu.

Kat sini, memang bebetul kaki gunung dan view dia masyaAllah. Macam mana nak explain eh. Macam syurga. Taktahulah macam mana rumput kat syurga kalau rumput ka dunia pun dah gini cantiknya. Gahh. Bayaran masuk RM 4.00 seorang dan boleh bawak masuk keta. Jalan dia mencabar sikit sebab berbatu takde jalan tar. Kereta kalau nak sewa, make sure jenis tabah menghadapi dugaan ah. Tempat ni tutup pukul 5.00 tapi gate dorang tutup 5.30 petang kata Mak Cik Gate. Korang perlukan dalam 1 jam je kalau nak visit sini. Takyah spend masa banyak sangat.

View kinabalu memang clear sangat waktu dari tempat ni. Dan nasib kitorang kurang baik sikit jela sebab awan menutup puncak Kinabalu waktu ni. Waktu ni nak hujan-hujan manja. Tapi tak hujan sangat.

Ni salah satu view sepanjang perjalanan pergi-balik nak ke Mesilau ni. Cantiknya Tuhan sahaja yang tahu. Jalan dia berbukit sikit kat sini. Jangan bawak barang banyak dan kalau ada duit lebih, sewalah pacuan pat roda. Mesilau ni masih lagi dalam kawasan Kundasang. Dekat je dengan hotel kitorang. Jadi kami balik ke hotel pukul 5.15 macam tu dan settled down. 6.30 dah gelap. Pukul 7.00 malam dah rasa macam pukul 9.00 malam di semenanjung. 

Bab dinner aku malas nak cerita sebab macam mana tak sedap pun makanan tu, tak baik kita komplen kan. Susah sikit lah nak cari makan yang sedap dan boleh masuk tekak dekat sini maklumlah atas bukit bekalan pun mungkin kurang jadi, asal kenyang, jadilah. Bersukurrr.

3/9/13

Subuh awal disini, lebih kurang 4.45 pagi. Lepas Subuh, tidur balik merekot rekot. P/S, bawak stoking tebal, seluar panjang untuk tidur sebab kalau tak lutut hang beku. Sejuk piang. Aku terjaga pukul 6.30 dan bila tengok tingkap, aku starstruck. Kabus penuh kat bawah. Macam kau hidup atas awan. Macam doraemon. Terus aku kejut RM yang lain. Mangkit habis melompat nak snap gambar. Nak tunjuk dekat semua, dengan niat bukan nak menunjuk, niat nak berkongsi. Betapa Maha Besarnya Dia. Aku taknak balik. It remind me of Him more often than I did in Semenanjung. And I love this place because of that.

ada rasa teruja tak?

Elok dah sampai ke kereta, tayar kereta pulak baik punya flat. Pancit. Nasib baik ada bangmas yang pawer tukar tayar. Kalau harap ke aku, memang aku tolak jelah kereta. Macam-macam ragam, cari spare tayar tak jumpa, dah jumpa tayar, nat pulak tak boleh bukak sebab ketat sangat. Boleh bukak 2 je. Bayangkan 6 orang kitorang tak boleh nak bukak nat tu -.-‘ last sekali ikhtiar, aku dengan hani pergi tahan je kereta tepi jalan mintak tolong bukakan nat. sebab pakcik tu alang-alang nak ke pekan, kami mintak dia tunjukkan bengkel dan naiklah 4 orang kami atas pacuan pat roda Pak Cik Kebun.

Muka harus feeling tau ohh ni lah tempat pecah tuu.

Nampak tak kami anak beranak belakang tu. Feeling dangdut dok mano sangat.

Lepas tu, kami tak mandi terus pergi Kinabalu Park dengan harapan nak naik canopy walk dan rupanya bukan di gate situ. Salah gate. Kinabalu Park ni besar rupanya. Gate lagi satu lebih kurang 30-40 km dari Kundasang. Ahaks besarkan? Jadi alang dah sampai, kitorang naik jugaklah. Mula-mula jalan kaki tapi bila tengok tangga tinggi, kitorang naik Alza. Seorang RM3.00. Itu pun conservation fee. Apa salahnya. Dalam Kinabalu park ni, ada beberapa trail lebih kurang macam kau nak jungle trekking gitulah. Tapi sebab tak bersedia, kitorang jenjalan dengan kereta jelah. Macam biasa, view cantik dan kemhor jelah apa lagi. Kasi tunjuk anak cucu. Kalau korang banyak masa, aku galakkan bawaklah kasut trekking ke apa sebab jujurnya, aku rasa rugi tak try trail-trail dia. Trail dia pun range dari 500 meter ke 1 km macam tu.\

Ni salah satu macam view point dia. Charge bateri kemere siap-siap. P/S, jangan buang tiket ni, sebab boleh guna untuk naik canopy walk nanti, takyah bayar lagi. tempat ni pun perlukan dalam sejam macam tu untuk diterokai without any outdoor activities.

Jadi kami teruskan perjalanan ke Kundasang War Memorial dekat Pekan Kundasang. Tempat ini dibina bagi mengingati pejuang-pejuang Sabah, British dan Australia yang terkorban masa melawan Jepun. Tempat ni dipilih sebab dia dibawah lindungan bayang bayang Gunung Kinabalu. Terharu ah kalau aku tahu ada orang buat macam ni dekat aku. It was a very beautiful place, full of love and rememberance.

View dari war memorial ni. Cantik sangat nak nangis terharu. P/S, only 45 minutes to 1 hour needed untuk tour. Kecik je tempat ni. 

Untuk lunch, kami ke Pekan Kundasang dan beli KFC untuk lunch. I have a confession to make, awek Kundasang semua cantik-cantik T.T putih sangat kulit dia, mata besar-besar. Comel sangat sampai setiap tempat aku jumpa diorang, aku akan cuit member aku cakap cantiknyaaa cantiknyaaaaaa.

Yang mana belum mandi, mandi dulu dan kami check out dari hotel pukul 12.30 tengahari. Destinasi seterusnya, Canopy Walk!

-Akan Bersambung-

Gambar sumber FB Khalilah Naim, Shaza Amalina