Kota Kinabalu: So This Is Couch Surfing :-)

The clouds above us come together and disperse; the breeze in the courtyard departs and returns. Life is like that, so why not relax? Who can keep us from celebrating? – Lu Yu

With this particular trip I didn’t plan at all. I let anything led me to what I am meant to experience. My wish is only to capture a beautiful sunset and that’s all. I am open for anything.

Finally, I arrived in Kota Kinabalu city after travelling for almost whole day.

I have quickly check my mails. I read the message from Shevonne:-

“Mafey, you must be on your way to Kota Kinabalu now. You can go to Borneo café. There’s a CS meet up on every Thursday. You can just walk in too for Backpackers Inn. I’m not sure if I could come. But I’d be glad to meet you over a cup of tea or meal. You can look for Fiona Wong. She is a nice lady and both of you will have a lot to share. …“

I took a quick 30 minutes rest before I head to Kinabalu bay hoping to catch a beautiful sunset. I thought I would be just in time to attend for the CS meet up after sunset.

I was excited to meet this unknown people. I wonder how they will be like. What vibes I would get from them. Will I enjoy their company? Would they be accepting of me? Et ce tera questions until I decided I let go of all my questions. I will live the experience. Whatever it is :-).

Coffee at Borneo Café.

Dinner at Night Market.

On our way back to Borneo Café. I received random questions from random people I just met:-

CS1: Mafey, you and Carmen are friends?

Me: Ahh, shall I say yes? I just met her tonight.

CS2: How long have been with CS?

Me: It’s my first tonight.

CS3: So it’s Fiona that you know?

Me: I just met her tonight.

CS4: Wow great!!

So that’s how my first night went in KK :-D. I felt instantly at home with these bunch of fellow travelers coming from different parts of the world.

The Kinabalu people are very warm and accepting of foreigners. I even learned a lot from Fez Rolan, I fondly called the living wikipedia of KK. I’m impressed how he had shared the history of early relations of Philippines to Sabah. For instance, the night market where we had our dinner is popularly called a ‘Filipino market’. This could traced the early history from our ancestors from the south part of the Philippines who migrated to Sabah and had their businesses established there. Jinny Bong and Master Jules never failed to send me back to my 5-star hostel every after meet up. We    were fond of calling my hostel a 5-star because the usual charge is almost double to the regular price of hostels in KK.   But good thing is they change my beddings every day and we can have our breakfast until midnight ;-). Yes the food at the kitchen is overflowing.

Some of them became my travel buddies in Brunei and we keep in contact until now thru facebook :-).

This is only a fraction of my CS experience and I wish to share it for those who would like to try to go for it. It’s a wonderful experience! And oh, I am also a member of Hospitality Club :-).

If you are visiting Kinabalu and looking for hostel you may check this: Masada Backpacker. Their website: masadabackpacker.com. Look for either Sherin or Ziela.

Here are some exceptionally beautiful sunset I had captured. Some of them were taken from the Magellan Sutera Harbour. Happy viewing!