This happened almost 2 weeks ago :x
Had some trouble retrieving pictures from my SD Card, hence the delay in updating.
So, I planned this trip since the MATTA Fair in March lol. I wanted to try scuba diving, so I dragged Stephy, Oliver and Emad to go as well haha.
We went to B&J Diving Centre in ABC Bay, and stayed there for 3 days 2 night.
It was a try dive package, RM430/person. We took the Quad Deluxe Air Cond Room.
It was clean, and quite spacious I guess.
There's a queen sized bed, and two super single bed.
Anyway, we went to Mersing by bus. It was a 6 hours ride -_-
We took the night bus, and unfortunately I could only sleep for around an hour during the ride fml.
We reached Mersing around 4.30am lol. Then we spent around 30 minutes searching for a toilet. Emad was desperate for the loo, but the toilets at the bus terminal was locked, which is just plain stupid.
In the end we managed to find a 7-11 and borrowed their toilet.
Anyway, here's a random picture of Oliver and Emad while we were waiting for the bus in Bandar Tasik Selatan.
Anyway after we went to the toilet, we roamed around trying to find the jetty. It was a 10 minutes walk from the bus terminal. We failed to do so though, since it was still dark. In the end we went back to the bus terminal waiting for sunrise. After the sun rise, we went to a nearby KFC. It was only 6am though, so we chilled outside the KFC haha, using their wi-fi to keep ourselves entertained.
Slightly before 7am (the time KFC open), we got bored and wandered to this little port behind the KFC.
Beautiful sky
Selfie!
Chilled there for a bit and took pictures, then when we walked back to KFC, it's opening! Yay!
Went in for breakfast, and finally when it's almost 8am, we walked to the jetty to catch our ferry ride to Tioman Island.
The ferry ride lasted 2 hours :(
I was getting really sleepy since I didn't sleep much, so I tried to sleep in the ferry, Couldn't sleep well too. Only got another hour of sleep sigh.
The ferry wasn't too comfortable, and there's kids in front of me -_- They were noisy :S
When we reached the island, I was glad because I was starting to get dizzy lol.
We walked about 5 minutes before we reached our resort. We checked in, and actually we were supposed to have the dive on that day, but since we were all tired, we postponed it to the next day.
Instead, we just chilled around the beach and explore the bay.
It was mostly rocky beaches. We had to walk for around 10 minutes to the other side before we get to a fairly sandy beach.
Rocks everywhere
The water was clear though
Horizon!
It's a nice island, with the rainforest close behind the resort.
There are no fancy fancy resort there, mostly 2 stars or budget chalet. It's nice though, feels very...Earthly? No idea how to explain it lol.
Oh, and there's quite a few pond (idk if it's really a pond or what) there as well, which we have to cross. Looks kinda eerie, especially at night.
There's trees along the beach as well :D
More random pictures.
Dead moth
We found a swing as well :D
The string is long, so it makes it even more fun than a regular playground swing hehe.
Plus, it's only one string.
Hahahha Oliver tried to go on it, but he had no idea how to sit on the sing lmao. I was laughing so bad watching him try to get on it hahahaha.
He tried sitting on it crossed leg lmao xD
Emad was patiently explaining how to sit to him.
I was too busy snapping photo and laughing xD
Lol Emad swinging
Me taking a turn as well, and Emad running to push me -_-
Stephy's turn!
We strolled further after swinging, the we turned to go back to our rooms to get changed into bathing attire.
Here's more random snaps on the way back.
Coral stuck on the branch
Pretty shell
Saw a erm....dunno what species of lizard as well.
After getting changed, we walked all the way to the end of the bay and swam there.
We had fun swimming :D There's a huge rock by the beach as well, and the tide is rising up towards it. The rock is slippery with moss, and it was slanting down at a perfect angle for a slide.
Emad got the genius idea of climbing up the rock and sliding down it xD
Was freaking fun :D
We spent close to 2 hours bathing I think. Can't really remember, but when we finally went back to our room, it was almost sunset and we had our dinner after we took our shower.
Around 9pm, I went out alone and took a short walk outside.
I expected to see stars, but the sky was nothing but just plain darkness. It was kinda creeping me out, so I walked back lol.
We slept around 10pm that night, since none of us had good sleep the previous night.
Next morning, I woke around 7am. I went out and took a walk by the beach by myself, since the others are still sleeping. It was cool, almost cold even. Kinda wish I brought my jacket out with me haha.
I sat down on a rock, watching the waves and relaxing. I just love the sound the waves make, and feeling the pebbles and sand on my feet. The tide was rising as well, and I sat there until the tide started to reach me. After that, I walked to the jetty, and just stared out down to see the fishes below me.
I walked back when the sun ray started to shine across the rainforest behind and reach me.
When the others woke up, we went for breakfast. After breakfast, it was time for our dive!
Well, not exactly haha. We had to watch a video, sign paperworks, and be taught about scuba diving. That took around an hour, before we were brought to the pool to try it out.
Spent another hour plus there.
The first breath that I took underwater was kinda magical.
It was kinda scary to me as well for some reason. I took a few breaths and for I don't know what reason, I started to panic. I rushed to the surface and spat out the regulator from my mouth, and got told off by my instructor, Megan.
But then, after that it was alright.
After we were done practicing, we went to a nearby cafe and had a snack.
After about 2 hours break, we went back, geared up, and make our way out to the sea. :D
It was a pain going out though, cause the tank was so heavy, and the shore was very rocky. But then in the end we made it to the appropriate depth to actually start swimming, and that wasn't that bad.
Until we started diving down.
Megan deflated my BCD (Buoyancy Control Device), and I started sinking at an alarming rate. (Well, to me at least.) About 1.5m down, I panicked for I don't know what reason again, and inflated my BCD. Well of course, I shot up to the surface, and for some reasons, the others shot up after me as well lol.
Next thing we know, Megan was screaming at us, cause if we do that below the depth of 5m, we could get decompression sickness.
Anyhow, when she calmed down, we attempted again diving down again. This time I get to the depth of around 4m, but I couldn't equalize my ear, even after 3 to 4 attempts. In the end, Megan told me to go back. Obviously, I was upset. I felt so unaccomplished, but what could I do? My stupid ear wouldn't equalize and it hurts. I don't want to risk anything by ignoring it. Damn, and I was so close as well, another meter and I would have reached the bottom :( Sigh. I'm still kind of bumped that I didn't manage to dive to the bottom completely right now ._.
Meh, one day I will do it again.
The reason why I couldn't equalize is apparently, I had a cold damn it. I'm guessing I caught it when we had our snacks after our pool learning session. I just walked to the cafe, dripping wet in my bathing suit and sat there with wind blowing at me. Fml.
Oh well, anyway I went back into our hotel room, and kinda emo at the corner reading my novel waiting for my friends to come back lol. I expect them to be gone for around 20 to 30 minutes, but surprisingly they came back early, around 15 minutes after I got back.
-_- They told me I didn't miss much, so I guess I had that going for me lolol. But then, I guess there wasn't that much to see as well, a lot of the corals there are dead :(
Later on, we went to swim at the beach again, and we hiked a short trail over to the next bay. There was nothing much there, so we went back to the spot where we swam the day before. We actually swam till sunset, and continue swimming in the dark. It was creepy, yet there is something very satisfying and tranquil about swimming in the dark. We went back shortly, and went to a barbeque restaurant for our last dinner at the island.
There was this cat that climbed onto the railing beside me, and it had the guts to do this lol.
Being "mean" to it
After the dinner, I somehow got into a pillow fight with Emad back at the room -_-
Forgot how exactly it happened, but I remember me trying to snatch the air-cond remote from him, but he won't let me cause he don't want me to adjust the temperature lol. We were being really childish, which was fun xD I can't remember the details, but I think it includes being rolled in the blanket, getting tickled, and flying kicks? lolol.
In the end I just steal his blanket, with the help of Stephy xD I think Oliver was just playing his Ipad, ignoring us and facepalming at us hahahhaa.
After the chaos ended, we played cards and just chillax.
And slept around 1am lol.
The next day, it was time to leave :(
We have to catch our ferry at 9am, which sucks cause that leaves us no time to do anything on the last day. In the end, it's more like a 2 days 2 night package sigh.
Oliver making goodness knows what sign before we leave our room
Some pictures at the dock while waiting for ferry.
Group photo, taken using the timer on the camera haha
Lol I think I was sucking my stomach in subconsciously, since I know my tummy is not that flat lololol.
This was a fun and memorable trip, hopefully we'll be able to travel together again :D
