Mabul 2014

Told you Mabul is a boomerang for me ... yessssss I went back again this year and this time I stayed for 32 glorious days!!!

I know some of you will be scratching your head - as I myself did, but could never understand or see how HPR (usually stays 4-6weeks each year when he is at UChang's) would pass his time doing nothing apart from snorkelling!?! Quite easily I say now!!!

What am I going to do there for so long???? Flipping back on my journal, everyday was fun filled with something or other and only 4 days were totally relaxing.

A normal start of the day for me would usually be fried meehoon and 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast.  The lst snorkel boat leaves around 8.30am and this year, I did not bother much with the lst boat.  Then its back to base for quick morning tea and catch the 2nd snorkel to Kapalai around 11am and back for lunch and after a quick rest the 3rd snorkel trip leaves around 2pm and usually takes you to P1 or P2 and is the last trip for the day.  Then its back to the chalet and get showered up and before you know it, its time to catch the sunset!  The sky and sun paints a different picture everyday and this is not a spectacular shot, but is the lst one I flicked through my 7024 pixs on my phone, so it has filled this spot!
When I don't go out on the lst snorkel trip, I usually stay back and haggle with the locals trying to sell their catch of the day! As this is my 4th year to UChang's, I am getting better at haggling and wiser too as now I can be "in control" and really negotiate the crabs, fish and slipper lobsters down to what I am willing to pay for the day and not the opening price they are asking for the crustaceans/fish.  

Another reason for our long stay this time was because we had 2 weddings to attend - Jamilah's early in Nov and SingSing's at the end of November.  These 2 lovely ladies happen to be the daughters of Uncle Chang, the man himself!!! 


Uncle Chang in RED at daughter's wedding reception

What can I say, Uncle Chang has a great family and Roihan his son is a really cool dud too.  Roihan is "the man in charge" on Mabul and he is not just a handsome face, but he also happens to be the head mancho Instructor.....so #divewithroihan #sidemount if you are thinking of getting PADI Certified or your Advance etc.

Roihan  Me  &  HPR

This time round, as I had so much time on Mabul I kept myself busy if I am not in the water, by making all kinds of snacks and local treats and sharing my culinary skills with some of the staff.  Curry puffs were a "hit" and the most fun to make and everyone seems to like them, so much so I made them again to order and it was so funny and I was so tickled when 3 of the staff came with their 1ringgit and wanted to buy my curry puffs!!!! 

Boys with their MYR$1.00 to buy my curry puffs

I am lucky as Chef Ah Long would let me into his domain and mess around his kitchen.  There were days when I would make bubur with sweet potato, sago pudding with santan & gula Melaka or cucur bawang etc.  
All depends if I have the ingredients and now that I have good  "connections" its easy to send someone to the mainland in the morning with my shopping list and my goods get delivered to me on the same day on the 4pm boat.  Island life can't get any better and some days I get to cook my own veggies as I was crazy mad about sayur pakis. (ferny looking local vegetable).

Sipadan is always on the top of my head!!! lol

This trip, we were so privileged to have gone to Sipadan 5 times thanks to the management of UChang.  Sipadan is the main reason why I keep going back to Mabul every year.  Sipadan has everything to offer my cravings for underwater critters.  Why I choose to stay at UChang's is also obvious as the management and staff at UChang's is really friendly and very hospitable. They always try their very best to entertain all my requests and go out of their way to see that I am happy on Mabul.
During the last week of my stay, I must have caught some kind of bug and was really sick.  I hardly left the chalet and have no appetite to eat so there must be something drastically wrong with me!  Luckily for me, HPR was always close by and would be at my back and call.  It was so unexpected and touching that Chef Ah Long and his staff would cook special fish congee and  less oily food for me and walk the food all the way to my chalet with NoiNoi and Anna.  The trio did this for a few days and I cannot thank them enough for caring after me when I was not well.

Special fish congee by Chef Ah Long

Last but not least, everything that happened on Mabul outweighs the "one mishap" we experienced but it will not stop us from coming back to UChang's.

Other highlights to name a few include having a "clean up day" by the arrival dock, a couple of boat driving lessons, playing table tennis with the army on Sipadan, side trips to other islands etc etc.
The end of our stay is upon us now and it was amazing how 32 days did not seem long enough now!!! 


I was sad to leave Mabul but life goes on!!!  I just wanted to thank everyone at UChang's again for making our time on Mabul so eventful and enjoyable.  Hope to see all of you again soon!!!

Yellow!!! Normally Purple - my unusual find!!!