Kota Kinabalu Through GE X5 Pro Camera

Most Filipinos would opt to go to Singapore or Hong Kong, but little did they know that there's also a very interesting place to go to just south of Palawan - the island of Borneo. Borneo is being occupied by 3 countries, Brunei, Malaysia (Sabah), and Indonesia (Kalimantan).

Kota Kinabalu, is a the capital of Sabah Malaysia and is home to the highest Mountain in Sabah - Mt. Kinabalu. Apart from that the resort city is also home to the nearby island which is part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.

The city is also famous for its seaside bars and restaurants and their outlet stores, which I would say is a lot better than those you see in Hong Kong.

So, if you want try something new, go to Kota Kinabalu.

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia - Weekend Trip

Getting to Kota Kinabalu is fairly easy, there are flights going from Manila via Cebu Pacific or Clark via AirAsia. I flew via Cebu Pac on a Friday afternoon. It was one of the most horrible experience I had in NAIA T3. It had long lines from the get go and it was very humid inside. The immigration line was very long - coz, they only have 2 immigration officers. No wonder it was voted the worst airport. So I just got in on time and made the regular process. Flight o KK was sheduled at 1350.

I booked a hotel through http://www.agoda.com/ and chose Switz Paradise Hotel. This was the first time I booked through Agoda. I usually book at http://www.asiatravel.com/. So far so good, booking at Agoda was a breeze.

Kota Kinabalu City, Sabah, Malaysia

I arrived at Kota Kinabalu pass 7pm. Unlike Hong Kong or Singapore, where you can ride an MRT in the airport, there's no option here but to ride an airport taxi or walk until you reach outside the airport and catch a bus. The taxi will bring you to the city center for 30 ringgits, which is fair IMO. I was able to check in Switz Paradise Hotel. Upon settling my stuff in my room, I was surprised that for a budget hotel, they have wifi in my room, And by the way speaking of budget, this hotel's standard room costs 88 ringgits per night. Of course, the hotel offered the very basic of necessities like towels, complimentary bottled waters and a soap - which means you have to buy or bring your toothbrush, toothpaste and shampoo.

My hotel is inside the Asia City Mall

After settling in, I decided to go out to get some dinner, the place that I stayed in was very near other commercial areas like Warisan Square, Centerpoint Sabah Mall and Waterefront Bars. Western fastfood chains are readily available. Outside the hotel you could already see Mcdonalds across the street. I was surprised with the shops that I found like Quicksilver which is cheaper as compared in Manila. There a couple of outlet stores but were already closed. And then of course, I immediately smiled when I saw Starbucks and bought a tumbler of Malaysia which I collect for 38 Ringgit. I also ordered a Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato for 13.80 Ringgit. The tumbler's a bit expensive compared to the ones I have bought from other countries, but hey, price is not an issue for a collector. It was raining a that time, so I couldn't go to the Waterfront and stroll, but there a couple of interesting bars there.

Shops and malls are bountiful in KK

Waterfront area is a good nice to hang-out

Waterfront is a place where all the bars line up

Waterfront bars in the morning

The next day, I already planned to go to Tunku Rahman Abdul Park or specifically Palau Manukan, which is one of the several islands this park has to offer. I opted for Manukan since this is the most amenities are readily available. I walked from my hotel to Jesselton, without a map, I opted to walk a the Waterfront until I reach the Jesselton Ferry terminal. A good 30-minute walk will let you see pass the bay front sites of Kota Kinabalu. But if you are not the walking type, then better ride a bus or a taxi. Upon reaching Jesselton point, I immediately purchased a boat ride to Palau Manukan which costs 17 ringgit. You can opt to rent other items such as mats, snorkle gears, life vests and fins. Then you need to pay the terminal fee and tariff which is around 10 ringgit. I caught the first boat at 8am and arrived at Palau Manukan around 8:30am.

Walking by the waterfront early morning let's you discover the city center more intimately.

Jesselton Point

The beach is clean, and the white sands are ok - not coarse. But if course, my bench mark was always Boracay sands, but this is pretty close. The scenery reminds me of Anawangin without the lagoon and with amenities. Why? Because the beach has pine trees!!! I snorkled a couple of time and roamed the island and then I headed back to the mainland around 11pm. After that, I took a rest and decided to shop at Center Point Sabah. They have the basic brands like Giordano (bought a shirt there with "Malaysia" on its print). But I was surprised thT the Factory Outlet Shop (FOS) sells branded items very cheap. I bought 3 GAP, 2 Zara and 1 Old Navy shirt for 70 ringgit or about 1000 pesos - imagine that!!! My budget was fully unprepared for this, so I decided to use my swipey card. After that, I decided to watch Kung Fu Panda 2. There's a cinema in the mall. To my surprise, the ticket prices for a 2d and 3d films are 7 ringgit and 15 ringgit respectively - very cheap compared to the cinemas here in Manila. Coincidentally, Kung Fu Panda features one Malaysian artist, Michelle Yeoh, so the movie was jampacked and well received by fellow Malaysians. I was so tired that day, that I decided to sleep pass 8pm.

Palau Manukan, part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park

So the next day, I woke up early and decided ate at Mcdonalds Api-api branch before heading our for city tour and do some photowalk. But then last minute, I decided to go back to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and visit another island - Palau Mamuntik. So I went back to Jesselton, but this time I took a bus from Warisan Square. It was a good 10 minute ride. So I went on paying the island trip, tariff and terminal fees. And spent the whole day just snorkeling. I actually find Palau Mamuntik the better beach and snorkeling area compared to Palau Manukan. The island is pretty small, but common amenities are also available - changing rooms, toilets, cafeteria. If you decide to eat buffet lunch, yo need to pay 45 ringgit, but if your on a budget, they have cheap meals at the cafe, all less than 10 ringgit. It was also on this island that I found a big monitor lizards and fishes swimming at you when you snorkel. I also met new friends here, I Chinese Family, an Australian couple, and an American Backpacker - call that UN. I stayed until 3pm and then decided to go back to the main island. I just went to the mall adjacent to Jesselton point which is Suria Sabah. They have upscale stores and Reject shops. I ate at the food court which provides a good view of Palau Gaya!!! A came back at the hotel around 5pm and slept the early evening.

Palau Mamuntik

The last day, I decided to take an early walk and go to the observatory. It was my last day, so I decided to stroll the city. Going uphill is an attraction by itself, by I wouldn't recommend to those who don't like walking at all. The first pit stop is Atksinson's Clock Tower. Its the oldest clock tower in Kota Kinabalu and a historical relic. So I stopped and clicked some photos. And then I went uphill to go the observatory. Upon reaching the observatory, you can clearly see the whole Kota Kinabalu City and a couple of islands within the Tunku Abdul Raman Marine Park. I would recommend that you go here between 6am to8am, the temperature is ok! And then now it's time for me to check out, but my flight is at 6pm, so I decided to leave my bags at the counter and run a quick souvenir shopping at Center Point Sabah and Warisan Square.

Old Atkinson's Clock Tower

Observatory

some of the malls and commercial complexes in KK City

There were still a lot of activities I've missed, especially hiking Mt. Kinabalu and visiting the other island - enough reason for me to go back to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

India Video Montage - Shot Through Iphone 4

Not only am I fond of taking photos of the different places I have been, but I have a new found hobby in editing short clips taken using my Iphone 4. The video below shows different clips around New Delhi and Agra during my trip last April 4. I used the app "Splice" to edit these clips straight on my Iphone.

From the Philippines, there is now a direct flight Manila-Delhi via Philippine Airlines. Also, India just recently announced, that for Filipinos wanting to visit India as tourists for less than 30 days, they now have "visa-on-arrival" in India's international hubs like Delhi Internatinal Airport, which means that you don't need to go to Indian Embassy in Makati to have a tourist visa stamped on your passport. :)

Incredible India Through GE X5

I have already mapped out the out-of-the-country trips for the entire year, so going to India was an unplanned trip for me. I had to attend a Leadership Meeting, together with the "gods" of our company (VPs, SVPs and Directors). But of course, since we're there primarily for work, there will inevitably be days that we can go out and discover the sights that India (al least the Northern part) has to offer. So by default, we have to go to Taj Mahal!!! From Delhi, it will take around 4-5 hours to reach Agra, so its best that you leave very early. We left around 6:30am and arrived around 1:00pm. The Taj Complex is a huge, government maintained complex. A foreigner will need to pay INR750 entrance fee which already includes a wallet guide, bottled water, plastic feet covers (you'll need this once you enter the main tomb). It is also best to bring your passport should they ask at the security gate. You will first be welcomed by huge Fort. This is your first pit stop before you can even see the Taj Majal.

The picture below will give you a peek once your inside the fort - a majestic view of Taj Mahal.

After passing the complex, you will be welcomed by a lush garden and water fountain (at that time, the fountain was still turned off). From here, you can now take pictures of the grand tomb.

Because of security restrictions, taking pictures INSIDE the tomb is strictly prohibited, so this is the nearest that I can click using my GE x5.

Cherry Mobile Eclipse User Review

Cherry Mobile Eclipse: Who Says Smart Phones Need to be Expensive?

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Cherry Mobile is one of the youngest players on the entry level handsets in the Philippines. It has become a popular choice for budget conscious people. But recently, they have also decided to enter the Smartphone market with both Windows based and Android based devices. The first Windows Phone that they have released was Cherry Mobile Eclipse with Windows Mobile 6.5 Operating System. I bought this phone at a very tempting price of Php4999.00. With that price, this can be considered the cheapest WinMo phone in the Philippine market. I already have an Iphone 4, but because I am a traveller and needed a phone that's open line and I could take anywhere without the fear of being charged with Globe's ridiculous roaming charges, I decided to buy this one. I still need a smartphone that I can work with and I think Eclipse with the WinMo OS installed would be fine.

The 3.2 inch screen is great. But be warned, native applications are stylus driven.

The box contents are just very basic - phone, stylus, charger, battery, cable, earphone and manual. You still have to purchase a separate memory card. It can accommodate up to 8GB of external memory. The build quality is just ok. The back cover is made of brushed metal paint, but under that is all plastic. The black front face really brings a professional impression. There is a 2-megapixel camera at back (very basic and not the best of quality). It also has a sensor so you can auto-rotate the screen. The left side houses the volume rocker, lock key and mini-USB port. The right side only has one button which is the camera shutter. There are three touch sensitive keys on the bottom of the screen.

It's brushed rear cover gives a very good impression

The honeycomb style menu is very thumb friendly, but once you go into the menus, you'll find yourself using the stylus

The WinMo 6.5 OS installed on the phone comes with the "Today Screen" and then a Honeycomb grid as the main menu. But when you go deeper into the interface, you'll find yourself already using the stylus (which I find really annoying). So what I did was to download applications to improve the user interface and allow thumb input rather than using a stylus. I have installed SPB Mobile Shell version 3.5.5 and SPB Keyboard. Both can be found at http://www.4shared.com/ or http://www.umnet.com/. The already has a built in Facebook application. It's not as snazzy as the Iphone interface but much better than the Nokie Symbian Facebook app. And of course, they'll know your using a WinMo phone everytime you update because the status will also have a footnote saying "via Windows Phone". Other native applications include MS office mobile suite (which I think is the edge of this phone over android and Iphone). It has a good calendar and email application. And because of this, I have migrated by portable email onto this phone. In short, I have passed the "work" phone to Cherry mobile Eclipse. My Iphone is now my personal non-office phone.

The default screen would be the "Today Screen" which offers a snazzy inferface just like with Microsoft Zune

The camera is offer very poor quality, but the additional options make it look usable as well. There's timer, brightness, modes and such. The video camera is also ok - only usable for email. Don't expect DVD quality videos on the phone. Below are some sample photos.

Multimedia handling is also ok. It has the Windows Media Player that can play music and videos. You can download a DIVX application so you can watch .avi videos. The loudspeaker is not that good though as well as the earphones that came with the package. Please bear that this phone does not have a 3.5 mm jack, which means you can't use any standard earphone. It only houses a 2.5 mm jack, so this means you need to buy an adapter (probably in CDR king). But, again, as a regular user, I don't mind because I have another gadget to complete my music-listening and video-watching needs. All in all, the Cherry Eclipse is very good phone for its price range.

If you are techie enough, you can download applications that will improve WinMo's user interface

The SPB Mobile Shell application gives a better interface for your WinMo phone.

This may be the cheapest smartphone, but it can be a work horse. Since it's WinMo, it very easy to sync office files, calendars and emails. Multimedia is ok, but it's nothing compared to the likes of Android and Apple. The good thing about the phone is the freedom for me to tinker with the interface and do whatever I want. This is what I miss about an open source system. Oh, and did I mention it's dual sim... "So pick a fruit - Cherry, Apple or Blackberry"