Kota Kinabalu Holiday Part 5: Resort Life

reminds me of those tourism poster ad


no doubt one of the best picture i ever taken..

i shall name it "Wish You Were Here"








buffet breakfast @ Cafe Boleh.. can't recall what this photo is about..








fresh fruit with fruit yogurt..

Sya refused to try because he insists that the word "yogurt" actually means "you-got-hurt" -.-"








Took a walk along the jetty to aid digestion








an irresistible urge to snorkel in the crystal clear water...








Our room were made up by the time we finish the walk, excellent job from the housekeeping department~






































That was soooo much fun =D =D =D









On our way to the nearby Manukan Island for snorkeling:

RM68/person inclusive of return boat ride, 15min glass-bottom boat ride, snorkeling equipments & island entrance fees... Quite reasonably priced considering the operator is located right in the resort..








Magellan Sutera, the other hotel in the resort...








glass-bottom boat ride








Nothing much to see actually =X







Sad to say, most of the coral reef near the beach is dead, obviously due to over-tourism in the area... But we did get to see a few schools of fish, sea urchins & Nemo (clown fish)!







The lady from housekeeping delivered us a golden box,








containing just two pieces of rather expensive chocolates which Sya wasted no time swallowing







Bought coke, & yet again we "abused" the room service for some ice cubes...








HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYAFIQ!!!









(-_-)"








happy 21st to him!! =D







We tipped the room service guy even though he delivered us a fork instead of knife..

See, we are nice people =)








Bought too many slices...








time for an hour of relaxing bubble bath~

DO NOT DISTURB! shhhhh~









to be continued....




Part 1: $30 Flight; RM30 Room
Part 2: KFC Cheezy Wedges
Part 3: Worst Hotel Ever
Part 4: FIVE STAR
Part 5: Resort Life
Part 6: Five Star Morning Call
Special: Panoramics

BMW Sauber Team Quits F1

"BMW has announced it is to quit Formula 1 at the end of the 2009 season, as AUTOSPORT predicted last night.

The news was confirmed at a press conference in Munich this morning, and comes on the back of a disappointing campaign for the outfit.

Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the BMW board, said that the decision was made after a refining of the company's future strategy.

"Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it's a resolute step in view of our company's strategic realignment," he said.

"Premium will increasingly be defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead. In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability. Our Formula 1 campaign is thus less a key promoter for us.

"Mario Theissen has been in charge of our motor sports program since 1999. We have scored a large number of successes in this period, including some in Formula 1 racing. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mario Theissen and his team for this."

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen, who spearheaded the company's efforts as an engine supplier with Williams and then later with BMW Sauber, said he understood the reasons behind the withdrawal.

"Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years," he said. "But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula 1 racing."

Dr. Klaus Draeger, member of the board who is responsible for development, said this season's poor results had played a part in the move to quit F1..."

Source: Autosports

Kota Kinabalu Holiday Part 4: FIVE STAR

Sya relative's friend's friend's friend's friend's friend whom is so-call a tour guide, took us to Mount Kinabalu in his crappy car...



Nothing much, just some photos from the morning trip:







































boring journey was over at last,
we arrived at the Sutera Harbour Resort!








Random shot of the Pacific Sutera lobby








view from hotel lobby








we opened the door to our Deluxe Sea View room on the 7th floor~






(Click to enlarge)

believe it or not, this is the actual view from our room!!!

guess how much our room cost per night?








Took some pictures of the room while Sya & WeiYuan were enjoying their 5-star experience...
































it didn't take too long for them, ok us, to mess it up =P








One of the many swimming pools in this mega-size resort...








A little introduction for the resort: There are actually 2 hotels, separated by a country club in the middle, attached with a yacht club facing the sea & a 27-hole golf course on the other side, just imagine the sheer size of this place!








Rental for a day of all-inclusive yacht is about RM5,000 -.-"

Think we'd better stay on land...







Spa, which unfortunately wasn't included in our package...






Complimentary buffet dinner:



smoked salmon







mussels







crab & about a hundred dishes more...








Desserts!







& more desserts...

there were like over 25 choices for desserts alone!







Calories is never a problem since i exercise so much ;P








Highlight of the buffet was this oven baked pudding which the pasty chef delivered to our table personally which a big smile!

absolutely loved it~

now you see it,





now you don't!







Oh yes, our package cost RM1200 for 2 nights stay, after the extra bed charge & tax. It includes a free room upgrade & 6x buffet breakfast, 2x complimentary buffet dinner & some other minor stuffs here & there, which turns out to be around S$500 or S$250/night, no so pricey if you consider its location & the range of facilities available.



In Part 5, i will reveal how we manage to fit return air ticket plus 5 nights of accommodation (inclusive of 2 nights stay at this resort) with an ultra-tight S$250 budget.

to be continued...




Part 1: $30 Flight; RM30 Room
Part 2: KFC Cheezy Wedges
Part 3: Worst Hotel Ever
Part 4: FIVE STAR
Part 5: Resort Life
Part 6: Five Star Morning Call
Special: Panoramics