Hadif, the Nemo : )

Whether you are a diver or snorkeller, kids or adults, there is one particular creature which always touches people's heart: NEMO.

It started back in 2003, when Walt Disney Pictures realesed an animated film called Finding Nemo. Since then, clownfish has caught everyone's attention : )

One day, I was asked for a help by a friend of mine to guide his guests for a snorkeling trip in Mataking Island. They are parents with 2 kids, a girl and a boy. Upon reaching Mataking Island, their daughter came up to me, holding my hand and asked, "Can u find Nemo for me?" She was about to turn 6 end of that month, wearing pink Roxy rashguard with a ponytail hair and kept on singing, "keep swimming, swimming, swimming" imitating Dory, one of the characters in Finding Nemo. How can a person resist such an adorable girl?!
So I tried very hard to look out for the clownfish (as I was new in Semporna at that time, snorkeling spot is not my area of expertise) and at last managed to find them somewhere nearby to Mataking Kecil.
The girl was so excited and asked me, "What is his name?" and I said, Nemo. She replied, "No, Nemo is the name of the fish, like I am a girl but my name is Syasha" I laughed and said to her, "Hadif. His name is Hadif".

When I was in Semporna, my mind constantly thinking back home. It is not the fact that I didn't enjoy being there, it's just that I miss my family a lot. So since that day, whenever I think of my nephew, I'll go to that very spot and find Hadif, the Nemo : )

Sipadan Island

If you ask devoted divers to list the top dives sites they wish to visit, Sipadan is frequently at the top of the list. It is one of the richest marine habitats in the world and has been rated as one of the top destinations for diving in the world.

Strong currents and steep walls are the hallmark of diving at Sipadan. I still remember the very first time I hit the water, I was struck by the overwhelming number of Green and Hawksbill Turtles, which gather at Sipadan to mate. It’s common to see more than twenty turtles on a single dive. Meanwhile, sharks are a virtual guarantee, from solo White-tip Reef Sharks cruising the wall to schooling Grey Reef Sharks hunting in the deeper plateaus. For the lucky one’s, scalloped Hammerheads emerge out of the deep. Eagle Rays are common, as are Devil Rays. Manta Rays make an appearance when the deep-water currents bring plankton from out of the blue, as do Whale Sharks. The swirling tornado-like formation of schooling Barracuda, Big-Eye Trevally,the giant size Bumphead Parrotfish and thousands Silver Jack fish are the highlights on every diver’s wish-list : )




Me and my best buddy, Fai at Sipadan Island



Sipadan is the only ocenic island in Malaysia which rise 600m from the seabed. (U can see from the above pic, it turns from turqouise to deep blue outside the floatline)

 

Cute little baby turtles at Sipadan Turtle Hatchery

Swirling Tornado-like shcooling Barracuda



Whale Shark, the largest fish species. The one in above pic is approx 10m long which is about 6 to 7 times larger,compared to me! Although it has very large mouth, as filter feeder, it feed mainly on plankton, which are microscopic plants and animals. What a friendly creature! : )



Hammerhead Shark. This shot was taken from far as it suddenly made an apperance out of the blue. When you are underwater, you see the thing that you were taught your whole life to fear and it doesn't want to hurt you, it is the most beautiful thing you ever seen! Hammerhead is one of the misunderstood species, they are incredible shy animal. Their head is a giant sensor system that detect electromagnetic field, which it can feel my heartbeat. They can feel me and know whether I'm excited or scared.



Spotted Eagle Rays



Giant size Bumphead Parrotfish

White-tip Shark



I must say, it is such a pleasure to dive in Sipadan. One of my Bucket List has been crossed! : ) Stay tuned as more islands updates to come!



Would you rather live your life according to the approval of others or aligned with your truth and your dreams?

2012 was the year I've been struggling knowing myself...I was lost. Trying to find if life is way beyond what I've seen and experienced today. You see, most of our lives are so predictible.
We’re so wrapped up with egotistical things, career, having enough money, meeting the mortgage, getting a new car, owing the latest gadget—we’re involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So we don’t get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, Is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing?
In a daylight, I refused that thought, but at night it would consume me. What a catastrophe. Wasn't I happy and blessed with a nice home, family who loves me unconditionally, friends who always be there for me, weekends spent roaming in malls and hangout places of my choice, buying ever more aplliance on credit? I had actively participated in every moment of the creation of this life, so why did I feel like none of it resembled me? Why did I feel so overwhelmed with duty, tired of being an engineer, collegue, daughter, sister and a good friend?

And this, finally, was how my whole idea about this 3 months of travelling began to gel. I absolutely needed to get myself back to Borneo somehow, on my own dime this time. This was evident. Though I couldn't yet imagine how to do it, given my chaotic and disturbed life.
It wasn't so much that I wanted to throughly explore the places themselves; this has been done. It was more that I wanted to throughly explore one aspect of myself set against the backdrop of each places, in a place that has traditionally done that one thing very well. It seemed a voyage of self-discovery.

A few months later, I am living in Borneo. I have quit my job, put all belongings I had left in my parent's house and packup 2 suitcase, camera, lappy, bicycle and there, my journey begins...

04.10.2012

“Well, for one thing, the culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We're teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it. Create your own. Most people can't do it.”
- Morrie Swchwartz-

An Escape From Real Life

I’ve had  somebody explain it to me that what I did , it was an escape from real life. It’s a way that I can go out there and just be in my own terms and escape the harshness of reality. 

And to me, it was greater than an exit from something else. It was really like an entrance, its like you are really in tune with the type of person that you want to be and you are comfortable with who you are and the world, and everything that defines you, it seems to be all lined up where it should be.

The feeling is....freedom. just freedom.

And it doesn't last long. Its usually over by the time you take a look back and your mind slowly wanders back into some sort of reality...

This blog is specially created for my family, friends and all those who been asking me to share my experience during 'soul searching' for 80 days in Borneo. It might sounds a short period of time for some of you, but for me it was the longest seconds,minutes,hours,days,nights,weeks and months..which have changed my perspective towards almost everything in this world.

Stay tuned for the updates! : )