26th August - Emma's Rat - Pulau Malawi - Kudat

Tuesday 26^th August

Lindsay and Emma - second last day on Lankayan...

Internet!  Phone!  We are now in Kudat.  No room at the inn, in the marina.  The berth we occupied last time has broken away and is decidedly unsafe, so we are anchored out in the “Duck Pond.”  We have come in to the marina rooms, to use the large airconditoned room overlooking the marina.  All so pleasant and easy.  We are meeting our friend Rob (Jolie Brise) for dinner…we arranged to meet here at the club rooms but…the restaurant is open EVERY day except…Tuesday…

I am sure I closed all of the hatches on 2XS…at least I hope so because it is POURING with rain.  Thunderbolts, lightning, monsoonal downpour…

Our peaceful view last night while sipping G & Ts

Last night we anchored in a beautiful peaceful bay on Pulau Malawi, totally surrounded by mangroves.  We stayed flat ALL night, no rock or roll.  (There was a LOT of rock and roll on our Lankayan mooring.)  Pete said he would like to stay there for a few days, to work on his accounts but I was not overly keen.  Yes it is nice not to toss around but…it was very crocodilian, with all of those mangroves.  And…no internet…I would possible have gone stir crazy!

So we have come to our destination, Kudat, where we might stay for a few days before setting out on another bit of adventure to the Philippines.  We still have 48 days (but who’s counting???) before we fly home…

By special request from Jackie Bice, Emma’s mother, in the Cotswolds – a close-up photo of Emma’s Rat!!  Emma told me a funny story, about molehills… Her parents have a beautiful garden, with rolling green lawns.  When she was maybe about 12, their lawn got invaded by a mole, and instead of rolling greenery, it was a mass of, well, molehills.  Chris set a few traps, determined to have his smooth lawn restored, mole-free.  He came home from work one day to find Emma very happy – she had found a dear little mole in the trap!  Well where is it??  And yes of course…she had carefully put it back in one of its dear little holes…

Today’s birthday girl is…Ann-Marie!  I always feel Ann-Marie is a very new friend, in fact we have been through quite a lot of thick & thin (sick and sin…) since, I think, 2003.  We have chatted, dined, drunk wine, danced and sung, and I have been very happy in her company.

(I nicked this lovely photo from her Facebook page.)