Meraikan Kelahiran @Maldives

I have been to Maldives few times in Oct but never on my birth date. This year, i decided to revisit Kandooma after 11 years (in 2011). 

It was my first time setting up my eyes in this beautiful country. Since then, i have been to Maldives yearly except 2015, 2020 and 2021. This is my first overseas trip after the border reopen due to covid-19. 

It was the resort effort to prepare all the surprises. No body plan it. I went for snorkeling trip in the morning, then kayak and snnorkle again in front of the room (i saw lion fish hiding between the rock).

Entered the room and wallaaa.. the bed was nicely prepared with birthday wishes. After resting, walk around the resort area twice and drop by the restaurant. 

As my friend contemplating what to eat, the staff said they actually already prepared nice table for us and to my surprise a birthday cake with the staff singing birthday song to celebrate.

 Hmmm nice kan. ❤

4. Merindukan Maldives, Snorkeling trip

Haha... pagi-pagi dah jiwang karat, rindu lah bagai. Terbayang-bayang air laut warna turquoise, memanggil-manggil. Mengada sungguh. Tetiba teringat nak cerita pasal snorkeling trip pulak.

Sebab dah beberapa kali ke Maldives, dah tahu what to expect.  Dah pernah pergi night fishing, sunset cruise, dolphine cruise, catamaran sailing dan mestilah snorkeling trip. So kali ni, tak payah nak bayar semua trip tu.. kita gamble buat snorkeling trip sendiri around the island. Kita explore sendiri apa yang ada kat dalam laut. Peralatan di beri pinjam percuma 😊

Saya snorkel dua kali sehari je. Pagi, sebelum breakfast dan petang sebelum senja. Kalau hebat, snorkel berkali-kali lemon pun boleh. Tak jadi masaalah. Ikan-ikan tu tak charge any fees. 

Entah kenapa... heran juga. Tak ada orang bersnokel waktu itu. Mungkin dia org sedang nyenyak tidur. Oh mungkin sebab saya nak elak matahari yg panas, tapi dia org ni rajin berjemur. Tak sanggup. Tengah hari selalu nya waktu hebat untuk tidur.

Jauh juga saya bersnokel.  Ada hari sekejap. Tapi selalunya lama. Tengok tahap energy dan current. Ada satu kali tu, macam berjuang habis kaki dan tangan melawan arus. Nasib baik sampai juga.

Apa yang saya nampak? 2 je la... ikan dan coral.. kalau nak jumpa turtle tu kena pergi yg bayar. Kat tengah laut sana. Sungguh pun cuma dua barang.. memang worth it. Visibility sangat lah clear. Coral tak lah bercolour bagai tapi banyak dan ikan ikan yg bermcm mcm colour dan rupa memang banyak. Layaaaaaan habis. Kadang kadang tu terserempak dgn sekumpulan ikan yang sama jenis, banyak gila. Ada butterflyfish, clown fish, snapper,  surgeonfish, angelfish, bannerfish, trigger fish dan byk lagi yang saya belum dapat name card utk berkenalan.  Air pun tak dalam sgt. So boleh tgk jarak dekat.

Memang puas hati la. FOC kan and then ikut timing dan haluan sendiri. Suka hati... lalala...

3. Maldives, Starting Over

Honestly,  I had enough and couldn't ask for more. My room has been upgraded FOC to beach villa due to leaking from the ceiling. It's not that bad but since they offered, I'm more than happy to accept.  The beach villa is nice. The super comfy bed is overlooking the beach. I can see the beach while watching tv with aircond in the room. The bathroom and toilet is super huge with bath tub.

Another morning walk, sunrise of hope.

The standard check in time is at 2pm but they allowed me to checked in early at 10 am. Then today, they allow me to check out late at 7pm FOC. Wow. I'm a happy girl. Tak lah melanguk tunggu kat airport, flight jam 10.45 pm = 1.45 am Malaysia time.

I had a good a good time. Really. I'm happy with this trip.  The objective and kpi was achieved effortlessly :D  I have nothing to complain about. Happy all the way. I snorkel twice a day, eat, sleep, watch tv and sleep again. How hard it can be.

While waiting for the boat ride back to airport, I can't help to think on my next thing in real life. The live band song on the background calms me down. Thousands of stars, bercahaya terang.. from pitch dark sky. Deep down I know I don't have to have it all figured out to move forward and starting over again. I just need to have faith on it.

Thank you Maldives, awesome as always. Helooo KL.. apa cer..

2. Maldives = Love

Saya suka segala-galanya tentang laut. Saya suka bunyi deruan ombak, saya suka rasa angin yang bertiup, saya suka bau udara segar dan saya suka pelbagai warna biru yang dipersembahkan. Saya suka rasa sepi. Tak ada bunyi suara manusia hiruk pikuk. Tak ada aktiviti. Tenang.

Saya faham jika kamu tidak suka laut. Ya. Panas laut, lekit air masin dan pasir, tiada aktiviti, rambut keras dan kulit terbakar. Laut bukan utk semua.

Saya menunggu sunset. Tapi tiada nampaknya. Terlindung awan. Saya dongak, nampak awan mcm kapas.

Esok peluang terakhir melihat sunrise. Tadi lambat. Esok, saya tunggu kamu. For now I let the morning walk photos do the talking.

1. Maldives, Menunggu Matahari jatuh

Menunggu, tertunggu dan ditunggu tunggu untuk ke pantai. Tak tahu pantai yang mana.. akhirnya maldives ketentuannya.

Untuk kali keempat, di pulau yang lain pula. Kali ni sampai lewat malam lelap kat hotel dekat airport. Tak mahu ke Male city, naik feri bagai. Rupanya besar juga island utk airport ni. Ingatkan hanya cukup utk airport dan beberapa hotel.

Jam 9 pagi sudah kembali semula ke airport utk boat transfer ke resort. Yahoo. Dapat check in awal. Jam 10 pagi dah ada bilik. Best best best.

Surprisingly the water is super clean. Bukan apa, yg sebelum ni banyak ranting kayu, daun kering dan seweed.  Ini crystal clear.

Melepak saja sampai petang. Berhenti je hujan panas, terus  main air laut. Tak snorkel pun. Air pasang, ombak kuat. Yang hebat tu, sebesar2 kawasan depan bilik tu tak ada orang. Umpama berada di kolam renang air masin yg sgt besar sendirian. Hebat perasaanya.

Matahari turun betul betul di hadapan bilik. Tak perlu bersusah payah. Sambil menunggu, berkata dalam hati, bersyukur sangat dapat ke maldives lagi. Moment yang kalau boleh tak nak berakhir.

Matahari turun tanda hari hampir berkesudahan.. terasa kemanisan candy yang terkumpul.  Alhamdulillah.

Maldives: Sneaking my old friends

The rest of the acceptable photos from the disposable camera. Yang lain koyak :(

Dont leave me here.. wait for me

Chasing puffer fish

Do you see me?, says shark

Catch me if you can, says turtle

Angel fish

Maldives: Ninja Turtle

My super best photo - taken with disposable camera ♥

Sunset @ Maldives : Going HOME to reality

Blogging inside ERL, heading home sweet home. Here I present to you - Sunset of Maldives :)

 

Georges as always ♥

I felt this trip a bit challenging. Dari awal masa mencari-cari resort. At first as usual nak guna hotels.com or agoda or booking.com. Tapinya search punya search jumpa satu travel agent from maldives yg offer good reasonable price. Dah confirm semua segala bagai, dah charged pun my credit card, bilik pulak fully book. Sigh. Then to find replacement resort is not easy. Plus Jan until April is their high season. Nak mintak refund pulak banyak hal dan alasan agent bagi.

 

Dah letih dah mencari-cari akhirnya semua dah kautim.. here we go to Maldives again.

 

Sampai resort on Friday dengan penuh semangat nak bersnorkeling pukul 1.30 pm. Unfortunately cancel pulak due to the weather. Agin kuat, laut pun choppy :( Dengan sedihnya tak buat apa apa aktiviti pun that day. Melepak je.

 

Next day, pagi-pagi pergi guided snorkeling FOC. Ok jugak, tapi habis calar balar lutut dek penangan coral coral yang dah mati itu. Pulang je.. masaalah internet conection pulak yang sekejap ada sekejap tak ada. Boring betul. Petang itu bersnorkeling di hadapan resort. Nasib baik not bad juga. Happy me.

 

On the last day, pagi-pagi bersemangat waja bersnorkeling lagi di hadapan resort. Visibility very good. Clear. But air surut menyebabkan sukar untuk bersnorkle. Tapi ok la. Request utk late check out menghampakan. Maka packed my bag and place it in the storage room. Bersnorkeling lagi. First trip, macam macam nampak. Ada turtle, ada shark, ada boxer fish, school of banner fish, star fish, surgeon fish dan entah macam macam lagi laaaaa. Tapi punya lah challenging sebab kena melawan arus. Kepenatan, maka tidak turun utk second trip. Tiada daya. Ingatkan pada diri sendiri. Ukur kemampuan diri. Jangan ikut orang. Tapi sedih sebenarnya. :(

 

While waiting, ingatkan boleh buat kerja sikit. Internet tak de pulak. TV at rest area pun tak dapat di kesan remotenya. Sigh. Sangap sungguh. I think they use a lame excuses. Kononnya Internet di Male city yang problem. Tapi bila check, kat business centre ada pulak. Tak ke tak berapa betul tu. Maybe the wifi connectivity yang K.O. Oh Entahlah.

 

Bila nak depart and buat clearance for the bill, ditanya pula tentang patung dolphin dalam bilik, kononnya hilang. Aduh. Tak de nya lah saya nak ambik patung dolphin tu. Memang tak ada la dalam bilik. Hishhh... apalah sangat dolphin tu sampai nak ambil bawa pulang heh :(

 

Kat airport pulak, dah print boarding pass segala, disuruh jugak queue panjang panjang utk print tiket. Kononnya the boarding pass yang kita org print from internet tak boleh guna pakai. Isk Isk Isk... macam-macam kan.

 

TAPI, tak pe lah Maldives... I still LOVE you :)