Recharging my batteries in Sabah

I’m writing this from the dining area of the Lavender Lodge in downtown Kota Kinabalu. I’ve been here since Saturday, and if it weren’t the start of the week, I probably wouldn’t be blogging this early.

I meant to write a day to day update, as I did for previous trips, but I figured I owe it to myself to have a break from blogging and to travel just for the love of it, and not because it’s a great material for my blog. The daily recaps of my travels take a lot of discipline and energy and somehow made it seem as if everyday should be interesting just so I would have something to write about. I’ve done a lot of interesting things this weekend, though I wouldn’t write about it until the coming days or weeks.

The past months have been stressful in all aspects and I haven’t really taken the time to address the issues that has been bothering me. As a wise man pointed out, the more you avoid issues, the more it is highlighted. In my case, it everything came out all at once and I was forced to face the problems I’ve been trying to shrug off. These problems are partly the reason why I’ve been having second thoughts about taking this trip. Up until the day of my flight, I contemplate whether to push through, even when I’m already packing my things.

As soon as my feet hit the tarmac at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, my mind cleared and the heavy feeling was lifted. I was welcomed in Sabah with gorgeous colors in the sky as the sun sets, and I found comfort in the sounds of stamps pounding away on desks as immigration officials stamp people into their country.

The weekend that I have been dreading turned out to be one of the best weekends ever. Save for replying to some e-mails, I have done zero work on my blog and it felt good. I know this is going to add another couple of posts in my already too-long back log of posts, but I needed this break from everything.

Regular travel blogging will resume sometime this week. Expect a post on proboscis monkeys and island hopping at the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. I did not go anywhere near Mount Kinabalu.