Feb. 28 - Mar 2, 2013 - Kota Kinabalu to Semporna, Malaysia
On the 28th we flew from Manila to Brunei. After a long layover and renting a bed in the airport we flew to Kota Kinabalu (KK). Here we checked in to our hostel and found out how to get to Semporna. We knew we wanted to go diving in the area around Semporna as it is rated as some of the best diving in the world. We just didnt quite know where we were going to stay and who we would dive with. Our research had turned up some amazing places situated out on the water just a short swim away from the worlds best reefs, but they all wanted a pretty penny for the lodging and diving. After many a search for budget accommodation and diving I found the dive rig! Just the idea sounded like a fun experience. I sent an email, crossing my fingers they had room enough for us for 3 days and 2 nights. They did!
We also ate some very fresh seafood.
The next morning we took the 9 hour bus to Semporna. This city is the launching point for all the dive resorts and islands. We stayed here a night in hopes of a confirmation with the rig that we would be picked up in the morning.
That night we went out to dinner at a little restaurant about a block from our hotel. During dinner the waitress asked us to come inside the restaurant ( we had sat out on the patio). As we sat down at a table inside the staff closed the big metal doors locking all of us inside. Now, Im still sitting and eating my food but Im looking around to see if anyone else ducks for cover. Its all a bit odd. After a few minutes they raise the metal doors and collect all the patio furniture and bring it inside. We take this opportunity to pay and head back to our hotel. The lady assures us everything is OK but we should head straight home. We did just that. As we in get into eye sight of our hotel we can see that they also have locked the doors and closed the gate. The hotel staff sees us and opens the gate and door and motions for us to hurry. We jog our way to the door and they lock it up behind us. The news is on the TV and the staff is all making phones calls. Of course, we dont understand what they are saying on the news. When I ask the lady what is going on she tells us that it would be best if we stayed in our room tonight. This advice, of course, was after one of the guys made gun shooting motions and sounds. Alright, Ill stay in for the night, sounds relaxing anyways.
I had known about a lil coup in Lahad Datu where some Filipino people serving the Sulu Sultan had landed in Malaysian Borneo armed and demanding their land back. The land dispute has been going on for some time but the Filipino forces, this time, had come armed and were now camped out in a village along the coast ready to fight for the land. After over 2 weeks of trying to negotiate and talking these people into going back home, this night the Malaysian prime minister had given the go ahead to take whatever action necessary to move these rebels out. I googled the latest on the action trying to find out what had happened in Semporna and why it was best to stay in out room. The only thing I could find was that a helicopter had dropped leaflets to the rebels telling them to surrender or military action would be taken against them. It wasnt until a couple days later that we found out there was a shooting in Semporna that night. Im still a little fuzzy on if it was related to the rebel action or not as I have heard it both ways. Needless to say we sleep fine that night and everything was back to normal in Semporna in the morning. Now that I think about it, our bus did get stopped by heavily armed police asking for ID 3 different times.
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