Layang Layang 7d6n

a.

The long awaited post about my 'mysterious' LayangLayang dive trip~

As usual, let the pictures do the talking. I brought along TWO cameras and ended up with more than 300 photos and I can say I like every one I took. Haha.

This trip was actually planned way back, just that we put it low profile.

Enjoy.

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Date: 19th - 25th May 2008

Location: Sabah, Layang Layang

Dive Buddies: YF, Gan, Geetah, Arun.

Travel Mate: YF

Dive Guide: Su

Woke as early as 3.30am on 19th and was picked by the Malaysian driver at 4am before heading to YF's place. The young boy driver was much better than me in Singapore's roads! Wow!

Custom was pretty clear and reached Senai Airport at about 5.30am, definitely in time for our 7.25am flight to KK. Thus, reached KK at 9.45am.

View from my window seat::

Tried checking into Radius Hotel but we were too early so left our luggage there and off we go for movie and shopping!

The streets off KK::

I depended on my buddy by providing him a map of KK town::

Watched this movie for less than RM10/tic!::

The view just across our hotel before heading to dinner::

We had costly Mantis Shrimp for dinner and its watch-while-you-eat::

We were sweating mad right after dinner. Agreed to sleep early for the next day's early morning wake at 4.30am.

Early morning check in at 5.30am for our flight to Layang Layang. Met Gan at airport and met our going-to-be-dive buddies Geetah and Arun too. Martin and Karen too.

Excited Me::

It was until I got off the plane that I knew the pilot was only a trainee! My jaws dropped. Heart stopped. But thank goodness the fact I stepped on Layang ground, I'm safe.

Wwooo... Hallo Layang Layang Resort!!::

And has a nice swimming pool::First dive greeted by pygmy seahorse! Yummy::

The crabbie that was so camo and tiny (can spot it boh? center la)::

And then it was days of diving without hammerhead sharks.....

Saw the Manta though, it was magnificent::

And when I got bored, I took myself, but Sun was so glaring, I couldnt keep my eyes opened long enough till I pressed the shutter::

My flute fish::

Froggie fish::

Besides diving, we eat. Literally ate alot::

YF crazes about Sunset taking and Gan and me had to follow::

The view of jetty where we head from for our dives::I hate to say, some people met typhoons (but they are lucky in other areas too!), some dont, WE dont! Muahaha.. Sea was calm, weather was perfect. ::Gan wrapped his towel over himself acting to be some monk::Appreciating the Sunset::On the last diving night, we then decided we should do the night shore dive on our own, so, Gan, YF and myself rigged up and plunged in from the other jetty at 6pm++ on 23rd June. Amazing critters we found, the 70mins dive was definitely worth it! It was so shallow we didnt really bother to keep track of our air consumption. If not for that the dive center closes at 8pm, I'm pretty sure we would have done a 90min dive.

Mantis::Supposedly sea snake, but was told its only a snake eel lar:: Bobtail squid contributed by YF:: Mating octopus!! (but mate went missing...):: As usual, my camera always goes on LOW-BATT mode whenever all the tiny critters are all around me... Sigh*

Oh, and the resort staff folds the towels into different animals each day in the noon!

First noon, I had TURTLE::Second noon, I had TWO FISHES::Third noon, I had FISH AND... "some" RAY (1 say manta, 1 say devil, 1 say eagle)
I suggest the THREE of us (or more ple) should go for TOWELS ID COURSE::

I cursed.. Why no thresher shark or whaleshark or hammerhead shark??

On 24th morning (left 2 dives for the trip), I began to think of all reasons WHY i didnt manage to meet the hammerheads after flying all the way from Singapore!? All the reasons!!! All the impossible reasons as well... which includes.....

..... gently stroking the hammer hung outside the dive center::

The sign reads: "Hammerhead Wish. Dear Guest, If you want to see me, or havent seen me, stroke me gently"................. And I swear I stroked that god damn hammer!

The next thing I know, my dream came true... I was surrounded by........

.. probably more than 100 HAMMERHEAD SHARKS! Gan gave up counting till 66 and we believed there were much more, top left bottom right everywhere. I pant till I coughed through my regulator non-stop but yet, didnt gave up chasing when they seemed to be diminishing in sight...

It was a million dollar sight. But strange enough, I was probably the only one to have caught them on camera. Only one shot in focus, but I thought, it was good enough. It was really a struggle between, snapping them down or witnessing them with my eyes.

Huge! Magnificent. Probably once in a lifetime.

And during the same dive, I was eventually eccentric over..... a blue spotted::

I also spotted one-and-only nudi branch!

On our last dive for the trip, I thought my buddy was happy till he got mad.. He thinks he flies like a bird underwater... Trust me, I didnt feel bad abandoning him::

Myself in Layang Layang::The happy divers::High in spirits, we detour to Bird Island::Me and Guide Su::

And yup! I was greeted by this Hammerhead Towel on my bed when I stepped in. Imagine the joy! And imagine WHAT IF i didnt see real hammerheads and I see this........ *heart break*YF so lazy he didnt want to get into the pool on the last night at resort with me. But luckily Gan wanted too. It was coincidentally his birthday on 25th...

I took a self timer pic, so he posed without my acknowledgement::Myself, happy and wet::Saturdays are BBQ nights.. We had the best dinner of the trip at the resort that night.
Happy belated birthday, Gan.

Time to bye bye with LayangLayang.... The plane had finally arrived...Okway, this time we have trained pilots. Phew~ Haha.

At the trip, I met Ricky as well.

Specially thank CP for making this possible for us; and YF for bearing with my nonsensical tantrums and his efforts for helping with my luggage and gear.

Sorry to disappoint you guys, yup, this is the first dive trip I had in my life WITHOUT any injuries. Too bad, injuries section is empty! Muahaha.. Just got a few stings on my fingers that itch and hurt but have recovered well by now.

:)