DAY 1 : going solo @ KOTA KINABALU Borneo

Okay here’s my most awaited trip for this year After turning a year older, I promise myself to try traveling by myself just to check am I really grown up? haha.. just kidding :p I just want to challenge myself if I can go solo in a place where I don’t know anyone.

going solo @ Kota Kinabalu Borneo

So come the day of the trip, I’m excited and nervous at the same time. Here’s my flight schedule.

Air Asia flight going Kota Kinabalu

AirAsia flies from Diosdado Macapagal Airport so I need to go to Clark Pampanga. I went to Philtranco Bus terminal in Pasay where there’s a trip directly to Clark Airport. The fee is Php450 from Pasay terminal and Php400 from Megamall.

Philtranco going to Diosdado Macapgal Airport

The bus is decent so I was able to fall asleep during the almost 2 hours trip from Manila to Pampanga. I seated beside tita lari she greeted me and ask me where I am going and I said I’m going to Kota Kinabalu, she said she is going there too with her 2 daughters jastine and jen. So yeah just inside the bus I was able to gain friends kagad.

The Diosdado Macapagal Airport is just small so you can easily see the line where to check in, pay for the travel tax (Php 1620), pay for the terminal fee (Php 600) and ofcourse the immigration. I was a bit scared of  the immigration officer because what if they would not let me go because I’m going in a solo trip but great thing he did not even ask me anything just stamp my passport and viola getting my bag scanned and finally I’m inside the terminal already waiting for my flight. I met tita lari, jen and jastine again inside the terminal and one more dominic who is also in a solo trip. Nice I have a few travel buddies now.

at Diosdado Macapagal Airport with Jen, Dominic, Jastine

Since we are not seated together we just meet each other inside the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. There’s a shuttle service for lavender lodge guest but it’s not free I paid 20RM from airport to the lodge. There I met Mark who is also in a solo trip

Kota Kinabalu International Airport with Dominic, Jen, Tita Lari, Mark

Lavender Lodge

Double Deluxe room with washroom en suite (RM 75)

Lavender Lodge Double Deluxe Room

I requested for a room with window and they suggested the Double Deluxe Room. The room is just enough for two person. It has a cabinet and a small desk. The shower room is just beside the room so I had no problem with it. The room is clean and the bed is comfy.

After I settled my things in lavender lodge, I asked the receptionist who is a pinay (that’s what I love at lavender lodge, you may feel at ease because you can ask questions in tagalog haha) to where I can exchange my Peso to RM and she pointed me to a white building in the corner of the street and that building is the Centerpoint Mall.

CenterPOINT Mall Sabah

It’s just a five minute walk to Centerpoint Mall from the lodge. I found the FOREX easily and exchange my peso. I felt really starving at this point so I look for something to eat and I found McDonalds . Ordered cheeseburger meal. Pretty much the same as what we have here except aside from ketchup there’s a chili sauce which I love. YUM!

After dinner I went back to Lavender lodge and take some rest because I’m really tired.

to be continued…

Advertisement