Family Outing - The Hill Kinabalu

Prior to the holidays, our family spent quite a bit of time searching for the ideal place where everyone could relax together, away from home. After much discussion (and plenty of online scrolling), we finally decided on The Hill Kinabalu homestay. Our key requirement? The place had to have a proper area for a family barbecue!

The Hill Kinabalu is a small, family-owned homestay built on a cut-and-fill platform. According to the operator, it was constructed during the pandemic. We booked five rooms in total.

Check-in went smoothly, and all the rooms seemed to be in good working order - except mine. The water heater in my room refused to cooperate. A workman tried his best to fix it but eventually gave up. I was then offered a brand-new family room in the third block, which had only been opened for guests less than a month earlier.

However, the next day, after returning from an outing, I was greeted by an unexpected sight - the bathroom floor was scattered with broken glass. The mirror had fallen right off the wall. When I reported it, the operator admitted this was the fourth time such an incident had happened. A closer inspection showed that the fastening method was poorly designed and unlikely to hold for long. I suggested a more secure mounting approach for their consideration.

As a result, I was moved to yet another room - making it three different rooms in just a two-night stay! Thankfully, the other four rooms occupied by my family had no such issues, and everyone else’s stay went smoothly.

Hall for barbeque, dining and even for erecting tents
for guests who come to camp!

First two block where our family were allocated five rooms.

The third block where my wife and I were moved to after the
water heater failed to work in the first room
where we first checked into.

The site has a spectacular view of Mt. Kinabalu.

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Whenever opportunity arose, the children would venture out to the hill side to enjoy the swing and the rope hammock.

For the best panoramic view from the property, a short climb is required to reach the upper platform of the hill. From here, the sweeping vista of Mt. Kinabalu provides a stunning backdrop, making it a perfect spot for photography. The area is also a hit with the kids, thanks to the swings that add a touch of fun to the breathtaking scenery.

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The operator has clearly put careful thought into creating facilities that encourage outdoor activities and allow guests to fully appreciate the tranquil beauty of the surroundings.

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Our barbecue kicked off only after a fair bit of effort to get the fire going. Along the way, we picked up a thing or two about coaxing barbecue charcoal into that perfect ember glow. We discovered that factory-made briquette charcoal takes considerably more time and effort to reach cooking heat compared to the traditional mangrove wood charcoal. Thankfully, a friendly camper came to the rescue, lending us his kitchen blow torch - which sped things up dramatically.

Once the coals were ready, the barbecue shifted into high gear, with Sam, Meng How, and Paul taking command of the grill. The sizzling aromas filled the air, and laughter mingled with the rising smoke. As expected, the highlight for the kids came later - skewering marshmallows, holding them over the glowing embers, and watching them turn golden and gooey. For them, it was pure magic - sweet, sticky, and utterly unforgettable.

Barbequing marshmallows!

Gracie Turns 9 in KK

In was almost five years ago when the families of our three children came back for a grand family reunion and holidays (Read here). Taking advantage of their presence, we also organized a larger family reunion including families of my siblings in KK for afternoon tea on 10 July 2022. Unfortunately, Paul & Junshi could not arrive in time to join this larger family gathering. Their flight only touched down at 7.30pm that night.  The very next morning, we were on our way to Kundasang for a family homestay adventure.

At the afternoon tea, we had a pre-birthday celebration for Gracie who would turn nine the next day. This was the second birthday celebration she had in Sabah. The first was in 2015 when she turned two (Read here). Another rare opportunity for us as grandparents to celebrate her birthday was in Perth in 2016 when she turned three (Read here). 

We are so pleased to see her growing up over the past nine years - growing up to be a passionate, adorable youngster who is determined to maximize her potential in whatever she does. I just love to listen to her telling me of her neat writing incident in class. One of her classmates said to her, "Gracie, why is your handwriting so "n...e....a....t"!". I bet her classmate must have been too embarrassed to see his own handwriting after seeing Grace's!

All smiled when they were showered with ang-pow from suk-po (grand-aunti)!

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Early in the morning of 11 July, there was another surprise for her. She woke up to see a "roof" of balloons especially prepared and hung up by her mom and aunti. She was surprised and truly delighted of the gesture!

That evening, Gracie had another birthday celebration in the homestay in Kundasang immediately after the barbeque.

This year, she must have felt truly special when she had three occasions to celebrate her 9th birthday. Just before flying to Sabah, she had a birthday celebration with her good friends and brother back home in WA.

With her cousins Livvie and Maddie and brother Nathan.

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Early in the morning, the family was scheduled to fly back to Australia, she came to me and passed me an origami which she called the swan. "I made this for you and popo. I hid it under my pillow and was worried you would discover it. Fortunately, it's not discovered!" She said to me with a candid smile followed by a passionate hug!

Whenever we have breakfast at the outdoor table, we remember this dear granddaughter and her fast growing up fabulous brother as we look at this origami!

Story Studio in KK Sabah

Family holidays started on 26 June 22 soon after Serene's arrival from Singapore. It ended when the last batch, Paul & Junshi left on 17 July 22. 

Time seems to pass incredibly fast these days! To the grandkids, time spent inside the "Story Studio" would be one of the most memorable moments of their holidays in Sabah. The term "Story Studio" is the creation of Nathan and Gracie. Back in their home down south, story studio has been a regular feature before bed time whenever we visit WA. Grandparents and grandchildren took turn to tell stories (Read here).

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Th tent erected this time in our house is far more superior than the previous one erected in the last family reunion in December 2017 (Read here). Many who have seen the tent erected for the story studio marveled at the engineering ingenuity. The grandfather had spent time on the drawing board to make sure the concept was a buildable one. Once the materials were purchased, the building process was a joint effort of the granddad and grandmom.

The kids were dead serious about entry entitlement to the studio. They accorded VIP status to their granddad and grandmom.

This time, the story telling was joined by the cousin, Olivia. Listeners had a choice of asking for either fiction or non-fiction story. Olivia or Livvie aged 5 was hesitant initially and chose to read from her story book. Once her reservation was overcome, she decided not to read from book but instead chose to tell non-fiction stories in all subsequent nights. 

The birthday girl, Gracie had a pleasant surprise in the morning of 11 July - balloons were hung all over the tent. This was the second time she celebrated her birthday in Sabah. The first time was in 2015 when she was about to turn two (Read here).

Story telling was casual and story teller could choose to say his/her bit in whatever posture he/she liked! The kids loved to tell story while lying down!

By the final night of their holidays, they understood that time was running out. They happily extended the story time as long as possible. Each had to tell triple times! 

We were glad to re-live time that we may have unknowingly missed in those bygone years which may never come again. I recall the blog I wrote years ago (Read here) and I was glad I was given another chance!

Fireflies Watching in River in Kota Belud

It was slightly passed 3.30pm by the time we reached Kawa Kawa Jetty in Kota Belud on 30 June 2022 after an unhurried drive from KK. The Kawa Kawa River Cruise and Fireflies Watching started with an afternoon tea at the jetty mini hall. 

The river cruise began with a boat ride along Kawa Kawa River or Wariu River to look at Proboscis monkeys. Our family of six were the sole passengers in the initial cruise. For almost an hour, we did catch sight of Proboscis monkeys, but they were seen in tree branches quite a distance from the river bank. Hence, we were unable to have a very clear and distinct view of these animals. 

After an hour, the boat returned to the jetty to pick up four more Korean passengers. We had another round of seeing the monkeys for the second time. 

Glimpses of the Proboscis monkeys.

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In this trip, we saw plenty of macaques at the river bank, which the local people considered a nuisance. These macaques were disliked by the villagers because they caused havoc to their farm, "stealing" the fruits and farm produce.

Occasionally, we caught sight of interesting scenes. We saw a lone buffalo walking in the shallow part of the river!

A lone buffalo seen walking in the river.

After the dinner at the mini hall, we drove for about half an hour to our next station at Nanamum Jetty at Nanamum river to begin the fireflies watching cruise. According to the operator, Nanamum River offers a much better sight of the fireflies.

Indeed, we were not disappointed. We spent more than half an hour looking at spectacular sights of these little amazing creatures that emit lights!

For the grandchildren, touching a live blinking firefly was an unforgettable experience!

Remembering the Past Generations

During the holidays, Serene’s family took time to visit the graves of her grandparents and great-grandfather at the BCCM KK cemetery in Likas.

Nathan and Grace paused for a moment at the grave of my grandfather - their great-great-grandfather - who passed away almost 54 years ago, long before their mother was even born. Naturally, they felt no emotional connection to him. They also stopped by my parents’ graves. Although Nathan once met my mother, his great-grandmother, in November 2011, he was barely a year old at the time and has no memory of that encounter.

After the visit, our conversation turned to the subject of burial. The long-standing tradition of cemetery burials is gradually giving way to cremation - a practice that became more common and socially acceptable after the Covid-19 pandemic. Burials in church-owned cemetery or clan-operated cemeteries are also declining in popularity, with many families now choosing company-operated cemeteries such as Nirvana Memorial Park or Fook Lu Siew Columbarium. The key attraction lies in the assurance of continuous, proper maintenance - something harder to guarantee in family or community cemeteries, especially as younger generations migrate or settle abroad.

Cremation followed by scattering of ashes - whether in the ocean, forest, or at a meaningful landmark - is also becoming more common. After all, it’s often said that a person is “forgotten” within 50 years of their passing. By then, who will still visit the grave?

This thought led our discussion to the film The Bridges of Madison County (1995), adapted from the bestselling novel. In its poignant ending, Francesca’s children fulfill her final wish by scattering her ashes at Roseman Bridge. That scene, in its quiet beauty, almost “romanticizes” the act of scattering a loved one’s ashes - transforming it from a purely solemn gesture into one of deep emotional resonance.

As I reflected on it, I realised that what truly matters is not the location of our remains, but the memories we leave behind in the hearts of those who knew us. A grave or a scattering site may fade from memory, but the love, stories, and shared moments endure far longer than stone or soil ever could.

Nathan & Grace at their great-great-grandfather's grave.

Nathan & Grace at their great-grandparents' graves.