52 Weeks of Happy

Week 24

10th - 16th June

 

It's been a strange kind of week- work is building up before the end of term but I still managed to find some Happies. So linking in with Little Birdie here are this week's happy moments.

Video

 

 Yesterday I spent way too long exploring you tube and finding songs that I can't stop listening too! It all came about because I couldn't get a song out of my head.  I thought I'd share it :) Maybe that way I'll stop humming it!

 

 

Pure Indulgence; French toast made with raisin and walnut bread with maple syrup and banana; The perfect breakfast. I had a friend stay over and so being the perfect hostess- I just had to make them.

 

 A great day at the annual Dragon Boat Race, I'll tell you more about it tomorrow- but it was a good way to spend a Sunday morning.

 

 

 Saturday evening at the Sunset Bar for cocktails. It was meant to be a treat-( and at the prices they charge at this 5 star resort it is definitely a treat)- Well it was meant to be a reward for working hard writing reports all day- Great Idea- Except I didn't work very hard and didn't deserve it- But we had a very pleasant evening anyway.

 

 I'd like to say hi to my followers- old and new- Hope you had a good week too!

Amanda x

Saturday Snaps

A photograph, each Saturday- Quirky or Serious?, Fun or Interesting?, Real or Abstract?

A comment or not, a thought, a quote or whatever-Let the pictures do the talking

 

 

 

 I've been thinking about the sea this morning- in particular my local beach at home (well, it's the nearest to me at 11 miles away). I don't know whether it's because I'm thinking about going home for summer or because I've been reading old back copies of Coast magazine, but I really want to go there.

 We spent hours at this beach as children, coming down at the weekends, or after school. On some summer evenings, my grandparents would come down, with a wind break and a stove and make cups of tea, whilst we played in the dunes.

We would come down early on Saturday mornings and dig for worms with dad, so he could go fishing.

As we got older we would come down for BBQs and parties on the beach, sitting wrapped up in layers, to keep out the cold wind.

A few years later still, there would be romantic walks and picnics, whatever the weather.

In more recent years- it's just like coming home- some where familiar, the view of Criffel over the Solway, the smells and sounds, the cold, cold wind (We are in Cumbria after all!) and if we're lucky a little ray of Sunshine.

 It's where I'd go to walk, to think, to take the dogs, to look for treasures like sea glass, to blow away the cobwebs and just to 'Be'.

And in a few weeks that's what I'm going to do- because no matter where I am in the world, when I think about standing there looking at the sea, I know I'm

home.

 

Where's "Home" for you?

Amanda x

 

 

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Wordless Wednesday : A weekly photo that needs no comment and no explanation- But then again, I might decide otherwise:)

 

Keeping with the animal theme- a hermit crab found itself a rather unusual new home!

Talking of home- I'd just like to say hi to two new followers, Fundy Blue and Lisa Lucas, So welcome to my home page.
Welcome to Graham's Landing :)
Amanda x

10 Things Tuesday- Creatures and Critters of Borneo

This week I decided to post a few pictures of the animals that live here in Borneo. This obviously isn't a definitive list! Just a few of my photos of some of those I have seen-I would love to be able to say I'd seen a pygmy elephant, a Whale Shark or Sumatran Rhino (All possibilities, but very rare) or even have photos of things I'd seen, but were camera shy- Gibbons, Crocs and Hornbills to name but a few.

So anyway- here goes my top ten list of Animal Favourites here in Borneo.

1. Orang Utan

 It has to be number one doesn't it- They look so cute! Even though I have seen them in the wild, it's not really conducive to getting good shots as they tend to be at the top of a tree, hidden by foliage and a mile away from where you are- So these photos were taken at the three Sanctuaries/ rehabilitation centres that care for young Orang-utans and then release them back into the wild. Just look at those eyes! So cute, but still wild at heart :)

2. Proboscis Monkeys

 

 Another true Borneo Experience- The Proboscis monkey. A very distinct looking fellow complete with orange jacket and large nose. These were taken alongside the Kinabatagan River and at the Klias wetlands, here in Sabah.

3. Turtles

Not Brilliant photos- but it was very dark and the turtle had come to lay her eggs on the beach. The little ones were being released back to the sea after hatching at Turtle Island Park. The night I visited 64 little turtles were sent back to the sea. Very few, if any, are likely to survive- but we had our fingers crossed that some of these little ones do. There are 3 different species of turtles around here, Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill.

 

 

4. Bats of Mulu

3 million bats at large! A truly strange phenomenon, most evenings there is a mass exodus of Wrinkled Lipped Bats, that fly out of the caves at Mulu National Park. 

5. Monitor Lizards

 

 I took this photo at Turtle Island, but it could be anyway around here. Although, this is the first time I've seen such a big one climbing trees! The lizards are one of the reasons the little turtle hatchlings don't survive the night!

 

6. Primates

 More cute monkeys- Most of the monkeys we see are Long Tailed Macaques, and they do tend to be very cheeky:) They have a tendency to rummage through bins and bags if they get close enough. One such monkey had quite a feast on home made sweet mince pies, whilst I was having a dip in the sea!

 

7. Snakes

 Just a few snakes around and about- usually thin Vine Snakes or Mangrove Snakes. I'm just glad I have never come across anything bigger.

 

8. Frogs and Toads

 

These ones were found at Mulu- I called them the What What frogs as they made the exact same noise as someone saying, what, what, what? Very loudly! For something so small, they sure make a lot of noise!

 

9. Ants

 

Every size imaginable- from the tiniest speck of a Sugar Ant to a large inch long one- Ants just get everywhere!

 

9. Giant Snails



 Again at Mulu- Two snails having a race up a tree! It'll take them an awfully long time to get back down again! These were about the length of my hand!

  

10. Insects

 

 

Ok I cheated, there's more than 10- but how do you distinguish this little lot? Bugs of all shapes and sizes- moths, beetles, Millipedes, spiders, Stick insects, Leaf insects and Praying Mantis.

Fascinating!

 

There you go- a glimpse of my back yard critters- A bit different to the Rabbits and moles that I would get back in England:)

 

Until next time,

Amanda x

 

Soaring!

 Well, for those that saw my 52 Weeks of Happy this week, will now know I went paragliding this weekend. I wouldn't say it has always been on my list of things to do- but when the opportunity arose, I decided to go for it.

Now I wouldn't say I was scared- It was a tandem glide after all- but I'm sure Mrs Roosevelt would have approved in that it certainly was something outside my comfort zone. Now there have been a few of those experiences in the last few years, but this one was quite gentle in comparison. I'm sure if I had to learn how to do it on my own and actually fly the thing- I would be terrified.

 Luckily for me, all I had to do was leave it in the capable hands of the instructor.

 

 

There was a group of us that decided to have a go and so we watched and waited until our turn came. Trekking the last couple of hundred metres up to the top of the hill was worth it in itself as the view from the top was beautiful. Looking down and across the plains to the sea in the north and behind us lay the hills and valleys of the jungle/ rainforest below. In the distance Mount Kinabalu was peeking above us through the clouds.

 

 Standing on the top of the hill, I watched as the others followed instructions, got harnessed in and took off, soaring off the side of the hill and down to the landing site below. They made it look easy!

 

Last to go, I strapped myself into the harness (Like putting on a large backpack, with a large padded strap to sit on) and then got attached to my instructor who was standing behind me. The instruction I had was "Just keep on running"-

Running where?-

 "Oh down and off the edge" came the reply-

 Now I was nervous!!!

 

Go, go go- Run!- and so I did for about two steps and then somehow ended falling downwards and sideways, down the slope with a Malay instructor on top of me- my head upside down on the slope and my feet in the air! I don't think that was supposed to happen!!!

 

They were all a little concerned, but as we managed to entangle ourselves from each other and clamber back up the slope we were still smiling.

 Sorry- side wind- was the excuse- Try again.

 So we did.

Run...

 

I got nowhere..

Except side ways down the slope, with the instructor on top of me again, upside down, with my head down the slope and my feet in the air.... etc etc

 More than a little concerned this time- but I came up smiling.

 "Third time lucky" they said.

And so we waited- the wind picked up

 Run..

I ran.. and soon my little legs were cycling mid air with nothing to run on- we were up!!

 

Oh, but it was worth it. The minute we were airborne and the wind just takes over- it seems effortless- so graceful and almost peaceful. You can hear the wind rustling around and in the 'wing' above you, but you're up there, soaring.

"Now,this is paragliding" said the instructor- "The nearest feeling to flying like a bird, with no engine"- and he was right- it was.

 The views were amazing- The feeling was amazing, gently swooping down and then back up with the thermals.

Looking out towards the sea and back towards the mountain- 10 short minutes of pleasure, grinning all the way.

 

 Until we landed, literally with a bump, onto solid ground.

 

Was it worth it? Despite the scratches and bruises - it certainly was!

It wasn't the great adrenaline rush that I somehow expected it to be, but I loved every minute of it.

 

I would certainly do it again- Only the next time- I hope I don't end upside down with my feet in the air!!

 

Amanda x

52 Weeks Of Happy

Here's my Happy shots this week, linking in with Little Birdie to show the things that have made me happy this week

 

Wk 23

3rd June- 9th June

It took me a while to come round to thinking about some happy pictures this week, nothing was startlingly obvious- and then I realised I was kind of missing the point- because it's the little things that are meant to matter- not necessarily anything big- Somewhere I'd lost that notion among the way, But once I got that into my head everything slipped back into place and I began to see things in a whole new light.

Clear roads in the morning on the way to school- It's the local school holidays, so no traffic on the way to work- no mad Malay drivers, No cause for road rage, a journey time more than halved- what's not to like:) 

 

 

We held a Walkathon for charity at school this week- laps around a local park. The lake there was so still and quiet as we arrived there about 8. 15. Not for long, as the park was then filled with 150 kids, running and walking around the track- But it was sunny, out and about and a great way to spend a workday morning:)

 

I haven't been doing any walking/ running for quite some time now-  due to a niggling ankle pain that won't give up- but I decided to get my feet back in those trainers and start again- I may not be able to run- but doing my 5k around the park at a brisk walk was pleasing enough- It's better than nothing- so back into the habit I think.

 

A bit of a damp start to the morning- but you can just make out the sunrise and a beautiful morning sky.

 

That's me up there! Paragliding!!

 

 

Waffles and ice cream, with maple syrup!! Now I definitely need to keep up with the walking ! 

 

Hope you all had a great week too!

Amanda x

 

Saturday Snaps

A photograph, each Saturday- Quirky or Serious?, Fun or Interesting?, Real or Abstract?

A comment or not, a thought, a quote or whatever-Let the pictures do the talking

 

 

I seem to have a thing for finding children looking out of windows! Not the clearest of photos this week- getting an angle without electricity wires, lamps etc is an impossibility in the middle of town- but just saw this and took a snap. Two for the price of one:)