Getting poked by sea urchins

Today, again I jumped from the jetty just like yesterday.

But suddenly... ADOI!!! I sudah kena poke dengan sea urchin! The water wasn't deep enough. Bloody hell!

This was the moment when my fingers dug straight into the sea urchins. I felt a sharp pain.


The spines pierced my fingers about 1cm deep.

Souvenirs from Sipadan.

Thankfully, after half an hour and a simple treatment using vinegar, the pain went away and I was back jumping into the sea.

Return to Sipadan

What a way to spend my last few weeks in NST! I found myself going for eight straight days of diving! A three-day personal trip to Tioman over the Deepavali weekend was followed immediately after by a five-day assignment to Sipadan.

I went to Sipadan with a group from Coral Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia and UMT. Met my former lecturer there, Prof Aziz Deraman. He's now UMT vice-chancellor and fellow diver.

Also in the group was singer Fauziah Latiff, a diver of 10 years.

We stayed Borneo Diver Mabul Resort, which is just next to Sipadan Water Village where I stayed last year.

In memory of the happy trip I had last year at SWV, on the second day I was at Borneo Divers, I jumped off the jetty and swam at the jetty. I jumped and jumped and jumped to my heart's content. And I didn't care if nobody else joined. I am FREE!

Swim 10 laps

Today at the pool, the first thing instructor Dolphin Lee got me to do was to swim 10 laps. He knew I could do it. I think my body has been conditioned for swimming.

Goodbye NST

Yes, I am finally leaving NST. I have tendered my resignation. The following weeks will be my final ones at this company. I'll be joining Petrosains in December as a science copywriter.

People ask me why am I leaving? I've been with NST for 11 years. I seem to have grown attached to this company. I seem to enjoy what I do.

BUT

I have always believed that you leave when you're happy. And I am happy working here. I have forged a good working relationship with my editor. There was a minor hiccup with another recently promoted editor, but that's not the reason why I'm leaving. The reason is simply because it's time and it's for personal growth. I have been looking to do something else in the last few years. I have applied for a job with the Swedish embassy, for example, but to no avail. This Petrosains thing came along and I seem to fit their requirements. On top of that, there's the added incentive of having a fellow scuba diver for my boss.

It's not like I know exactly what I'm doing. I don't. Change brings with it some measure of fear and uncertainties but if my previous experiences with moving are anything to go by, change may also bring untold rewards. When I left Computimes for Life & Times in 2005, it turned out to be a very good move. I got to know Sweden, I made friends with the blind community, I became a diver. The same goes with each of my subsequent desk moves. Each provided me with new experiences and growth. Life became richer as a result.

So, it's been a wonderful 11 years. I am happy working here. I am sad to be leaving. I don't know how else to explain why this is the right thing to do, but it is.