Hi Everyone,

July 13, Sunday 2:17 pm

   Randal and I arrived in KK yesterday afternoon about 3:30pm.  Our last 4 or 5 days of cruising have been pretty rolling and our speed averaged maybe 5.2 knots.  55 mile days took almost 10 hours!  Even though you mostly sit, it’s tiring especially when we are underway just past 6 am each day to get to our anchorages in enough light to see if there are any reefs we need to avoid.  Some anchorages were nearly as rolling as the trip itself and some were perfect, with no one there but us.  Randal could shower on the swim platform and not embarrrass himself or anyone else. That was Teluk Lung where we put the dingh down and explored and snorkeled and had a wonderful dinner of salmon patties and fried pototoes! 

   Now we are Kota Kinabalu where you can’t hang your laundry out to dry on the boat and there are pages of rules about everything.  It is lovely and means to stay that way, hence the rules.  Everyone is friendly and helpful.  A kind Irishman named Brian led Randal and me to the free shuttle bus and then showed us the local mall.  We were there yesterday to get money and today after we made the required visit to immigration.  Immigration was very helpful and informal. 

   Now back at the boat, Randal’s computer seems to have crashed and the main saloon AC won’t work.  Our other electronics, bow thruster, anchor light and flood lights seem to be on the fritz.  Just part of cruising apparently.

   The wifi here is free but seems slow at times.  I will try to do photos when I can.  Who could believe I would miss the Subic Bay wifi??!!!

   Today we took a taxi from the yacht club to Immigration.  Our driver going out was an elderly Chinese man.  Our driver coming back was an elderly Muslim man.  That apparently is KK.  And both drove on the left side of the street with the steering wheel on the right side of the car. 

   So we have gone from anchorages where we were the only noise and light for miles to being in an upscale, modern, city. 

Oh, and thank goodness the Sox are doing well.  Last I knew they were 4 games out! Go Sox!!

Ru