That was a rainy day on Feb 4 at Kota Kinabalu, but I had to be at the airport at 3:00 PM. I asked the front desk to contact a taxi for me. I paid MYR30 for the taxi from the city to the airport. The driver took me to KKIA Teminal 1 because my flight to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, will be with Royal Brunei Air Flight BI 0826 at 7:45 PM. Royal Brunei Air is the flag carrier of Brunei Darussalam.
I had dinner at KKIA. I met 2 friends while waiting for my flight. They were sweethearts. I heard them speaking Malay, so I never mind them at first. But since it was my first time to Brunei, I thought it would be nice to make friends who are familiar with the place. I knew I need to take a taxi to the place where I stay because buses in Brunei start at 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM only. So I asked the lady beside me if she knows about the Youth Centre, but she didn’t know it. Then suddenly she shifted and asked me if I am Pinoy. Because she is Pinay too, a Tausug from Jolo. We started talking in Tagalog. The guy was her boyfriend, a Brunei citizen. They just had their short vacation in Kota Kinabalu. Mahal had been working in Brunei for several years but her entry at first was illegal, passing through Sandakan which we often call it “back door.”
Her boyfriend, Paul was nice and a joker too, in which I felt comfortable with them. They were also seated at my back seat in the plane so the conversation continued. It was fast and it took us about 40 minutes to reach Bandar Seri Begawan.
Mahal told me to wait after I got my luggage because Paul was still contacting his cousin to fetch them, and if I could ride with the car for free. It was really a blessing for me because a taxi from airport to the city costs B$25. That’s a lot! While waiting for the car I changed the US$100 in my pocket which is the only budget I have for my stay in Brunei. The car finally arrived and they took me to Pusat Belia (Youth Centre). Paul was so kind that he carried my luggage while looking for the centre in-charge. They never left until I met the in-charge that evening. I gave them my calling card and promised to do my best to attend their wedding. They were angels sent to me that night!
The taxis in Brunei are like private cars, having no TAXI sign. But they have their own lane at the airport, so you can identify them easily.
After few minutes, a guy arrived and entertained me at the office. I registered and he gave me the room key after paying B$30 for my 3 nights stay at Pusat Belia. He also gave me a city map. He took me to my room and reminded me of the rules of the centre. He was a nice man and before he left, I asked his name and I knew he was the supervisor of Pusat Belia, Mohd Firdaus Abdullah. I knew his name in the internet and tried to email him for reservation since October but got no reply. He said that was his old and inactive email.
I took a bath and fixed my things and slept.
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