This time last year: Tioman

My first trip to this island off the coast of Johor was in 1996, and I returned for scuba diving after I got my licence in 2000. It's been 10 years, and I still regularly drop in for some rest and relaxation, and recreation. Swimming, diving, snorkelling, stuffing my face, sitting on the sand, and more recently, looking up at the stars in the nighttime. 

This time last year, I was living on the island, sorta. Not exactly in a house, but in one of the touristy chalets; eating at those local restaurants that offer cheap fare. It was eight months of trying to find myself, and starting to become the author that I have always wanted to be. It's still a journey, though, but I have not given up my dream. 

And it was a privilege to live my dream in the paradise that is Tioman Island. 

Life in Shades of Brown

The sky is more azure, the sea a deeper hue of blues. The pink bougainvillae shines a bright fuchsia. The sun sets in vibrant reds and oranges.
You don't need rose-tinted glasses; brown will do for a vibrant focus of God's colour palette.
The new shades I bought myself for my birthday were great, and the wraparound offered uninterrupted vistas of Tioman Island, where I went to celebrate. It was all good for five seconds, until I dropped them on the floor. And then twice more. I now have "slightly interrupted" vistas due to the scratches. Sigh.