Labuan Hotel Life

Travel and discovering new places is one of my favorite activities.  I love reviewing the area maps and points of interest before arriving and then spending as much time as possible wandering and getting a feel for the culture.  I hadn't found much on Labuan, Malaysia but assumed there would be plenty to do since the city was host to a 3 day Expo anticipating 6000 participants.

Expo Conference Center

Our first day in town, the weather was very hot and humid and a 30 minute walk around town was enough to have us searching for A/C and a shower.  The walk exposed me to my first impressions of Malaysia which included lots of car traffic, uneven sidewalks, food stalls, small specialty stores, and many unpleasant smells (coming from the KFC, rivers, and alleys).  There were a few good smells coming from the food stalls, but the conditions were sketchy and we felt more comfortable eating lunch at the hotel.  Unfortunately I didn't even take a photo of town and we didn't return even though it is only 4 blocks away.

Horrible Smells - Need to get these waters living again

Our hotel and another are near the Conference Center and high quality.  Over 4 days, we had 7 meals at our hotel and 2 meals at the other.  We spent at least an hour each evening in the executive lounge watching television and having an appetizer, followed by time in the hotel lobby bar networking.

Hotel Executive Lounge

Hotel Lobby Bar

Needless to say, all the wait staff knows us and our room number quite well.  Yes, I said room number.  Because of the Expo and limited quality hotel rooms, there was only 1 room available, so the 3 of us are sharing a large room with 3 single beds and 1 bathroom.  We are surviving and getting to know each other's habits.

Hotel Room

I hit the gym each morning and follow my humid workout with a swim.  One morning I ventured outside and ran opposite of town just a few blocks but it wasn't enjoyable and I prefer a solid run on the treadmill with an industrial fan.

Hotel Gym

Hotel Pool

Most of our meals are buffets and there are several vegan options in addition to the ever-present delicious rice.  I will miss my breakfast of rice with baked beans and tomatoes and a plate of fruit.

Hotel Buffet Setup

I was feeling guilty this evening that I haven't given Labuan a decent shot, so I ventured out to watch a local soccer match that I could see from the hotel room.  I was surprised to have a group of 6-10yr old healthy boys follow me and ask for money. "Money Sir, Money"  They were harmless but made sitting down to watch the match impossible.  I walked a bit more, but once again opted to head back to the hotel.  As I sit in the lounge and watch BBC, I still feel that I've taken the easy route and probably should have experienced more of Labuan outside the hotel.  Something to work on for future travel.

Soccer Match

Park and Volleyball Game

Basketball Hoop?