Sutra Resort
Mercedes Tapia
South China Sea
Puala Kapas Beach
The Band
A Day at the Beach
What a spectacular day! The sun shone, the humidity was low, the water was calm - we were very lucky with the weather today!
After going to the barns to take care of the horses and turn them out in the paddocks for the day, we loaded into 3 vans and headed for the marina, and a boat trip to Puala Kapus for a day of snorkeling and beaching. Lovely day. I uploaded photos, they should be up soon (when John wakes up back in Idaho).
Our hosts are working so very hard!!! There's an army of people here making everything happen - and they do it all with a smile and a warm welcoming attitude. A very good feeling. And the air is like silk here. I dearly love the desert, but there is just nothing like the air in the tropics, especially in the evening. Tonight after dinner (we ate in the back hall because there's an Ecotourism convention going on here and they filled the dining area with their special dinner tonight complete with a Malaysian dance show) we came out to the lounge to check email as a full moon rose over the ocean, reflected in the gleaming water of the 'infinity pool' while the dancers and native music filled the open dining area and a gentle breeze coming off the ocean. fairly magical.
We all thanked our lucky stars today - and our Malaysian hosts - and the wonderful opportunities this sport offers for travel and friendship.
Mercedes Tapia is here, riding a horse owned by Antonio Indavere - who is also here with his delightul son (and great futbol player) Fermin. Seeing Mercedes again is wonderful - we've had so many adventures together over the years, and she is very very special. Mecha and Luis Pasini (the other Argentine rider) and I are still in the lounge - listening to the two Malay singers with their delightful repertoire of music from Pink Floyd to The BeeGees to Jefferson Airplane to Bruce Springsteen - their two guitars and keyboard filling the space. These guys were here last year too, they are Sutra Resort regulars - playing music by night and working for the resort during the day. Amazing ability to sound just like the original artists (I swear Elton John is singing now). Eduardo (Mercede's husband) will be here in a few days, John too . This place is going to fill up fast. Yaguchi and Sasaki arrived tonight with Fayette de Cameo, the horse of Seiichi Hasume. They flew her into KL, and then had to transport her by lorry from KL to Terengganu - the OC couldn't justify a cargo plane (military) transport for just one horse so they drove her over. Yaguchi said she travelled well - he looked tired!!! And his luggage is still in LA, but he's already had offers to borrow clothing from everybody :)
It's so nice here - enjoying the music and night air - but I think it's time for bed! One good nights sleep and I think I'll be adjusted. Tomorrow I'm going out on the track with Zulu - he's putting out more markers, water points, etc. They will have water points every 2.5 kilometers! Massive amount of work to put on this event...
later,
Steph
(Rod Stewart is singing now)
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