SDQ Lembeh Resort
SDQ Lembeh Resort
SDQ Resort is a cosy laid-back place that feels like it's run by a group of friends. It only has 5 rooms, so at full occupancy, there are 10 guests. This means the guest to guide ratio remains nice and small, and the place never feels crowded.
From a high-maintenance girl point of view, it only takes a day to get used to the no-frills features. In no time, I found myself enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, the pleasant breeze, the staff who smile with sincerity and who remember your name, the good home-cooked food, and the joys of talking to Pino and BeeGee, the best public relations officers I've ever met.
Must-Read: Mandi-Style Bathing
The water seems to come from one source, and if you happen to be showering when the dive centre is cleaning the equipment at the end of the day, there will be NO water flow. You will have to make do with mandi-style bathing. Mandi is Malay for bathe.
To the Western market, this may appear to be a fun and novel traditional way of bathing, but personally I don't think it's effective, because it takes up a lot more water. With long hair, you need like twenty scoops to rinse off your shampoo, followed by another twenty to rinse off the conditioner. By which time there's no more water left! It also requires a lot more coordination when washing other parts of your body.
But when you're in a situation where you have to shower, and you have no water flowing through the shower, you have no choice but to accept that mandi style will be the way to go. So, one way to make it more productive is to get your partner to pour the water over you. You will find it easier to rinse off the shampoo / soap. Then switch places. If you and your buddy are just friends and don't bathe together, then too bad lor.
For "harder to reach areas" (you know what I mean lah), easier to DIY. Here's how: Hold the scoop with one hand, splash upwards with a strong firm movement to achieve a semi-jet-like effect, and with the other hand, wash off the soap. Repeat until all the soap is gone.
While bathing, just turn on the tap fully and keep the water flowing into the basin. I find that one basin isn't enough for two people and there's nothing worse than standing there all wet with soap half on and half off looking at an empty basin. Also, it's only polite to the next person to top up whatever water you've used up.
Even when not bathing, eg when brushing your teeth or doing your business, just turn on the tap and fill up the basin. We used the scoop to flush the toilet, to wash our hands, to rinse the floor, to rinse the camera equipment, everything. So just keep the basin filled at all times.
Lastly, use bar soap rather than shower gel. Simple reason is because it comes off faster with fewer scoops of water. When there's no hot water and no smooth running water through the showerhead, trust me, anything that shortens your bathing time is a good thing.
