I am in Brunei today. I was planning to stay until tomorrow but I have decided to shorten my experience as I have run out of things to do.

The town comprises of the Sultan and 60,000 of his closest friends. Everybody is very nice but after 8 hours of wandering, I probably have seen all the Mosques in town, the water village, tried the nicest restaurants (that I can afford, this place ain't cheap), I have lost my way a few times back to the hotel as all streets looked alike. The palace is open to the public only at the end of the month of Ramadan which is not now, the biggest Mosque is a while away and it would cost a fortune to get there. I walk like a frog that was given human legs after my Kinabalu adventuresso any long distance exploration is painful. The free amusement park is closed on Tuesday nights - just my luck!

The country is rich - and they have a monument for the billionth barrel of oil discovered on their land. People are extraordinarily kind. It is amongst the tiniest countries in the world, it has an elaborate welfare system, tax-free wages and a subsidized economy thanks to the goodwill of its devout benevolent monarch - who is a very active man by all means. People here enjoy free healtcare, free education (and they have Education Day as a holiday to underline the importance of getting one), free sporting centers, low interest cars and housing loans. Independent since 1984 (nothing to do with Big Brother), the country is now trying to find a second source of income. They are trying tourism but given the price of hotels and transportation here, and how little there is to in town, they have quite a while to go before they can convince people to spend more than one day in the capital. The rest of the counrty is great: beaches, rainforest and loads of parks. Unfortunately, without a package tour it turns out to be quite expensive as one would need to rent a car.

I also found the city so ordered, so perfect - the people so kind. For my taste, it lacked the spontaneity of a child, the natural enthusiasm of someone that is discovering life, the passion of a Spaniards, the loud chant emanating from an Italian. Somehow I found that the purest joys of life seemed absent. I heard no laughter, I saw no open arms and embraces. Everybody is quietly serving everybody else and their generosity takes a very discreet form.

I have a question on my mind, what will happen when the current Sultan passes his power onto the next generation?

Anyway, back to another small wonder of island in Sabah - some natural park gem with turquoise waters and wonderful swimming - for yet another lazy day on the beach.