For most travellers, preparing for a long-awaited cruise trip involves packing essentials like clothes, cameras and perhaps a favourite book.
For American tourist Shonta Walliams, who hails from Oregon, her two must-haves are anything but ordinary.
In a black stroller, sit Mini-Me and Me-Too, two cherished twin dolls that have accompanied her on every cruise.
Each year, Walliams embarks on three to four cruises.
Her latest 25-day journey began in Singapore on Oct 12, took her through Vietnam and brought her to Sabah.
After that, she continued to the Philippines, then on to Guam and Hawaii before wrapping up in Los Angeles in the US.
This trip was no exception as she had her two travel companions, the handcrafted dolls she affectionately referred to as her “mini-mes”.
“Mini-Me is the first, which I’ve had for 10 years now. Me-Too came along five years later,” Walliams said.
The dolls, adorned with beads and crocheted outfits, bear an uncanny resemblance to their owner, right down to their intricate details.
“People either think I am crazy or they absolutely love the twins.
“But the dolls are part of me now as they have been cruising with me for years,” she said.
Walliams, a train operator who spends her days driving shipping containers across vast distances, is planning to retire next year to focus on her passion for art.
“I hope to become a full-time artist soon,” she said outside the Carnival Panorama cruise ship which had docked at the Sabah Ports Authority in Kota Kinabalu for a day.
Walliams and her twin dolls quickly caught the attention of fellow travellers, with some stopping to pose for photos with them, as she disembarked to explore the city.
“I love blending in with local cultures when I travel.
“I prefer exploring places that show me the real side of a country, not just the touristy spots,” said Walliams, who was eager to make the most of her seven-hour stopover in Kota Kinabalu.
Despite her extensive travels, Walliams’ trip to Sabah is her first.
“I did not know much about Sabah before, but so far, the people are incredibly kind.
“I am looking forward to exploring the city and getting to know more about the local culture,” she said.
Before each trip, Walliams makes sure her dolls are ready for the adventure.
“Sometimes, they need a little touch-up. After this trip, I will take Mini-Me to my friend who does the crocheting.
“She will tighten everything up so they are always ready to go,” she said.
Walliams was one of 3,607 guests aboard Carnival Panorama which also carried 1,438 crew members of 65 nationalities.
This marked the ship’s first stop in Kota Kinabalu.
To commemorate the occasion, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, represented by Deputy Permanent Secretary Mary Isidore Malangking, presented a memento to the ship’s captain, Luca Lazzarino.
Lazzarino said the ship, built in 2019, had only recently resumed sailing after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is the first time the ship has sailed through these waters,” he said, adding that if the collaboration went well, there would be plans to return.
However, he suggested port facilities be improved to ease the process of embarking and disembarking for guests.
“My recommendation is to have gangways ready, especially those suitable for wheelchair users, as well as for other guests,” he said.
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