Kota Kinabalu: A mosque, a church and a temple standing within the same area in Tawau became the image American travel creator Terry Pernell repeatedly returned to when explaining why Sabah holds a special place in his heart.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Sabah Matters podcast, Terry said the sight symbolised the harmony he experienced while travelling throughout the State.
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Having visited 35 countries, he said the scene was one of the moments that made Sabah stand out from many of the destinations he had explored.
“Here, everything centres on family. It’s family first. You can be my brother, you can be Muslim, you can be Buddhist, we’ll sit in the same room and eat together,” he said.
Terry said seeing different places of worship located close to one another reflected the mutual respect and acceptance he observed among Sabah’s communities.
He said the image stayed with him because it showed how people of different faiths could live peacefully side by side.
“When I was driving through Tawau and I saw a Christian cross, a mosque and a Buddhist temple right there together, I thought that was a very big deal,” he said.
Terry said the scene represented something meaningful that many parts of the world could learn from.
He said Sabah’s multicultural society was among the reasons he developed such a strong connection with the State.
“It’s not about the place, it’s about the people,” he said, describing his philosophy on travel.
Pernell said his approach focuses on meeting local communities and understanding their everyday lives rather than simply visiting famous attractions.
He encouraged travellers to slow down and spend more time connecting with people to experience the true character of a destination.
Terry’s travel vlogging journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when remote work enabled him to become a digital nomad and explore different parts of the world.
His first international trip was to Colombia before his travels took him across Southeast Asia and eventually to Sabah.
Terry said he initially began recording videos to share his adventures with friends and family back home.
“I wanted my friends and family to feel like they were travelling with me,” he said.
Over time, his content evolved into stories centred on authentic encounters and the people he met along the way.
During his time in Sabah, Terry experienced many of the State’s cultural and natural attractions, including climbing Mount Kinabalu.
He also described covering the Kaamatan celebration at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) as one of his most memorable experiences.
Terry said he particularly enjoyed Sabah’s local cuisine, especially the seafood in Sandakan and Tawau.
He said these experiences deepened his connection with Sabah and strengthened his desire to eventually settle in the State.
“I would love to settle here in Sabah,” he said, adding that it had become a place he deeply appreciated.
Terry also expressed interest in continuing to explore Borneo, including future trips to Sarawak, particularly Bario.
The podcast also featured one of his most challenging travel experiences in Namibia, where he was briefly detained after unknowingly overstaying his permitted stay.
Terry said he pleaded guilty, paid a fine and was allowed to continue his journey.
He said the incident reminded him of the importance of paying close attention to travel documents while travelling abroad.
Despite the experience, he said Namibia remains one of the destinations he would recommend because of its unique landscapes, where the desert meets the ocean.
For those planning their first overseas trip, Terry encouraged them to take the first step, start with nearby destinations and focus on genuine experiences.
