Hellooo,

So the first day is done! Arrived here yesterday after helping Mark the manager get loads of supplies, we were so tired but was cool to see some of Sandakan and go around some of the markets. We then had to drive an hour and a half to where we would be getting the boat. It was amazing going along the river, saw monkeys, rhinocerous hornbills and a huge crocodile near where we were getting off.

Danau Girang field centre is where we are living (I kind of guessed when putting on the map where we were, someone showed me but the internet stopped working so I didn't want to ask again, but you get the gist.) At the moment there isn't too many of us, Becky the other PTY girl, Danika who is doing her phd here so will be here for another 5-7years!! 6 other students from different universities and themalay staff.
Josie and I are living in the end 'studio' in the staff block with Becky who was already out here, she also shotgunned the first room so she gets it to herself and also gets sunlight, our room is very dark! So we sleep there, but spend most of our time in the main block where our meals are served and where our 'office' is. The view from my laptop is forest!
It's no where near as basic as Madagascar and much bigger than that camp was, we get electricity, but only from 11am-2pm and then on again at 5pm to 11pm. We also have cold showers, which isn't too bad as it's quite humid!

As for our own projects not really sure what is happening there. Benoit (the boss) isn't back from KK until next week which is when we will discuss what we're going to do. There is talk that he wants someone to tag and track Tarsiers (kind of like bush babies) so I'm hoping I can do that! Otherwise I think it's invertebrates, which may not be too bad...
So today as we haven't much to do, apart from the write up from our field course we're just hanging around. Josie and I tried to get up for breakfast for 8 but noone seemed to be up yet. We decided to go back to bed for a bit, only to wake up again at 11.45. Think we were more tired than we thought! After failing to read some journals we decided to go on a walk and have a look around, but didn't see much but when we got back, one of the staff spotted an orangutan with her baby, so the picture I've put on is one of mine, bit blurry but still......Ok it won't load so you will just have to wait until the photos up! Was incredible to see! There were a few macaques around too. Everyone seems to dislike them here as they steal stuff from the bedrooms, randomly toothpaste was the last thing taken!
Oh and right now there's a scorpion chilling in the office!
So for the next few days it's just settling in and getting some of the Tobago report done before Benoit gets here! Hope all is well in the UK!
A xx