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Hi everyone, here is a belated blog from my time in Singapore and Borneo. Now in Bali relaxing, diving and dodging the rain! yep it rains alot in Bali!
A few weeks ago now, but stepped off the plane in Singapore after an amazingly luxurious flight with Quantas - nope sadly didn't get upgraded they just don't seem to do that anymore! Did have a fab entertainment system and help yourself to snacks and drinks - very happy about that, perhaps just easily pleased!
First think that must hit everyone when step foot in Asia for the first time the heat and humidity - Singapore felt pretty suffocating after the East coast of Auz in Winter! Had a wonderful surprising conversation with the taxi driver about current British politics. He was a clear Maggie Thatcher fan but neither of us were convinced that old David Cameron could be the new 'Ironman'!
Spent a 'hot' day with a friend I'd met in Austrailia wondering the shops, zoo and sampling some lovely Asian food before flying onto Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo to start my trip with 'intrepid'. Met the group at the hotel that evening, a nice mixed bunch of Brits, Aussie's and Kiwi's...
Launch myself into Malaysian life by having a 'massage'- those of you who have ever had a Thai masage will know what I mean - it's not exactly a relaxing experience and can be very entertaining when a shoulder massage turns into a pretty much everything massage! complete with 'you like' every time a nervous giggle popped out!
Set off that afternoon for Dusan village - set high up in the rice paddies and jungle at the foot of Mt Kinabulu (view from the top in the pic). We enjoyed the usual entertainment/welcoming of children dancing and enjoyed a surreal evening of sitting with our mountain guides to be and half the village drinking rice wine. Not that alcoholic to us westerners but the Malaysians were drunk playing tunes on plastic drums and hugging us at every opportunity! Had a guided tour round the village the next morn before heading to a lovel hostel inside the Mt Kinabulu park where we were due to start the climb from. Kept being reminded 'not to think about the mountain'and 'pelang pelang' which means slowly slowly, very reminiscent of the horrific Pic Boby incident in Madagascar-those of you who were there will so know what I mean! 'mora mora'!
After a lovely Malay buffet breakfast we set off on the climb to Laban Rata-an overnight hut which turned out to be a well established hostel with a fantastic balcony with views over the clouds and valley below - great to survey how far you've climbed be it only 6.2 km but v.uphill all the way. Early night before getting up at 3am to climb to the sumit. Pretty tough with the altitude and your body not being used to climbing in the dark! All worth it as the views were incredile from the top.
Coming down was a bit harder with some of the group really struggling with knee injuries etc but we all made it eventually and enjoyed relaxing in some hot springs the next day. Not the nicest and you were never sure that you weren't catching something from the water but nice all the same! We enjoyed a refreshing downpour that night complete with a huge black scorpion trying to join us for dinner - I have never screamed so loud!
Not sure if it was the dodgy water at the hot springs but a few of the group pretty ill throughout the night so all a bit jaded the next day as we made our way to the Kinabatan river area in the heart of Sabah. Take a boat up the river to a little eco camp in the middle of the jungle. Stayed in little triangular shaped canopies up in the trees - magical. Went on a boat ride, night and early morning trek to spot monkeys and lots of creepy crawlies!
Next night was spent in a homestay with a local family and took part in a traditional dance show complete with local dress and even had a go at cooking some Malaysian cuisine! Next stop was Sandakan on the East coast where we visited the war memorial dedicated to 6000 POW'S force marched by the Japenese at the end of WW11, only 6 survived - very moving experience. Also visited an English tea garden complete with croquet, Pimms and cream tea!
Watched England crash out of the world cup from a waterfront bar but all forgotten as we made our way to the ideallic tropical paradise known as turtle island. Definately the most stunning little island I have been too with beautiful white sand and hundreds of green turtles trekking up the beach evernight to lay their eggs. We were also very lucky to see some baby turtles emerging from their nests on the beach and waddling down to the sea - amazing.... a real highlight of my trip.
Next stop was Sepilok the world famous Orangutan sanctuary where they care for and breed orangutans with a view to releasing them into the wild. See a couple at a feeding station and then best of all away from all the crowds our guide spots a mother and baby very close by - she is very inquisitive and hangs down right onto the boardwalk - check out the pics when I finally put them up! Just to round off an animal filled day we head out to a proboscis monkey reserve to see the indigenous monkeys with bizarre 'willy' shaped noses!
Flight back to KK the next day and say farewell to some of the group. Roz (one of the Kiwi's) and I head out for some diving the next day at Palau Sipi an island not far off the coast from KK. Lots to see and great to be diving again, 31 degree water always helps too!
Bali is hectic in comparison but nice to stay put for a few days, off to Bangkok for a couple of days before my last stop in Oman with Gaby. Nearly home now so looking forward to catching up with everyone xxxxxx
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