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Published: February 18th 2009
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We got back to the hostel ready for our trip into the jungle to be greeted with the news that because of the bad weather the bridge on the main road had collapsed so we wouldn’t be able to go until the next day! So, the weather was gorgeous so we took ourselves to a posh hotel to use their pool for the day, £5 total bargain!! We had lunch there and then fell asleep on the loungers, when we woke up we asked one of the staff what time it was and he said 6.30 so we figured we better go. As we walked down the hill back to the hostel I couldn’t believe how hot and sunny it was for 6.30, anyway, we went to hsbc (they are everywhere!!) got some money out and it was only 4.50, he meant 16.30 not 6.30, so we got a cab back up the hill and went back to the pool for a few hours!!!!! Tel just swaggered in and asked for fresh towels as if we had never left, even more of a bargain!! We spent the evening in a bar in the harbour drinking too many jugs of Carlsberg and
excited about the jungle! We were meant to be going for 3 days two nights but because of the bridge collapse we only went for one night. It took about 3 hours to get to the Kinabatangan river by minibus and then we were taken by boat over to our lodge. The lodge was gorgeous and Tel wanted to stay there for a week rather than a night! We were taken out on the river for two and a half hours where we saw hornbills, herons and cranes and many other birds I can’t remember the names of! Then we came across two orang-utans high up in a tree, we sat and watched them for ages, it was amazing to see. The guide had said to us we were unlikely to see much as the river was so high but we seemed to be very lucky as after we left the orange beauties we came across some proboscis monkeys, they are native to Malaysia and very very strange looking things, the alpha male sits just like an old man with his big belly and giant nose!!!! We saw a lot of macaques playing in the trees and the sun started
to set. The colours were incredible along the river, every turn and bend the landscape changed. we got some pretty good photo’s which you can see but we were also given some by Jakob and Elin, a lovely young Swedish couple that we met so I can’t take all the credit for the pics!!!! Just as we were about to dock back at the lodge a boat came hairing across the river and we were taken about 500m up stream, and there were 5 pygmy elephants, the elusive creatures we were so desperate to see. They were in a mans garden just tearing it up, unfortunately we couldn't get any pics as it was so dark but it was brilliant to see, when you think of pygmy elephants you think of babar and they were very cute and little and fat! We were so pleased we had seen them, and right at the last moment too! A brilliant end to a wicked day! After dinner it was time for the much anticipated jungle night walk! We were covered from head to toe virtually, including leech socks, I had my micro fleece which in a very humid jungle is not a
good plan! The guide started poking about in a tree and out came a massive balck scorpion which he proceeded to let roam all over him, apparently, a sting isn’t that bad, just a bad headache and drink lots of beer!! Rather him than me! We also saw a few sleeping birds which was pretty mad to see, it never occurred to me where birds sleep!!!! Unfortunately because the water was so high half of the trail had been washed away so we only stayed out for an hour, but I was melting under the polar fleece and slightly paranoid about leeches so it suited me!!!!! Tel got a leech on his sock and in the morning when we were sat on a bench he managed to get one on his leg! Gross little things although I would rather them than a scorpion!!! We had a brilliant nights sleep in the cute little hut on the river and then made our way back to Sandakan in a minibus with some of the staff from the lodge!
Next stop the Fireflies!
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