Jungle Willers

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What day is it? Has it only been 2 weeks since I landed?

Last time I managed to post one blog for the entire trip, and relied on Facebook to do the rest. But this time, I'm going to try and do this properly!

So here's what I've been up to so far. I arrived safe and well into the intense heat that is Singapore around 8am local time, and got involved almost as soon as I checked into my hostel. After making friends with and being rescued by a girl in my dorm who had maps and a plan, [Hello Clemence!] we headed straight to Chinatown for Dim Sum and Pork Balls on Smith Street via a few temples on the way.


In the evening we went out to the Night Safari, which is part of Singapore Zoo. You get to see zoo type things, but at night. 'Citin!

Spent a few days chillin out, and feeling slightly backwards [by now, I'm usually wearing 4 different layers, not boardies, flips flops and changing my top ever 5 minutes!!! Awesome!! :)] I flew out to Kota Kinabalu, to be met by MY MOM!!!!! Who I'd not seen in 3 months, so it was a bit emotional.. Mom had a day off after I arrived, so we went out to Manukan Island for a bit of snorkelling..

A few days later I decided it was time to explore Sabah a bit further than the State Capital. So I caught the bus out to Lower Kinabatangan, 6 and a 1/2 hours away. Such a brilliant way of getting your bearings.. The scenery is incredible!!

Now, normally when I leave my comfort zone there are often many moments where I suffer what is commonly known as 'Gas and Air Syndrome', and this was no exception!

Once I'd negotiated my way through the 15 touts who accosted me at the bus station, all shouting different places at me, I got my bag back from one of them heading for Sarawak, paid the taxi driver who looked utterly amused, and found the ticket counter, then went to find refuge on my bus, which I hoped might be going in the right direction. I'm always amazed by the public buses out here. Just like the National Express or Megabus, only with random stops down the M1, to load up with cargo for the final destination. The drivers brother and best mate might get on at Watford gap. Then they drop you off at a cafe on the side of the road, where you wait for three hours until your transfer picks you up. Ahhhhhhgggggg!!!!!! [And yes.. This is what happened! One of the waitresses - who spoke no English - must have recognized my panicked demeanor, because she walked past me, patted me on the shoulder and casually said "Relax!!!" Ha ha... All I could do was laugh.. And so did everyone else!]

Eventually, after a few phone calls later [Orange are gonna LOVE me this month.. I think I might be single handedly funding their Christmas bonuses!] I was collected by a taxi, he knew I was called 'Miss Amy', so I took this as a good sign. We drove for another hour, in the meantime he picked up his wife and two daughters, took them to a wedding, and eventually took me to where my lodge was. Well the jetty anyway.. Where we waited a bit for my boat to come and get me and take me across to where the Eco-Type Nature Lodges were. Incredible!!!!!!!

The huts were fairly basic, but the food amazing! I will never get bored of Asian food as long as I live! We were totally remote in the middle of Borneo Jungle, I always get a bit emotional when I'm travelling, I can never quite believe it's me doing it.. So for the next two days I went jungle trekking river cruising, wildlife spotting, and rather unsuccessfully leech avoiding [Nice!]


Next up, I journeyed up to Sepilock, to visit the Orangutan Sanctuary, and feeding time with the Ginger Apes. SO COOL!!!!!! They are bloody brilliant. At first I didn't think there were many of them, but then baby ones started to appear..

AHHHHHHHHHHHH they were lovely!! I'm not gonna lie, I welled up a bit.. [I don't know what's wrong with me OK! They were amazing, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!] Took loads of pictures! These ones don't do that place enough justice!!!
It would have been worth the bus journey on it's own!

A day later I jumped on another Bas Ekspres back KK bound, and alighted at Kinabalu Park. Home of Mount Kinabalu. This part of my adventure was so great, and so incredible, it gets it's own entry..

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