Borneo and friendly bullying!

Sunday night after a 2 ½ hour flight delay I arrived in Kota Kinabalu (KK). The flight attendant happily announced the local time as 1.30am and that it was 31ºC outside!

After arriving at the airport and passing through immigration I found that the one and only ATM was out of service so had to jump in a taxi and ask him to take me to a bank before the hostel. On arriving at the hostel I checked in and happily crawled into bed. Monday was spent wandering around KK getting my bearings and also deciding what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go in my 12 days in Borneo.

Wandering around KK it became apparent that there is a large Muslim community and so as not to draw attention to myself I would have to dress slightly more conservatively i.e where a t-shirt instead of vest tops and trousers rather than shorts. At no time did I feel threatened but I was just more aware of being starred at.

Having formed a vague plan of action Tuesday morning found me on my way to Sepilok. On a full bus there was only one other foreigner on the bus and the bus conductor took great delight in pointing us out to each other across the bus and telling us we had friends on the bus! On arrival in Sepilok I made my way to my hotel and it was apparent there was an us and them theme to the place as I was taken past the main entrance and in the second entrance. I will openly confess the place was a dump and one of the worst places I have stayed at. The staff were lazy, rude and obnoxious to say the least.

Wednesday morning I got up and after breakfast I headed down to the Sepilok Orang-Utan Sanctuary. The Sanctuary was my only reason for visiting Sepilok and unfortunately it proved to be a huge disappointment. The Orang-Utans at Singapore Zoo had been just as impressive as here. The set up at the Sanctuary was such that they came in along ropes and it was not so much of a natural habitat as I had expected. Having watched some of the feeding time I moved on disappointed and ended up going for a walk along some of the trails through the jungle. I was joined by an Australian couple who were also staying at the Hotel. Having lost a few pints of sweat I headed back to the Hotel and spent the rest of the day chilling by the swimming pool and finishing my book (Orwells 1984!).

Thursday was an early start as I aimed to get the one and only direct bus from Sandakan to Semporna. Unfortunately on arrival at the bus station I was advised that the bus was full, which I still don't believe but unfortunately the bus company were adamant that it was full, so I ended up climbing into a minivan. Thankfully I was wise to the cost of the minivan so didn't get ripped off however whilst waiting for the minivan to fill up I watched four other backpackers arrive and get told that the bus was full however they all got overcharged on their ticket but I couldn't tell them as I was already plastered up against the window and stuck in my minivan. Instead I got to watch as they climbed into a different minivan and all I could think was why I wasn't in with them rather than being the only foreigner in my minivan! The minivan full - and I mean FULL!! - we set off. Thankfully I was sat next to the window so got some air although I was squashed I was sat on a three person seat with a couple and their two(ish) year old daughter. After a 3 hour journey we stopped in Lahd Daht and were thrown out of the van and told to get into another van which we duly did however there was then a mini uproar and everyone went mad and half the people got off the new minivan however I couldn't understand a word of what was going on as it was all in Malay. Eventually a second minivan turned up and we all jumped on to it. By this time my fellow passengers were all looking out for me and making sure I was going to Semporna with them. I did incur the wrath of an Imam (I think because I sat in the seat he wanted) however all the locals soon shut him up whilst I sat looking nonplussed as to what was going on. On arrival in Semporna the minivan driver decided to up the cost of the journey just for me however I stood my ground and won the battle!

After wandering the streets of Semporna for awhile looking lost I soon found the offices of the travel agency where I had booked my next accommodation. I was soon joined in the offices by the four travellers I had seen earlier in the morning climbing into the other minivan. Having paid up we were all taken to the boat and we set off for our new home - stilt lodges set 2.5km off shore on a sandbank, Singamata. It was on this boat trip that I sealed their friendship by mentioning the fact that we would be screwed if we were hit by a tsunami whilst staying on the lodge Rosie starred at me with wide eyes as did Michelle. Rosalind and Joseph just starred and I don't think they processed properly what I had said.

The four of us quickly became a close knit group and they certainly got their revenge and I provided many a laugh unwittingly. Effectively one of the main reasons for me visiting Singamata was to do my PADI Open Water Diving Course. I had anticipated that I would start the course on the Friday morning for the following three days however the staff had other ideas. So Thursday night having finished my dinner I was tackled by Sandy telling me I needed to go and watch the obligatory 5 videos which lasted 4 hours. I pleaded tiredness and asked to start it in the morning to which she told me that I also needed to read the manual so with my eyes growing bigger and Sandy becoming more forceful I started to cower much to the amusement of my new friends. They decided to wade in and help me out and so told Sandy I had had a few too many beers and that I wanted more... if looks could kill!! (please note I had only had a single beer!!) My case pleaded I was given a reprieve until Friday morning after promising I would start watching the dvd at 7am.

Friday morning rolled around and I was greeted in the dinning area by a smiling Sandy telling me I needed to watch the dvd. Unfortunately the tv was stuck in a room and so I ended up watching all of 10 minutes before I heard Sandy shouting me wanting to know where I was. As I emerged from the room shouting that I was watching the dvd she told me I had to go and meet the main instructor, Joe. As we were walking along she told me I had to lie to him and say I had watched the first couple of episodes otherwise she would be in trouble. Introductions done and Joe started asking us questions about basics in relation to diving thankfully I am a good bluffer and despite a horrified look on my face I got by. The rest of the discussion was spent with me trying to avoid Joes and Rosies eyes as they were trying to make me laugh since they were all staying on the lodge with the intention of chilling out.......

Before I could eve go back to watching the dvd I was kitted out in equipment and Sandy was taking myself and two other girls into the sea for our initial try dive. Both of the other girls had watched the full dvd the day before so were a bit more clued up than I!!! That morning we got used to breathing underwater and practised a few of the basics a lot of the time I was feeling out of my depth as Sandy was assuming I had a basic knowledge..... DOH!! Rosie and Michelle were loving the occasional updates during my break and certainly got much amusement from my worried face.

After lunch we were diving off the reef with the instructor and Sandy. By this time the Spanish girl had given up as she wasn't happy so it left me and the German girl to dive. We headed down and we got to 12m underwater. As we were swimming along I decided that I wasn't happy and after looking up and realising I couldn't see the surface my brain kicked in and all I could think about was if anything happened to my mask or mouth piece I would start panicking and I would die! That was me done my thoughts were travelling at 1000mph and I wasn't happy so I signaled that I wasn't happy and wanted to go up. Sandy told me to breath deeply and I was fine however I shook my head and repeated I wanted up. We caught up with Joe and the others and he brought me to the surface and tried to convince me to go back down but I refused. Later that afternoon I agreed to try a second dive just to 5m and whilst I was happier I wasn't convinced diving was for me.... That night I once again got pestered by Sandy to watch the dvd and I was even having a shower when she came shouting for me to finish watching it!!

Saturday morning rolled around and I was meant to be going out on the boat for my final two dives. Having said goodbye to Rosie and Michelle I sat and had my breakfast with Joesph telling me I didn't look happy and I didn't have to dive. I eventually decided that I wasn't going to dive that day and would spend the time chilling at the lodge. Decision made I told Sandy who tried to convince me otherwise but when she realised I wasn't budging she took me to find Joe, the instructor, and told him. Joe soon realised I wasn't budging and so told me to go tomorrow instead.... I hesitantly agreed.

The day was spent swimming in and around the lodge and just generally relaxing and having a laugh with Rosalind and Joesph. Later that morning we had a boat of new arrivals and Amy rolled up and ended up in my room with me. We were also joined by Donna and Wilson, two Canadians, who you could hear miles off before you could see them - very annoying!! That afternoon Rosalind and Joesph left heading to Brunei so that left me on my own to deal with Sandy's friendly bullying!!

Sunday morning I got up and decided that I would go out on the boat but may snorkel if I wasn't happy diving. In the end I did my two dives off the boat and whilst I was happier I am still not convinced that diving is for me. I didn't really get to appreciate the coral and wildlife I was too busy concentrating on my buoyancy and breathing.

Monday morning was spent revising for my exam and then sitting and taking my exam which I passed and Joe duly gave me my certificate etc. I then headed into Semporna and arranged my bus ticket for the next day to take me back to Kota Kinabalu. Tuesday was spent on the bus for the full day. Once again I was the only foreigner on board and they showed some cheesy Malaysian pop videos for the full 10 hours - after an hour I had had enough so you can imagine me by the end of the journey!!

Once in KK I found out that Rosie and Michelle were there and so we ended up meeting for dinner and exchanging stories of our days since we had parted. Wednesday was spent doing laundry and other miscellaneous jobs. I also got to catch up with Rosalind and Joesph for lunch as they had flown in the night before and were leaving later that afternoon. I transpired that I seemed to have had the best deal by staying at Singamata for the extra 3 days as Rosie and Michelle had a nightmare in moving islands and then getting back to KK and Joesph and Rosalind both said that Brunei was expensive and not worth the trip.....!!

Thursday morning found me heading back to the airport for my flight to Kuala Lumpur for my 12 nights of luxury courtesy of Mum and Dad as they were flying out to meet me for a holiday........

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