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Published: March 13th 2005
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And so to proper Asia. As we left Singapore for the Malaysian mainland then jumped on a plane, we were heading for real adventure at last - Borneo. The name conjurs up images of headhunters, dense jungle, unpleasant Japanese POW camps, misty mountains, and untamed wildlife.
So with this image in mind, I was surprised to find a large, developed city with around 3000 mobile phone shops in the form of Kota Kinabalu. With it's shopping malls crammed with people fueling the Asian economic miracle, it wasnt what I had in mind. Luckily, after a couple of days arranging things, I had what I wanted - firstly in the news that cerebral malaria and TB are very real health threats here, secondly in the discovery that even in our 3rd millenium, the waters here are still teeming with blood thirsty pirates, and thirdly in the form of a 4100m mountain I was here to climb, Mt Kinabalu.
This granite slab rises out of the misty rainforest, is seemingly permanently shrouded in cloud, and though not the highest or longest climb I've ever done, is almost certainly the steepest. It's a nasty little bastard of a climb. From the muddy,
moist, lower reaches to the smooth granite near the summit, it is painfully steep the whole way - just step after step - no respite.
The first day was spent doing a very quick 3 hour blast up to the resthouse about 3300 m up. We then rested that afternoon and turned in early in preparation for our 3.30am start, and a 80 degree climb up a series of steps past a large group of japanese tourists to get on the summit for dawn. We were rewarded with a rare clear view of the granite chasms leading down to the inpenetrable jungle below. This is where, a few years ago, a SAS patrol decended into the jungle, and didnt come out for 6 weeks, when they were rescued, half dead. Still, we were taking the path down - but it wasnt easy. The steps were so high, and the path so steep that it was a constant pounding of the knees. It was harder coming down than it had been going up! After 5 hours of pain, we hobbled, with jelly legs onto the bus bound for Sepilok.
Sepilok is in the heart of the jungle here -
at least the jungle not cut down by the palm oil plantations. It is also the home of a famous Oran-otan sanctuary, where these big ginger monkeys, with their human features, are released back to the wild. This is a gradual process, and they are given a helping hand with regular feedings - which are watched by the camera clicking tourists. As good as the sight of these fascinating animals was, you felt part of the tourist treadmill, and seeing them in the real wild would be better. With the heat, humidity, bugs, mosquitos and snakes closing in, we headed off when the last banana had been given out, and onto a bus towards Semporna.
This bus journey was the real backpacker deal. Several changes, tickets cosing 20p, arguments in sign language over when the bus was leaving (always when it's full.. never before), and eventually an inpossibly crammed minivan stuffed with old women, children, chickens etc etc.. as the basic air con (ie the open window) gave my face a blast of exotic jungle aroma, I really felt as if I was properly travelling again.
Semporna is a dirty, unpleasant fishing town that is covered in rubbish
and smells bad. But it is also the gateway to scores of amazing dive sites in the surrounding islands in the seas towards the Phillipines. The jewel of these islands is Sipidan. This is widely considered one of the best dive sites in the world. It's a tiny little coral fringed island with a 600m drop off to the deep ocean. We crammed in 6 dives here in 2 days, and it was utterly memorable - swimming with turtles, sharks, schools of barracuda, any number of exotic fish, and stunning corals all took my breath away.
With the diving done, my time in Borneo was coming to a close. I wish I could stay here longer, really.. I want to see the head hunting tribes of Sarawak, and do a boat trip into the jungle and dice with the cerebral malaria carrying mozzies - but rather pathetically I head for Hong Kong for pre-arranged drinking/rugby based activities. Rach is staying here to do some jungle treks - and see some of the animals; Oran-otans, Sumatran Rhinos, Leopards etc in the wild.
If the loggers and dynamite fisherman can be kept away, this part of Borneo has the potential
to be one of the best places on earth for eco/natural tourism - up there with the Galapagos. Definitely recommended!!
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Tyson
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Thanks
Appreciate the info........My wife and I are going to Borneo on the 3rd of May.....Hopefully not too many mosquitoes.....We are going on that Mt. hike as well, only I wish to do it with my Mt. bike, until you mentioned the grade. hehe.....Thanks Tyson