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Published: September 16th 2008
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So after climbing the Kinabalu Mountain, Remy and I head back to KK for some relaxation, we check into a nice hotel, with hot water, and air-con. That day both of us had troubles walking up stairs or even the slightest incline for that matter. I then remember something from the Rinjani Volcanoe, (the next day my legs where sore, but the day after they where really sore) So I am expecting it when the following day comes, and I can hardly walk. Remy had a flight to catch, leaving me once again, without a travel companion. No problem, the shape I am in, I don’t want to talk to anyone, or do anything. So I spend another night in the nice hotel, before booking back into the Summer Lodge Hostel. I love that place because it is so easy to meet people there. They have a common room with a TV and free internet so everyone just hangs about there.
Peter gets back from the mountain and we spend a couple days in KK, waiting for the whole Malaysia Independence day rush to be over before we started traveling about. Its easier when things are quieter as you don’t
have to book ahead, and buses and transport is readily available at the last minute.
Peter and I decide to head over to Sakau, a little village on the side of the Kinabantangan River, rather than booking the more expensive Uncle Tans jungle trek. Both happen to be on the same river, but Uncle Tans is easier, in hind sight more comfortable, and alot more expensive. The guide book says that getting to Sakau is a little adventure in itself, but I had no idea just how much. We booked a bus to Sandakan, where most people would normally book the river cruises from, however at the turnoff to Sandakan, we jump off the bus, and proceed to find a local van that will take us to Sakau. (This is the only way it can be done, short of renting a car). The “minibus local” says no problem, we’ll take you to Sakau, only 15RM, well that sounds about right we agree. I go to hop in the minibus and notice only one seat left (used loosely) there appears to be a little room in the back bench as there is only three sitting on it, so I back
out of the van and concede the seat to Peter, (He’s 70yrs old) I then proceed back into the van to find my place on the steel riveted floor, wedged up against the sliding door and the second seat from the back. OK this is going to be a long ride. However we only travel this way for about 30 minutes and we reach a turnoff in the middle of nowhere, marked Sakua 45km. The bus driver kicks us out, and says that he doesn’t turn here, and is going straight. Well wait a minute, you said you would take us to Sakau? “He insists that we misunderstood what he meant and that his van only goes straight, and how would we possibly think otherwise?” OK so 15RM was a shit deal. Now Peter and I are stranded in the middle of nowhere, and just down the road we see a couple of other vans parked. Upon asking them how much to Sakau, they explain another 20RM, well Peter is pissed about this, and refuses the ride, and we decide to hitch hike. We spend about 30 minutes trying to get a ride, and that’s when it happens, a drop
on my shoulder, then another. Well as luck would turn out its starting to pour down on us, and we scurry across the road, the guy in the van is still there, OK we’ll pay 20RM! He looks at us in bewilderment “Now its 30RM, Raining”. These guys understand supply and demand better than most economic scholars. We refuse (out of principle) and find some shelter among the palm trees. Finally a guy in a car pulls over, and we explain our situation, he then charges us 20RM to hitch a ride from him. So at the end of the day we didn’t save any money, but the guy that upped his price, drove home alone with none. I felt better.
We arrive in Sakau and book into our guest house "jungle lodge" and ask about supper, the guy running the place explains that supper is usually prepared and that we just eat what ever is made for an optional 10RM, but seeing as how there a lots of guests currently (8 people) that he would probably make a buffet style. Perfect, so he'll call us when its ready. I don't ever remember being so hungry and after waiting
Proboscis Monkey
Best picture I could bet of these elusive monkeys for hours, (Ramadan) we get our food at 8:00pm, I'm sure Peter was getting sick of hearing me complain about it. We eat and head off to bed, (which turns out I was also not happy about) as there where hundreds of tiny red ants all over my mattress, and by that time my bad as well. I manage to ignore them long enough to sleep the night.
In the morning we get up at 5:30 left at 6:00 for a two hour boat ride down the Kinabantangan River, (80 RM for the boat, split between anyone who goes) and because there where 6 of us, this was working out quite cheap. Along the way we seen proboscis monkeys, regular monkeys, a stripped snake, a few monitor lizards, and a myriad of birds. The proboscis monkeys where definitely the highlight, but even the ride down the river in a canoe like boat, was just as much part of the excitement, as we passed hundred year old trees, limestone cliffs and dense jungle. Our guide (the guest houses son) was quite knowledgeable and was able to point out all sorts creatures, the team of us would have missed.
After
Up close and personal
Python coming towards the boat. the tour we ate and I headed into town to try and get some supplies (aka more food). Turns out the place we where staying is at the end of the road for Sakau, and the walk back to a store is about 45 minutes. They had no bottled water at our guest house, so I sweated and trudged all the way into town to buy the food and water, whilst thinking there may be a chance that the stores wouldn't be open due to Ramadan. Thankfully there where, but aside from a couple of bottles of water, some dry noddles, and a pack of smokes, they didn't offer anything else up in town in the way of snacks. After a long walk back, an afternoon of lounging around to the sounds of the jungle, I was ecstatic when we got our supper a little earlier. 7:00pm. The six of then decided to do the night tour, the guide was telling us different animals come out at night, and he was correct. We ended up seeing some pythons, crocodiles, owls, a bunch more birds and some sleeping monkeys (I felt bad as the spotlight was right in their faces, but
going to sleep at 8:30 is a little early).
The river cruises were good, but the wholes ants in my bed, (no-one else had), not choosing when I ate, ect, prompted me to leave the next morning. Leaving was much easier than arriving, and our guest house arranged a taxi back to the corner where I had initially been stranded. From there I flagged down a minivan, (gentler word for hitch hiked) and made my way to Semporna, where I planned on doing some world class diving.
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