Blogs from Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia, Asia - page 9

You can be completely motionless here and still sweat like a complete bastard :). Fried banana and chili for breakfast is sublime. Staying in the jungle is sweaty, slushy, squelchy and full of raucous noise. Orangutans are heartbreakingly gorgeous. Probiscus monkeys extraordinary. I feel no rascism - just one big world. There are 32 tribes, different races and every colour. The word Malaysia could almost translate to peaceful cultural fusion. Geckos sing to you. Bouncing butterflies are catching my eye. Delicate dragon fruit and sago with coconut is DIVINE.My home stay family where generously hospitable. I love eating with my hands. I love greeting people with my hand over my heart. Outdoor showering from a bucket, feet in the mud, pouring soft rainwater over my head while I stare deep into the ultra-green is delicious. Fireflies ... read more

The package we'd chosen for a short stay in the Kinabatangan jungle started with a drive on a rough road through palm tree plantations. Unfortunately for Borneo's ecological diversity, logging of the jungle is taking place in both the Malaysian and Indonesian parts of the island, with revenue-earning palm trees being planted in its place. A short boat ride then took us to our "resort". Wild elephants had stumbled into the camp a few months ago, causing a fair amount of damage, so a 5,000 volt electric fence encircled it now - worth knowing if you're keen on moonlit midnight wanderings. We were able to upgrade to a cabin for our first night but had to slum it in a dorm for the second. In a darkly amusing incident, I joked with LA Woman that it ... read more

Sandakanissa pakattiin aamulla kamat ja metsästettiin kaupungilta sadeviittaa viidakkoretkelle. Löydettiin yhdestä kaupasta housu/sadetakki yhdistelmä, vaikka sadeviittaa oltiinkin etsimässä. Ei köyhdytty kovin paljoa, koska yhdistelmä maksoi yhteensä alle kaksi euroa. Hotellille palattuamme tavattiin taas edellisenä päivänä näkemämme englantilaiset tytöt (Sarah ja Julie). He odottelivat respassa ja selvisi, että hekin olivat lähdössä meidän mukaan. Respassa oli myös meidän opas, joka esitteli itsensä Dingiksi ja kertoi, että voitaisiin lähteä. Autossa oli muutakin jengiä ja yksi kavereista esittäytyi Zuliksi. Bilit-kylä sijaitsee about 130km päässä Sandakanista, joten matka kesti tovin. Alkumatka taittui mukavasti asfalttitietä, joka vaihtui sitten pölyiseksi hiekkatieksi. Perillä meille esiteltiin talo, jonka asukkaat olivat tarjonneet kotinsa meille majapaikaksi seuraavaksi pariksi yö... read more

Ann Taylor. Master of fashion. Fabulous designer. Clothes. Bags. Sunglasses. My sunglasses. My ex-sunglasses. You know how sometimes you get attached to an article of clothing or a piece of jewelery that just "becomes you" or "makes you complete?" Well, at the risk of sounding shallow, materialistic, or snobbish, I had one of those such items. My Ann Taylor sunglasses. Silly, indeed, I know, but these shades fit me. They fit my face, they framed my face, they looked good, and best of all, they were ON SALE when I bought them. Ah, the things that make a girl happy! How Ann and I first met..... A few years ago I walked into an Ann Taylor Shop in my home town. Mind you, I am NOT a shopper and still have and wear clothes from my ... read more