Borneo, Singapore, the last overland journey

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Well we landed safely in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, yey. We have a couple of days in this pleasant little capital and then spent a night on Tiga Island, where the Borneo Survivor programme was filmed. There was no one else staying which was a bit spooky, but we had a good hike across the island to a Mud Volcano. Of course we went in and got covered and you could float in it like a ball pool.
We then got the bus across to Sepilok to visit the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, were you can walk out on to a platform built into the reserve and watch the rehabilitated apes swinging out of the jungle to a feeding platform. We went for both feeding times of bananas and milk, seeing about 8-10 Orang Utans just 5-10m away. There such great creatures, all play fighting and pulling different facial expressions.
Then we head south to Kinabatangan River to stay at a remote lodge on the riverbank and see the wildlife of this virgin rainforest by river safari. We went on one at dusk and one at dawn, and saw loads: Tall white Egrets, large Oriental Hornbills and a slim Snake Bird. The White Ringed and Stark Billed Kingfishers, a White Eagle, a Fish Owl and lots of Black Back Herons and Jungle Crows. We also stopped to watch Long Tail and Big Tail Macaques, along with the famous Proboscis Monkeys, with their big noses and round bellies. We even saw a display of their sexual habits. Other wildlife were crocodiles, monitor lizards and Aaron even managed to spot a Bearded Pig through the trees. But the most exiting was the herd of 30 Pygmy Elephants we came across grazing on the banks and bathing in the river. We went right up to the bank to watch them from just 5-10m away for some great shots, it was amazing.
After this we carried on down to the south coast and the town of Semporna, which is a bit of a mess but the ocean is scattered with islands and reefs, with some of the best dive sites in the world. We went on a snorkelling trip out to Sipadan island, the best of the bunch, and swam with thousands of fish and even saw some white tip reef shakes. But the many attraction where the turtles, there were loads of them and you could swim along with them, feeling their huge old shells. It was a great experience watching them pad slowly through the water, and I even swam just off the beach of Sipadan to find them gracing on the sea grasses.
Then it was time to make our way all the way back to Kota Kinabalu, a 10 hour over night bus ride, with a stop for free curry at about 2am.
Well after all that it was time to jet back over to Kuala Lumpur and down to our final country on the overland trip, Singapore. Our first night sees us with nowhere to live, so we end up with a grand deluxe room at the Swissotel in the Raffel’s complex, the highest hotel in Singapore. And we certainly did have a great view from our 61 floor room, and what an amazing buffet breakfast. We did the usual shops down Orchard road and had a famous Singapore Sling at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel.
But it was soon time to say good-bye to Asia, I certainly will miss it, but we’ve got to go start the another adventure of Australia. In 210 days we’ve travelled from Latvia to Singapore entirely overland and of cause a bit of water (plus a short trip over to Borneo). Making our way across 12 countries and through 16 land borders, using every available type of transport and staying in an extreme variety of accommodation. We eat everything weird and wonderful to anything familiar, and what a great fantastic and amazing time it was.
So we are now in Australia, so if any one is here or is planning to come over in the next year, let me know.
Love Sarah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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