Borneo!

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Tuesday 12th July

Travelling day to Kota Kinabalu.

Wednesday 13th July

Flight to Sandakan. On the local bus we chatted to a lady who asked if we'd like to go stay at her hotel. She was very friendly and was lovely. Shame her hotel was not.
Nor was Sandakan. It reminded me of a town recovering from civil war. A lady also did her business in the street so it was quite like China as well.

Thursday 14th July

Went to Sepilok Orang-utans centre for morning feeding time and saw 3 Orang-utans one with a baby! So cute!
Then booked to stay at Uncle Tan's jungle camp and got on a long tail boat and were amazingly lucky to see 2 wild Orang-utans, again one mummy with her baby! Wonderful. This trek was already totally with it!

When we arrived at Uncle Tan's we were briefed about what to expect. The accommodation is a raised hut above water, without windows or doors and basically 3 double mattresses on the floor; clearly very easy access for rats to come in and have feast. Therefore we were asked to take all products out of our bags including food, shampoo, sunscreen, insect repellent, chewing gum and even condoms. A rat chewing through a rucksack and clothes to feast on strawberry flavoured condoms maybe one of the funniest things I've ever heard!!

Went on a night safari for 3 hours and saw lots of wild cats, monkeys and a few crocodiles. The guides have phenomenal sight...as I wouldn't have seen anything without their guidance.

Friday 15th July

Up super early for a morning trek and were lucky enough to see Gibbons, Orang-utans and a whole family of Otters.

Back at the camp, the staff were in their lessons; most are completing conservation degrees. They are truly passionate about it and it is really upsetting to see the forest keeps being cleared to make way for more palm oil plantations. The jungle used to have wild elephants and lots more Orang-utans but as it stands it is two thin strips of jungle either side of the Kinabatagan river with acres of plantations behind.

Afternoon jungle trek to see lots of creepy crawlies followed by an evening boat safari. We weren't so lucky with the animals this time but did see a python shoot across the river and into the shore bed as we floated past. We also had the pleasure of seeing the biggest moon I have ever seen...it was straight out of a physics textbook. Unfortunately my camera was not sophisticated enough.

We sat round with our weird group and had a feast for dinner whilst Tong-Tong sang his head off all night, without doubt the smiliest person I have ever met!

Saturday 16th July

Back into Sepilok, then a horrific bus to Mount Kinabalu national park. Yet again another person said to us "hey least it's not India!!"
Since when is that a relevant response to bad driving! I am quite aware we are NOT in India!!
On arrival we had to walk 2k up the mountain to our hostel with 30 kgs of luggage on our backs.
Good practise for tomorrow's climb to Mount Kinabalu!!

Sunday 17th July - to base camp!!!

We were at Timpohon gate at 9.20am and spent the next 5 hours climbing the mountain. We would have been quicker but we waited for Waz and Liz, a Canadian couple we were sharing our guide with. The national park is owned by Sutera lodges who force you to hire a guide as a condition of climbing the mountain. You also pay entrance fees, conservation fees, transport fees and a fortune to stay in a non-heated, no hot water tin shack Laban Rata base camp.
I LOVED every minute of it!
It was a lot of hard work at times as every step is an incline and as we missed a sign we felt the final kilometre went on forever! You also have to dodge the descenders who quite often say you haven't got that long left and you say "Really?" then they don't say anything and just giggle!
We had a lovely hot dinner as the temperature dropped and the thermals went on.
In bed at 7pm ready for a 1.30am start...

Monday 18th July

Woke up with an awful headache. I honestly thought I wasn't going to be able to climb. However after many bowls of porridge and a hot cup of water I was all set and we set off at 2.30am.
Within 10 minutes we were being knocked with sticks by a Japanese couple we were trying to over take and then crawling up the cliff side. We had to use ropes to pass a 500 metre edge and at one point it was so steep I was having to force myself to make 40 steps at a time. I reached the summit at 5.15am, far to early! By the time the sun came up 40 minutes later I had officially turned blue. I saw the beginnings of the sunrise trusting in Michelle to take lots of photographs and began my slip down the mountain at 6am reaching Laban Rata at 7.15am. Waz and Liz reached the summit at 8.30am!

Went for breakfast.

I began my climb down at 9am, wanting to dodge all the other climbers and hearing that the descent was far worse than the climb I was eager to reach the bottom.
I reached the gate at 11.23am and then had to wait until midday to be driven the final 2k to the park office. In retrospect I should have walked!
Feeling really proud of myself I gleefully went to the office to collect my certificate only to be told that our guide had to confirm that I'd reached the peak. I honestly couldn't tell her what my guide looked like!!!! Showed her the photograph of Michelle and I freezing at the top, she laughed and handed over a certificate.
I went to go check in (another condition of the climb: you have to book 2 days accommodation with Sutera Lodges) and we had been upgraded. Upgraded to a suite! We had stairs, 2 bathrooms, a queen size bed and bathrobes!! A dressing gown! It's been a long time since I had such a luxury...and don't even get me started on bed side lamps! I love a bed side lamp, saves the climb down out of a triple tiered bunk bed to switch off the communal light.

Tuesday 19th July

Woke up feeling unbelievably relaxed and astoundingly stiff. Walking down our much loved stairs proved most painful.
Hobbling out of the park we shared a taxi to Kota Kinabalu with a couple of Japanese fellas who took maybe 4 dozen photographs of us with their super-dooper cameras as we climbed into the car.

Wednesday 20th July

Recovery day.

Thursday 21st July

Recovery day 2. Snuck into the Hyatt hotel to use the pool and bathe in the glorious sunshine.
Miss M.Smith and Miss A.Jones.

Friday 22nd July

Flight to Miri.
At the airport Michelle asked the guy pushing the trollies where we could get the bus into town and he said "I'll give you a lift."
He told us where to wait and 2 minutes later he pulled up in his family estate. As we got in, Snoop Dogg's "I'm gonna make you sweat" was playing...ermmmm!! But he was short and tubby so we had it covered!
The best bit is when Pit Bull's "everything tonight" came on and he asked "what does that mean?" (Mum you might be to old for this one) hahaha! Followed by "this is my favourite song...I listen to it when I go running." He then told us about his friends who gave him slimming pills but they gave him a dodgy tummy and he spent 3 days on the toilet! Hahaha hilarious!
He dropped as at the mall and we walked to our hostel.
I love the randomness!

Saturday 23rd July

Snuck into a hotel to use the pool.
A new bunch of brats arrived today. They are on this global challenge trip around Borneo exploring it's natural wonders and anyone would think they were going to be sent to war. Oh the misery! I had 2 girls cry on me, one freak out because someone had used her plastic bag and then 2 started whinging about the boys.
I would have liked to slap all of them. A £7000 trip and they were all a complete misery. I was never that annoying!

Sunday 24th July

Hung out with Dal. A young kid who's parents own the hostel. He was adorable! Made even cuter by the fact that he walked around spraying the World Challenge brats with peach air freshener. They stank!
One girl even said "I've got one more shower before the jungle...I'll just have one tomorrow."
"No NOW!"

Monday 25th July

Busted at the swimming pool today.

Tuesday 26th July

Flight to Kuching. Kuching means cat in Malaysian so there are cat figures everywhere here.

Wednesday 27th July

Due to lack of windows Michelle and I failed to wake up and didn't make it to the national park today.
Ended up babysitting instead!

Thursday 28th July

3.50 ringgit bus fare to Bako National park. Entrance fee was 10ringgit and the boat cost 25 for the day.
Michelle and I hiked to the "waterfall." Literally a cascade of water- waterfall it ain't.
Hiked to the beach, through the jungle again! The beach was beautiful; totally secluded with luscious green jungle surrounding it. Felt like I could have been on some movie island.
Boat driver picked us up at 4pm and took us back to the jetty. His toothless smile was adorable and definitely makes me say Malaysian people are very friendly!
Enjoyed a pizza Ramadan style (discounted!) with Ramandan fizz- I think it was 7up with lime and jelly.

Friday 29th July

Chilled.

Saturday 30th July

Got a lift to the airport with the male receptionist who was singing his head off to romantic covers of backstreet boys songs.
Landed in Jakarta and taxied to our hostel with 2 girls from Bristol university. Peak season due to Ramadan so ended up paying too much for a room at Hostel 35. It didn't have a bathroom sink?? You washed in the same water used to flush the toilet. Niiiiice.

Much love x x

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Photos

We made it!!
Exhausted, FREEZING and extremely gross looking but we were there!!!