Kota Kinabalu

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The boys left this morning to start their climb of Mount Kinabalu. I am home alone to chill out and do my own thing.

We arrived in KK yesterday evening after a fraught hour trying to get tickets for the second leg of our ferry journey. After only just having enough Brunei cash to buy ferry tickets to Labuan, we went without breakfast. With Eid being celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the money changers weren't in business and we were expecting credit cards to be acceptable to pay for the tickets. Had a wave at Bruce's oil rig on the way past (our friend who is a commercial diver), we arrived in Labuan for the second hop to KK. Alan queued up for tickets for the last ferry of the day - big signs FULL! Looked like we wouldnt make it to KK that day in time to scale the mountain. Alan did his best blagging and managed to get us tickets just in time, having to leave our passports at the ticket office and dash off to find a cash point. After a frantic rush to the ferry, there were plenty of seats and three relieved travellers!

A beautiful day to arrive in KK! it smells like the SE Asia we remember. We lugged our luggage (ahhh, that must be where the word came from) half way to the hotel and jumped in a taxi. Grabbed a quick bite then out for a stroll along the front. I nearly led us into a bar but Alan pulled me back. "That's a lap dancing club", he said. Would have been an eye-opener for Ollie!

First good night's sleep and waved the boys off on their two day hike up the mountain. Hope all will go well. Rain is forecast. Very hot at base and freezing cold at the top. It will be quite an experience.

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Comments

[Katherine]

Travels
Enjoying the blog, sounds like proper scrapes and japes. Part of me hopes you make a family trip to the lap dancing bar, perhaps persuading Alan into a pair of pastis - showing you how it's done. Hope mountain hike goes well - looking forward to next instalment xxx