Sabah
Flew into Kota Kinabalu on Saturday morning, and checked in at the Sutera Harbour Resort Hotel. This is a truly fabulous 5-star hotel! We somehow have a 3 room suite and have blagged it at a ridiculous rate compared to the full price. The website gives you an idea of the sorts of facilities it has. On top of that the staff are so friendly and helpful it it just a joy! And they are all locals (OK Dave, wake up, it's not the real world!) Everything is just so perfect, and nothing is too much trouble to sort out or fix. Oh and it's big- almost 1,000 rooms!
The first night we go out to town on the free shuttle bus, and head for the famous Sedco Seafood court. A chaos of competing foodstands all with live seafood on display in huge tanks. Just point and they cook it there and then. And there's a free cultural show thrown in too!
Next day we try to book all the must-do Borneo things, but find that everyone got there first, so a climb up Mount Kinabalu (4,095m) is out of the question. So too is a trip to Sepilok, the world famous Orang Utan rehabilitation centre. This is a DISASTER! Thus is what we came here for! All the tour companies tell us that their trips are full (Korean holidays), so the only way to do it is on our own. So we get down to some serious brochure trawling!
Word of advice: if you plan to come to Sabah to do these things, definitely book them up in advance.
Sunday
The Gaya Street Sunday Market. Another mad frenetic shopping experience. Everything from Papaya to puppies, Batik to fake Bvlgari watches. Too hot for us! Head back to the hotel and take a trip out to Manukan Island for some kayaking. Fantastic sunsets! Book white water rafting for Monday.
Monday
Trip to the Padas river for a grade III-IV experience! half the journey is by train on the North Borneo Railway, built by the British. Hot and sweaty 2hr trip with the locals up river to the base camp. Great rafting down the muddy river (the guide says just add sugar if you want a cup of coffee). Get back to the hotel pretty exhausted. Still no luck with Sepilok...
Tuesday
Early trip into town to try a few travel agents face to face. Still no luck with the tour companies, so decide to fly to Sandakan and just do it by taxi. No time to book a flight, need to go the the airport and check in now! Pick up Marion and Lola at the hotel and off to terminal 2 at KKIA for an Air Asia leaving in just 2 hours. Fly past Mt. Kinabalu on the way (really close!) so we get to see it after all! Short taxi ride to Sepilok and we do at last make it to see the orang utangs. The jungle walk is incredibly hot and we are drenched! We spend about an hour and a half by the feeding platform just captivated and spellbound by these lovely creatures. hard to tear ourselves away, but a truly memorable experience (photos to follow). Go back to Sandakan for a look round Sabah's second city, but this is quite a disappointment afer KK - very dirty and not very interesting, and searingly hot. Nothing really to do except eat and drink - even the waterfront walk is a bit sad! Catch the 9.00pm flight back to KK and we are back at the hotel by 10.00pm!
That's all for now - no more tokens left! Off to Perth tomorrow (Saturday 10th). Strewth mate!
The first night we go out to town on the free shuttle bus, and head for the famous Sedco Seafood court. A chaos of competing foodstands all with live seafood on display in huge tanks. Just point and they cook it there and then. And there's a free cultural show thrown in too!
Next day we try to book all the must-do Borneo things, but find that everyone got there first, so a climb up Mount Kinabalu (4,095m) is out of the question. So too is a trip to Sepilok, the world famous Orang Utan rehabilitation centre. This is a DISASTER! Thus is what we came here for! All the tour companies tell us that their trips are full (Korean holidays), so the only way to do it is on our own. So we get down to some serious brochure trawling!
Word of advice: if you plan to come to Sabah to do these things, definitely book them up in advance.
Sunday
The Gaya Street Sunday Market. Another mad frenetic shopping experience. Everything from Papaya to puppies, Batik to fake Bvlgari watches. Too hot for us! Head back to the hotel and take a trip out to Manukan Island for some kayaking. Fantastic sunsets! Book white water rafting for Monday.
Monday
Trip to the Padas river for a grade III-IV experience! half the journey is by train on the North Borneo Railway, built by the British. Hot and sweaty 2hr trip with the locals up river to the base camp. Great rafting down the muddy river (the guide says just add sugar if you want a cup of coffee). Get back to the hotel pretty exhausted. Still no luck with Sepilok...
Tuesday
Early trip into town to try a few travel agents face to face. Still no luck with the tour companies, so decide to fly to Sandakan and just do it by taxi. No time to book a flight, need to go the the airport and check in now! Pick up Marion and Lola at the hotel and off to terminal 2 at KKIA for an Air Asia leaving in just 2 hours. Fly past Mt. Kinabalu on the way (really close!) so we get to see it after all! Short taxi ride to Sepilok and we do at last make it to see the orang utangs. The jungle walk is incredibly hot and we are drenched! We spend about an hour and a half by the feeding platform just captivated and spellbound by these lovely creatures. hard to tear ourselves away, but a truly memorable experience (photos to follow). Go back to Sandakan for a look round Sabah's second city, but this is quite a disappointment afer KK - very dirty and not very interesting, and searingly hot. Nothing really to do except eat and drink - even the waterfront walk is a bit sad! Catch the 9.00pm flight back to KK and we are back at the hotel by 10.00pm!
That's all for now - no more tokens left! Off to Perth tomorrow (Saturday 10th). Strewth mate!
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