Last Stop Kuala Lumpur

As you all know neither of us are big on cities but we are back in the Malaysian Capital for our last two days.  As usual we were at the airport with plenty of time to spare and its a bit of a dump at Sandakan airport.  Air Asia really are quite prompt, all our flights have taken off within 10 minutes of the schedule time and all have arrived on time.  Just a few lines today as we haven’t done much and I seem to be coming down with something.

We arrived to grey skies and rain, took the Skybus to central KL station as its only 9 Ringo’s and it goes the same way as a taxi would anyway and travels at about the same speed so it reduces your bill substantially.  You just pick up one of the many taxis outside the station to your destination.  We arrived at Somerset Ampang which are serviced apartments.  This is the first place that I have booked and when I found this place on the internet I could get a studio for 215 Ringitts but Claire wanted to check it out with reviews first.  Suitably check, she liked it better than the ones that she had on her list so I went back to book it and all the rooms had gone.  Luckily Claire was still in booking.com and we booked it in there for 315 Ringitts a night.  While in KL I fancied a bit of luxury for our last stop in bad weather.  Claire booked it and I printed the confirmation out at reception.  When we arrived, as I suspected, they didn’t have our booking or any studio apartments so they upgraded us to a lovely place.

The bedroom has a flat screen tv and walk in dressing room.  The bathroom is great with a huge window overlooking the city and perverts with binoculars.  It also has a shower in front of it.

We have our own kitchen with washing machine and fridge freezer and loads of cupboards and utensils etc.

We even have a small study with more wardrobes in.  A lounge dinner joined onto the kitchen with an even bigger flat screen tv, dvd player, audio system and wifi.

One last look at that bath tub.  They even have an infinity swimming pool and spa on the top floor but I doubt that we will have the time or weather to try it out.  I suppose it doesn’t matter if its raining when you are in the pool.

We dumped our stuff off and headed into town for lunch and supplies.  We tried the chinese place that Tom and Youngja took us to but it was a different menu at lunchtime and the food was cold.  Still, it was still cheap and tasty.  Best thing was, we found a chinese supermarket next door with red wine at £4 a bottle and 7% lager at £1.15 for a large can called "Traditional".  I never did like that Tiger anyway (StT)!  We are on the same street as the twin towers but a taxi into town is about £3 but on the way back we spotted the monorail station across the road from our place.

Tomorrow, we need to go up the towers and find the software shop that Tom has recommended so that we will be sorted to go out with them both in the evening before catching our early flight home.

A day with Pongo and Nasalis

This entry is more photo's than words.  I snicked down for some ice last night and took a quick picture of our hotel’s Malaysia Day celebrations.  This half is almost finished but not the back half.  I also asked them if they knew how we could get to the Orangutan sanctuary in the morning.  They gave me a bucket of ice, did some research and rang me back; they wanted 380 Ringitts each from a tourist company to take us there and back including entrance fees.

We had a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, best since the Nap Patong.  We ordered a taxi and he took us downtown; they only charge £3 so its not too bad.  When there, we talked to another taxi driver and he only wanted 40 Ringitts to take us there; we had already research that it was only 30 entrance fee, but they also want 10 Ringitts for each camera.  We arrived at Sepilok Orangutan rehabilitation centre with 30 minutes to spare before feeding time.

They have a long wooden walkway through the rain forest to the viewing and feeding platforms.

Only one came with a young one in tow.  They have obviously done a good job rehabilitating them all.  Maybe more would have came if we had waited, but it was so hot Claire wanted to go.  At one stage, she almost broke into a sweat.

Our driver had already offered to wait and take us back for an extra 50 Ringitts which we had agreed to and I brought him a cold water back with me.  We asked him how much he wanted extra to take us onto the Proboscis monkey centre; he didn’t really want to go but said he would do it for an extra 110 Ringitts making 200 in total.  It turned out good value because the roads get so much worse the further you go.

We are pleased that we did go as there were things going on all the time with action right from the start.  Trouble was they wanted 60 Ringitts entrance each plus the usual 10 for each camera.

Straight away I spotted some grey monkeys in a nearby tree and one came onto the roof with somebody elses brown baby and eventually onto our viewing platform.

I spotted some proboscis monkeys playing with their feet (or was it their hands?) on a nearby branch; presumably waiting for their feeding time at 11.30am.

Somebody tempted a grey monkey with some long beans which he happily ate.

Before you knew it there were monkeys everywhere.

One of them seemed to have the hots for Claire.

Finally the food arrived and they could have a proper chimps party.

With lookouts.

I took dozens of photo’s but only have space for a few of them.  It turned out to be a great day out for Claire, me, the taxi driver and the monkeys.

We got our driver of car 1707 to drop us at the Swiss Inn for lunch, it was only a short walk back to Claire’s favorite supermarket and another taxi took us back to our hotel to relax for the remainder of the day.

They have all the mod cons in our hotel; the lights come on when you open the wardrobes and they even have a light that comes on inside when you open the safe door.  They have a contraption by the side of the toilet which I tried.  It has variable speed water jets that spray up your bum; perfect if you have just been through what I have and after a hot, sweaty day out with Pongo.  They seem to have come on a long way since that first prototype knocked your glasses off Jimmy!  What a shame we don't have a photograph to remember that one by.

Non-Independence Day

Happy Malaysia Day or Independence day.  We arrived at the airport far too early and had several hours to kill before we took off for a 30 minute flight.  No problems anywhere, we got a taxi easy but when he turned into a building site I was beginning to doubt Claire’s choice of hotel.

We were shown to a spectacular suite, really nice; its just where it is.  One day it will be nice here but that day is yet to arrive.  We have a lovely tv that swivels around so you can adjust the viewing angle; you can even turn it right around and watch it from the Queen bed.

Its just when you go outside that the trouble starts.  The whole area is under development with building work all around us.  Worst thing is, there is nothing else anywhere near us so we have lost our independence, Taxi’s everywhere.

The view from our so called balcony is a pile of rubble.

Never mind, we only have two days, we will just have to make the most of it and as I said our room is wonderful.

We ordered a taxi and headed downtown which is about 4 miles away.  We passed the Sabah hotel which was closer but still out in the middle of nowhere but at least everything is finished there.

Once we arrived Sandakan we passed the Sandakan Hotel, right in the middle of town and we wished we were staying there.  Our taxi dropped us off and we walked along the sea front looking for a place to get a cold beer.  No bars, only cafe places full of locals eating awful food.  We settled on one where we could see that they had beer in the fridge and had a couple to regroup over.  Claire didn’t look amused.

We were starving as all we had eaten was a dreadful, cold Malaysian vegetarian breakfast.  It only cost about a pound for both, but believe me, it wasn’t worth it.  They may have been edible at some point in the past, but that time had long gone.  Just as we thought that nothing could get any worse, it did.  A thunderstorm.  It hammered it down and all the people around the edges moved in to huddle near us.  Sandakan is a real dump.

We found a little supermarket and bought supplies (drinks and Scooby snacks) and headed off in search of food.  We walked up to the Sandakan hotel and once inside we could see that we would have been disappointed there as well.  Trouble is on Malaysia day, they have a holiday so not much normal fresh food is available.  The hotel had a buffet but it didn’t start for 90 minutes and our needs were more immediate.  We opted for a cafe across the road but the unrecognizable food was cold and dreadful.

Taxi home to enjoy our purchases was the order of the day.  Trouble was, nobody has heard of the Best Western Hotel in the middle of nowhere that only just opened this month.  We got terribly lost and the driver asked several people before someone had heard of it.  In actual fact, the place he took us to was the best spot that we had seen and it turned out not that far from here, where we are now.  We were pleased to be back in our little sanctuary in the middle of nowhere.  Claire turned the lights down low, and I put our shopping in the fridge.  I have no idea how we will get to the Orangoutang Sanctuary tomorrow; but at least it wont be non-Independence Day.

Hold the cigar for Jimmy's Birthday!  Happy Birthday Jim!

Island hopping Borneo; Are all the Islands the Same?

Although it is cheap when you book direct from the port, we decided on only two islands today.  It had been raining hard in the night and was still overcast at 9am so we didn’t rush off to the port.  Just as we set off at around 10am the sun came out so we were lucky today.  They took us to the first island which didn’t happen to be the one we had asked for but as Claire says, “An Island is and Island”.

We stopped off on the beach first and Claire caught some rays while I tried out the snorkel kit that I had rented.  The fish were huge and if you stayed still long enough, they came up for a nibble which I didn’t like.

The sand was nice but there was very sharp coral just along the waters edge which made it tricky for me getting in and out.  We had a little walk around and Claire settled for some more sun while I went off monkey hunting.  I found a little jungle trail that headed upwards into the jungle so I tried it.  It was tricky going as the roots had made steps but the heavy rain had made it very slippery.  I don’t think Claire would have liked it; especially when a leech attached itself to the back of my calf.  My instinct was to knock it straight off but after it had gone I wished that I had took a picture first.

The path through the jungle leveled out one I was at the top but I couldn’t see much as the cover was too thick.  Eventually, it started to go down again into what looked like another bay through the jungle but I decided against it as we were being picked up shortly for another island.  I didn’t see any monkeys only leeches and soldier ants.

The boat picked us up and took us to another island which also was not one of our choice.  “Never mind” Claire said “............”.  But its not, I chose the ones I had carefully.

This one was a bit bigger with a resort and a bar so we stopped for a quick one.

Again we walked around the island and found a couple of little bays.  And a huge lizard with his Tongue out.

Claire settled on the beach again and I went off monkey hunting.  I found a trail that said it was 1.5km to a sea view point.  Im suspicious these days about view points that are through the jungle as I have been caught out before.

There was a block paved trail but roots had gone under it pushing the blocks up everywhere.

It was incredibly humid and the further I got the more slippery and unmaintained it became.  A huge bug almost landed on me but I managed to get a picture of him instead.

The road had fallen away here and there or completely been overgrown.  I thought that I must be there by now and then spotted a sign that said it was still 0.4km to go.  I walked for what seemed like ages then spotted another sign that said 0.75km to go.  the signs must be indicating the distance back to the start.  I couldn’t believe that I was only half way and it was getting more slippery all the time.  Then I slipped over.

It didn’t put me off, I was determined to get to the sea view point.  Eventually got there but it was completely overgrown.

I headed back and spotted another of those giant lizards crossing the path.  I was completely worn out and soaked through by the tie I got all the way back again.  Straight in the sea for a wash down to get all the bud off me from my fall.

The boat took us back and I spotted our hotel from the sea.

Of course, we ended up at our favorite place for lunch and to watch the sun go down.

In actual fact, while we were waiting for the boat to take us back to the mainland, we spotted the man that sold us the trip and he tried to talk us into going to another island at no extra cost.  As it was one of the islands that I chose I asked Claire but she wanted to get back; after all an Island is an Island is an Island.