This year I knew that I would be returning to Illinois for Christmas so I really wanted to travel somewhere for Thanksgiving. After bouncing around some ideas, I decided to team up with my friend Mark to head to Borneo. I admit, I didn't know much of anything about Borneo before actually setting foot there. Now I know much more and can safely say that we barely scratched the surface of the island. Borneo is the third largest island in the world, behind Greenland and New Guinea. Borneo isn't a country, but three different countries claim the island; Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Mark and I visited the Malaysian part of Borneo. Malaysia has fourteen states and the one we went to was Sabah. We made the mistake of thinking that a short vacation of 4 days was plenty of time. Really, we could have spent a month there traveling around to see all the sights. The flags below are the one from Malaysia on the left and the Sabah flag on the right.
We flew from Japan at 11pm and got to the island after a short layover the next day around noon. We walked around and explored a bit, but then were just ready for dinner and drinks. We happened into a local Texas steakhouse where we saw this poster of Mr. President. Funny how the whole world incorporated a bit of the west into their own culture.
This sign pretty much says it all. We ate, we drank, and we passed out due to the LONG day of travel.
We stayed right in Kota Kinabalu with only a road separating us from the ocean. The views were amazing as was the weather. It was hot and humid and fantastic. The population of the city is over 600,000 people, but you would never know it. Although there were malls and office buildings, it just seemed quaint. We woke to the hum of fishing boats and water ferries getting started for the day. The people meandering along the water without a care in the world. It was magical.
At first glance the boats seemed colorful and exotic, but when it was time to jump aboard one for the trip to another island it seemed a bit less glamorous. But, you know me I rarely worry about those things and neither did the locals.
I have never lived in a place where the boat traffic out numbers the vehicle traffic, but I think it's a close call in Kota Kinabalu.
Of course with little research done beforehand, we relied mostly on local advice and our whims to plan our days. After discussing the beaches, diving, snorkeling, and relaxation with several locals, we decided to head up to Jesselton Point to catch a water ferry to another island. The first choice was Gaya. It is the largest of the nearby islands and has many fancy resorts and good diving. However, it is also where the illegal immigrants build their shanties and we were told that it was quite dangerous. Now, I was ready to brave it and head on over but Mark talked me into possibly heading to a different island. Of course, I eventually agreed. Apparently, people don't usually just go over to Gaya without having reservations at one of the fancy resorts first. Below you can see one of the villages where the immigrants live.
We heard many stories about the people living on Gaya. Rumor has it that they come from the Philippines and come to work or stay with relatives. From the look of the shanties, their relatives must either be amazing or the job outlook in the Philippines looks real bad. In the mornings and again at night, we would see hundreds of boats going back and forth bringing folks to work and taking them home again.
Some other choices in islands included Sapi Island. It was pretty small and it didn't boast much in the way of underwater scenery we were told. There was also Mamutik, which was said to have a great reef but was the smallest of the islands. Finally, we decided to head over to Manukan. It was said to have a nice beach with some snorkeling and diving. It was also medium sized with a clubhouse and a bit more to do. So, we bought a ticket and waited for quite a long while to hop (literally) onto a boat. I love the water and had a blast ferrying over to the island.
Once we got there, we discovered that though the water was clear and the island was beautiful, the snorkeling left a lot to be desired. Basically, it was a bunch of people who walked out into the water and stuck their heads under with the hopes of seeing fish. Well, I could stand on the dock and get a better view of the fish than they could in the water. Needless to say, I still really enjoyed the sandy beaches. The day was bright and peaceful and it was nice just to hangout.
The mountains and other islands in the distance made it all seem magical.
So we explored the island just a bit when we disembarked. I was staring longingly over at Gaya Island and the beautiful resorts across the sea. And, I was setting up for my compulsory self-portraits when all of a sudden I saw movement. I was poised with my camera in hand. I had just taken this picture when out of my mouth came the filthiest expletives imaginable. I snatched up my belongings all while shaking and cursing and tripping over my own feet. Mark didn't understand what was happening. Then, he caught the eye of what I had seen...
Yep, Borneo's own version of the Kimono Dragon. It was huge. It moved quicker than a chameleon, and it scared the bejeezus out of me. It was coming straight at me faster than I could think straight. At the last minute, it veered off...probably scared of my big eyes and flailing. Both Mark and I tried to get some good shots of it, but he was moving lightening fast. I'm thankful that he didn't eat me and that I didn't fall off the ledge I was standing on into the ocean.
After that dramatic experience, we decided to call the explorations off. We headed back to the gift shop for beers and finished out the day lying on the beach in the sun. Once my heart rate dropped, I enjoyed a walk on the beach in search of shells and beach glass.
The only way back from the islands is a water ferry which stops running pretty early at 6. So reluctantly we gathered our things and headed back to Kota Kinabalu. The best part of this ride was the flamboyant navigator. He is in front in orange. He was hooting and hollering and joking for the entire ride.
Here I am enjoying the sun and warmth before the rain. I think that Mark and I just bring rain because it rains on every vacation we take. The day was magnificent, but the clouds were gathering in the distance, filled with rain.
We got back to Jesselton Point just in time for some browsing before the rain began.
One of our finds was a fruit stand with all kinds of crazy fruits. One was the Durian, otherwise known as Stink Fruit. I have seen these all over Southeast Asia, but had never tried one until then. Most places do not allow them to be opened or eaten anywhere other than in your home or in an open market.
So, I bought some and took it back to the hotel. After a quick change for the night, we headed out. Mark told me that it wasn't allowed in the room anymore so I had to take it with me. He also forbid me from eating it in the room. So, I decided to try some in the hallway outside our room. Mark was a good sport and documented this experience for me. This is probably the only photo he took that wouldn't make you, the reader, gag as well. It was soft and mushy. It smelled rotten and tasted like I would imagine a dead animal or a gym sock might taste. Yes, I did take a bite. Yes, I did swallow the entire bite. But no, I did not follow my "try it 3 times" rule. I was finished with this fruit the minute I opened the plastic wrap.
That night, we wanted to find some great local food and chotchkies from the local markets so we went on a stroll along the waterfront. After the first two days in KK, I knew that I should have done a bit more research. Since the State of Sabah is mostly Muslim, they don't eat pork. Which, I found to be quite fabulous since I'm allergic to it. There were sausages, hot dogs, brats, and a slew of other foods that are usually pork but instead were not. It made it much easier to eat out since most of the population spoke Malay, not English. That being said, another point that I should have pondered was my personal dress code. I researched the weather and heard hot and humid. I didn't, however, take into account the Islamic religion when packing. I packed shorts and tank tops and some sun dresses. Big mistake. Women in Islamic areas are dressed modestly with their heads, arms, and legs covered. Even while swimming, the ladies were wearing long pants, long sleeves, and usually observing hijab. I thought they were absolutely beautiful. Their individualism and poise was stunning. I, on the other hand was getting gawked at, whistled at, and had quite a few offerings along my short walk. Don't get me wrong. I never felt threatened or scared. I did feel that I should have done my research more thoroughly in order to show respect to their culture. Lesson learned.
After the rain cleared out for the evening, a huge rainbow swept across the skyline to brighten our night.
Even the local children stopped playing long enough to take in the beauty of the sunset alongside the rainbow.
Once the sun started getting lower in the sky, the rainbow disappeared only to reveal a stunning sunset. I enjoyed watching this Japanese couple meander the waterfront with their umbrella shielding them from the sun's rays. With their zoom lens and Nikon camera ready, they were capturing the moment for themselves just as I was.
Here's another view.
Once darkness set it, we began to get more serious in our mission to find food. We walked quite a ways down the strip and weren't satisfied with any of the offerings. Then, we wandered back to the fish market. Earlier in the day, it was just a slow farmer's market. At night, it transformed into a bustling scene. Mostly locals strolled along looking for their friends and neighbors to socialize with. They stopped and took up whole areas for the majority of the evening. They seemed so happy and carefree just chatting and eating the local catch of the day. That's when we knew that this was the place to eat. When traveling, you always have to find the place where the locals gather in order to get the best food and Borneo was no different.
The first step was browsing the selection of fresh seafood. There were so many choices and I know little about selecting fish. Living where I do, I think I should probably learn a bit more. It was funny that these bins were empty in the morning when we came by, but had filled up this much during the day.
Here is a closeup of my final choice. I have no idea what kind of fish it actually is, but it looked good and healthy at the time.
Now even though I am quite adventurous when it comes to eating, the wait for the food is a killer. I second guess my choice and pick apart everything about the restaurant...or should I say tent with a fryer. Honestly though, I have never been disappointed. Today was no different. This meal was one of the best that I've ever had.
Here's a better closeup. They took the fish and gutted it. Then, they fried it and drizzled some spicy Thai sauce over the top. There was so much there that I couldn't even eat half. Mark at some too, but even with his effort, it remained unfinished. Seriously, it was so delicious that I'd go back just to eat it again.
The next day was our big trip to the Orangutan Sanctuary. This sanctuary is located at the Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort, which was about an hour out of town. We hired a taxi and went on our way. This sanctuary was established to help preserve the Orangutan population after it was depleted primarily by mechanized logging and hunters desiring pets. Although naturally solitary, these animals must adapt to living together in order to survive extinction. The sanctuary here nurses babies back to health and helps them to socialize before taking them to a different home for adults on the other side of the island.
We stayed and watched three of them eat and play and fight for about an hour. It was easy to see that they preferred to be alone, but when you are fed from a platform, you must learn to get along.
It was neat to see how both their hands and feet were made to grasp the trees and branches. They were so flexible and quick moving through the jungle.
Borneo's rain forest is more than 130 million years old, making it one of the oldest in the world. It's funny how little I learned in high school and college about geography and the world's history. Not that my education wasn't quality, there's just so much more knowledge than there is time to teach it.
As we were hiking back to the beach, this little gal swung through the jungle after us. She got so close that I thought she was going to grab my sunglasses and knock Mark off the path. Then, the ranger came along and lured her away with a bottle of sweet juice.
After we left the jungle, we were super hot and disgusting. We explored the beach a bit and had a nice lunch at the hotel. Seriously, the next time I visit I will be staying at this resort for at least a couple of nights. It was breathtaking!
Since we still hadn't found that piece of Borneo that we just had to have, we browsed the shops inside the Shangri-La. Thank goodness they screen and hire local artists to bring to the resort. We found this artist and loved his work. Mark bought a batik and I bought some paintings as well as a batik for my mom. I love it when we get to actually meet the actual artist.
After our lunch and shopping at Shangri-La, we placed our lives into the hands of a crazy cab driver. The hotel staff summoned him from the lot and he pulled right up. I was slightly concerned at his speed, braking, and general lack of skill maneuvering. Then, as I was looking all around his vehicle discretely, silently passing judgement I noticed the half empty wine bottle the man was cradling near his thigh. After making big eyes at Mark didn't get his attention, I smacked his leg, and we both settled in for a wild and crazy ride. This man barely braked, went well over 100 kilometers per hour, and was passing people on the shoulder of the road. At one point, he didn't want to stop for traffic at a four-way round-a-bout, so he pretended to turn left only to swerve into the round-a-bout and continue straight. I thought I would throw up. Since you are now reading about it, you know we survived.
That night, we relaxed and had a couple of drinks. We didn't want to get too nuts, because we knew that Saturday was going to be busy. We were all set to go white water rafting in the morning and hashing with the local group at night. Unfortunately, I did neither. I began feeling funny that evening and woke up in the middle of the night so cold and chattering that I woke Mark up too. I was miserable. I swear that I threw up everything I had eaten all week and was still in the bathroom practically all night. Mark didn't know what to do and I didn't want to go to the hospital. Thanks Mom, for the stubbornness. The next day, I could barely move. I couldn't eat, barely drank, and spent all my time in bed or in the bathroom. Mark went hashing and I tried to go, but just couldn't. Thankfully that was our last full day in Borneo so I didn't waste much more being sick, but the trip home on Sunday was just as bad. I don't remember much of the trip except the sign below. I thought it was hilarious that this store was selling ice cream in 100 degree weather to take back to the Kuala Lumpur in mainland Malaysia. Yeah right!
Well, again I survived. I was literally sick for almost four weeks after the trip and have no idea why. The doctors at the navy hospital here were little help and I didn't feel like spending my days there. I went to work and barely ate and collapsed from exhaustion each night. I spent a month holding my stomach because I thought it was burning a hole in my insides. All the doctors have determined is that I might be sensitive to Asian food. Will that stop me from traveling to obscure places? No. When I go to said places, will I eat yummy local food? Yep. Will I probably get real sick? Yep. But, next time I will ask for some pills beforehand to hopefully decrease my symptoms. Better luck next time.
