25/10 - Mission: Get to Borneo

My only job for today was to get my butt to Borneo and meet the parents - which therefore included being at thr correct airport and NOT missing my plane!. As I boarded the plane heading for Kota Kinabalu I realised that I was one of only 4 other westerners on the flight...needless to say I got a few 'looks'. As my taxi pulled up at the Shangri-la resort I was still convinced i had the wrong adress. I couldn't help but laugh as the porter 'gonged' me in - I was a scruffy back-packer entering a 5* resort into a world where I didn't belong! I soaked in my first 'bath' since leaving for my adventures where I stayed until i was wrinkley! Meeting up with mum and dad was weird...it only felt like yesterday that I said goodbye to them at the airport, but within that time so much has happened. And here they were, on my side of the globe chatting like 'normal'. It was great to have them here all the same!

26/10 Complex Discovery

After a well-deserved lay-in we ventured round the complex, booking our activities for the week ahead (no rest for the wicked that's for sure!) As expected in the 'rainy' season the rain hammered down. Regardless Dad and I ventured into the sea for Dad's first dip in the CHina Sea. It was super hot (in comparison to the rain) and the waves were awesome! A walk along the beach in the evening we spotted what intially looked like birds, but on closer inspection turned out to be crabs drating their way back into the sea at first sight of us. Mum refused to put her toes anywhere near the water ;)

27/10 - Headhunters's Village / Orangutan Feeding

Finally the rain had stopped -at least long enough for us to leave the room! As a kid mum was facinated by these Headhunter tribes, so dad and I escorted her to an example of the villages they lived in. We saw traditional dances (which I cringingly had to take part in) then on to the long house where they bleieved the spirits were. This contained some sculls and traditional costume used by them. Sadly the government put a stop to this tribe and the last leader had to give up their post, meaning the traditions died with it! We then got a chance to see traditional tools used for making wine, crushingrice and ploughing. Next we got to try slig\ng-shot, blowpipe and stilts...good fun! After lunch was one of things I'd been looking forward to the most...seeing the orangutans. Such an awesome experience! The ones at this sanctuary are approx 3-4yrs old and are in the next stage of their rehab back to the wild. It wa amazing to see how human-like they are - taking, sharing, playing, interacting! The sweetest part was as it started to rain one of them tried to hide from it by covering his head with his hands, and then a small branch! After the rain stops we venture to the pool...as we are en route I wonder along chatting with Dad, until I realise he didn't respond...instead he's gone flying on his arse in the muddiest pubble in the whole place...banging his head as he fell! I couldn't help but laugh...and nor could mum...sorry Dad!

28/10/08 - Bike ride / Nocturnal Nature View

Another early start, but this time on bikes (it was nice to be doing some exercise!) We peddled down to a 'gypsie' fishing village where all the houses were painted a variety of bright colours, and all built on stilts - this one done to avoid the flooding, and also Headhunters back in the day!. We continued on throught he village and got a chance to have a closer look at what real life was like for the locals. On the way back through we stopped at a local ladies house for 'breakfast' which consisted of traditional cakes and coffee and AMAZING banana fritters!!! Mum and dad had a go at making the cakes (photos to follow!)...a cool experience! By the time we got back the sun was kind enough to shine for a change, so we hit the beach and hired a boat. Mum was hesitant to come with Dad and I, but also didn't want to miss out on the 'fun'...she gave in and came with us. We didn't quite get off to the best start, as waves crashed over us sideways whislt we failed to move anywhere. At this point mum pipes up..."you don't know what you are doing...this is exactly why i didn't want to come with you!" She soon relaxed! An early dinner then we donned our trekking gear for the nocturnal watch (which I might add, involved no trekking at all!) As you sit and stare into the pitch black you begin to imagine movement, and things that aren't really there. It was unbelievably hot, and this was made morse by the fact that you had to sit very still and quite, neither of which I am very good at! Eventually after an hr 1/2 two porkupines (spelling?) came to say high which was cool to watch them in their natural environment! Once they were out of our sight you could hear one cratching at a coconut!! Predicably the heavens opened and that was viewing time over :(