It was an excellent move to book an extra night in our posh accommodation instead of going to the airport for the night again. We have since found out that such a move can effect the following three days with zombie like tiredness. So at 4am, after 7 hours in a comfy bed we headed to the airport to catch our 45min flight to Sandakan leaving at 7am. Now there is a reason for getting to the airport this early as we had no idea how our luggage situation was to pan out. Ideally we could pay 15RM a per day and leave the big bags in Kota Kinabalu till our return in two days. But of course the lockers didn't open till 8am on our arrival, why would they facilitate thousands of tourists a week which make this day trip to see the Orang Utans by offering them somewhere to leave there bags to board the early morning flight? Option 2 - Check the baggage into the plane costing more than the flight itself......Done. This will also have to be done for the return journey doubling the cost of the trip. Argh, when a plan doesn't come together. Oh well we can't win them all, looks like it's one meal a day for the week. The flight itself barely even leveled out before it was descending again and we got the most awesome view of Mt Kinabalu as we flew over it.

Our jungle hostel picked us up from the airport in order to get us to check in and beat the crowds to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre for feeding time. First of all we needed feeding which became a problem once more. Our reservation at the hostel: 2 x double room breakfast included. On the morning of our checkout we leave for the airport too early to get our breakfast we have paid for, SO, we ask if we can just swap that breakfast for this morning. Sounds simple, all we wanted was a spoon full of beans and some toast. After talks with the manager it was decided it was not company policy and a big fat NO was served to us. How ridiculous, we just didn't understand the logic at all, surely this is a simple request?! This meant the search for the elusive breakfast was on which is becoming a theme for Malaysia. Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng Pattaya) it was served by the street food shack outside the Orang Utans Centre. It is known that it is possible to come all of this way to see the (Man of the Forest) Orang Utans (the only great apes outside of Africa) and not see any, so we got to the viewing platform to beat the Chinese influx and secured our position. To our surprise we were greeted by two Orang Utans playing, fighting, swinging and eating. Soon to be joined by around ten more when the feeding process began. The whole atmosphere was silent as humans gazed/studied the 96.4% humans in front of them. It is so special to look into their eyes and see conscience, compassion, care, emotion and a story as you would with a person. We then visited the nursery where the babies and toddlers need constant attention and to be taught how to climb, what to eat and how to build nests to prepare them for survival. Sepilok is a huge area of protected rain forest which takes in Orang Utans for rehabilitation from nursery, close contact, independence and then with the reduction of human interactions allows them to be free in the jungle. This meant that when we embarked on one of the jungle treks this afternoon we could come into contact with them in the wild. And that is just what happened.....along side macaques, proboscis monkeys, dears and wild boars as for some reason we forgot where we were. We were in the jungle in Borneo not Tropical World in Roundhay and this came to light when we got surrounded by macaques monkeys, which aren't the friendliest. Thank the lord that there were other people around so the animals kept their distance. Still Matt grabbed a monkey bat just in case. It is fair to say that we want an Orang Utan as a travel buddy. When walking around the resort this afternoon we were also handed a reminder that we were in the jungle as we stumbled across a snake. Less than a metre in front of us we were walking and not really paying attention when it slivered in front of our feet to escape the invasion of its personal space. We backed off and walked another way as it was now blocking the pathway. As our ticket for the Centre was valid all day we decided it would be a waste of we didn't go back for the evening feed. Here we witnessed the disappointment felt by many who make this journey and don't see any apes at all. Although on a positive note it shows that the rehabilitation is working and the Orang Utans are not always relying on the humans to supplement their diet. After reading reviews of rats, snakes and scorpions in the hostel rooms we have booked tonight should be fun..... M & C xxxx