Yayyyy it’s time for Episode 3 and the finale!
Just a recap, I had the opportunity to venture on a sponsored trip to Sabah, Borneo courtesy of Mayflower Holidays. Oh and, I brought one of my girl friends Jacquelyn along with me to experience the adventure too!
Read about Episode 1 [here] and Episode 2 [here]
Okay so we finally got our bums up at 6am in the early morning to live our last moments in the wilderness of Borneo. Packed up with a heavy heart and headed to the lobby for our breakfast.
Right after breakfast, we headed down to Sepilok, where the very popular Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre was located. The rehabilitation process has 5 steps – admission, quarantine, nursery, outward bound school and survival training. It’s time to check out those Orangutans yo!
Sepilok is where orphaned and injured Orangutans are nursed to return and fend for themselves back into the wilderness. This rehab is a primary lowland forest, a fine showcase of Borneo’s remaining rainforest – almost like the real one yet very user-friendly too!
When we entered, there was a rather grim looking security guard holding up a ‘SILENCE’ signage of which he waves at people’s faces, should they be making unnecessary loud noises. This is because noises of people chattering or children screaming might frighten the Orangutans away.
We first spotted Mariko, a very emo looking Orangutan. (Okay in fact, I can’t tell the difference between an Orangutan, a Gorilla, an Ape, a Monkey and a Macaque initially. I only knew they differed in size but actually they have different facial features!)
Okay it was time for feeding! The dude climbed atop the platform and emptied a whole bucket of bananas for the Orangutans’ consumption. Being the smaller and faster species, the Macaques and Monkeys managed to steal some away before they ran away in fear upon seeing the gigantic Orangutan CID.
CID’s the tailo! Don’t mess with him
It was so amusing how they “warned” each other that CID was coming and they hid behind the tree after that, occasionally snatching some bananas away.
Look at CID’s mouth stuffed with bananas!
More and more Orangutans swung from tree to tree to grab their share of the bananas.
Reflexology by the blind in an outlet called Hing Loong
They were sssooooo good and the price was so much more affordable than the exorbitant-will-cut-your-wallets-into-a-thousand-pieces ones in KL
We had a good lunch after that, courtesy of Sandakan Hotel. The decor was pretty simple and clean. Oh, they had chillies at the table too. Sorry had to camwhore – was waiting quite a bit for the food to arrive. Muahaha
with Jacque and Gary enjoying their conversation
=P
Here’s what I ate, a Beef Steak burger and of course, drank the very popular Sabah Tea that came in abundance here!
I bought like, innumerable boxes and packets you can’t even imagine.. oh and, I placed a packet of it into Grandpa’s palms while he lay on his deathbed. Because one of it was meant for him T_T But guess he had to go.
Anyways, Jacque and I went shopping for pretty trinkets and souvvies back home. *cough* Believe it or not we even headed to the market and explored the town! To buy fruits of all things lololol.
Here I was at the T-Shirt store. One T-Shirt was freaking more than 50bucks FML. But I shut my eyes, took a deep breath and paid anyway. 🙂
Our next stop was the Sim Sim Water Village. I was in awe the moment I arrived. It resembles a fishing village, no? So serene too.
I daren’t cross the flimsy looking bridge made of nothing but near-chewed up planks and nails! What if it gave way beneath us?
But I guess I was just paranoid, given the fact that the villages walked up and down without a care in the world with their children skipping on it too!
So I faced skywards and walked the plank. (hohoho pun)
I walked right to the very end of the bridge and began to take in the view from there. Pretty breathtaking, if you’re the type who yearns to be one-to-one with nature.
SPOTTED SOMETHING HILARIOUS THAT I JUST HAD TO TAKE A PICTURE OF. DON’T ASK HE WHAT HE’S DOING. I’VE NO CLUE!
LOL
And guess what!? It wasn’t that bad after all. It was rather fun to see the sea beneath you with each step you take. I was relatively fascinated by the likes of the villages of Sim Sim Water Village. Their humble abode was built on wooden stilts with bits and pieces of concrete!
But I envied the way their lifestyle. So carefree, with nothing standing in the way of them and nature’s wonder. Waves washing hard against the boulders, flocks of birds fleeting by, cool and airy breeze caressing your cheeks, violet hues and warm shades of vermillion streaked across the sky in the evenings.
Beautiful. Why do we urban folks give up all these for technology?
Jacque and I played with the thingamajig that made music. Reminds me of a wooden makeshift piano! That’s her videoing me when I just HAD to play with the thingy.
Found myself chit chatting with the villages and apparently, they barely know much about KL City where I come from. All they knew was that it was nothing close to the lush greeneries they have here. Which I do admit – was partially true.
Just a few hours before departure, we killed time having fun in the War Memorial, which was the site of the original Sandakan Prisoner of War (POW) camp.
PEOPLE DID DEATH MARCHES THERE OMFG with approximately 500 deaths. Okay, ‘nuff of the depressing and bleak facts.
On the other hand, it was like a very huge park with a water lily pond!
Pretty cottage-like building
We got our visual map/guide from there!
Inside the war memorial was full of artifacts and mechanical inventions. We took interest in the Boiler, which was reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelly tall! It was to generate electricity for the Sandakan POW Camp.
Okay, here’s our height difference.. if you must see.
I don’t even come close!
We also spotted the excavator. It’s something like a trenching machine was used by those Japs to use during construction of the airfield.
Reminded me of a tractor-like-digging thing. Very rusty and ancient-relic looking yo! Meet Ruston Bucyrus. Whoa.. even the names sounds like some suave Englishman’s.
Got so tired of jumping after 100 failed attempts
(ok lah, I was exaggerating)
Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye.
We lugged our stuff and once again, headed off to the Sandakan Airport. However, there was a little complication towards the very end. Our MAS flight was delayed for another few hours! But our tour guide, Gary, was gracious enough to accompany us for dinner.
We chit chatted the evening away and reminisced the memories of our past 2 days. Goodbyes were never meant to be sweet. Before we knew it, our flight was called and we had to bid farewell.
If you haven’t checked out Episode 1 [here] and Episode 2 [here],
then you must!
Since there are quite a number of you who asked me HOW you guys can experience the same holiday like I did for 3 Days and 2 Nights, Imma let you in on some good deals! It will cost you only RM980 per person.
Okayyyyyy did that scare you? Haha fret not!
Because from today till March 2010, the promotional rates for a similar trip like mine will cost you only RM582. That’s like, almost half priced.
But then again, since you guys are so awesome and supportive as always, get in touch with me and you will get additional discounts ON TOP of those promotional rates I mentioned.
So waste no time in experiencing an amazing holiday like mine, in the wilderness of adventure and relaxation! Hey it’s not everyday you get a holiday valued at One Thousand goddamn bucks for only RM500 plus. So quickly ask buzz me more about it if you’re interested!
Don’t say I didn’t tell you about this promo! : )
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