An Update from the Wild Woman of Borneo

Hey everyone and greetings from Kuala Lumpur! My journey back to Asia was more eventful than I would have liked, beginning with my flight to JFK being cancelled and requiring me to stay in DC another night. Of course American Airlines still allowed me to check in for this cancelled flight and all connecting flights operated by some of their airline partners. As a result, I still showed up as checked in for all the connecting flights and apparently American airlines could do nothing to change this so I had to wait until 9 AM pacific time (I’m on east coast time) the next morning to call China Airlines and notify them of what happened, make them change my status to not checked in, and then call American and have them book me new flights. Of course when I called China Air they showed me as not checked in so I could have actually been out on the first flight out of town, but now I wasn’t getting out until this evening. Oh well. Whatever. At least I got there safely.I had decided to treat myself to a nice hotel near the twin towers for my first few days in town, which was now abbreviated by a day (thank you, American Airlines). The hotel was fabulous and practically on the doorstep of the Petronas Twin Towers. I arrived just in time for sunset and an evening view of the towers. They are definitely impressive, even more so at night. Check them out!

 

The next morning I set out on sight-seeing adventure around KL. This huge tower, Menara KL, is not as tall as the twin towers, but does allow visitors to go to the very top, unlike the former, which only goes to the 41^st floor.

Listen to me, ONLY the 41^st floor…as if that’s not impressive. I guess I’m a little spoiled after going to the 101^st floor in Shanghai. That’s definitely the highest observation deck I have even visited, at least thus far. Maybe I’ll trump that on other visits. Each day they issue only 1,200 free tickets up the towers. Like an idiot I decided to get there right before the ticket counter closed so I had the pleasure of waiting in line for 2 hours, but I made the cutoff and got hooked up with this great view.

Here are some more sights around KL. 

This pic is taken from one of Masjid Jamek, a mosque right near Little India and around the corner from the lovely Merdeka Square, which is lined with these streetlights featuring Malaysia’s national flower, the hibiscus.

 Just outside of town is the Lake Garden area, which offers sculpture gardens, flower gardens, a bird park and exceptional views of the KL skyline.

The sculptor of this piece is the same artist who did the Iwo Jima sculpture in Washington, DC/Arlington, VA. You can definitely see the similarities.

Here is the national flower.  Oooh, pretty! 

A short walk from the Lake Gardens is the national mosque. It is open to visitors during certain times throughout the day, but sadly it wasn’t during the time I visited. That’s ok though because the outside is so impressive.

Here’s a pic of Merdeka Square at night. 

One day while walking around the Bukit Bintang neighborhood I happened upon the Fun Day festival! What great luck! I saw dudes on stilts,

graffiti artists,

a marching band,

As well as some cheerleaders and these rappers called the beat boys. Later in the day they evidently made Malaysia’s largest happy face made out of people’s bodies. Sorry I missed that, but my evening ended up with a baby monkey following me through the streets of KL. At this time I was staying in Chinatown and decided I wanted to grab a bite over in my old hood, Bukit Bintang. I started noticing people staring at me, pointing, and taking pictures so I turned around and discovered my furry, little friend. Each time I would stop he would stop and when I started walking he’d do the same. This continued on all the way to Bukit Bintang, which is about a 15 minute walk. People kept trying to pet him or come close to him so he’d freak out, bare his teeth, and jump into the street to avoid them, narrowly missing oncoming cars. It was crazy! I made sure to follow all traffic signals the entire time he was following me to ensure his safety. No jaywalking when you’ve got a baby monkey’s safety to consider. Haha!!! About 2 minutes from my final destination a huge group of people were photographing the monkey and seemed to keep his attention. It seemed like he was happy to be with them now so I continued on to dinner. What a great memory though!

I was in KL for about 2 weeks, which was a bit long, but I was waiting for my friend, Karthik, from India (you may remember him from my S. India adventure) to arrive. It’s monsoon season in India now so tourism comes to a standstill.  Karthik didn’t have to work until September so he was going to come meet me and tour around KL and Borneo. This was Karthik’s first time out of the country so he was having to mess around with his passport and visa, which kept getting postponed. Malaysia has brought down the hammer on Indian nationals traveling to Malaysia because evidently so many of them decide to stay illegally so getting the visa was a seemingly never ending process, but after 2 weeks of daily visits to annoy the visa officers his visa was finally granted. Yay!

Welcome to international travel and welcome to Malaysia, Karthik! After 2 weeks in KL I was a pro so I was able to take him around town to see all the sights. Here are some pics of us at the Masjid Jamek (the mosque featured earlier in this post). Everyone is asked to wear robes and the women must cover their heads with a scarf.

We also decided to go to the top of Menara KL for an aerial view of the city.

A ticket to the top of Menara KL also includes entry into an animal park and some car video games. Video car games were always my favorite….OK I also liked Zelda and Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, but car games have always been a fave too!

Of course you know I had to show Karthik the Petronas Towers. I wanted him to see them at night so we strolled through the art museum, which is contained on the 3rd floor of the Suria KLCC mall contained within the same complex. I had already visited the museum earlier, which is extremely well done. When we were there modern art and children’s book illustrations exhibits were featured. My favorite children’s book was about this little boy who ate the smelly durian fruit and as a result had no friends because he smelled gross. One day an enraged durian fruit attached the village and everyone was terrified because they didn’t know what to do. Of course the boy who ate durians came to the rescue and restored the village to safety. Those mean kids learned their lesson and are now buds with the hero of the story. Hysterical! Here’s a pic of the irate durian.

The next day we set out for Borneo. Our first stop was in Kuching in Sarawak, which is a great base to explore the rest of Sarawak.

The waterfront offered some exceptional sunsets.

This is the main mosque in town.  It is Ramadan now so its an interesting time to be here. 

And this building used to be a prison. While I’d hate to be in prison, this one doesn’t seem so bad with a great view of the waterfront.

Of course no visit to Borneo is complete without seeing the wild men of Borneo so here you go!!! I need to apologize in advance b/c these pics are complete and total crap. We had been getting a lot of rain during our time in Kuching so I didn’t feel like lugging around the big camera and then risking it getting saturated so I opted to bring my crap point and shoot camera instead. Let’s just say that was a big mistake. Oh well. Lesson learned. Here you go!

They call this rehabilitation center semi-wild because while it is in the jungle and there are no cages containing the animals, there are 2 feedings a day so the orangutans do know they are able to be fed by humans. It was a huge highlight of the trip for me!

One day we ventured across the river to check out the Margherita Fort.  Ohh, I wonder what’s behind this door?

 

Any guesses?

If you said skulls then you are right.   

Spooky!!!!

 

As I mentioned we were having a lot of rain during our time in Sarawak due to the ever annoying La Nina, but we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. We taught each other card games, played darts (Karthik got a bulls-eye!) and had lots of refreshment breaks.

Rain, rain go away!!! No bother, we were bound and determined not to let the rain dampen our spirits so we set out for Bako National Park the next day despite the spitting rain. In order to get to the park you have to take about a 30 minute boat ride.  The views are great!

There are tons of trails you can pick through mangrove forests,

terminating in sharp cliffs offering stunning views and gorgeous beaches. What’s not to love?

What an incredible day! The rain stopped, the sun came out, and we swam in the most gorgeous sea. If you go to Sarawak, definitely visit Bako National Park. It’s stunning!

Later that night Karthik decided that he needed a haircut and decided that I was going to be the one to give it to him. Um….what? I’ve never cut hair before and had no idea what I was doing, but he seemed OK with it. Here we go…

It definitely wasn’t perfect, but Karthik seemed ok with it. Man, what a boy thing to do! I don’t know many girls, except maybe Teecher Brooke from Mae Sot, who would be down with someone who has never cut hair before whack off almost all of their hair. Too funny!

The next morning it was (surprise, surprise) raining, but since we had lucked out the day before with a sunny day despite the rainy start we decided to give it a go again and head to Damai Beach, which is called the Malibu of Kuching according to Lonely Planet. As a California Girl by birth, who according to Katy Perry is fine, fresh, fierce and got it on lock, this was right up my alley!

Sadly the rain didn’t stay away, but Karthik and I still managed to entertain ourselves.

It’s time to say goodbye to Kuching and Sarawak and head to the other part of Borneo, Sabah. Our base there is going to be Kota Kinabalu.

Bye Kuching! Thanks for a great time. Kuching means cat so the city is filled with cat sculptures.

The next morning we set out for Kota Kinabalu. Given our recent discussion about durians, you can imagine the laugh that I had when I encountered this sign in our hotel elevator.

Like Kuching, KK also has a waterfront, but this one was much livelier and a lot of fun. Here are some views at sunset.

Here are some sights around KK. This is the State Mosque..

Rolling the dice with the weather yet again, we decided to make a visit out to Survivor Island where that reality TV show was filmed. In addition to gorgeous beaches it also has a mud volcano. Done and done! We are there!!!

Welcome to Survivor Island. 

The weather was perfect, but who knew how long that would last so we immediately made our way to the mud volcano. Priorities, people, priorities!

And here we are in the mud volcano! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! You have to ease yourself into the mud with the assistance of a rope because it’s a deep drop when you first get in. It also feels totally weird and when it starts bubbling up and something scratches across your skin from down below it is very creepy and feels like bugs, snakes, serpents….you know all the usual things that pop into your mind when you are freaking yourself out. It turns out it was just leaves and sticks, but screaming about serpents is more fun, right?

I have to send out a huge thank you to these gals for emailing us these pics. We were strictly advised against bringing our cameras for obvious reasons, but these girls were smart enough to bring a guide who was able to snap these pics. How fabulous!!

Here are some pics of Karthik and I after the mud volcano. We looked like statues.

It took us a long time to get all the mud off ourselves in the sea, but it was totally worth it and I highly recommend it! After the mud, we stuffed our faces with a tasty lunch and relaxed in hammocks by the sea.

I couldn’t really sleep so I decided to explore the island a bit.

I wrote out this message for mom that she could see from heaven.

I miss her so much. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her and miss her!

My walk was cut a bit short because huge storm clouds were rolling in so I made my way back to “civilization” just in time. The sky opened up and we had the most torrential rain I have ever seen in my life. It was crazy how hard it was coming down and for how long. Thank goodness we already did the mud volcano!

At dinner that night we sat with Camille and Cedric, Frenchmen who were on our boat ride to the Island and with us in the mud volcano. They have done some amazing travel so we sat around swapping stories for hours and hours. I absolutely loved them! They told me about this reef lodge in the middle of the sea in the Semporna Archipelago offering daily boat rides to nearby islands for snorkeling and diving. It sounded absolutely amazing and I still had a week in Borneo so you know I was all about it. Thanks, Camille and Cedric, for the tip. I cannot wait to go! It was so wonderful meeting you both and I truly hope our paths cross again. Safe travels back to Paris and please stay in touch.

Camille, don’t forget to watch Project Runway. You will love it!!! Camille is a fashion student who was the personal assistant of Kenzo most recently. Needless to say, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and Heidi Klum are totally up his alley!

We went back to KK the next morning and geared up for our night on the town. Woo Hoo!!! According to the locals a club by the name of Bed was the place to be and it just so happened to be near our hotel so we headed right over there to check it out.

In addition to a DJ, Bed also featured some performers who performed all of the latest booty rap songs.  What they lacked in lyrics they more than compensated for with their choreography and enthusiasm.  I loved it! 

Karthik and I were not feeling 100% the next day so we took ‘er easy and watched back to back brutal slasher movies on Star Movies and Man vs. Wild on Discovery! Yay for English speaking channels. Karthik headed out later that night to catch his flight back to India. Safe travels, Karthik, and put that passport to good use! The world is now your oyster.

As for me, I’m off to the Singamata Reef Lodge that Camille and Cedric recommended and I cannot wait. Yippie, yahoo, yeehaw! I cannot wait to get there.

　

Allow me to take you for a little tour of my house for the next 6 days. It’s fabulous!

Above the Equipment Center is the sun deck where I took in gorgeous sunsets every night.  I’d usually meet Liz and Darren up there about 15 minutes before sunset for a Tiger beer and to scope out the best seats! 

Here is the dining area.  For breakfast we’d always have eggs and toast and lunch and dinner usually involved chicken or fish with some veggies and tons and tons of rice.  We were also offered all the free biscuits, tea and coffee our little hearts desired.  I was a maniac with the biscuits.  I think we all were, actually! 

Here is my room.  Notice the purple walls.  Our crew had some ideas about these purple walls, but I’ll keep those ideas to myself for now.  Haha! 

Here is a picture of the crew I hung out with during my stay at Singamata.  They were so much fun!  I don’t think I stopped laughing the entire time I was at Singamata, unless of course it was during nap time.  Two of our peeps, Lee and James, had already left so sadly they are not featured.  In the evenings we’d take over the sun lounge and entertain each other with gross, ridiculous, hysterical, and unusual stories.  You know I busted out my favorite stories of all time and I actually gathered some new ones that are now part of the collection.  Sweet!  Get fired up, peeps, because I have some doozies to share. 

As Camille and Cedric explained, the lodge is literally in the middle of the sea. You can see the town of Semporna in the distance, but you are surrounded by water on all sides. It’s gorgeous. Here’s the first of many sunsets at Singamata.

After sunset I was returning to my room to drop off my camera, when I noticed the moon rising. What? I have never seen anything like this before. The moon looked like a fireball and illuminated the sky with red and orange hues. It was gorgeous.

Here are some pics of Singamata at night. Yep, still gorgeous!

The next morning we set out for Sibangkat island for a fun-filled day of snorkeling. Here are some view from the boat. Unfortunately it was low tide when we finished our first snorkel so we couldn’t make it to the island, but we were all pretty content to hang on the boat and take in the stunning views.

Are you ready for another gorgeous sunset? I hope so because it’s coming!!! The sky changes pretty dramatically throughout the sunset. I cannot get enough.

The next morning I woke up to answer nature’s call and just happened to catch the sunrise. What a lucky break! Normally I am annoyed when I wake up for this reason, but today I am ecstatic.

After taking in the beautiful sunrise I threw myself back in bed to catch a few more zzz’s before heading off to Mabul for another day of snorkeling. I was super psyched to visit Mabul, as it is supposed to offer some outrageously awesome snorkeling and diving. I am fired up!

Mabul is a relatively large island that is divided by the semi-ritzy tourist area and the local villagers. We had been given the heads up by some of our posse who had visited already that the children are thrilled if you bring them treats and since we had unlimited biscuits at our disposal we loaded up before we set out for the day. The villagers are extremely warm and inviting, welcoming us with waving hands and huge smiles. The pictures really say it all so I’ll shut up now and let you take in the beautiful village of Mabul.

Mabull was fabulous! It was some of the best snorkeling I have ever done. It is the first time I’ve seen sea turtles and I couldn’t get over how gently they glided up to the surface to breathe some air. They were adorable and I saw several of them.

We returned to Singamata in time to grab some lunch and of course take a little nap, read my book, listen to music and take an afternoon swim. Ah, what bliss! I am so relaxed.

Are you ready for some more sunset action? I hope so because here we go! I think this was my favorite sunset of all.  I have never seen one quite like this before.  Gorgeous! 

The next morning we set out for Sibuan Island, which we also heard was amazing! These recommendations were right on yet again with Sibuan offering gorgeous white sand beaches and lovely locals. Unfortunately the water was filled with jellyfish so I cut my snorkeling adventure short, but that’s no problem because it meant I had more time on the beach. It was stunning. Check it out!

Like in Burma, the women wore a natural sunscreen to protect their skin. They are so striking and beautiful!

Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to 4 more of our posse. Safe travels home and please, please keep in touch!  I loved our time together at Singamata and I thank you all for making it so memorable and hysterical.  Again, a huge thanks to Camille and Cedric for the fabulous recommendation. 

It’s my final sunset here at Singamata and yet again it does not disappoint.  Louisa and Ian, safe travels back to the UK and good luck with your Air Asia flight.  Make sure to pack a ton of biscuits. 

I have absolutely adored my time in Malaysia and Borneo and highly recommend that you visit if given the chance. It is wonderful to be back on the road again and I look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead. Next up: Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco. Woo Hoo! I cannot wait!!! Thanks again for all your warm wishes and I’ll see you soon. Big hugs!