Can't believe how long I din blog le... Almost 3 weeks liao. Haha... This is the longest post I ever blogged. In terms of time n length...
The last post I was still counting down to the day that I would be leaving. And now, Whew.....! It's come n past!
The trip was very very very x 10000000000 fun! I really missed the place till now and can't forget the people there. They are so nice, hospitable and friendly. If I tok abt everything that happened there, this could be the longest post i ever blogged. Haha... But I'll try to describe it, for myself n my loyal blog-readers... Haha....!!!! :P
Hmmm, let's tok about borneo-sabah-sandankan+Batu puteh trip first. The trip was very smooth until the last day. We had some problems with changing money and many problems were created with the local bank because they had a limit for money-changed per person per day. It did not turn out very well and our teacher seems very troubled. When finally everything was settled, we rushed down to the airport to find out that the flight was delayed. From 1610 to 1830. Then even worse news was that it could be further delayed. So in the very end, our plane flew off at 2020. On the plane, they were suddenly looking for Gina, who did not even come with us. So Ryan had to settle the problem, more troubles for him... As we reached the airport, we found out that cabs to singapore only has 1 left. so in the end, the rest of us took a cab to kotaraya then changed another to queen's st. Luckily my fren offered me a ride then I was able to catch the last bus... It was indeed an exciting day... It was a really fun trip...
Day 1: Went to JB-senai airport successfully thru CW1 then airport shuttle. Reached and drivers drove us to sepilok jungle resort It is a very nice place and tt was the first contact we had with sandankan's nature Dinner was fine, room was great, toilet's cleaner than expected Met Martin, the coordinator Met Halim n Hazri, our guides All very nice people :D
Day 2: Breakfast Headed out for Sabah museum a.k.a Batu Tulug. Met Wien, the 3rd guide, a lady. It is actually a limestone cave. Thinkin that it was a museum, we ended up climbing steps and stones up into a cave Left for the jetty after that Slacked there, took group pictures Had lunch at jetty - first meal with hands only Did the first rotation - forest walk. Experienced the muddy banks of kinabantangan river for the first time and hated it ever since. Went to respective homestays - met makcik salbiah n pakcik man, as well as Sarah and her family Chatted with our hosts Had dinner Invited to go to a wedding but didn't make it because we stayed to help settle rebecca's problem.
Day 3: Breakfast (some kueh with coconut filling and fried noodle) - Makcik packed the kueh for us to bring to the jetty Met the rest of the group at the jetty, tried to settle rebecca's problem together with ryan went for rotation #2, research Learnt about many things and went for a walk to learn herbs and plants Heard many interesting stories too! Went back home for lunch, Sarah and her sister were shouting for us as we got off the bus and headed for the house. It was a very heart-warming sight. Met Makcik's daughters and grandchildren. had lunch, went back to the jetty for rotation #3, Conservation work We packed food for rebecca who stayed at the jetty. Upon reaching, we realized that she's already gone! It was a bit of a shock. But seems like Ryan sent her off the moment they found a way for her to come back to Singapore. We were actually angry and disapointed, in fact. The weather was bad so we had to take a boat. No choice, passed the muddy banks again to get to the conservation area. Was broought around the area to have a look at the different plants and fruits. There were a lot of elephant tracks and dung on the ground. Quite dangerous. At the jetty, there were a lot of cow dung because a herd of cows passes the area every night. Jordan says that the cow dung are "landmines". I didn't noe they were cow dung initially so I asked "wad? we will really die if we step on it?" And Jordan replied, "u will die mentally, becoz they are cow dung." LOL!!! I almost fainted. Haha... We ate some special leaf and then we reached the area where we picked up some fruits from the groud to be planted into the nursery. We then took the boat back to the jetty. I thought it was over le, but who knows we were supposed to go to the nursery to do more conservation work! So we went to the nursery and did weeding for a long long long time. Ryan played badminton with the village kids for a while before weeding but he was not very good at it. Haha.... Then Stefan came along and did some watering while we did weeding. We seemed to be enjoying it becoz we did not want to stop until Wien came and told us that it is enough le. That we have to go back to the jetty already. Then we returned back to out host family to realize that there's a blackout. We were told to bathe first then eat so we can go down to the wedding cremony early. Getting prepared to bathe in the dark, the lights came back on! How lucky... Haha... So we took a bath and then we had dinner. Changed into the traditional clothes that were prepared for us beforehand, we made out way to the wedding. The Baju Kurong (one of the traditional malay clothings) was too big for me. I tried to roll it up but it did not help much. At the wedding, there was the cake cutting and then food eating. And last of all, the dancing and partying! We had lots of fun! I were taught some malay traditional dance steps and I relaxed myself and juz join in the fun and craziness! It was great! The day ended off with a journal entry as usual...
Day 4: Had breakfast Left for the jetty Photo group had new plans and Ryan also gave us some suggestions for our own project. That is, instead of making a journey video for the school, y not make a short 'commercial' for KOPEL-Mescot's website? Their website looks pretty boring and dead. A video will definitely liven it up. Went back for lunch, had some problems with our hosts and jy's hosts becoz of their lunches. We invited them to come over to our homestay for lunch but their own homestay packed food for them as well. So in the end, they did not come over. But we had coconut juice at their homestay and it was very sweet and refreshing. Today was April fool's day. Tried to trick Ryan but it did not seem to work. Haha... Sarah and everyone else left the house le. Only left with Makcik and Pakcik in the big house. It's pretty lonely le... Wonder how they feel when there's no guests at their house. Must be pretty lonely...
Day 5: Morning boat ride! Spotted many animals and the morning mist just above the water is amazing! Had a big group meeting. Ideas were not fully sorted out because it was tme to leave for lunch le. Came back to jetty from lunch and asked for permission for our project. It was, fortunately, granted. Slacked around, had interviews... Went home for dinner. Left for the evening hike. It was dark, slippery and scary. We saw many animals but they were mainly insects, frog and worms. Though we did see a longer one that looks like a snake though... Visited a coffeeshop for drinks Went back home and slept.
Day 6: Visited the 'garden' of our host family. It ended up to be a very ultra steep hill. Went all the way up to the top, took some pictures, rested then came down again. Realized that the buses broke down and we were to be picked up at 11.30am Rushed down to the small river, DAMN SHIOK!, to take a bath. Had our lunches packed then we left the house. Reached jetty, new intrepid group were making kites. Started taking videos of them. Went down to the Raleigh camp to take footages Had another group meeting
Day 7: Went to bathe in the river again Kane n Jueyi came over for lunch, then we went over for lunch as well.. Played cosplay to 'entertain' and not disappoint Makcik. Left for the jetty Pakcik Abu was making some rattan bracelets and everyone got one. I completed mine myself too! Played monkey, then suddenly become playing kayu tiga, a traditional game over there. Most of the people went back to change and some brought their hosts over. We did not, think the hosts were quite sad... Heard that they seemed to have waited for us to go fetch them. Haix.. SORRY! Farewell dinner was very fun and we partied as well. :D
Day 8: Many things happened. As mentioned above. Morning, we left the host family crying. Then we reached the jetty, passed the presents to the guides and left for the orang utan sanctuary. The santuary was not as interesting but the trails made up for the flaw. Left for the english tea restaurant for lunch Left for airport Shopped at the souvenir shops. plane got delayed Slacked around Boarded plane Reached JB airport Took cab Reached Queen's St Reached home safe and sound
Photos n vids available here taken by all participants of the sabah storytelling workshop: http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t233/kinabatagan_/ credits to all photographers n videographers
I STILL MISS SANDANKAN, HOSTS, GUIDES, BATU PUTEH AND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!
How easy it is to lose contact...
Monday, April 09, 2007
