Rainforest and Mountain.

So we are nearing the end to our time in Kota Kinabalu, flying out on Saturday at 7am eventually landing in Koh Samui.

Rainforest Canopy Walk

Today we went up to Poring Hot Springs and done a canopy walk in the rainforest. It was really very scary, you often wonder about Malay health and safety, the walk was on floor board wide wooden boards with low sided nets keeping you in as you wobbled along hundreds of feet up. Think i experienced vertigo for the first time while sweating into my eye balls. Great experience though actually being in a rainforest trying to dodge malaria.

There was great views of Mount Kinabalu all the way along the winding hill roads and it is an especially spectacular mountain. Also visited the Sandakan and Death March War Memorial to Australian and British forces at Kundasang which was very cool, only 6 soldiers survived out of thousands. It also had great views of the mountain.

Currently there is a lightening storm in the sky but it is some distance away, we wanted to experience the rain but it doesnt look like we will.

Anyway, met lots of cool people both ex pats and locals, its a very fun place to be all told.

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Mount Kinabalu from the War Monument

Kota Kinabalu

Made it to Frasers and went straight to bed for much needed sleep. Went up to a friends place for some food and drinks then down to the water front to some bars.

Its a fantastic place, the pace of life seems real relaxed and all the ex-pats i've met have said its such an easy life. Went down to the Sunday market, which was a strange place, turtles in boxes, cats in cages and lots of counterfeit stuff. Had noodles for breakfast again, seems thats the norm round here.

We have plans to do a canopy walk and goto the hot springs up in the hills. Tonight....I dont know what tonight holds.

All of the photos on my Facebook page are publically viewable as long as you have a Facebook account. www.facebook.com/stoo61

Jet Lagged in Singapore

So we have made it to Singapore and checked in for our next flight onto Kota Kinabalu.

The flight was pretty good, the on board entertainment was amazing. There was too much stuff to watch and listen to if anything. The was a few spots of turbulance but generally it was smooth sailing, looking out over Turkmenistan, Afghanistan then India at night.

With the time different we experienced sun set and sunrise all within a few hours and now its 8:15am although to us its 12:15am. Thus, jet lag.

Anyway, flight to Malaysia is in 40 mins.

Update from Manc Land

Quick update from Machester.

Had a fantastic night last night, met loads of great people already.

Pearl Jam were mindblowing and the night after was just as good. Even bumped into someone from Dunfermline who I knew years ago, she works down here apparently, very random.

Had a wee bit of a panic trying to check in for the flight on line but apparently this eTicket malarky means you dont do that you just turn up and its all electronic.

Currently in the Premier Inn, its pretty remote really, not sure what we are going to do today as its no where near the city centre, might find a way in...who knows.

Leaving Day!

Leaving day!

Its been a long time coming but here it is.

Saturday was our "Leaving Doo" and it was a blast, seen the people I wanted to and generally had a good time.
Michaels mother, Alison, had decked out the bar with lots of Australian things, inflatables, banners etc which I was not expecting but it was very thoughtful. There was also a massive Aussie themed cake. (Pictured)

We have decided to add a trip to Vietnam to the adventure in September for Mikes birthday, some people from home are going to be there at the same time so that should be great!

Its a weird feeling to actually be at this point, i'm no longer excited, not particularly exstatic just sorta numb really. I guess its a sort of apprehension and a fear of forgetting something important as well as leaving everything behind without an end date.

I would like to extend a great deal of gratitude to my parents for being so  ludicrously generous, not just recently but always. I dont think I would have managed any of this without them or indeed anything at all. I realise they may be a bit nervous having me leave to these far flung countries but think of the bigger picture. The fridge will be fuller, the energy bills lower and the washing piles smaller. The internet makes the world teeny tiny anyway.

Also, went biking in Fort William on Monday, was taking a fairly large risk as it was the most challenging stuff I've ever done but the sun was out, got faster each run and didnt crash so all's well that ends well.

Next stop Manchester and a date with a band I thought I would never see. Then onto Kota, Frasers flat mate's birthday is on the day we arrive so there is a big BBQ planned so it should be a cracking start!

I spend a silly amount of time watching mountain bike videos on YouTube so while bored one day I figured I'd try make my own humble effort and this is the result.