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As I fly in over Sandakan in Sabah (N.Borneo), I'm sceptical there is an airport due to the vast amount of Palm Trees around us. When we land I'm still sceptical its an airport!! Although Borneo is still part of Malaysia it has its own immigration desk so I was thinking another stamp on the passport!! Instead they scribble something on your departure card. There's 2 dutch guys just about to leave the airport so I hassle them and it jurns out were going to the same Hotel and pretty much planed the same while in Borneo - winner!! We get to the Mayfair - with DVD players in the room and the biggest collection of fake DVD's outside of KL's Chinatown - dump the bags and out to search for food. Already everyone is shouting hello and kids no older than 12 are offering us ciggarettes.

Uncle Tan and High Chief Lan

Gareth Penpraze
2007-04-21 00:08:29

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the side of the river around 2-3 metres long. We manage to get pretty close before he scarpers into the river. Time to get going I think!! We're really lucky to see an Urangutan and her baby in a tree - apparntly very rare now and not often spotted by the river!!

We land and unload our gear. We were told the huts were basic and there never has been a truer word spoken. They have roofs, they have a floor, they have mosquito nets but there is no windows, just grills big enough to let a small elephant through!! Unfortunately the mozzie nets aren't the best so its jungle food for a couple of days. Me and Roger play football into the smallest goals in the world with the younger staff. Gary Coleman would even fil the nets twice!! The rest of the camp come back from a river cruise and they manage to get real close to the Urangutan before she starts throwing sticks and anything else in reach at them (not long before baby starts as well and lucky its not a dirty protest). One of the guys there Alex has been here for over a week and camping out for a few days. Its his last night so a party has been ordered. I was sure it was for my arrival!! We start drinking befre dinner and everyone is a little pissed by the time it comes to the night Safari!!

Me and Roger are in the boat and the rest are trekking through the jungle. I'm amazed how the guides can spot things in the dark. We'd be cruising along and Yan would flash the torch, the boatman would aim for the bank and Yan would get off and jump on a tiny frog!! We saw a few more crocs and came across a 3m long Python, again amazed at the spotting as only a small bit of his head was visible!! There's lots of sleepy Kingfishers and you can get very close to them. Back to the camp and the party continues into the wee small hours. Think I gave up at half 3 but it continues for another 2 or so!! You can see from the video at the top the effects of 3 cases of beer and 2 bottles of Crocodile rum had on us! The morning safari has been cancelled, no way a herd of angry elephants could get me up at 6am!!

I'm woken at 10am to get some breakfast while the rest of the camp are getting packed to leave with the exception
of Helen whose staying for another day. Would have been a bit quiet with just me and Roger at the camp. The three of us march off into the jungle coming aross some Oragutang poo - I just thought the smell was me. Apparantly there was one not far outside the camp. Every morning theres some cheeky Long Tail Makaaks running riot round the camp, stealing the bread and fruit. There's also a 2m monitor lizard and a family of wild pigs hanging around. At night time there are Civvit cats running around the camp looking for food scraps but my belly is too big to let the buggars have any!!

We're joined in the camp by 4 more people but no sign of the dutch duo. I was wanting a new book too! We all eat together and head off for a trek in the Jungle again watching the Kingfishers, scorpions and a massive turantula!! All good fun but no one is up for a party tonight!!

Lan the man (Axl Rose) and his crew make the 3 days and 2 nights all that better. Anyone that ever goes to Sabah in Borneo has to take a trip to Uncle Tans. If you do make sure you tell Lan that Gary Nevelle says Poge Mahone. You can also salute the "Our Wee Country Flag" which should now take pride of place infront of the managers hut!! Time to leave and Helen and myself are off to Semporna to dive the world famous Sipidan.... Yak Shamash

Gareth Penpraze
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ASBO-Holidays/