Last full day in KKINABALU - 28/2/13

View from Plantation and factory

Tea Bushes

Our final day was action packed and started at 7.30 am. with a minibus ride through spectacular countryside to the Sabah tea plantation and factory which turns out to be the only one in Borneo and is organic. It is situated in a stunning location overlooking tea shrubs backed by high mountains. On our arrival we were told about the processes (harvesting, withering, rolling, fermentation, drying, sorting and packing) before we were given the tour of the factory which was just as well as it was really noisy and my lip reading isn't that good. Most of the machinery is quite basic but it does the job. They suggested that if you wanted to see the whole process eg picking then it would be best to stay at the plantation. Although we didn't see the accommodation if the rest of the place is anything to go by it should be good. The manager reckoned the actual plantation is half way between Sandakan and KK by bus - not sure about parachuting in!  After some tea tasting and finding another cache we moved onto our next destination Poring Hot Springs.

On the way we had a chance to see the Rafflessia, the world's largest flower which was in bloom. (looks a bit like a toadstool but flower shaped!)



Rafflessia

 

Very Hot Springs! Glad I wasn't swimming!

Esther our tour guide

Great company??
Our final destination was Kinabulu Park which had recently had a landslide so wasn't accessible. Never mind one to see and climb when we come again!

 Lunch was dreadful but the company good.

Kinabulu (2) Day Geocaching

On our second day we decided to explore KK using geocaching. We took a bus (1 ringit) to KK and walked from there. On the way I purchased a Samsung phone for £13 plus card as it is cheaper-still using my 5 ringits worth!


Look closely and you can see traffic reflected

Clock Tower

view from Signal Hill

Some old rogue on Signal Hill

Oldest road in KK

 

View from Signal Hill

View from Signal Hill

Wish you were here??????



Our first cache turned out to be about 2 miles away and up hundreds of steep steps but the view over the city was exceptional and the cache easy to find! We then trolled back down the hill to the Clock Tower which was used as a lighthouse at one time. Unfortunately there were so many muggles around that we had to abandon our search.

We then walked another 3 miles to the Sabah Museum in the heat of the day (mad dogs and Englishman) and quickly located the cache. Spurred on with our success we walked another mile to a park with mad people exercising! After an hours search we gave up!

Then came the problem - a taxi!!!! We went to a local shop and were given a number, but then spotted a taxi who said he would come back. Meanwhile a kind Malay took pity on two footsore travellers and offered them a lift to a taxi rank. We tried to go directly to the beach for cocktails but  were driven by a deaf old codger in a trance who dropped us three quarter miles past our destination!!! All in a days caching!

Kinabulu 1- evening geocaching

          

 

 

 

 Following  a great  day at Mari-Mari Ray had downloaded a cache that turned out to be in Perdana Park just 10 minutes from our hotel. Some people we met at Mari-Mari also told us that the beach was only a few minutes walk from the park and that there were beautiful sunsets so off we set. To our delight it was happy hour and mojitos were only 12 ringits (£2.40) very cheap for Malaysia. The sunset was wonderful, see for yourself.

After 3 delicious mojitos we made our way back to Perdana Park to successfully  hunt the cache! The park has a spectacular musical fountain which operates at 7pm and 8 pm.

Kinabalu (1)

Air Asia is cheap and cheerful (£20 for a 50 minute flight). We were quickly transported to The Crown hotel a 15 minute taxi ride away from the centre of KK. Our room was on the 3rd floor - no lifts! - but staff made a sound judgement that we were unable to move our suitcase and bags and so carried it up! The surrounding area seemed run down and seedy but more on this later!

Following a sleepless night (our room was next to a fire exit where the light shone directly into our window!) we headed off to Mari-Mari cultural centre. If you ever go to KK this should not be missed as it was informative, fun with lots of activities, even one involving a blowpipe!!!

 fire inside house

 



Head hunter tribe

One for the pot!!

Another Tribe

The whole tribe lived here with unmarried woman sleeping in a room above

Covered shoulders - unmarried

Beehive

Making shavings to make fire

Bees coming out of beehive

Musical instrument - great sound

Heads were hung as trophies

 

Flowers denote womans status

Where did you get those hats?

 

Great tasting drink

Pandan leaves

Marriage area in one of huts!

Give a man a blow pipe!

Another tribe

Spot the odd ones out!!!