Poring Hot Springs

Here we are at Poring Hot Springs. Yesterday we had a magic last day's birding at Mt Kinabalu, walking the entire Mempening trail - which ascends very steeply, and precariously in places and takes you through some very tall forest with mossy plants all through it. Where it had been quiet bird-wise the day before it was all happening yesterday and we got the much sought after 'Whitehead's Trogon'and another highlight was a family party of inquisitive Mountain Wren-babblers which delighted us for a good 10-15 minutes while Sunda Cuckoos were calling near to us too. This morning we transferred to Poring Hot Springs, 40kms on from Kinabalu NP. The temperature here is a decidedly hot and sweaty change and we arrived around mid morning not expecting much bird action until late afternoon when temperatures would drop but we'fe been bowled over by the bird action today - the much sought after Banded Kingfisher was almost our first bird and then we came upon a large, shady fruiting tree that was teeming with various frugivores in the midday sun. Back for a quick lunch break and then out again to the 'Tropical gardens' adding Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo, Banded Broadbill, Rufous Woodpecker and Cinereous Bulbul to our list. We finished the afternoon with a soak in the hot sulphurous tubs to ease our aching muscles and then across the road to a local eatery for a nice dinner. On the way to the resort today we stopped to look at a flowering rafflesia flower - advertised by locals on a roadside sign for a small fee to go see it. Tomorrow we've a hot and sweaty climb before us up the Langanan Waterfall trail to try for the Blue-banded Pitta amongst others and then back to KK to catch the evening flight home.

Mt Kinabalu HQ

We've been enjoying walking the forest trails here at KK HQ - Silau Silau, Liwagu and Mempening trails. Although not teeming with birds, the habitat is gorgeous and the cool montane temperature makes walking a pleasure. Yesterday a mist descended out of nowhere around mid afternoon and rather than clearing up, rain set in but this morning we awoke to a beautiful view of Mt Kinabalu in front of our lodge and the sun appeared and stayed most of today. Our pattern is to go for an early hike before breakfast then another long hike after that, returning to our accommodation around mid afternoon to chill out the rest of the day, letting the birds come to us and giving Tom chance to take photos. Only negative comment is the prices here have risen but the service has definately gone down. Breakfast runs from 7 to 11 but when Tom and I get there around 10am all that's left is usually lukewarm and today they'd run out of milk for coffee and they don't seem to care all that much so thumbs down from that point of view as it's a very expwnsive place to stay. Thankfully the scenery and the forest trails compensate. Best birds today were Bornean Forktail, Bornean Whistling Thrush and Short-tailed Green Magpies. Tomorrow will be more of the same and then onto Poring Hot Springs the day after.

Snorkelling and Tabon Scrubfowls

Jesselton Hotel where we're staying in KK is nicely placed in that it's only a 5-10 min stroll to Jesselton wharf. There's lots of eateries around and a particularly nice chinese bakers and coffee shop next door. On my first day before my diving intro I'd taken a boat and ferried across to the islands of Mamutik and Sapi to snorkel off the beaches. Both islands also have good jungle trails and I was thrilled on that first day to find 2 Tabon scrubfowl on Sapi Island. Tom and I had read that our best chance for them would be the jogging trail on Manukan Island. Anyhow I had a great time on the islands and when Tom arrived from the UK we headed over to Manukan to get the Tabon Scrubfowls for him as they can only be found on the offshore islands now. We booked the ferry to Sapi too as a backup in case we didn't see them on Manukan which turned out to be a good job as we dipped on the jogging trail and looked lik we would again that afternoon on Sapi but thankfully 10 minutes before the ferry left for the mainland the scrubfowls did make an appearance for Tom at the same spot I'd first seen them. It was my birthday and I found a lovely coral garden while snorkelling in a new spot on Sapi and had several new fish for me so it was a super day and finished up well with a nice meal back at Jesselton. Next stop Kinabalu Mountain!

Still a snorkelling devotee - the jury's still out on scuba diving

Some moments were indeed wondrous, some were traumatic and others, just uncomfortable. I didn't take to diving like a 'duck to water' but I think I'd get there with more practise. Here's a pic of my teacher 'Nelson' (a good sea-faring name). The traumatic and uncomfortable bits begin with the weights and the oxygen cannister attached to the jacket - I knew if I'd just needed to bend down to adjust my fins I could never have straightened up again from the knees. The next challenge was sitting and falling backwards from the side of the boat and trying to remember all the instructions about using 3 fingers to hold the regulator in place and 2 to hold the mask in position and use the other hand at the back of your head to keep the mask on. It takes a lot to let go of being in control and just to fall backwards off a boat. Next bit was my 3 lessons to be learned in the water - breathing thru the regulator, losing my regulator and learning how to retrieve it then rid it of water while underwater, Third lesson is having your mask fill up with water and learning how to expel the water while underwater. I had to fight a small panic attack forming as I adapted to the mass of air bubbles that form around your face as you expel breath and that then multiply in line with your panic as you breath faster and harder. At this point I wanted to give up and tried to prepare Nelson by saying 'it really doesn't matter if I don't dive today Nelson!' nustering up as much dignity as I could, but we settled for taking things nice and slowly and giving me time to get used to the regulator and calm my breathing. Nelson explained the underwater signals we would use like 'I'm ok' and 'I'm in trouble' but he responded in the nagative to my question of whether there might be one we could use for 'I'm sorta ok I just need more time' which was a shame. Anyhow, I'm proud to say I passed lessons 2 and 3 with flying colours and so wentook my first dive - going down 9-10 metres, having to equalise by popping my ears asnwe descended. Nelson had suggested 45 mins for the first dive but he'd spooked me again by the fact that I couldn't just surface at will as we'd need to surface gradually and equalise to the pressure so we settled on 30 mins and then ascend so I could digest it all. I'm afraid I'm one of these people that have to understand the theory too. All went well and I really enjoyed the dive a lot - we surfaced and I had an hour before dive 2 which I anticipated with pleasure. For dive 2 we took the boat out to more open waters which didn't have the calming influence of the bay and the waves were strong so as Nelson briefed me on our next dive while we were treading water and explained to me the inflation mechanism and how to release it as we descended straight down the waves were washing over my mouth and nose and so at that point it all just felt too much too soon and I decided 'enough for one day' and that i'd opt for 'living to fight another day'. And so it turns out it's not as easy as all that now I've tried it - I'm glad I did and I'll have another go in Sulawesi when I'm there in August!

Brunei and Kota Kinabalu

Had a good flight, touching down in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei at around 5.30pm. My connecting flight to KK wasn't for another 4 hours so I took a two hour tour bus of the city where we stopped at the 'Jami Asr Hassanal Bolkiah' Mosque and the 'istana Nurul Iman', the largest palace in the world and the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei - talk about OSTENTATION!!! Our last stop was the night markets where I got to enjoy some local food and finally the shopping mall. Back at the airport for the 1 hour flight to KK which landed just before 11pm and a short cab ride to the Jesselton Hotel. Good job I had some cash on me donated by mum and Linda and leftover from our Malaysian trip in March because nothing was open at the airport and there were no ATMs. Enjoyed a good night's sleep and have found my SIMCARD from March still works and so have been able to get on line relatively easy. I'm off soon for a stroll and to get my bearings. Will head for the jetty and see best way to get to the islands today.

Sally suspects things Afoot!

What's this? Cases being pulled out from cupboards and things being packed! What's going to happen to me?

Seeing Linda off back to England

Our trip was over and we waved Linda off first as her flight left before ours.  Mum and I had several hours to kill before we could check in but the time flew by and we finally boarded our flight home too arriving back in Australia early Saturday morning.