Arriving back at the guesthouse it was really good to see Debs. While I had been climbing the mountain she had been having a restful time. I managed to drag myself upright long enough to go out for some food, but by about 9pm I was fast asleep.
Waking up early the next morning, feeling refreshed in mind but not in leg, we boarded the minibus bound for Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot springs. After dropping some other people from the minibus off at the start of the climb (it was a nice feeling knowing I didn’t have to climb again) we returned to the park HQ to begin a short nature walk. We paid to have a guide and were pleased that we did as he pointed out many things that we would have missed on our own. During the brief walk we saw the world’s tallest moss, the world’s smallest orchid (Pinhead Orchid), several squirrels and lots of trees that are still to be identified. From the trail we then visited the botanical garden, where we met another guide who showed us several more varieties of orchid and some very small pitcher plants. Unfortunately heavy rain started to fall bringing the tour to an end, so we headed back to the minibus ready to go and get some lunch.
After lunch we got back on the minibus for the 40 minute drive to Poring Hot springs and a jungle canopy walk. By now my legs were aching badly and Debs had been feeling slightly ill all day, so it was with some relief when we finally arrived at the hot springs. The hot springs were established by the Japanese during their occupation and are basically a collection of small thermally heated pools (ideal for weary legs). We spent a very relaxing, if somewhat hot, hour or so soaking in the pool watching the rain fall around us. Unfortunately our intended canopy walk was rather stopped by the heavy rain, so pink skinned and wrinkly toed we once again boarded the minibus for the return journey to Kota Kinabalu and our guesthouse.
As it was the FA cup final we thought it would be good to go to the Stadium sports bar, have a few beers and watch the game. The ‘Stadium’ is owned by the same people who own the guesthouse, so the shuttle bus runs to the door. When we discovered that the match wasn’t on until 10pm and that we were the bars only customers, we decided instead to head back to the hostel. I did see some of the match, but I have to confess to going to bed half way through (I did see the result on the internet the next morning). Debs had already taken the smarter option of missing it altogether, choosing to pack before we left for Sarawak the next morning.
Waking up early the next morning, feeling refreshed in mind but not in leg, we boarded the minibus bound for Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot springs. After dropping some other people from the minibus off at the start of the climb (it was a nice feeling knowing I didn’t have to climb again) we returned to the park HQ to begin a short nature walk. We paid to have a guide and were pleased that we did as he pointed out many things that we would have missed on our own. During the brief walk we saw the world’s tallest moss, the world’s smallest orchid (Pinhead Orchid), several squirrels and lots of trees that are still to be identified. From the trail we then visited the botanical garden, where we met another guide who showed us several more varieties of orchid and some very small pitcher plants. Unfortunately heavy rain started to fall bringing the tour to an end, so we headed back to the minibus ready to go and get some lunch.
After lunch we got back on the minibus for the 40 minute drive to Poring Hot springs and a jungle canopy walk. By now my legs were aching badly and Debs had been feeling slightly ill all day, so it was with some relief when we finally arrived at the hot springs. The hot springs were established by the Japanese during their occupation and are basically a collection of small thermally heated pools (ideal for weary legs). We spent a very relaxing, if somewhat hot, hour or so soaking in the pool watching the rain fall around us. Unfortunately our intended canopy walk was rather stopped by the heavy rain, so pink skinned and wrinkly toed we once again boarded the minibus for the return journey to Kota Kinabalu and our guesthouse.
As it was the FA cup final we thought it would be good to go to the Stadium sports bar, have a few beers and watch the game. The ‘Stadium’ is owned by the same people who own the guesthouse, so the shuttle bus runs to the door. When we discovered that the match wasn’t on until 10pm and that we were the bars only customers, we decided instead to head back to the hostel. I did see some of the match, but I have to confess to going to bed half way through (I did see the result on the internet the next morning). Debs had already taken the smarter option of missing it altogether, choosing to pack before we left for Sarawak the next morning.
Next Kuching, Sarawak
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