HI ALL (this blog 'edition' was started early in Dec!)
HOME AGAIN!- FOR ANOTHER WEEK, THEN OFF AGAIN TOURING MAUREEN UP TO NINGALOO!
Had an excellent couple of weeks in Borneo! Limited ourselves to Sabah province. So much we could have done, but too much for one short trip!
Had an excellent couple of weeks in Borneo! Limited ourselves to Sabah province. So much we could have done, but too much for one short trip!
Started off in an apartment in Kota Kinabalu- perfect for our group of 6, and the boys virtually lived in the large pool!We were self driving the first couple of days, but managed to find the nature reserve, the headhunters' village and the baby orang utans rescue centre (after a few scenic detours).
Maureen and Judy climbed (most of) Mt Kinabalu, but were beaten by tropical rain and flash flooding which created waterfalls on the rock face they were climbing. Next time Judy!! While they were climbing for two days, someone had to stay down in comfort with the boys, go to the hotsprings, that sort of th
ing, so we did our best!
ing, so we did our best!Although war memorials aren't usually on our touring itinerary, those of the Sandakan death marches were moving, distressing and instructive for adults and boys alike! We previously had only very vague aware
ness of what had gone on and its impact on Australia particularly!
ness of what had gone on and its impact on Australia particularly! 
We had several days in first a jungle resort, near the Orang Utan sanctuary, then on the river in an actual jungle camp. We had seen baby Orang utans in a rescue sanctuary near KK and then visited the rehabilitation sanctuary near Sandakan -one of the main motivations for this trip. We were lucky enough to see a Mum come in to the feeding station for the first time after the birth of her 5 day old infant! It also brought home to us how very like us they are, each with very recognizably different face and personality.On that run we also explored the Gomantong caves where edible birds nests are collected. Pheew -generations of guano- really cleared the sinuses! The jungle camp offered boat tours and night walks. Macaques, both long and short-tailed, and proboscus monkeys galore. We also saw another couple of Orang utans, one breaking branches and nest-building. So special to see them, not only in their own habitat, but also away from the feeding platforms, going about their own
routines . We had monkeys visiting camp and were warned not to leave our shoes or wellies outside lest they be pinched or chewed. Chris and Ben were at the front of our group for the night walks and very considerately intercepted almost all of the leeches. On the first night, the final score was Chris 6, Ben 5, Anne 1 and me 0 - (: -!!!! Various snakes and scorpions as well as a civet cat sighted, but no crocodiles! We made up for that by going to a crocodile farm later! The photo shows Anne doing what grandmothers are supposed to -saving the grand-kid! Onya Annie!
Took a city tour of Sandakan, which included a beautiful buddhist temple overlooking the city and a water village, built on stilts out over the harbour. We also visited the restored home of writer, Agnes Keith and now look forward to exploring her books.
It was nice to come back to the same apartment in KK at the end of our trip for a day of shopping, and just relaxing after all our wanders. By that time it was like coming home!
We got home a couple of days before Maureen could get here;- used the days to start getting Christmassy! It'll be here before we know what hit us.
We're off soon to the Vines for a couple of days (a time share presentation 'score') and the next week off with Maureen on a bus tour as far up as Coral Bay and Exmouth. Wish us stamina!?
Anyway, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT!
..........................I'M BACK!!!!!!
My computer was down and so didn't get that posted (my excuse anyway) so will just carry on. Our trip north was great, if very bum-numbing! Went in a bus tour group of 24, all ages (and we weren't the only oldies!) and at least 5 languages! The group worked amazingly well considering its size and disparity. We did all the 'musts', including the Pinnacles, sandboarding and the Kalbarri gorges. Also popped in and said a quick 'Hi' to Hamish in Kalbarri, Ken. Monkey Mia was a treat, with new and very comfortable backpacking facility, and some of the old familiar faces/fins still coming in to greet the tourists! The highlight for us at Coral Bay was swimming with the Manta Rays! The biggest we saw was (I'm told) 4.5m tip to tip!! We went round to Yardie creek from Exmouth, but had only time for a brief dip in Turquoise Bay. Coming home we did a farmstay where we were served a particularly tasty kangaroo stew! We were also welcomed and entertained by Prince Leonard and Princess Shirl of Hutt and most of the group had their passports stamped (we Aussies sneaked in and did not pass border control -sshhhh!). All in all it was a great week, if far too rushed!
We did an amazing Christmas lights boat tour in the Mandurah canals on our way home from the bus tour, and then put Maureen on her plane the next night so she could be home for Christmas. She hit a snow-storm on arrival and her 4 hour trip from the airport took 7 hours! O' Canada!
Despite all our rushing around, we were more or less ready for Christmas, and at home so Santa could find us and be good to us! We had a succession of family, friends and neighbours, and new friends from the backpacker tour over 3 days. We ate excessively, drank moderately and laughed much!! Then yesterday and part of today went into total shut-down mode!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD YEAR AHEAD!!
THE HAPPY WANDERERS
ANNE AND KATH
