Wandering Heels: Kota Kinabalu - Land of the Giants

We stopped at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's state capital for 3 nights on our way back from Manila. Mum and Dad splashed out and got me my own room so I could have a bit of respite from Dad's thunderous snoring... hehe. It doesn't bother me that much really because I just plug my ipod in and block it out with music instead.

My room with the very eye catching bright red lounge chaise.

We booked ourselves in for a day trip to Mt Kinabalu for RM185 (approx NZD90) per person. The day was spent mostly in the van though as the Kinabalu National Park (a world heritage site) was a wee while away. Mt Kinabalu is Southeast Asia's highest mountain and made a very majestic first impression:

We were lucky to get to the park in time to see the mountain clearly. The heavy fog covered it up very quickly.

We went to the exhibition hall to check out various displays of the flora and fauna found around the area. That dude talking to dad was our guide for the day. He was a year younger than me!! I look way younger, I KNOW!

My mates, the snake and the lizard. They would make kick ass heels!

Giant moths and/or butterflies.

Then we headed off for a quick walk in the bushes to look at native plants. Nothing a Kiwi used to hardcore bushwalking can't handle. (Stop laughing. Shaddup)

Venus traps.

We headed back to ground level and the fog had set up shop!

Then we went to a private garden (RM20 pp) to check out rafflesia, world's largest flower. It was a bit weird because we were basically traipsing around someone's backyard. Rafflesias have small, brownish, scale like leaves and fleshy, foul-smelling flowers of various sizes from few inches to meter big in diameter. They are classified as parasites as they take the nutrients out of their hosts.

The guide said that we were lucky because 2 rafflesias were in bloom. Rafflesias are especially difficult to see in bloom as the buds take up to 10 months to develop and the blossom lasts for just a few days.

This one was about the size of an open umbrella. There were lots of flies around and there was a constant smell of rotting bodies (not that I would know first-hand how a rotting body would smell like. Honest!).

Corpse of a rafflesia.

Last remains of the world's biggest flower.

Next up was the highlight of the trip. A 2km walk to the spot where we did the canopy walk. The rainforest consists of many layers and the lowest layer is called the canopy. It is basically the happening place in a rainforest so some bright spark came up with the idea to build walkways high above the ground so people could observe exciting rainforest activities from up close. We didn't see squat. I did envision falling to a very messy and bloody death. Heheh.

Nice pic of Mum and Dad right at the start of the walk.

Walked past a bridge with rapid water rushing past underneath it.

This sign amused me:

Mum posed for me next to these giant plants. Very liliputian. Bet you $5 only Ah Lin knows what I mean... Ah Here might too I suppose.

Giant bamboos.

This was meant to be our treat after the walk but there was a power outtage so all the private pool huts were closed so we didn't. Yes, we are THAT precious.

Mum and Dad looking all energetic about 2 minutes into our walk.

The smiles didn't last long though as it was all uphill from there.

Looking all messy and sweaty on one of the walkways. Note the death grip I had on the bridge.

View from the top. No mischievous monkeys in sight at all. I want my money back!

After we crawled back to the van, it was a long 3ish hours before we got back to the hotel. Then it was time for dinner at Mum and Dad's favourite seafood restaurant in KK. My cousin took us here on the first night and we came back by ourselves twice. Told you we are creatures of habit.

Typical grub:

Giant clams:

Yummy coconut pudding served in a coconut shell.

Sidenote: My palms had been itching crazily every night for the last month. I secretly thought I had contracted some infectious skin disease but I narrowed it down to seafood. I think I've od-ed on prawns in the last 4 months so my body kicked up a fuss. So long, prawns and lobsters. You'll always have a special place in my heart.

After dinner, Mum had a relaxing cuppa in my room.

I woke up to these views every morning. Gorgeous, no?

There was a Filipino market near our hotel and Mum wanted to buy some sea cucumbers (a Chinese delicacy that I don't much care for. Taste like a sponge) so we wandered there for a nosy.

I also spied this group of people huddling over something so naturally I went to have a look too.

This was what they were doing. Basically, these rows of little bits of paper are a primitive form of lottery. You pay the seller 5 cents or something dirt cheap like that and pick one of the paper bits. Open it up and check to see if you've won something. Prizes are usually something like 10 cents, a bag of chips or something. We used to play this when we were kids!!! Ahhh childhood gambling. Those innocent days are long gone.

The market sold all sorts of dried seafood.

It would not be a complete holiday without a visit to that city's biggest and flashiest mall. So we went off to 1 Borneo, the largest hypermall in East Malaysia. We were bored with it after an hour so we killed some time by getting a hot stone foot massage.

Mum and Dad waiting for their massages.

My feet had fun. Check out the stones between my toes.

Next up was our other favourite activity - eating! We went and had sushi train. It was a huge joint. The conveyor belt weaved its way left right and center.

The highlight was the soft-shelled crab sushi. Yum yum.

Dad then noticed that there was a free shuttle service that would drop us back at the mall next to our hotel so we hopped on it. Dad had a yarn with the bus driver as was his customary practice.