Disclaimer- photos will no longer upload because the internet is too slow :(
It was good we went to bed at a decent time last night because we had to get up early for our flight to KK- Kota Kinabalu. It is the main town on the island of Borneo and was about a 2.5 hour flight. Our "teksi" driver picked us up promptly at 6am despite the monsoon like rains...(had it downpoured like this all night??). We set off for the hour long ride to KLIA, still rather sleepy. Once at the airport and after a bit of confusion at the check in desk we breezed through security (with an open bottle of water no less) and headed off to our gate. Starving, we defaulted to the only restaurant in our terminal where Brian ordered what he thought was an egg and cheese sandwich on toast. But what he actually ordered was one egg sandwich and one cheese sandwich. So whatever. But then the food arrived and I simply had to send it back. It was white bread with the crusts cut off (how thoughtful) and a single slice of kraft cheese product with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and a rather large dollop of an unpleasant appearing red condiment. Maybe this is the Malaysian version of ketchup? I couldn't be sure but I was not about to try it. I sent mine back in exchange for a completely plain cheese (product) sandwich.
There were lots of men at the airport...and as we walked the cold extra air conditioned corridor I couldn't help but feel scantily clad even though I was wearing a long skirt and had a shawl wrapped around my shoulders. Then again maybe they were all just struck by my icy blue eyes ;)
It was freEzing in the airport (and on the plane for that matter), mental note: no more skirts and flip flops for travel days. We watched as they loaded our bags onto our plane and as they methodically wrapped an entire cargo pallet with saran wrap- not sure what that was all about? We boarded our flight and were seated next to a Malaysian man who insisted Brian try the prawn dish for lunch? But I think it was really "breakfast". He was a good sport and even acted like he enjoyed it :)
It was about 2 hours before we landed on the island of Borneo and descended to Kota Kinabalu. There was a glistening blue green shoreline and lots of greenery on the landscape below. We got off the plane and headed for customs again (now that were are in the state of Sabah we had to "reenter") and then to the baggage terminal...where Brian couldn't contain his excitement:
We learned that there are lots of restricted items including birds' nests, turtle eggs and butterflies and that smugglers could face up to 5 years in prison!
We picked up our bags and headed out into the empty terminal where we looked around for our driver who we were told would be holding a sign...we didn't see him right away and walked up and down until he finally appeared. The Malaysians definitely do not keep time as well as the Swiss!
We climbed into the teksi and headed to our hotel. Our driver handed us a bottle of wine, compliments of our tour company, and along with it a package of all of our travel documents. Brian's eagle eye noticed that our flights for tomorrow actually said Saturday May 25 instead of Friday April 25...we'll have to get this taken care of asap!
The roads to the hotel were very modern and intersections seemed to be well landscaped. Political flags adorned almost every available space. The homes that lined either side of the road seemed to be small yet colorful ranch style simple dwellings. On the left side of the road were homes set up on stilts. As we got closer to the hotel, the scenery became more urban with store fronts lining the bottom of buildings whose 2nd and 3rd levels had clothing out to dry. Open air restaurants and motorbike parking abounded. We arrived at the Hyatt and were escorted to the Club Level on the 13th floor. This posh lounge was furnished with marble countertops, neutral colored upholstered chairs with wooden tables and windows from floor to ceiling for picturesque views of the sea below. We requested the receptionist to contact our tour company about the incorrect date for our flight tomorrow- she called for us and demanded that they send an updated itinerary to her at the hotel via fax within 45 minutes- she's on it!
Our room of course wasn't yet ready so we decided to go for a walk to the waterfront. We slathered on some sunblock and Brian dug out his fashionable safari hat and we headed out into the sweltering heat. We crossed the street and walked down a narrow sidewalk with stores and restaurants lining each side. We got lots of stares and smiles...we were very obviously the only foreigners. The stores seemed to be selling a variety of plastic products (surely full of bpa) and sleeves of styrofoam restaurant containers. The women all seemed to be wearing headscarves and we even saw a little girl no more than 3 wearing one. At the end of the block we came upon the Central Market where one wrong turn led us to a butcher hall where the smell of dead animals was completely overwhelming especially mixed with the noxious odor of the sea. The sidewalk was wet and dripping with whatever was spilling off the butcher counters and I dragged Brian quickly back to the main road (while holding my breath).
We walked by the food stalls selling everything from fresh mangos, sliced papayas and green coconuts to dried chilies and fish to bags of things that looked like Bugles and cheese puffs(?)...all with their own sampling containers. We came upon the "waterfront" area which seemed rather desolate this time of day. It was basically restaurant upon restaurant all smushed together on a dock...only a few tables were taken. There was an Irish pub, an Italian restaurant, Malay, Thai and Indian. Brian was in the mood for pad thai so we sat down at the Thai orchid cafe. I got a lychee martini and Brian got a frozen margarita(?)- I reminded him what country we were in but he stood firm with his drink choice :) We sat at a table closest to the water and were able to look out at all the ships lined up. I felt like we were in the goonies or something...there were boats out there that looked so old and lived on. Not like I would really know what a pirate ship looked like but that's what they reminded me of. Instead of a name on the back, these boats only had license plates.
My red curry with tofu was served to me first in a makeshift double broiler of sorts with a sterno flame below. I wondered silently why in this 100 degree heat they felt it necessary to serve it over a flame? It was delicious- very complex flavors, spicy but not too much. The tofu turned me off as it was really very soft and yellow instead of white but Brian really liked it. His pad thai with shrimp came out a few minutes later and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch thanks to a gift from Lisa and Antonio Esposito :) it was yummy. We even had dessert of mango with sticky rice, chocolate ice cream and watermelon. Brian almost sent the mango back because he thought there was something wrong with it since it "wasn't hard like the mango we get at home"...what am I going to do with him?
We headed back to the Hyatt and on the way meandered through the Handicraft market packed with a labyrinth of tiny stalls all selling the same things...magnets, fake pearls, sarongs, t-shirts, wood carvings, jewelry boxes, knock off watches and purses etc. Lined up outside of the market were ancient looking sewing machines and small sewing tables with piles of tailoring to be done...it seemed as though all the tailors were on their lunch breaks. Brian of course wondered how it could all these businesses could exist and possibly turn a profit when they are all selling the same things. The economics of it I'm sure are beyond our comprehension. Besides I was so hot I could barely think straight!
We walked by the coconut market next and then the dried fish and produce market where all the shop keepers seemed to have fallen asleep right on their merchandise. Apparently it is siesta time in Kk and I could not agree with all if them more...a nap sounded absolutely amazing right now!
We headed back to the Hyatt and got changed for the pool just in time for a giant dark rain cloud to move in. No lightning today though so we stayed out there anyway despite the rain...in 100 degree heat what's a little rain anyway? Brian even let me fall asleep for all of 20 blissful minutes before bugging me to go into the pool.
Sunset was upon us...we showered and headed to the Hyatt club on the 13th floor for happy hour which turned out to be filling enough to be tonight's dinner. We were exhausted and couldn't wait to get in our nice comfy king size bed. Special thanks to Christine and Brian Liebel for sponsoring our hotel in KK.
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