The Best Ever (PArt 2)
Continued from my last post.....
27th November 2008
We left that morning around 9am..we woke up a little bit late cuz yesterday was such a hectic day for us all...
At first, we planned to go to Sandakan.. it would take us 6hrs to reach there..
it was a long drive, but we went for it anyway..
On the way to Sandakan, we reached Lahad Datu...
it was a small town, and dad had to go to the bank to get something settled..
Then, we realized that,
we have to be in Lahad Datu to go to a place called Danum Valley, it was not worth it to go all the way to Sandakan, and back to Lahad Datu..
So...
"WE HAVE DECIDED"
to stay in Lahad Datu...
We went to the Danum Valley office just to enquire whether we can move the booking a day early, cuz at that point,
we have no where to stay for the night..
but the lady said that it cannot be done due to complications with permit and room availability..
Thankfully, she recomended us to go to Borneo Paradise Eco Farm..
Dad made the booking and we headed for the place..
Borneo Paradise Eco Farm
was not at all bad..
but we were the only guest there..
so it feels like we rented the whole place to ourself..
when we were there..
we had no idea what to do..
all the activities there had to be pre-booked..
so just relax at the cafe and played cards and took a walk through
the mangrove trees
we also played basketball with the local folks and tried the eco challenges
However, after dinner, they arranged a Kara-oke session for us..
Mind you!
we are a very competitive family..
but..
it remains a healthy competition...
all of us..takes after dad..all of us wanted to win at everything..
and I mean
EVERYTHING!
The Kara-oke set has a device called Kara-oke scoring.
so, we battled it out..
Fahim won by singing..
*Eternity*
by
Robbie Wiiliams
28th November 2008
We had breakfast that morning and trying to come up with an idea what to do next..
we have to be at Danum Valley at 1.30 pm..
so..
we decided to go for a boat ride..
there was also a snorkeling site...
so we packed our stuff and went for it..
it looked like a very deserted island,
but the coral and fishes was
BEAUTIFUL!
we all thought it was better than Mabul Island...
After finished packing..
we started our journey to Danum Valley..
but..
we had to go to Lahad Datu town first cuz we had to collect our permit and make the payment..
The signboard says another 77km to go..
so we calculated it would be around 1hr plus drive..
However..
the road was....
...bumpy..muddy..unstable..full of holes..
and everything a normal road is not
we had a very bumpy ride and dad feels like he was in a rally race or something..
in our head..
"it better be WORTH it!"
it WAS worth it..
Danum Valley is a conservation area..so it was deep deep in the jungle..
it was more like an open safari..
where the animals roam around freely..
as i said..it was very deep in the jungle..so there was no phone coverage..
huhu....
When we arrived..
they made us feel very welcomed..
we were given pandan leaves ringlet....
and welcome drinks..
We got settled to our rooms..
and it has to be one of the most luxurious room i've ever been to..
the setting was magnificent and
above all there is a jacuzzi pool in the room itself..
we had a quick dip!
then we got ready for the night activity which is the
"night drive"
Night drive is where we got in a truck and just drive around the jungle to see the
nocturnal animals (can u believe it! i know the term! hee~)
they are only active at night..so that it the whole purpose............
Unfortunately..
it was raining..so we didn't get to see many things..
we saw the Slow lorris..it's very small..only six inches in height..so we couldn't really see anything..
i have one fear!
SNAKES..
it was the least animal i wanted to see..
however..
as we journeyed back to the room..
guess who crossed our path!
a white cobra..
trying to cross the road..
eeeeeuuuuwwwww...i really hate it..it took a long time for it to cross..so we have no choice but to wait..
29th November 2008
We had our morning walk that morning..
our tour guide was Yok Tan..
we crossed the canopy walk..
which have 7 points and 150m high.......
the view up there was good..and we get to see some animals like the orang utan..
one orang utan in particular is called "abu nawas"
he's an old, shy male orang utan..
he sits up on the tree and just hide if we realizes someone is looking at him..
we tried to be very quiet..
so that he wouldn't run away or hide..
We continued the walk after breakfast,
but we took a short cut..
since it was a very hectic 3 days for us..
we have decided to cut short the jungle trekking..
and went straight to the jacuzzi pool..
it's a natural one dis time..
and the water is very cool and refreshing..
besides that..
there's this fish in the pool..
it feeds on human's dead skin cells..
they said it's good they are nibbling our skin..
but..
i freaked!!
it was just not a good feeling..huhu~
After lunch..
dad, farhan,fahim and i decided to go to river tubing..
zharif couldn't make it cuz he has to be over 18 to do it..
we got ready and took the tubes and other gears..
and made our way to the tubing area..
we can't wear shoes..
so i had my slippers on..
i got at the tubing starting point with two leeches on each foot and busted slippers..
i had to river tube without it on anyway..it was easier..
however, i borrowed farhan's slippers so that i can paddle with it..
ehehe..
the experience was great!
it was so much fun..
we laughed our butts of trying to steer our way and not hit the rocks~!
definitely a challenge...
After the tubing..we had to head for Tawau..
the next day was our flight home..
it's sad to go..
but the river tubing was a great end to our stay in
Danum Valley Conservation Area
We reached Tawau at 7.30 pm..
dad said he has already made appointment with Che Ali and his family for dinner that night..
so..
as soon as we have checked in in MB Hotel in Tawau..we went for the dinner..
a little bit tired from that morning.
but they were great people..
very friendly..
We had a great time together..after the dinner..we went for another Kara-oke session..
but this time around..it wast just singing..
no competition..
we have to behave in front of other people right??
so we left the place at 12 midnight and head back to the hotel...
27th November 2008
We left that morning around 9am..we woke up a little bit late cuz yesterday was such a hectic day for us all...
At first, we planned to go to Sandakan.. it would take us 6hrs to reach there..
it was a long drive, but we went for it anyway..
On the way to Sandakan, we reached Lahad Datu...
it was a small town, and dad had to go to the bank to get something settled..
Then, we realized that,
we have to be in Lahad Datu to go to a place called Danum Valley, it was not worth it to go all the way to Sandakan, and back to Lahad Datu..
So...
"WE HAVE DECIDED"
to stay in Lahad Datu...
We went to the Danum Valley office just to enquire whether we can move the booking a day early, cuz at that point,
we have no where to stay for the night..
but the lady said that it cannot be done due to complications with permit and room availability..
Thankfully, she recomended us to go to Borneo Paradise Eco Farm..
Dad made the booking and we headed for the place..
Borneo Paradise Eco Farm
was not at all bad..
but we were the only guest there..
so it feels like we rented the whole place to ourself..
when we were there..
we had no idea what to do..
all the activities there had to be pre-booked..
so just relax at the cafe and played cards and took a walk through
the mangrove trees
we also played basketball with the local folks and tried the eco challenges
However, after dinner, they arranged a Kara-oke session for us..
Mind you!
we are a very competitive family..
but..
it remains a healthy competition...
all of us..takes after dad..all of us wanted to win at everything..
and I mean
EVERYTHING!
The Kara-oke set has a device called Kara-oke scoring.
so, we battled it out..
Fahim won by singing..
*Eternity*
by
Robbie Wiiliams
28th November 2008
We had breakfast that morning and trying to come up with an idea what to do next..
we have to be at Danum Valley at 1.30 pm..
so..
we decided to go for a boat ride..
there was also a snorkeling site...
so we packed our stuff and went for it..
it looked like a very deserted island,
but the coral and fishes was
BEAUTIFUL!
we all thought it was better than Mabul Island...
After finished packing..
we started our journey to Danum Valley..
but..
we had to go to Lahad Datu town first cuz we had to collect our permit and make the payment..
The signboard says another 77km to go..
so we calculated it would be around 1hr plus drive..
However..
the road was....
...bumpy..muddy..unstable..full of holes..
and everything a normal road is not
we had a very bumpy ride and dad feels like he was in a rally race or something..
in our head..
"it better be WORTH it!"
it WAS worth it..
Danum Valley is a conservation area..so it was deep deep in the jungle..
it was more like an open safari..
where the animals roam around freely..
as i said..it was very deep in the jungle..so there was no phone coverage..
huhu....
When we arrived..
they made us feel very welcomed..
we were given pandan leaves ringlet....
and welcome drinks..
We got settled to our rooms..
and it has to be one of the most luxurious room i've ever been to..
the setting was magnificent and
above all there is a jacuzzi pool in the room itself..
we had a quick dip!
then we got ready for the night activity which is the
"night drive"
Night drive is where we got in a truck and just drive around the jungle to see the
nocturnal animals (can u believe it! i know the term! hee~)
they are only active at night..so that it the whole purpose............
Unfortunately..
it was raining..so we didn't get to see many things..
we saw the Slow lorris..it's very small..only six inches in height..so we couldn't really see anything..
i have one fear!
SNAKES..
it was the least animal i wanted to see..
however..
as we journeyed back to the room..
guess who crossed our path!
a white cobra..
trying to cross the road..
eeeeeuuuuwwwww...i really hate it..it took a long time for it to cross..so we have no choice but to wait..
29th November 2008
We had our morning walk that morning..
our tour guide was Yok Tan..
we crossed the canopy walk..
which have 7 points and 150m high.......
the view up there was good..and we get to see some animals like the orang utan..
one orang utan in particular is called "abu nawas"
he's an old, shy male orang utan..
he sits up on the tree and just hide if we realizes someone is looking at him..
we tried to be very quiet..
so that he wouldn't run away or hide..
We continued the walk after breakfast,
but we took a short cut..
since it was a very hectic 3 days for us..
we have decided to cut short the jungle trekking..
and went straight to the jacuzzi pool..
it's a natural one dis time..
and the water is very cool and refreshing..
besides that..
there's this fish in the pool..
it feeds on human's dead skin cells..
they said it's good they are nibbling our skin..
but..
i freaked!!
it was just not a good feeling..huhu~
After lunch..
dad, farhan,fahim and i decided to go to river tubing..
zharif couldn't make it cuz he has to be over 18 to do it..
we got ready and took the tubes and other gears..
and made our way to the tubing area..
we can't wear shoes..
so i had my slippers on..
i got at the tubing starting point with two leeches on each foot and busted slippers..
i had to river tube without it on anyway..it was easier..
however, i borrowed farhan's slippers so that i can paddle with it..
ehehe..
the experience was great!
it was so much fun..
we laughed our butts of trying to steer our way and not hit the rocks~!
definitely a challenge...
After the tubing..we had to head for Tawau..
the next day was our flight home..
it's sad to go..
but the river tubing was a great end to our stay in
Danum Valley Conservation Area
We reached Tawau at 7.30 pm..
dad said he has already made appointment with Che Ali and his family for dinner that night..
so..
as soon as we have checked in in MB Hotel in Tawau..we went for the dinner..
a little bit tired from that morning.
but they were great people..
very friendly..
We had a great time together..after the dinner..we went for another Kara-oke session..
but this time around..it wast just singing..
no competition..
we have to behave in front of other people right??
so we left the place at 12 midnight and head back to the hotel...
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