We only had an 8 hour layover in KK so it made more sense to stay in the airport than find accommodation for a couple of hours. I’d seen plenty of people sleep at airports. We’d get a bench and a blanket and be fine.
Or not. First it was impossible to find a decent bench, away from bright lights, away from the noise, with a plug. People were driving to the airport all through the night just to visit McDonald’s!! The mossies were rife.
After much wandering we agreed upon a good spot. It was now 1am (and we had to be up at 5 for check in). And I started to feel ill again. Jacob made me a bed using every item from his backpack and once I was comfy and warm he made me a mini tent too. Good enough that I fell straight asleep. So good that the mossies wanted in on the action. I woke around half four with a very sore, itchy, swollen face.
After a night in the airport and then a couple of buses we were ready for bed when we arrived in Sepilok. Except we only had a day here to enjoy the Orangutan rehabilitation centre and the rainforest discovery centre.
We’d not go off to the best start as we’d gotten no cash out and now there wasn’t a cash machine withing a ten mile radius. A good idea would have been to get a bus back to town to sort it but we decided sleep was more important and we’d leave running around looking for cash til the last possible minute.
After waking up in time for dinner (I had an amazing chicken and potato curry) we decided to do the orangutans the next morning and the rainforest discovery centre this afternoon rather than trying to cram it all in one day for the sake of a cash machine tomorrow.
We started out in the gardens of the RDC but for the most part it was was pretty dead and the only pitcher plant I saw was brown and crisp.
Next up on our prepare to be disappointment list – the hornbill tower – we just knew with a name like that it was cursed. So we climbed the 72ft watchtower and waited for the birds.
Minutes later a hornbill flew and perched in the tree right in front of us. There was also an acrobatic giant squirrel and a few flying lizards. I was totally made up to have seen the hornbill.
We walked further along the trail to the canopy walk to discover you could only enter from one end. We were at the other. Rather than walk all the way round Jacob insisted we just climb up the emergency ladders. Alright for Mr Scaffolder. A little scarier for me. I made it to the top easy enough, not looking down. But when I got there there was a gate that needed climbing too.
I’m not the best gate climber on ground level, stick me up a tower with no security I was going to struggle. So I held on tight and Jacob dragged me over. My fear much to his amusement. The views were worth it though.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Here Comes The Sun: Sepilok
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