Sepilok (8th March 2010)

The longhouse at Paganakan Dii

This morning I was booked on the bus leaving KK at 12.30pm, I had opted for this later bus just so I could go to the Post Office for Mick and try and get some stamps for him, apparently someone in KL had told him there might be some stamps there so off I went.

Unfortunately, Mick, no joy whatsoever I’m afraid! I did try though.

So seeing as I didn’t spend hours at the Post Office like I imagined it meant with a phone call, a taxi ride and a lot of running around I managed to get on the earlier bus at 10am which was good.

The bus to Sandakan is due to take 6 hours with a little break for lunch on the way. Also on the way for our entertainment (I’m sure) is the usual dodgy movie playing. The first movie was in Malay with Chinese subtitles (I still watched it though) and the second movie was a Jackie Chan movie ‘The Spy Next Door’ this time n English and vaguely watchable, it certainly passed a couple of hours anyway.

The guy checking the tickets had asked me as we were leaving KK if I was heading for Sepilok or Sandakan. Sepilok is where the Orang-utans’ are and where my accommodation is and, by all accounts, just outside of Sandakan so my original plan had been to get to the main town and get another bus to Sepilok. I didn’t realise we were going through Sepilok first, actually after he spoke to me I still didn’t realise, in fact I didn’t actually realise until 5 and a half hours into the journey and he comes and tells me we’re here, the thing is I’m the only person getting off! The driver dropped me at a very nice roundabout, later known as the junction which has sculptures of Orang-utans and a rhino in the middle, and from where there are signs heading off in every direction for different accommodations and the Orang-utan rehabilitation centre.

I found the sign for my accommodation which said it was 2km in the other direction (!) so with both my bags and bottle of water and in 30 degrees plus heat I made a valiant effort in heading off in the right direction. As I made my way it did through my mind that this could be a very very long tough walk but hey THIS is what backpacking all about right?? Right??

Fortunately for me, before too long, a minivan driver came along and despite charging me over the odds he took me the necessary 2 km down the road. My accommodation is called Paganakan Dii (The Family in indigenous Kadazan-Dusun toungue) Tropical Retreat and if you’re ever in the area this is definitely the place to stay. The design is based on stilt and longhouses, the dorms slept 12 people which is a lot but not when you see the size of the dorms, they were huge with more than enough room for everyone and so nicely done all made from wood and lovely and clean throughout. There were plenty of showers and toilets downstairs from the longhouse and the washbasins were outside. People I chatted to who were staying in chalets said they were gorgeous with outside bathrooms and air/con. Anton and his wife ran the retreat and were so friendly and helpful, they offered transport to all the attractions free of charge and picked you up at the end as well. Just perfect. The retreat is set with in a huge park of some kind that has huts on stilts over a lily pond and set around the lake but unfortunately it seems to be no longer used, apparently it used to a local resort where people came at weekends for a break from the city, perfect location just a shame it’s not really used now.