Days 6 and 7: Kota Kinabalu / Labuan
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saturday 14th August
Sunday 15th August
After a sleep that would rival the dead, I enjoyed the (included) hotel buffet breakfast, paying particular attention to the pancakes, and then set out for my day of not doing a lot. I had originally intended on having a massage but my legs were too sore for anyone to touch. I think it took me half an hour even to get out of bed! Whenever I walked, the hotel staff would say, "Mt Kinabalu?", with knowing grins.
I spent several hours on the computer (again, unable to load photos - they are coming!) and suddenly realised I need a visa for Brunei, where I intended to go tomorrow. I'm sure that hadn't been the case when I left Australia ... There was an option of a 72 hour transit visa but it sounded like it was only issued at the airport with an outward flight confirmed, which I didn't have. Oh well, everyone I had spoken to had said Brunei was boring, so I made a plan B. I already had a flight booked from Miri to Kuching on Wednesday, so I basically had 4 days to get to Miri. I was sick of Kota Kinabalu and was intent on leaving tomorrow, and decided to take the afternoom ferry to Labuan, where I would spend the night, and the fly to Miri on Monday where I could spend some time in another national park.
Not really hungry, I grabbed another frappucino (they seem to have become my meal replacement) before retiring for a quick sleep. Upon awakening, I picked up my laundry (yay, clean clothes!), had a quick dinner, and watched a few BBC World programs before falling asleep again .....
Check-out from the hotel was at 12pm on Sunday, and I was intent on staying there until the last second, enjoying having my own room, a TV, and hot shower. After breakfast, packing, and finally finishing 'Wicked' (about the life story of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz), I finally checked out and hailed a taxi to the Jessleton Ferry Terminal. The Lonely Planet said that the ferry to Labuan departed Kota Kinabalu at 3pm on Sundays (all other days it was 1:30pm) but as I didn't want to be stuck in KK for another night I arrived at the ferry terminal at 12:30pm. Good thing too, as it departed at .... 1:30!
Three hours on the ferry and we arrived at Labuan. Labuan is duty-free haven, ruled from Kuala Lumpur, and boring!! There was only 1 hostel listed in the LP, and I walked past it at first. Inside the door were about 25 steps, not what I wanted to see! The hostel was more like someone's house with 3 rooms of bunks, and I was the only guest (with the exception of 1 boarder).
Still unable to walk far and with inclement weather outside, I sheltered in an internet cafe and printed my flight ticket for tomorrow's flight to Miri. Dinner was Indian, naan bread and noodles, and then I retired to my room to start on 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' which Mark brought me (just as the title suggests - Pride and Prejudice in a land of zombies!
Sunday 15th August
After a sleep that would rival the dead, I enjoyed the (included) hotel buffet breakfast, paying particular attention to the pancakes, and then set out for my day of not doing a lot. I had originally intended on having a massage but my legs were too sore for anyone to touch. I think it took me half an hour even to get out of bed! Whenever I walked, the hotel staff would say, "Mt Kinabalu?", with knowing grins.
I spent several hours on the computer (again, unable to load photos - they are coming!) and suddenly realised I need a visa for Brunei, where I intended to go tomorrow. I'm sure that hadn't been the case when I left Australia ... There was an option of a 72 hour transit visa but it sounded like it was only issued at the airport with an outward flight confirmed, which I didn't have. Oh well, everyone I had spoken to had said Brunei was boring, so I made a plan B. I already had a flight booked from Miri to Kuching on Wednesday, so I basically had 4 days to get to Miri. I was sick of Kota Kinabalu and was intent on leaving tomorrow, and decided to take the afternoom ferry to Labuan, where I would spend the night, and the fly to Miri on Monday where I could spend some time in another national park.
Not really hungry, I grabbed another frappucino (they seem to have become my meal replacement) before retiring for a quick sleep. Upon awakening, I picked up my laundry (yay, clean clothes!), had a quick dinner, and watched a few BBC World programs before falling asleep again .....
Check-out from the hotel was at 12pm on Sunday, and I was intent on staying there until the last second, enjoying having my own room, a TV, and hot shower. After breakfast, packing, and finally finishing 'Wicked' (about the life story of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz), I finally checked out and hailed a taxi to the Jessleton Ferry Terminal. The Lonely Planet said that the ferry to Labuan departed Kota Kinabalu at 3pm on Sundays (all other days it was 1:30pm) but as I didn't want to be stuck in KK for another night I arrived at the ferry terminal at 12:30pm. Good thing too, as it departed at .... 1:30!
Three hours on the ferry and we arrived at Labuan. Labuan is duty-free haven, ruled from Kuala Lumpur, and boring!! There was only 1 hostel listed in the LP, and I walked past it at first. Inside the door were about 25 steps, not what I wanted to see! The hostel was more like someone's house with 3 rooms of bunks, and I was the only guest (with the exception of 1 boarder).
Still unable to walk far and with inclement weather outside, I sheltered in an internet cafe and printed my flight ticket for tomorrow's flight to Miri. Dinner was Indian, naan bread and noodles, and then I retired to my room to start on 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' which Mark brought me (just as the title suggests - Pride and Prejudice in a land of zombies!
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