Tuesday 19th August
The speedy 2XS
Team has arrived in Sandakan. And not a
moment too soon…It was just a teensy bit hot, on the Kinabatangan River and our poor dear Emma suffered most dreadfully, from heat and claustrophobia. Tonight she will be able to stay in a nice
comfy air-conditioned hotel, to recuperate.
This morning we
got up very early, promising our guests many MANY Attenborough moments up one
of the little tributaries. Well…not so
much… We did see a fabulous bird or two.
 |
| Black and crimson pitta |
plus some storm
storks, wheeling overhead
Before settling at
the top of a tall tree with an egret or two.
There were a few
macaques
 |
| Relaxing on a branch |
but only a distant glimpse of proboscis monkeys.
Our closest Nature
Event was…The Release of the Rat! Yes we
caught him, fair and square. And…then we
released him on the banks of the Kinabatangan… Pete and Lindsay thought this
was just a bit crazy, but Emma is a kind and gentle girl and she insisted. (I supported her – of course!) We have since been wondering what on earth
this very lucky rat is thinking… WHERE is
Semporna? How did I get here? Who were those crazy humans? Who was that lovely girl, dripping water into
my mouth when I was overheated in my little weird cage?
We went into town
for (very late) lunch, at our favourite Chinese restaurant. Lindsay and Emma probably would have liked to
be able to choose from the menu…
but we told them
just to follow Chee’s original recommendation – noodles and seafood…very
delicious…
We were
recognised, at our little restaurant – in fact one of the ladies came up to ask
me if I wanted seafood with noodles, before I had even sat down…So coming back
to Sandakan is a bit like…coming home…
 |
| Senior members of the restaurant team |
Tomorrow we will
buy a bit more food, a few large blocks of ice, and then…off to the Turtle
Islands. More opportunities for
swimming…thank goodness…
Today is Rebecca Headlam’s birthday. Loyal, generous, hardworking – those are my
speedy first-thought words for Rebecca!
And tomorrow
another birthday…
Marcel Zajusch!
Yet another very important Senior Member of my much-loved family…
happy birthday Papa!
ReplyDeleteI do sympathise with Emma, the cabins combined with the heat are very claustrophobic. We were lucky to have access to so much water to cool off. It would be very challenging without that. Great idea to get the vegetable covers. I loved the image of the rat thoughts!
ReplyDelete