August 22,

I woke up at 0150… cold!! We do not have AC here – that’s just how cold it is! We had to actually use the comforter, as a comforter, not cushioning for Jeff. We both got warm and were able to go back to sleep, finally really awakening around 0600. We both quickly readied and dressed, so we could get a look at the mountain. All except the very top of the mountain was visible. We set about having our Javas, and breakfast of oatmeal with Nutella and honey, and kept watch as the clouds were burning off of the top of Mount Kinabalu.

By 0845 we could see the whole mountain. We decided to go to Kinabalu Park, which has been a World Heritage Site since 2000. We loaded up into our Axia and took off. It is a bit of a drive and requires more elevation, but our car made it! It was very cool outside due to the elevation and cloud cover. We arrived at about 1000, paying 50 RM each or $11.83 each! A pretty hefty price!!! I was so “sticker shocked”, that I did not look at the local price. Anyway, we drove in, but missed the right hand turn. They usually don’t have these. We followed the one way road and it turned into a loop. It was shorter than we thought, and before we knew it we were back at the main gate.

We stopped at the Visitor’s Center. There was not any parking so I went in as Jeff stayed with the car. The place was busy!! It was mostly a cashier collection for those who were planning on overnight hiking or climbing the mountain. I had to ask for a map and one lady pointed to photo copied papers. Not the best, but it seems all they had. Anyway we set off on the loop again. Finally found the Botanical Garden… parking again was a bear. We went to the entrance – it is another entry fee! Unbelievable! 🤯 It cost us 5 RM each – only $1.18, but still. The garden had a loop trek through it with a meandering stream. There was lots of signage for the different trees and plants. Oak trees grow wild here, that surprised Jeff and I.

After the walk through we hung around the entry as there was a free guided walk to start in a few minutes. A lady in Muslim coverings walked up. I asked if she was the guide. She replied, “Yes. We will start in ten minutes” I nodded. It seemed we would be the only ones. But within five minutes others showed up. She mentioned no mosquitoes, as someone had asked, but she did say leeches. Yuck!! I tucked my pants into my socks. The guide did as well and one other lady followed suit. We started promptly going on the Silau-Silua Trail. The guide stopped us within a feet. We all told where we were from and she introduced herself, but abbreviated her name to Sue. “Silau name,” she said, “comes from the yellow-orange color of the soil found on this trail.” Sue talked of the kinds of trees as another group joined us, making the group about 15 or so. We continued on for the easy one hour long trek. Sue stopped and talked of her village; and pointed out various plants that her people use as medicine, for weaving baskets, etc, to help them live. Sue also talked of the 2015 earthquake that killed 18 hikers and guides that were on the mountain. It was a 6.0 and the epicenter was under this Mountain!

After the guided walk finished, we thanked her and all went on our way. We loaded back up into our car, stopping briefly to eat a snicker-snack. We toured the Geopark site and saw the rock with a placard explaining Kinabalu Park being a UNESCO World Heritage site. We loaded up and left, deciding to check out the part of the park at Poring Hot Springs. It was a 1.5 hour drive, down past the town of Ranau. When we arrived we were able to use our same tickets for this area! Yeah!! We went to an Orchid area- hardly any orchids; found a place of animal enclosures – only seeing Sambar Deer; trekked a loop of a Tropical Garden; visited the Aviary, but it was mostly closed; and discovered the Hot Springs and the baths – there was only a slight sulfur smell. You had to pay to get into the springs. We did not have our bathing suits and we were not interested. Lastly we went to the Butterfly enclosure. We did see a few different butterflies here.

Around here I found a leech ON ME! We finally got it off and Jeff checked himself and found one ON HIM as well! Oh man!! Why did God create these things!?!! We were pretty much done at this point, and this made it definite! We loaded up and started heading back: stopping for gas; some pork-fried rice at the smoked restaurant we went to yesterday; and ice.

Back at our place we had supper of that great rice, an instant noodle, and some watermelon. Great day!