Sandakan

Hi everyone,

This morning we were up early for our 6am boat trip. It was very foggy and there were hardly any monkeys around. We saw a few, and also a crocodile and a water monitor. Yesterday we only saw its leg so it was nice seeing one properly today. 

Once back we had breakfast and then Mum, Sam and I played basketball at the lodge before boarding our boat. 

Then we arrived at Gomantong Caves, which would have to be in my top three worst ever travel experiences alongside the turtle farm in Zanzibar and night kayaking in Riga. We had to pay as it was an inclusion, and I absolutely hated it. The whole thing was literally a pile of poo. Bat poo, swiftlet (bird) poo, and cockroaches living in the poo. The path and rail was covered in poo and cockroaches too. Absolutely disgusting, and the smell made me want to throw up. The swiftlet nests are collected three times throughout the year and sold to be made into bird’s nest soup. People nowadays need licenses to collect them. They’re so sought after that the locals have to take it in turns on shift staying in a hut inside the cave. Honestly walking through was like being in a horror movie, I can’t imagine having to stay there. 

My luck worsened as we exited. I had my camera around my wrist and it somehow caught on my drink bottle, flew off my wrist and fell to the ground. You can hardly see the display now and I might be imagining it but I think the photos it’s taking are no good when there is bright light. I’m sad because I haven’t dropped this camera once in five years, and it’s been everywhere with me since I set off for my gap year. Never mind - at least I didn’t drop it in the poo!!

Mum and I realised as we kept driving today that the issue with palm oil is that the natural habitat here has been destroyed in order to make way for more and more oil palm trees, that apparently are native to Africa. It’s heartbreaking. Again I sat staring out the bus window seeing endless palms where there should have been jungle for monkeys to live and play in. I’ve been researching online while over here though and checking the ingredients in things we eat, and palm oil is often disguised by other names in products as well. It’s so frustrating because it seems impossible to avoid products using it. And as with everything else ruining our planet, the orang utans are losing out because palm oil is cheap to produce. 

After a few hours’ drive, we arrived at Sandakan. This town is often referred to as “little Hong Kong” due to the strong Chinese influence in the area and is home to 400,000 people. 

It also used to be the capital of British north Borneo until it was so badly burned by the fleeing Japanese and bombed by the allies during World War II that hardly anything was left. 

We had lunch as a group at the English Teahouse, in the former immigration building. Mum and I shared some scones and sandwiches and I had a Singapore sling. 

A number of us then visited Agnes Keith’s house. We looked around trying to find where to pay, only to be told it was Agnes’ birthday so entry was free today! Agnes was an American who moved to Borneo and travelled the world with her New Zealander born husband, the conservator of forests here, Henry George Keith. Agnes became a famous author when she wrote numerous books about her life here in Borneo. During their years here together, Agnes, Henry and their son George were imprisoned by the Japanese in two different POW camps for four years in total. However, once the war ended they rebuilt their house (which had been destroyed during the war) and stayed until 1952 when they moved to the Phillipines, then Libya, then eventually retired and died in Canada. Agnes even wrote some of her books while imprisoned, and would hide and bury her pages in tins, toys and other objects. Famous ones you may have heard of are “Land Below the Wind”, “Three Return Home” and “White Man Returns”.

We enjoyed the antique furniture in the house and reading about Agnes’ life. Interestingly, the species of rafflesia we saw yesterday (keithii) was named after her husband. As well, her husband was born in New Plymouth, where Rob’s dad’s family are from. So happy 118th birthday Agnes Keith, and thanks for giving us such a beautiful place to visit!

Then, Mum, Sam and I went to the Chinese cemetery around the corner where we saw many graves and a monument to an underground Chinese movement who were executed by the Japanese. 

On the way to our next stop, we found a very scared and sad looking puppy covered in flies. Wonderful Sam picked him up in her canvas bag, left us and took him to the SPCA to be looked after. I have never seen a dog look so sad and so helpless. I’m glad he’s being looked after now!! 

Mum and I continued on and passed the clock tower, a few schools and St Michael’s Church. This church had bombs land in it during the war but they didn’t explode. 

On the way back to the hotel we made a quick stop at the supermarket, and then had a look at the liberation monument. There was a slouch hat memorial dedicated to the allied forces that liberated Sandakan in October of 1945. 

We gave the group dinner a miss tonight and instead watched Ash Barty win the tennis and ate some fruit. Off to Selingan Island tomorrow to hopefully see some turtles. Probably no blog for two days. 

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox

PS: My post from yesterday at the river seeing orang utans is below. I had to post two in one day due to no internet yesterday.