May 17, 2007

Kota Kinabalu (BORNEO)

Final Day in KK: Bamboo Trampoline and Dinner with Friends

It took two days to hit me, but my legs are in bad shape after climbing Mount Kinabalu. When I walk down stairs my body feels like a strewn-together collection of wooden stilts, and I try to keep my body weight over the railing. Nevertheless, today is my last full day in Kota Kinabalu so I wanted to make the most of it.

I bought a couple CDs from a local shopping complex, and then I stopped in for a chat with the girls at Kinabalu's Park Office. Marianna, the girl whose picture is shown in yesterday's post, actually got a promotion yesterday and is now working for the Malaysian Health Administration. We were planning to meet for lunch, but since her new office is too far away I settled for a quick bite to eat an Indian cafe.

Afterward, I caught a bus to KK's official museum, which is somewhat out of the way and fairly unfrequented. It is a shame because there were interesting artifacts on display and an impressive collection of life-size longhouses in the rear. Most interesting in my mind were the WWII exhibits, which documented several of the atrocities the Japanese committed on Allied soldiers and the indigenous people of Borneo. Included were the death marches the Aussie told me about yesterday.

While wandering the paths behind the museum I crossed a wooden rope bridge that was more dangerous than it looks - there were broken planks that nobody has bothered fixing.

The real treat came when I reached the collection of longhouses. Most of the building styles were fairly consistent - some tribes were more militaristic while others were more communal - but one longhouse featured a trampoline made of bamboo.

There was a group of 10 students trying to reach a wooden cross hanging from the ceiling so I decided to join them on the trampoline. Unlike a traditional trampoline that cushions your return, the tightly bound bamboo made the landings hard - particularly if you are the unlucky person who comes down when the board is moving upward. I probably shouldn't have joined in considering how painful it was, but I have a feeling it will be quite some time before I find another bamboo trampoline.

I tried catching a bus back to KK from the museum, but I foolishly hopped on the same bus I took to get out there (figuring it would complete a loop). After 10 minutes of driving in the wrong direction I sheepishly realized I was going to end up in another city. I hopped off the bus, walked in the opposite direction, and eventually hailed down another public bus that eventually took me back to KK.

Later in the day I received an email from Mick, the Brit I met with the Penan Tribe. He, Roger, and their wives were staying in KK, and we arranged to meet up for dinner as we would soon shoot off in different directions.

Before any of the night's fun began he gave me a good bollocking for my borderline negligence in climbing Kinabalu - he was once on a climb in Mexico when a man suffered from AMS-inflicted blindness -  but I could tell he was also pleased to know all Americans are not pansies.

We ate dinner at a waterside cafe that served local food, but as Roger rightly pointed out the candles were intended to feign class and charge a few extra ringgit. Funnily enough, neither the cafe itself nor the Shamrock Irish Pub next door sold alcohol, so we had rounds of Tiger delivered from several shops down.

Tomorrow afternoon I fly to Manila for a nine day stay.