Orchids and waterfalls

Day 8 Wednesday

A lie in today, bliss.  Off at 8.30 am to the Kinabalu National Park.  The name means Chinese Widow after a folk tale where the Emperor of China heard that dragons on the mountain were guarding a fabulous pearl. He sent his 2 sons to steal the pearl.  The elder fell off the mountain and died but the younger managed to steal the pearl but not before he had fallen in love and married a local girl. He had to leave her to take the pearl back to China but promised to return.  Sadly he died in China but his widow waited on the mountain every day for his return.  There was a climathon held in 2013 up and down the mountailn with a best time of 2 hours 34 mins 

But most trekkers take a day and a half.  They stay overnight on the mountain and set off again at 2.30am to catch the sunrise from the summit. A kind of Sherpa on a moped shuttles meals up to them.  We considered the trek but in view of the heat and humidity decided upon a visit to the Botanical Gardens instead.  We were told that they were full of orchids but not the sort we were expecting. In fact most were very small and insignificant.  The smallest orchid in the world was the Diamond Orchid

The slipper orchid

The Malay orchid

The tongue orchid

 Lunch at another Chinese restaurant followed.  Identical menu.  Do they have a set tourist menu?  The toilets were a disgrace, we all agreed.  My hole in the ground was perched on a vertiginous platform and would not flush.  So I thought I would give it a blast from the hosepipe thingey that you find in all the toilets here for use by Muslim patrons.  I was shocked by the force of it and wondered what damage it might do to one's bottom if used incorrectly.

On to see the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia.  It grows wild on land at the edge of a village where the peasants guard it and charge tourists to see it.  It only flowers for 7 days then the spores are blown to a different patch of ground and bloom again the next year.  It is dark red with spots and  about 2 to 3 feet across.

  It is supposed to pong but we didn't notice this.  I didn't find it very attractive in fact I much preferred the lattice work of huge bamboos growing wild.

After lunch we went on to Poring Hot Sorings.  First of all we went on a brilliant walk though the canopy.  Wobbly wobbly bridges and fantastic views over the rainforest.

The walk continued up to the waterfall which was lovely, cool and calming until I slipped in the mud. Doh!

The actual springs emerge from the mountain and were diverted into hot tubs for the Japanese officers during WW2.  Bit smelly with all the sulphur but supposed to be good for you.

Me, Lynn and Margaret (81)

I stupidly forgot to take my swimming costume but was so hot I didn't care and went into the cool rock pool in my clothes.

Here I am trying to hide my wet tee shirt and Lynn wanted me to hide her eyes as she forgot her sunglasses

Fun in the sun

Getting dry was a bit of a struggle but managed it eventually and off we went for our final stop at Ranau, the end of the Death March.  Only 8 of the original soldiers survived the 260 km March.  One soldier tried to escape and was tied to a stake, starved of food and water and tortured and died after 11 days.  This memorial is dedicated to him.

Back to hotel but only time for a quick shower and dinner.  Another Chinese meal but hurrah, no melon. Lychees instead.