Sandakan

So, we're in a town called Sandakan. We're staying in an awesome little hostel near the sea - Sunrise something it's called, and the lady who runs it is absolutely lovely! She potters around us over breakfast bringing out her personal supplies of home-made marmalade and tea, because we are "like her second children", and constantly pops up to check that we're not home-sick and to remind us that this is our "second-home"! As a result we've decided to stay in Sandakan a little longer and make the most of the hospitality!

Yesterday we explored the town by attempting some of the 'Heritage Trail'. It took us to a museum absolutely full of photographs from various points in the town's history, (including a succession of street photos with all sorts of classic cars Dad! No Austins spotted yet, but a Standard Vanguard was almost cerrtainly identified.) We then climbed, or tried to climb, the '100 steps'. This task would have been much easier if said steps weren't in such state of disrepair that packing rock-climbing equipment would not have been an over-preparation. The top of the hill gave us a sight worth seeing though, with a view over the whole town and the 'English Tea-Roms'. We didn't quite give in to the croquet and scones, but secretly I could have killed for a good cuppa. Instead, we visited Agnes Keith's house (first white lady in Borneo who wrote several books including 'The Land Below The Wind', and spent more than enough time in a Japanese p.o.w. camp), and were hoping to find the Japanese War Graves. It was only Zoe, James and I that wanted to take this extra little trip, but something in our navigation must have gone amiss, as we ended up walking around the suburbs for quite a while and only managed to return to town thanks to a helpful six-year-old and a taxi driver who didn't charge us. That said, he did drop us off another kilometre away from town!!!

This is the second time I've been quite lost. The other was on the way back from seeing the elephants last week. I only stopped to take a photo of the elephant poo (I thought it would appeal to some of you back home?), but everyone seemed to have completely disappeared when I looked up! Cue fifteen minutes of wandering around with only my camera, my watch and a pen. Not the best survival kit, I must say. However, the watch came in very handy as I recalled how to use it as a compass, enabling me to find North. I knew that the river was North of my current location, and that shouting in the forest doesn't really work. So off I trotted usign my watch as a compass, whistling The Wombles theme-tune (whistling's easier to pinpoint than shouting), and made my way to the river. Unfortunately I ended up along the river but nowhere near the others! In the end I found them, and saw lots of interesting things along the way, including a black squirrel. Dont panic Mum, I'll take my compass and whistle out next time!

Anyway best be off as we're going to see some caves today, hope all's well on your side of the world, take care,
Rachel x