This is my entryway to Mount Kinabalu; Malaysia's highest mountain (4095.2m), and I've set my heart on struggling up it. It doesn't take long to discover that the huts half-way up the mountain are booked out. They're released on a 6 monthly basis and booked up immediately - mainly by tour companies. This is real smart thinking - I'm as impressed by this as much as the Malaysian queuing techniques and the Malaysian idea of a starter and main (they come in any order but invariably together). OK, I'm being mean - as soon as you appreciate how Asians normally eat you can understand why this happens - I'm just disappointed. I either try every tour company in town or i turn up at the park and hope for the best. I decide to postpone the decision and take the next flight out to Brunei.
As for Kota Kinabalu...well i guess it's OK. It's a mix of modern and old - malls versus markets, with the odd palm tree thrown in. It's on the waterfront and has a nice view of some of the islands just off the coast. It's not a bad place, but after a few hours of walking around I took one photo. It's not cute Kuching, it's just a base that i will be back to soon.