Borneo Burnout

I’ve been really tired since I’ve gotten back from Mulu. I’ve also had rashes on my arms and legs. I don’t know if they are related. I have a bunch of photos I still have to upload that I haven’t been able to because of poor bandwidth. I also have several long posts ready to go up that I haven’t been able to finish due to lethargy. I think I’ll be in Kinabalu National Park on Monday now. It will give me a chance to finish up some web projects here and clean my camera gear. It isn’t visible yet, but I do have a lot I’m working on, including a total revamp of this website.

I hope to be in Jakarta by next Wednesday or Thursday. I still have to book a flight.

There is a BBQ place across the street from this hostel that has great food. The last few nights I had BBQ lamb, fish and chicken (all on one plate) with beer, salad and fries for about US$10. It was almost too much to eat. Almost.

The Pizza Hut which my hostel is over doesn’t seem to have any pork on the menu. All the lunch special pizzas are chicken or tuna.

Malaysia is officially Muslim, but it isn’t as noticeable as what I saw in Brunei. I’d say only 25% of the women in Kota Kinabalu wear a chadori. You can get pork in Chinese restaurants. Unlike Brunei, they do serve Alcohol. I think if the face of Islam was Malaysian (and I’m including Brunei in this) the western world would have a much different impression of it.

Did you know? that many of the nouns in Malay are based on English with just a different spelling and slightly different pronunciation.

Teksi = Taxi
Bas = Bus
Restauran = Restaurant
Polis = Police

I get the impression that most of the words which describe modern things have been lifted from English. Things like mother, father, water, wood, etc. would all come from Malay.

There are actually several words in English with a Malay origin: amok, paddy, orangutan, cooties, sarong, compound, and bamboo.

I have had zero difficulty getting along in Malaysia. Pretty much everyone I’ve met has spoken English (granted, its been in cities or parks) and usually quite well. The BBQ place also has a lounge act which sings every night just below my window. Think the Malaysian version of the Carpenters. They’d be right at home singing at the bar of Holiday Inn somewhere outside of Cleveland.

With that, its 2am and I’m going to bed…..

2 thoughts on “Borneo Burnout”

  1. Sorry mate, what you see is not considered chador, they are just scarves wrapped around to cover the head and neck.Have a nice time up Mount Kinabalu.

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