Wonderful holiday

  The journey by bus to our destination was absolutely agonizing. The hot humid weather, coupled with the dry, dusty wind from the north, made us flinch and fret in our hard seats. Apart from scenic little villages, scattered along the roads, the views were a far cry from what we had expected seen in our very, beloved country. Still, what had we expected? The whole purpose was to observe, experience and learn life as well as nature in abundance, not to witness sophisticated urbanization.

  As the bus turned into the vicinity of the jungle-resort area, we held our breath. Nothing at all prepared us for the excitement nor magnificence that awaited us.

  The wooden chalets were built right in the middle of a dense jungle. Our warm and friendly Malaysian guides informed us that we were at the foot of a forested mountain range, the great Mount Kinabalu. The whole resort area offered its guests, an unrivalled opportunity to enjoy one of the most stunning locations in Asia. Remote and private, far from hustle and the bustle of the city life, the resort was equipped with modern facilities and security.

  We were immediately settled in and were offered welcome drinks and local fruits. While we watched in absolute delight Sabahans performing their local native dance, all around us were filled with the natural sound of nature. Chirping birds and crickets accompanied the dances. On the trees, there were the long nosed, pot bellied proboscis monkeys, jumping from the branches. They were amazingly trusting and friendly. Sabah's rainforest is situated on the plains of the Kinabatangan river and we were told that the Orang Utans would roam freely and that we could observe them from a close distance. The tourists groups who came with us seemed absolutely delighted at the idea.

  That night, we sat and ate to our heart's content, varieties of Malaysian delicacies and desserts. Perhaps, it was the refreshing and natural atmosphere, but we ate like there was no tomorrow, everything and anything that was served.

  Our first few mornings and afternoon were filled with hiking activities. There were so many wonderment of life that we could not pause to rest. Malaysia's flora and fauna is one of the most rare and unique in the world that we did not want to waste a single minute getting acquainted with them. From our hikes, we took photographs of swiflets making edible nests from high tree tops and how Orang Utans ate from our hands. Later, in the evenings, when the sun sets its glorious light, we ventured out into the beach where we strolled along on its sandy white sands, feeling the cool waters at our feet.

  Perhaps, in our memories, one picturesque image settles. We had seen a huge waterfall in the depth of the jungle during one hiking trip. Hundreds of feet above huge boulders and smooth rocks, falling in rushes into little streams down below, was the most amazing waterfall. Its crystal clear water gush down in strange flowing motion, reflecting multi-coloured lights and shades. Hearing the sound of water gushing eased the tired mind and brought deep solace and tranquility to us. We hoped that we would be able to relive this grand experience once more soon.