Last night we sailed to Borneo (3rd largest island in the world) and docked in the city of Kota Kinabalu in the province of Sabah which is named for the stunning Mt. Kinabalu, which is also where today’s excursion will take us. At 13,000 feet, Mt. Kinabalu towers above one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world; home to orangutans and leopards (we saw neither). Today’s weather is cloudy and overcast so the jagged peaks of the mountain fade in and out and it’s pretty spectacular. Our 2 ½ hour bus ride takes us to an elevation of 4,500 feet which is where the Kinabalu National Park is located. You can take any one of a number of trails. No thank you, I’ll stay with the guide. This rainforest has more than 1,000 species of orchids, carnivorous pitcher plants and rare rafflesia – the largest flowering plant in the world. This exotic flower takes up to 15 months to bud but only lasts 7 days in bloom. It can grow to 39 inches in diameter and weigh up to 22 lbs. Another beauty in the garden is the ginger plant which seems to grow everywhere. These gardens are in a dense forest with high humidity allowing for unique flora. They even have a baby nursery that’s gated and houses many of the unique plants to make sure they are able to capture sunlight, pollenate and gather nutrients in order to survive.
Indonesia and Malaysia also boast what’s called Durian Fruit. It’s distinctive for its STRONG odor. The smell evokes reaction of intense disgust and has been described as rotten onions, turpentine and raw sewage. The persistence of its odor, which may linger for several days, has led to the fruit’s banishment from many hotels and public transportation. Its shape ranges from oblong to round, color from green to brown (the more brown the stinkier) and its rind is thorn-covered. The flesh has been described as savory and sweet. Sounds inviting, huh? It was for one of us. Half way up the mountain, the bus stops at an outdoor market and what do we find but tables and bins and truck beds loaded with durian fruit. Since I’m the banker, my other half asks for $2 for a durian fruit. I reply with a strong NO WAY; “you’ll stink up the whole bus and yourself”. We get off the bus and behind us is a woman who says I have $2 for a fruit, who’s with me? Off he goes and the two of them are on a mission. They first had to convince the vendor they really did want one, and then they had to find someone to cut the thing open. Here comes the man with a 15 inch machete. This was really too funny. I have to admit the smell was not as putrid as I’d imagined but nonetheless, I was not touching or tasting. These two both agreed the texture of the flesh was like a banana and the taste was just like a tropical fruit. In the end, a good time was had by the entire bus and I was called the mean lady for not handing over the $2.
