Orangutans and Japanese war stories meet in Sandakan

Here it is, the day I've been waiting for on this trip.

I wasn't too excited about having to get up at like 5:30am in preparation for the flight from KK to Sandakan, but it had to happen.

It's another of those up-and-down jobs and hey presto.. Sandakan.

We're immediately whisked away for the bus ride to Sepilok, which takes a bit of time, but we arrive in one piece and get ready to enter the sanctuary. A little background, the orangutans are orphans, and become orphans through the deforestation of the region to increase palm plantations. These palms are for the production of palm oil; which is labelled as vegetable oil in some places.

So, the biggest thing you can do to help the orangutans is to not use palm oil especially, but also try to avoid vegetable oil just in case.

Play it safe, go with olive oil or something. There are also a lot of snackfoods (like crisps, prawn crackers, etc) and instant noodles that contain palm oil as an ingredient.

Anyway, back at the sanctuary... we're inside and wander along the boardwalk until we reach the feeding platform. Which basically just a hut and some ropes with a bit of a viewing gallery. The carers dump food in different areas daily to assist the orangutans, and they try to keep contact to a minimum for their potential of successful release into the wild in the future. Although, technically they already are 'released' Sepilok since there are no bars and it is up to the orangutans whether they come to the feeding platform or not.

We were actually pretty lucky. Firstly, we were there before the big tour groups and got to the platform early.

A nice front position with a handrail that I could use as a support if need be. No nasty heads bobbing around in front of me for this once in a lifetime opportunity. And on the second note, I believe 14 orangutans showed for the feeding. We were told later that a group the week before only had 2 turn up.

Watching these apes lurch along the ropes and interact with one another in what is close to their natural environment was truly moving. And having the knowledge that their numbers are in terminal decline brought yet another different light to it; a decline of roughly 43% in the past decade. It still amazes me that humans are willing to do things that affect other animals so greatly; let alone another animal that is so closely related to us.

Remember: PALM OIL IS BAD!

So after the memory bank was filled at Sepilok, I became a bit more philosophical.

.. but I didn't want to miss the rest of the day, and I went with everyone else back to Sandakan for a look-see. Didn't really have a chance to check out much. Just a few places to view the city, as well as a floating village.

We also visited the War Memorial that is a park with a few trails meandering through it dedicated to the Allied Forces. It was quite incredulous to read the stories that the Japanese enforced upon the Allies; the Death March to Ranau especially. There were people whimpering inside after reading these things, I can only assume they had family that died along the way as I didn't find it _that_ confronting. I may find it different if I ever get to the Burma Railway, as there are members of family that were lost there during WWII.

In any event, after all this it was back to the air again, and a flybuy Mt Kinabalu that made me even more philosophical. Mountains always have that effect on me. I stared out of my window at the peak for the entire flight. What dreams are made of.

Then I came crashing back to the real world head-butting the seat in front of me due to the harsh braking of landing once again in KK.

And remember kids... Palm oil, just say no!