The Tip of Borneo

MONUMENT AT THE NORTHERN TIP OF BORNEO

THE TIP----CLOSEST WE HAVE BEEN TO HOME IN A LONG TIME

Friday we decided to do some touristy stuff so asked 2 sisters from our branch to accompany us to the tip of Borneo.  They are members of the Rungus ethnic group from this area of Sabah so knew the way and where to go to see the Rungus culture.  We left KK at 7:30 AM and drove about 150 miles or 240 km through the beautiful but very poor countryside of the 'left ear of the dog'.  The people who live in this area of Sabah are farmers of rice and vegetables and a few palm oil plantations or they are fishermen.  They live off the land, literally.  It was a beautiful drive but over rough and narrow roads but well worth it to see the very northernmost tip of Borneo.

JUST LIKE WE DID IN THE MTC

The water was so clear and beautiful shades of green and turquoise; so clear that a boat floating out from shore appeared to be floating in the air.  The beaches were white sand and some of the most beautiful and clean we have seen here.  Not many people go to this area, and it was only opened as a 'site' about 6  years ago.

THERE IS THE BOAT BUT IT LOOKS DIFFERENT IN A PHOTO

We stopped for lunch in the small town of Sikuati where we found a restaurant.  Sister Lillian was not pleased with the food they had but it was the only restaurant so she went to the market and bought some fresh vegetables and took them back  and had them cooked up for us to eat for lunch. (Only in Malaysia) No bad side effects.  I went with them into the market and all the people stared at me---the tall white lady.  Some were not too shy and spoke to me.  Everywhere we go we are stared at but they are also very friendly and sometimes will talk to us.

We also went through Kota Belud which is known for the horsemen who live there.  We didn't see more than a couple of horses and they are quite small, about the size of a pony.

KOTA BELUD HORSEMAN AND HIS MOUNT

 I don't know when the horses were brought to the island but they have been here for a while.  They just don't grow very large here.  Perhaps when the British ruled they brought horses over.  It seems funny to me that they put 'clothing' on the horses.  They are very colorful.  Also look at the headdress on the rider which is very typical of the people in this area of Sabah.

Listening for the ocean---yes! it is in there

This is the owner of the sea shell stand with her daughter---just off the 'school bus'.

This is their home.

All the sea shells. 

Which one do I want?

The ladies who went with us wanted to stop at a road-side market to get some treats for their children.  They wanted treats made from the tapioca plant which is dried and made into meal or flour and then made into snack foods like chips.  They flavor it with chilies or dried shrimp or other fish, roll it thin and deep fry it.  Yum??  The photo shows how the packages of snack foods are displayed, hanging from hooks on a string from the ceiling.  No shelves in this market.  We also saw tarps laid out on the ground with peanuts drying in the hot afternoon sun.  

The public transportation in that area was usually a Toyota truck with a canopy and benches along the sides in the bed of the truck.  We saw people going to and from market and children riding home from school also in this mode.  One fellow was sleeping on a pile of coconuts in the back of a lorry.  I couldn't resist taking his photo.

WE WERE AFRAID THAT HE WOULD BOUNCE OUT WHEN THE TRUCK HIT A BUMP

Saturday night we attended the baptism of Marta, a young woman of about 35.  Before the baptism a friend of hers cut her Buddhist bracelet off her wrist and told her she wouldn't need that any longer.  Bill confirmed her a member of the church this morning in sacrament meeting.