Monkey Monkey Turtle

We tried to get a room at the Mayfair Motel, this is the place i stayed last time in Borneo, but the were full up. We stayed the first night at a spot down the road. The next day we were able to slip into a room at the Mayfair. The Mayfair is a great place. The beds are comfy, there are hot showers, each room has a big flat screen TV and DVD player and there are a ton of movies to borrow and watch. The best part of the Mayfair is the old Chinese guy that runs the joint. We call him 'Mean Dad' I know he means well, but he only knows how to talk to you in a pissed off stern way. "WHERE YOU GO TODAY" I think we are going to go to see the Orangutans. "YOU TAKE BUS 71, 2RINGET, YOU GO NOW!!!" I was looking for a movie and decided on 'Bullitt' Mean Dad said "YOU ONLY CHOSE ONE MOVIE!" " YOU SPEND 20 MINUTES TO CHOSE ONLY ONE MOVIE, TAKE TWO MOVIE NOW!!"

We took bus 71 to the Orangutan Sanctuary to see the Orangutans. I had been there last time i was here, but this time was better. We were a little early and the ticket booth was closed, but sitting on the railing in front of the booth was a adult Orangutan. We learned later, that she had been rehabilitated and released into the wild, but had come back because she is lazy and wants to be fed instead of finding her own food. She was very cute and photogenic. We bought tickets and walked down to where they feed them. I guess they rehabilitate ones that have been found as pets and then slowly release them back into the wild. They put out food, and eventually the Orangutans wander deeper into the jungle and stop coming back. Only two came back to feed. Two females, both with new borns. The were so fun to watch. They were feeding them bananas and sugar cane. Along with the Orangutans there were some little Macacay monkeys that would come around. The Orangutans being bigger would scare the monkeys away and if the monkeys got too close, the Orangutans would even shove them away. One of the moms eventually grabbed three sugar canes with her one foot and another two in another foot, two in one hand and one in her mouth and swung away into the trees, i guess she was not into sharing. I was wearing sandals and felt a little pinch on the bottom of my foot. When i looked down there was a leach attached to my foot. The are not dangerous so i let him hang out there till he filled up and dropped off by himself with a full belly of foot blood. They inject an anti coagulant so my foot bleed a lot but it eventually stopped.
Then next day we the bus a little further past the Orangutan Sanctuary to the Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary. I had seen them last time in the wild, so i came with the idea, that since they would be feeding them then it would be more like seeing them in a zoo and therefore not as good. It was real good, there were some 80 or so that would come in out of the trees to feed and the looks on their faces and mannerisms were so funny to watch. They are like old fat men, sitting with their legs spread, one hand on their knee eating and looking around with their big noses bouncing. We sat and watched for some time. There were also plenty of Silver Leafed Monkeys that were being fed long string beans, the people that worked there let us feed them too. The monkeys would fight and run up and snatch the bean right from your hand.
Josh and Lori headed out on their way back to KK and then onto Indonesia. Ann and i booked a night at Turtle island to hopefully see turtles nesting. We took a bus to the dock and then rode a boat an hour or so to one island. If you know the story about the 3500 British and Australian POW's that were housed at Sandakan during WWII. Four of the only six POW's that escaped and lived hid for a while on this island thanks to the help of some local fishermen. We had lunch there and walked around through the village. After lunch we took a 20 minute boat ride, is some scary seas. I wasn't scared, because i have seamanship in my blood, but the two Czechs and Ann were a little scared. The waves were pretty big and the boat driver was going way too fast. We reached the island and spent the day on the beach and snorkeling in amongst some milky water and dead corral. We had dinner and then sat around waiting for it to get dark. On the island is a Turtle hatchery that has been there since the 50's. Turtles come every night to lay eggs. The eggs are collected and placed into specially dug holes, where they are monitored, When they hatch they are then released into the sea. We were able to watch one turtle lay eggs. I guess there were a bunch on the island that night, but they only allow you to see one. This is a good thing because along with Ann and i and the two Czechs there were 40 other old Dutch and Germans that came running up and encircled the turtle. She layed a few eggs, buried them then slowly moved off, she would stop and plop out a couple of eggs, and repeat. One of the Rangers said this is a bad sign, and that the turtle felt disturbed. Naturally all of those eggs that did not go into the nest would have not made. I guess since Tourism pays for the program, then the must right off one turtle a night, to be disturbed?? We also watched 45 newborns get released onto the beach and into the see. These guys were so cute and fun to watch scurry into the sea.

Ann flys back to the State tomorrow from Sandakan. I am back in KK today and do not know what i am up to tomorrow?