BORNEO
Kuching
Gunung Gading National Park
Bako National Park
SARAWAK
SABAH
Sandakan 
Mt Kinabalu National Park- Lets go climb a rock!
Shangri-las Rasa Ria Resort
Rasa Ria Resort was the most expensive place I stayed at during my trip at £75 per night ++.  Its was also the most luxurious, with a beautiful suite room, plenty of things to do, fantastic friendly staff, orang outans (theyre so cute!) and just the best atmsophere ever.  I stayed there for a week and had the best time there.  The most memeroable even was the Hobie Catamarang incident.  Because I was staying there on a special deal which meant I got watersports, as well as laundry (I did 1000RMs worth!) , dinner and breakfast, free so I got my moneys worth by sailing on their catamarang a few times.  Obviously I hadn't sailed one of these before, my only sailing experience was about 5 years ago on a dingy but I lied and said I knew how to do it so off me and James went.  When we left we were sailing with the wind and the sea was quite calm so we went about 5 miles in 30 mins and it was about then when we decided to head back.  Unfortunatly, the wind and waves had picked up and before we knew it the cat was tilted up to a 85 degree angle, me and James struggling to tip it back and then one huge gust push us over the edge and we were capsized in the middle of nowhere- I was scared.  Not least when the cat started sinking!  Well, not really sinking but it shifted in the water knocking James off balance so he windmilled his arms and poof, my eyesight vanished.  I was, like, "What the fuck!?" untill I realised my (brand new) glasses had gone AWOL in the South China Sea, so now not only was I lost but I was totally sightless.  We sat there for ages until 2 fishermen came to help us, first by trying to right the cat, then by giving us a ride back, during which I was terrified bacause I couldn't see James in the other boat or where I was going, but we arrived and all the Rasa Ria staff came to help us and fetch the boat.  It took them 2 hours to bring it in.  The best thing was, while you have thought management would be sooo angry that we almost sunk their boat and caused them so much hassle but no, they gave us a fruit platter , I guess to make up for our mental anguish.  What great guys. 
Theres not much to do in Kuching, though it is a lovely town.  I was slightly disapointed with it as it rained non stop for the whole time I was there- originally we planned for a week there but cut it to 4 days as the rain got too depressing and we decided to go to Sandakan and Sepilok.

There were a few things to see here though- the istana on the other side of the river was good to take a photo of, even though I think that was kinda illegal as the guards shouted at us.  There was also a nice orchid garden there which was pleasent.  We rode on the 'tram' which is more of a bus really but was a good way to see the town and all the cat statues and we also did a sunset river cruise which would have been great if it wasnt so dull and rainy.  The rain also put a dampner on going to Bako National Park as the waves were too big to get down the river.
Tried to go here but the weather was too bad to get the boat down the river.  Shame, because I wanted to see the proboscis monkeys they have there.
When I arrived at Gunung Gading National park after a longish journey it was raining hard.  James and I went into the reception area and were given a map and directions to see if we could find the rafflesia ourselves.  After and hour or so we gave up and went back to get a guide. 
We found out we were given the wrong directions and had to cross a fast flowing river to get to it, meaning we had bare feet when we climbed up the hill to get to the flower.  Barefoot trekking in the junle was a real experience.  A nd when I saw the flower I was amazed as it was so big! 97cm accroos and very beautiful, if a bit smelly.  On the way back I was also shown a flower bud and told how to spot a good place where one might grow, the guide was very helpful and frindly.  So I went back to Kuching a very happy person.
Can you believe I climbed Mount Kinabalu?  It is 14000 ft high and the walk is 8.75 km long, uphill all the way.  In total there are 2500 steps plus the last 2km is all steep granite slabs and rocks that you have to use ropes to scramble up.  I am not exaggerating when I say it was the hardest thing I have ever done, every step was torture because they were really high and wore me out so quickly and the last 2km to the summit we did at 3am to get to the top for the sunrise.  It was unbelievably cold and about 1.5km from the summit I started to feel sick, altitude sickness, so my guide wanted me to go back but I didn’t even though I had thought about giving up so many times because I was so exhausted.  At some times I was left alone on the mountain because the guide went off somewhere and the rest of my group carried without me while I rested so I just lay alone on the mountain looking at the stars and it was so quiet and peaceful with shooting stars and when the wind dropped it was so calm, it was totally awesome- I can hardly find the words to describe it, it was so beautiful and that wasn’t even the summit!  
The summit wasn’t the only great bit though, the night before we attempted the last leg to the summit we stayed on the mountain, having climbed the first 6km that day, in the Laban Rata guesthouse. And the sunset was amazing too, even better than the sunrise the next day, it totally took my breath away, changing every 2 minutes with hundreds of colours, from red to yellow to purple, as the sun disappeared under the clouds.  The whole climb was a struggle, even on the way down my legs were feeling like they would fall off and I thought at every step I would collapse.  I consider the climb the greatest feat in the whole of the 7 months I was away and something I would not hesitate to do again
I only just made it for sunrise- the sun started to come up when I was about 0.5km from the top so I sprinted the last bit even though I was exhausted, clambering up rocks and over icy puddles to the final bit which was a steep pile of rocks.  I crawled up it and collapsed at the top, totally spent and in agony from my aching limbs and frozen from the cold, but it was so worth it. From the top you can see everything, towns, beautiful clouds, thunderstorms far away, and I was there just in time to see the sun rise properly, it was amazing as it came up over the peaks. I think I just stood there with my mouth open for ages just gazing at the sights around me, totally in awe. I really can’t describe the joy and amazement I felt being up there- the top of SE Asia.
Aside from sinking cats and causing trouble, I spent most of the time in Rasa Ria chilling out on the beach, despite the sandflies, though I also paid a visit to the baby orangutans they have in the resort jungle, which they rehabilitate before they are sent to Sepilok when they're old enough.  They're so cute!  Just like human children in the way they play and cry for their food and keepers,  one little one seemed very attached to her keeper and kept trying to cling to his leg. 
Despite having seen Orangutans before at Sepilok, this was a much better experience, probably because they were closer and more fun to watch as they played.  One of them even poked me and rolled on my feet, their fur is very soft.  On the whole, my time at Rasa Ria was great, I loved it there.  And it was worth the expense because it was such a wonderful place, and I figured I deserved a bit of luxery after having climbed that mountain.
I took plenty of pictures as you can see, but I doubt they’ll show the true wonder of it all and it wont be the same if you haven’t climbed it yourself because you would not have the elation at having worked so hard for such an accomplishment. 
Hotel Longhouse- Another disgusting one, do not go here unless you like dirt, damp and cockroaches.

Supreme Hotel- much nicer.  The rooms are spacious and clean and while the breakfast isn't up to much the staff are friendly and it's in a good location with a good price of 70rm
Kota Kinabalu
I visited KK with a guy called Boudwijn who I met on Mount Kinabalu as well as James. Its a nice town with some charature but for me the main draw was the islands off the coast.  I visited P.Manukan to do some snorkling for the first time and was delighted!  The islands are a marine park so the fish are abundant and the coral is stunning, in fact there were so many fish it was like swimming in fish soup!  I saw a lion fish, a stonefish, a blue starfish and fish of all colours and sizes.  I really enjoyed snorkling, though I'd recomend putting lots of sun cream on your back as I didn't and got quite badly burnt.  You can rent snorkling equipment on the island for 10 -15rm for fins, mask, and snorkel.
One of the many cat statues in Kuching- kuching means cat in Malay.
Istana Kuching, I nearly got arrested for taking this photo- the guards had guns!
The Rafflesia! Its huge!
The river we had to cross barefoot to find it.
James with a 500RM fish (!)
Group photo at summit
Me in the clouds
The sunrise
So many steps!
The rock I had to scale with ropes
Me and James very cold
The amazing sunset at Laban Rata
Its not a 5* resort for nothing you know!  What a beautiful room and look how they did the washing!
The beach and the Hobie cat we capsized
The youngest baby orangutan.  So cute!  She put leaves on her head.  All together now.. "Ahhhhhhh"
The best sunset I saw there, I could see the sun moving down!
Gorgeous!
Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary
I only spent one night in Sandakan, but it was ok.  I saw a beautiful sunset from the harbour wall and watched a guy catching fish with a throw net.  We also had a very tasty and large Indian meal at a resturan near the hotel for only 6rm!

We stayed at the Hotel London.  From the front this place looks a bit of a dump, it took some persuasion for us to go in but once I had I was pleasently surprised as the room was cheap at 60rm per night, it was clean and the staff were helpful in helping us book accomodation in Sepilok.  There's also a lovely rooftop place to eat the good breakfast included.
The next day we got on the bus to go to Sepilok Jungle Resort to spend a few days relaxing there before attempting the climb up the mountain.  This was a pleasent resort, very quiet with friendly staff who gave us a good discount on the normal 100rm per room even though we were only staying 3 nights.  The surroundings are relaxed and its here where I did my first fishing with a bit of line off James' spool, my first fish was medium sized and spiky, I was very proud and in total I caught 13 fish over the 3 days.  I also went to see the orangutans at the sanctuary which was great as they were my first but the feeding platform is far from the veiwing place and the orangs dont do much really.  The video shown on how they were rehabilitated was interesting though and there are plans for making a rhino sanctuary there too which will be well worth visiting again.  Its 30rm to get in and thats for both the morning and afternoon veiwing.
I cant talk about Sepilok without telling the fish incident.  As I said before we were allowed to do fishing at the resort and if we wanted we couls keep them to eat.  Well, James caught a massive fish and he figured the staff might like to eat it.  It was out the water for aboiut 15 minutes before I took it down to the resturant to ask them only to be greeted by them yanking the fish out my hands and running around in a mass panic trying to see if it was alive and resuitate it.  I was totally confused by this untill one person told me that fish was worth 500rm!! Of corse them I was terribly worried that Id be landed with a huge bill.  Fortunatly the fish was still alive, just.  Thats not the end of it though, we caught another one of these fish and as we threw it back in it got whacked against the brigde railings and just floated on the water, me and James watching it anxiously thinking we'd killed it, luckily after about 5 minutes it swam of leaving 2 very relieved fishers.
We also saw a king cobra here, we were trying to get to another part of the lake through some bushes when James froze and stopped me as we watched this hude cobra slither accross our path, it raised its head briefly to check us out but carried on camly, we were less than 3 foot from it so you can imagine how tense it was, I was just waiting for it to rear up and strike but it didnt.  I like snakes.
Orangutans on the feeding platform
The boat ride back to the mainland was a experience too.  The waves had grown to about 1.5 metres and as the boat was only small and going very fast it was one bumpy ride!  The waves smashed over the bow and everyone got soaked, none so much as the poor driver though who was completely sodden, poor guy looked like he was going though hell but he just grit his teeth and went with it.  It was so bouncy and we got so wet that we got plenty of funny looks when we walked back to the hotel dripping and hobbling on because of our sore bums.
Capital hotel- This was a nice place with large pleasent rooms for only 60rm.  The location was central withonly a short distance to walk to get to all the resturants, including the new garden walk type eating place, and the port.  While one night there was very noisy due to construction work and the bath water ran rusty at the start, we were given a nights stay free to make up for it, so overall it was a good place to stay.
A pondok (shelter) near Laban Rata; The summit sign; One of the pitcher plants that can be found on the mountain.  Thanks to Boudwijn for these pics
A very wet boatman and some woman who didn't appreciate the spray.
Borneo is a fantastic island.  I have to come back here as I didn't see half of the place and there is so much to do.  The Malaysian part of Borneo is where I went- its made of two states: Sarawak and Sabah.