1/2 Day Trip to Tambunan Rafflesia Centre

Aiseyman...5.30 am!!! Biar betul dorang ni I thought when hubby told me that he will be going to the Tambunan Rafflesia Centre on Wesak day with Chai. It was supposed to be a 1/2 day trip and he asked me to come along. We should be returning to KK around 10 or 11 am.

Chai picked us up at about 6 am and drove to Donggongon Town to meet up with Ron and Hazel to convoy. Along the Penampang bypass road on the way to Donggongon, I saw the sun was about to rise. It was a beautiful scenery and I decided to take my chances. But taking photo from a moving vehicle proves to be a challenge. To make matter worse, the uneven road surface is no help at all. I took one shot.

...the sun was peeking behind the majestic Mount Kinabalu...

When we arrived at 7.20 am, the centre has not opened yet. We were let in by the night security guard who had just finished his shift when we informed him that we wanted to do bird photographing. Luck apparently is not on our best side. The birds seemed to take the public holiday seriously as only a small number of them is around. The hiking up and down the trail also did not produce any desired result. Even the wind is not blowing.


Unlike me, the guys did get a few shots of the birds with the help of Hazel, our Spotter. Not wanting to go home empty handed, I took a few shots that took my fancy.

...attempting to get a good shot of the sun's ray piercing throught the jungle canopy...

...an attempt to get the sun's reflection on the spider's web under a huge fallen log...

But hey, I did get my 1st leech tho. If not for Chai, I would not know that I have it on my shoe. I have never seen one before except in photos.

...the one taken off from my shoe...parental discretion is advised...

After a rather disappointing viewing of the birds at the centre, we did a detour. Chai stumbled upon this place recently.

We had a gall of a time there. Okkkk...let me rephrase that. The guys had a gall of a time. That is another story tho.

We arrived home at around 4pm. I guess the 1/2 day trip was never meant to be...