So this is it. The eve of our last day in Borneo; the end of the expedition of my life.
I managed a bit of a lie in this morning until about 7:30, although I did wake up several times earlier and have to force myself back to sleep. We had the same old issues with either a stifling hot room or freezing cold air con in the early hours of the morning as we've come to discover is often the case in hostels here!
We were allowed to get up in our own time, with all of us being up and about by 8 and out into the city shortly after 9. After successfully drying out my still-wet trainers from yesterday with a hairdryer, we set off.
We spent all morning wandering around the shops and stocking up on souvenirs and gifts for everyone. I've now managed to accumulate 7 pairs of local-style cotton trousers in total - I couldn't resist! Along with plenty of key rings, fridge magnets, several bracelets, a couple of bags, a wooden owl and two wooden geckos, I was pretty much there with all the gifts. So we all headed to Pizza Hut for lunch as a treat for our last day, and despite the horrendously long wait for the food to arrive, it was well worth it!
Then, after lunch, several of us girls decided to continue with the theme of treating ourselves and so together with Gemma and Anna, I set off for a manicure for the first time in my life! For some reason, Matt decided to come with us and sit there waiting for us to finish, but as we were taken into a different room which was separated from the reception by a curtain, he was left completely by himself for about 40 minutes until we were all finished. When we came out he looked utterly drained, it really was pretty funny! We'd interestingly had to change into flip-flops (which they called slippers) before we could enter - probably something to do with the Malaysian custom of taking your shoes off before entering most buildings (except shops etc).
Then there was just time to do a bit more shopping before heading back to the hostel for a shower. Rosie lent me some conditioner she had left over, and honestly, conditioner for the first time in a month felt so good!!
We headed back out into the city again for dinner, which was in an Italian (?!) restaurant by the waterfront. The sun was just setting as we got there and it was so beautiful to see it in this country for the last time, sinking and reflecting in the water across the harbour.
Dinner was beautiful: spaghetti carbonara. Really good spaghetti carbonara - no other words necessary. It was a really lovely meal to be our last one together in Borneo. Everyone was so bubbly and cheery and glad to be together, and the whole thing was weirdly emotional as we've all grown so close together over the past months and it's felt like we've been here together for so long that there actually being an end feels so wrong!
At the end of our meal we all went to take group photos and I was at the back so, together with several others, I stood on my seat in order to be seen. For one of the photos we were told to raise our hands in the air, and me being me, of course I had to end the last day in Borneo with a Sophie saga... So as I raised my hands in the air, I hit the moving ceiling fan... Luckily I removed my hand very quickly, so it was only a minor incident with no real damage done, but my shout of 'Ow!' was enough to turn everyone's heads, and soon - as soon as everyone realised that I wasn't hurt - we were all in hysterics. Way to go to end the trip in true Sophie style!!
All that was left to do was to make our way back to the hostel for the last time and complete some last bits of packing, and now, ready for bed, we're all sitting out on the balcony together, gradually getting sleepy and, one by one, disappearing to bed...
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