Monday 6th July

3:00pm

I'm sitting here relaxing in the sun with a couple of the others. There's several of us who aren't diving, but the ones who are still going ahead are currently out at sea, so those of us still on shore have the chance for some much-needed relaxation time.
     This morning we slept in and only just woke up in time for breakfast, so it was a bit of rush for us all! However, breakfast was a nice surprise of baked beans on toast, so I'm glad we made it! In the morning I took the opportunity to do my first lot of washing as well, which was definitely an experience (and I admit that I probably shouldn't have left it this long - all my clothes barely fit in the bucket...). A lot of the mud from the project work hasn't come out, but I think we've all accepted that being a bit dirty is just a fact of life on this expedition!
      I sat for a bit on the jetty too and just looked out to the sea, which is such an incredible sight. The sea is beautiful, but it's marred a little by the rubbish which can always be seen floating around on the surface. At home you never really think about it, but out here, when you're faced with what should be one of the most beautiful places on earth, you can't help but notice that humans are destroying it.
     Later in the morning seven of us went sea kayaking. I was in a kayak with Miles and we steamed ahead of the others (I'd like to think it was down to my efforts, but we all know it was most likely completely down to Miles). We followed the edge of the island round, and it was great fun, just drifting along on the endless sea, past the coastline full of jungle. We weren't out for too long though as we were going against the current and it was tiring work. I managed to scrape my leg all down the side of the boat as I got out when we were back in shore, which is a bit painful, but worth it!
   After lunch we sat in the main cabin and began to write 'Sophie's Sagas' - a record of all my little misfortunes throughout the trip so far, so that I can laugh at them rather than dwell on the negatives. Everyone finds it quite funny, so at least I'm providing some entertainment!

Sunday 5th July

8:25pm

So after dinner last night (complete with waffles for dessert) we headed back to the hostel where we were allowed to stay up until 11:00pm (what a privilege) as the next morning was going to be much more relaxed, so we all sat up together chatting on the communal balcony until we all drifted off to bed.

This morning we were ready by 8:30 when we were picked up by the dive company and taken to the marina where we got on the boat to Gaya. Being on the boat was lovely; it was so sunny and we were skipping along the waves with the breeze in our faces and everyone was smiling and laughing. I could have stayed on the boat all day long!
      When we arrived and clambered off of the boat onto the jetty we were briefed about life here on the island and what we'd be doing over the next couple of days. We quickly put our bags into our tents and then headed over to the main cabin where we met the diving instructors and went through all of the basics of what we'd be doing and the skills we'd need for our first confined and open water dives. Then we got kitted up, finding the right size fins and BCDs etc. Split into groups of four, we were each assigned an instructor and then one pair from each group headed off to the sea to begin. Gemma and I chose to go second so we had a while to sit around and enjoy the sun in our swimming gear.
     After lunch, it was our turn. We went through the procedures again and then headed out into the sea. I was so, so nervous. I've wanted to learn to dive for nearly as long as I can remember, and finally the moment was here... So, typical me, I panicked BIG TIME. I started crying, shaking, and just couldn't do it. In my head, I'd always thought that the confined dives would be carried out in a nice clear, still swimming pool, just as I'd always seen it done in England. But here it was all done in the sea, and even though it was shallow, the weather had turned so it was really choppy, and the water became really murky where the sand was all disturbed, so it was stupidly hard to see and even to stay upright! I think it was mainly the fact that it was so different from how I'd imagined it in my head that threw me so much. It was all happening really quick - I literally felt like I'd been thrown in at the deep end.
      I tried again and again to get used to it and carry on, but I couldn't get used to breathing through the regulator. Gemma's a complete waterbaby so she fell in love with it as soon as she was in the sea, whizzing straight through all the exercises and skills whilst I was still trying to learn how to breathe. I didn't want to hold her back, and I was just growing more and more frustrated with myself, so I came back in.
     At first I was really upset because I couldn't understand how I'd wanted to do it for so long, yet as soon as I tried, I struggled immediately. But in the end, I calmed down, because at the end of the day, I did try, and I guess some things just aren't for everyone.
     After a shower, we all watched the diving videos and were given our theory books, so this evening I've read through all of the theory and helped everyone to answer all the questions. I already knew some of the stuff from various discussions I've had about diving with Dad, so I felt like I was achieving something at least by being able to help the others.
    Now, after dinner, we're all sitting in the main cabin together, overlooking the beach. It's pitch black, but you can just see the lights of Kota Kinabalu in the distance across the water.

Saturday 4th July

5:50pm

Another thunderstorm last night, the biggest yet. It was a weird mixture of being really enjoyable to lie there in bed and listen to it, and being really scary as it genuinely sounded like the bamboo walls of the longhouse were about to collapse! I slept pretty well in the end though; despite the bed being just a tiny bit of sponge for a mattress and a blanket, it's actually surprisingly comfortable.
      We trekked down to Tinangol for project work again this morning. Today we walked further, past the centre of the village and into the jungle itself to collect rocks from the river to put on top of the last section of the water tank. Placing them there is the job of the next group though, so our role was just to collect them and transport them back to the village. We got a chain going, passing the rocks up in buckets, so we were pretty efficient and even surprised the camp staff. Then we had to wheelbarrow them back to the main project site in the centre of the village, and that was us done for the morning.
     We headed back to camp for lunch. I was given a lift back down so I could save some energy. Being first back also meant that I got first dibs for the showers! After lunch it was time to pack up all our stuff as our time at Tinangol was already done.
    At 1:00pm we left camp, starting the journey back to Kota Kinabalu where we're now staying in a hostel (Travellers Light) for the night. We've just been for a wander around the nearby parts of the city before dinner, which was interesting as it was the first time we've been able to get out and about and explore our surroundings for ourselves.
    Now we're just waiting for dinner, which is at a nearby restaurant just down the road from the hostel.

Friday 3rd July

6:15pm

Today has been exhausting, and that is a severe under-exaggeration. Up at 6:00am, bright and early, and at 8:00am we began the 30-40min walk to the project site in the centre of Tinangol village. Before starting any work, Kenny took us on a tour of the village and its three main longhouses, where all of the residents live. I know its cliché, but seeing how little the people here have and yet how happy they are really is eye-opening. The villagers are all really friendly, eager to wave and say hello, especially the children who want nothing more than to play with you; to be hugged or picked up and whirled around. And the smiles on their faces as they laugh excitedly with a toy as simple as a piece of cloth...
     The project work itself involved weeding the area on top of the new water tanks being built for the villagers, and levelling it out with stones and then gravel. Lots of lifting and carrying back and forth! We had our first experience of a tropical thunderstorm last night (which was actually really soothing to drift off to sleep to), and again during the project work, but to be honest we were all grateful for it as the rain was refreshing and made the physical work a lot easier. Many of us didn't even bother with our raincoats after a while as it wasn't at all cold, and we soon got used to it.
     By the afternoon we were all soaked to the skin, but none of us cared. After lunch we took part in a bead-making session, creating our own traditional Malaysian bracelets from seeds and beads. It took a while to get your head around the process, but once you did it was simple enough, even if it did take ages to finish. As everyone was finishing their bracelets at different speeds, we played games with some of the local children before heading back to camp once everyone was ready.
     By this time we were all really tired and the rain had stopped, quickly followed by the sun coming out again with a vengeance, so the walk back to camp was a lot harder than it had been in the morning. It was mostly uphill and rough terrain, and I had to stop to rest for a little while, but with some help I eventually made it back, and I have never been more grateful for a shower in my life.

8:30pm

Dinner was spaghetti bolognese and was delicious. All of the food here has been pretty good so far, if a little repetitive (even two days in we're all getting used to chicken and rice in various forms for breakfast, lunch and dinner!)
    I'm currently sat in long sleeves and trousers, as that what's recommended in the evenings to try and escape the mosquitoes, but I am absolutely boiling hot still - it must still be at least 30°C. So far I've managed to avoid any mosquito bites; I know I haven't been here long at all, but some people are already well and truly munched.
     After dinner we had a Malay lesson where Kenny taught us some basic conversational skills that we can use throughout our expedition.
      Selamat datang - Welcome
      Selamat pagi - Good morning (dawn until 12:00)
      Selamat tengahari - Good afternoon (12:00-1:00)
      Selamat petang - Good afternoon/evening (1:00-sunset)
      Selamat malam - Good night
      Selamat tinggal - Goodbye
      Selamat jalan - Safe journey/see you soon
      Terima kasih - Thank you
      Sama-sama - You're welcome
      Apa khabar? - How are you?
      Bagus! - All good!
      Siapa nama kamu? - What's your name?
      Nama saya... - My name is...

Hopefully I'll be able to remember some of it on my journey! All the villagers try and speak English to you, including the children, so it will be nice to try and speak to them in their language in return.

Thursday 2nd July

Singapore 9:05am

I survived a 12 hour flight!! Eventually, shattered but relieved, we arrived in Singapore.Only to walk straight through the airport and onto the next flight. Chaos ensued at security as all the regulations are different here (not very helpful) so I had my nail scissors confiscated from my hand luggage. I was tired and just a little ratty...cue 'If I've survived a 12 hour flight without stabbing anyone I think I could have survived another 2 hours!!' speech.
     It's a lot of travelling and waiting around with not very much to do, but it will be worth it. We should arrive in Kota Kinabalu about 11:00am and then it's a 4 hour drive to Camp Tinangol. I keep thinking about the moment when we arrive in Tinangol and the camp is before us, and I'll know that that is what it has all been building up to, and after 20 months, I'm finally there!

Borneo - Kota Kinabalu 2:00pm

At long last, we're here in Borneo. There's still the 3-4 hour drive down to Tinangol, but at last we're in the country we've longed to be in for so long. We've just started the drive, after getting through the airport and stopping for lunch at the waterfront here in KK. The first thing that you cannot help but notice is the heat. On the air-conditioned coach it's okay, but outside in the glare of the sun is a whole other story. It's so sticky and clammy and HOT. I'm sure I'll begin to acclimatise soon enough over the next couple of days (or at least, I hope I will) but sitting outside to eat lunch, it quickly became unbearable for us all and we soon had to seek shade.
     I'm quite anxious to get to camp; all of us are getting restless of constantly being on the move, but it isn't long now. Next stop: Camp Tinangol.

Camp Tinangol 8:50pm

We got to camp about 5 this evening and met the camp manager, Kenny, and the rest of the staff before settling into our accommodation. The sudden change in environment and facilities is a bit of a shock to us all, but the camp is really nice. No hot water here, but that's really not going to be an issue - for the first time in my life I enjoyed a cold shower this evening!! The staff are really lovely and welcoming too, and there's a couple of  volunteer staff from England who did exactly what we're doing last year, so it's comforting to have someone who can relate to you.
     After dinner we were treated to a welcome dance from the Rengen tribe (also known as the Head Hunters). First we watched the performance, which took place in the girls' longhouse, and then we had to join in ourselves together with the dancers to signal our friendship. At the end we were all presented with a bead necklace each.
     Finally, it feels real, after all this time. And tomorrow we're onto the project work, where the hard graft begins!

Wednesday 1st July

It's 3:00am and I'm climbing out of bed very reluctantly. Of course I'm excited about this expedition, but I know that it won't properly sink in for a while yet, probably not until I'm actually in camp, gazing at the new-found country around me. It feels like a lifetime ago that I signed up - I suppose it kind of was a lifetime ago in a way because my life has changed a lot since that moment. In October 2013, I'd only just met some of the people who today I call my best friends; the whole process of applying to university and cramming day after day in the hope of achieving those grades was still far ahead of me.
But now it's all happened.
Now, today is finally here.
And today, the biggest adventure of my life so far is fast approaching.


UK 4:30pm/ Singapore 11:30pm

I've been sat on the plane for about four and a half hours now. Typical me, I've spent much of it asleep, but I've squeezed a film in too. Time differences always confuse me, and this is my first experience of a significant time difference. I can't quite get my head around the fact that whilst on one side of the world people are only just rubbing the sleep from their eyes, on the other side of the world they're already fast asleep. I know the time difference will also make me feel further from home, because I can't mirror everyone's actions, imagining my parents eating breakfast at the same time as me. But I'll be okay!
     I knew that I would find just getting through the airport difficult, because I always do (although I wasn't expecting a nosebleed as well!) I hate airports: the crowds; the noise; the unknown. But everyone was really good, helping me through, and I managed to avoid any tears until I was sat down on the plane itself (I've never been on a plane this big) - I think by that point they were tears of relief though!
     It took me a little while to get used to the usual claustrophobic feeling which accompanies being on an aeroplane, but it's alright now. Just a case of waiting around in this tin can in the sky for a few more hours! We're due in Singapore at around midnight UK time, which is 7 in the morning in Singapore. Then it's more waiting around for the next plane to arrive, and then it's on to Borneo.
     I'm super tired already of course. I knew that I would be, even with the hours I've caught up on on the journey. I think that will be one of the hardest things about this expedition for me: learning to push myself whilst coping with my fatigue, and learning not to push myself too far at the same time.
     I know one day in the future I'll look back on July 2015 as one of the best months of my life, so I guess now it's time to go out there and make the memories in order for that to happen...

   

Back in England!

Having now returned from my expedition to Borneo (which absolutely flew by and did not feel like a whole month at all!), it's time to use the diary I kept whilst 7,000 miles away to write about what I got up to during the month so that my friends and family can read for themselves exactly what the expedition involved.

So read on to find out more!