BORNEO (4/14): The Long Journey & Jetlag

07:37, Standard Malaysian Time (SMT)...

We landed, at long last, in Kuala Lumpur at 06:30. It was surprising that dawn hadn't yet broken. We had left the plane and were wandering around in the terminal, waiting for our onward flight to Borneo when Hugh, the Children Today representative, suggested people amuse themselves and meet up at 07:55. With an hour to spare and in need of a shower, I made my way to the Airport Hotel and paid the equivalent of £3.30 (RM20) for the provision of a towel and use of a shower.

The first thing that strikes you about Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is that it is very modern. Dawn has now broken and there is a man chanting next to me, no doubt rejoicing because God decided to grant us another day on His world! Honestly, this man is nodding his head repeatedly and chanting very loudly. God, someone else has just joined him! It's all part of the culture and I respect that. It's all part of life in this part of the world.

Our onward flight to Kota Kinabalu departs at 08:55. I never thought I would admit it, but I don't want to get on a plane so soon! That shower has done me wonders though. One by one, in the distance, members of the Children Today group are getting together so I better go. Some more interesting facts: the sun rose today at 06:45. At the same time, the temperature was 22 degrees centigrade!

As I look above me, the architecture of this place is awesome. It's a bit like Stansted, but on a much, much larger and grander scale. When we landed here, just over an hour ago, the place was dead. Now, amidst the arrival of several commuter flights from nearby islands, the place is heaving!

21:11, SMT...

The last leg for Borneo took off from Kuala Lumpur at 09:10. The mass of rain forests in Peninsular Malaysia went on for miles, the vegetation denser than any forest I've ever seen before. As the South China Sea cut in, we left the Peninsular behind and headed towards Borneo. At 11:30, a number of islands became visible. Each were surrounded by clear water, sandbars and what looked like coral. The temperature outside the cabin is already 27 degrees centigrade. Is this paradise?

Shortly after 11:30, we landed in Lebuan, an island half an hour South of Kota Kinabalu. There, several native people got off, but the plane quickly filled up again! Malaysian Airlines certainly runs a good system to ensure its flights are booked up well. The service itself has been fantastic, although the Boeing 737's aren't as well equipped as the long-haul 747's for obvious reasons.

In the distance, I can see Borneo. Miles off the coast, you can see the bottom of the Ocean. To the left is an island so small, it has just one shack on it, surrounded by trees and its own beach. It is now 12:23 SMT and we have landed. I am absolutely worn out. All I want is a bed! One more hour and we'll be at the hotel. Thank god!

15:32, SMT...

What can be said of Kota Kinabalu so far? It's certainly a mixture of qualities. Our transfer from the airport was bumpy, but it was interesting to see that they drive on the same side of the road. Even all the traffic lights and signals are the same. It is perhaps a result of Britain's ownership of Borneo in the 19th and 20th centuries. So far, every Malaysian person I've spoken to speaks a reasonable amount of English. The girls over here look so young and innocent and they have what look like the softest, smoothest faces. Likewise, the guys here look well too. The sun probably helps, but it's ironic that where we're from, the sun causes wrinkles!

On the way, we passed a 'stilt village' where the poor establish homes over water to avoid taxation which they would be liable to pay if they purchased land on which to built their homes. Apparently, there are no regulations to tax home owners of water. I can actually imagine the impracticalities!

The hotel itself is fantastic. With a temperature of 27 degrees centigrade, the hotel pool looked appealling. It was disappointing when the water turned out to be warmer than the air itself. So, Troy (my assigned room mate) and I went to try out the beach, just metres away. That was even warmer! To be honest, I'm peed off by this. To make matters just slightly worse, it has done nothing but pour down with rain since about 14:00. Apparently, it rains every day this time of year which is something the travel guides didn't tell me!

As this very moment, the sky has darkened and a blazing thunderstorm is in progress. The lightning isn't brief. It's continuously electrifying, lasting several seconds at a time. The thunderclap itself is severe; I can feel the rumble through the desk I'm writing on in our seventh floor hotel room. The view from the wide window was good, until the storm kicked in! It is now 15:55 and all the lights are on in the apartment. The windows overlooking the harbour, swimming pool and neighbouring islands have steamed up which goes some way to illustrating just how humid it is here right now.

Troy, my room mate, is thirty. He seems all right though and there is an orientation meeting at 19:00 tonight so people can get acquainted. I'll write more then. I don't feel jet lagged yet, but I'm bound to sleep well tonight.

21:17, SMT...

I've now been up twenty-six hours and I don't feel tired. I'm also afraid to go to sleep in case I sleepwalk. I've told Emma Leaman, the charity representative, in case anything should happen. My priority is to enjoy myself, though I feel detached from humanity at the moment. There was a meeting earlier to welcome everyone to Borneo, followed by a traditional Borneo dinner. During the meeting, I enlisted the help of Sharon from Poole who was happy to lip-speak for me. To have to ask a stranger for this kind of help makes me feel so inadequate, especially when she's a bit of a babe! I've spoken to Emma about my embarrassment, but she told me not to worry, that everyone was bewildered by the timetable of what was in store for us.

Whenever I feel this way, I tend to shut myself away from the world. That is why I'm writing to you right now. It's 21:30 and I'm in my room, on my own, thousands of miles from home. On the dresser was an envelope addressed to myself. In it, there was a fax from my Mum, confirming receipt of my fax to her earlier that evening. How I wanted to be at home that very minute! I can't believe I've only been away from home for thirty-odd hours. It feels like a week and I only hope that when I wake up tomorrow that I'm in a better mood. The feeling of inadequacy is overwhelming, difficult for anyone to imagine. As I approach my 23rd birthday on the 14th of April, I want to feel better about myself, feel more secure when I'm away from my loved ones. It's true that you can't choose your family, but I wouldn't want anyone else! It's still raining outside which doesn't alleviate the mood, does it?