Loo's in Kota Kinabalu April 21st 2012

Shopping Mall

On the Loo...

There seems to be some metabolic disagreement this morning, better hang around here for a bit and see how this go's. It's only the third time in 4 months so by Asian standards I reckon that's not too bad! I think it was some water from a dispenser that I was assured is safe - well it probably is for the locals, but once again I let my guard down and here we are, on the loo!

Midday, things seem to be ok, more settled anyway. Better get some food then perhaps go to the beach if all is ok. Bus station is about a 20 minute hike from here. All roads lead there or connect to others that end up there so doesn't really matter which one I take.  Plenty of covered walkways In case of a downpour, and it looks a distinct possibility. Uh Oh, I need a toilet! Thankfully a shopping mall is never far away and ducking into Centrepoint here is actually becoming an urgent necessity. Toilets on the 3rd floor, disgusting and nothing to wipe with, and they still want .20 RM. I can hold on, just enough hopefully to make it up to the next floor. These are even worse, no water to wash with even.  Ok, this is a deteriorating situation as I hurry up to the next and final floor. Bingo, these are relatively nice, English style and clean. Water to wash is available too, and the rest is, well you know.

Filipino Market

Better hang around here for a while. I spotted a Starbucks on the way up, so that's the place to sit around and see what happens next. 3 pm, everything seems fine now since its been a couple of hours since needing the loo. Not really worth going to the beach now, so today's mission is aborted. A walk back to base along the waterfront, have a look at KK life on an early Saturday afternoon. It's all fairly relaxed, locals happy to see a few tourists snapping away happily. There's no aggressive culture, no gangs of youths in hoodies, nothing of that western culture has rubbed off here, thankfully, not that I can notice anyway. 

Further along the waterfront, next to the fish market, is the Filipino market. There is a sizeable community of them here, about  8000 I read on a local website. The vast majority though are here as illegal immigrants and have set up floating villages on the Island just next to KK and also a community of shacks on stilts just over the river towards the airport. A chequered history with these people including drugs, kidnappings and guns. The market seems safe enough though, better hold on to my walet! Food and plenty of it around here. BBQ fish for just over a quid, satay chicken 23p a skewer and 3 slices of peanut pancake for about 20p. They also have a craft market, just beyond the food area, about 20 sheds brimming with trinkets and nicknack's.

Storm clouds gathering as the sun begins to set, making for some rather dramatic photography. Shades of red set against those black storm clouds, it's a sight to behold as lightening forks in the distance. The show lasts for about an hour, just as the last glimmer of sunlight disappears.

Back to base then, and all is well on the medical front and the lesson learnt - never stray too far from a shopping mall!