Farewell to Andrew and the Tickners

Leaving on the boat from Manana

I can't believe how quiet my house seems after returning from the airport. It has been over five weeks since I have been on my own and I've just said goodbye to Hazel and Pascal tonight after their short, but exciting, visit to Sabah. Andrew left on Friday on his way back to East Timor and despite how far it is from France it seemed very "normal" to be able to welcome our best friends to Sabah. Hazel and Pascal took it all in their stride even though it was their first visit outside Europe. We managed to do a huge circuit of Sabah involving a combination of me working and then taking two days leave and the weekend.

Mount Kinabalu

 Hazel had bought the Lonely Planet Guide to Borneo which was great for filling in details and facts and interesting also to read what they thought about places I knew quite well. Anyway we slept in chalets, lodges, dorms and a longhouse which were all charming in their own way and I think Hazel and Pascal seemed to appreciate each one for their different virtues. We managed to have a very lucky and thrilling time at the Kinabatangan River managing to see orang-utans, elephants and proboscis monkeys, not to mention hornbills, kingfishers,snakes and a tiny crocodile. If that wasn't enough for one day we went to the Gomantong Caves and saw a mother and baby orang-utan travelling through the trees and then another one on the way back. It was more that we could have wished for and I'm so glad we saw them. Having seen five orang-utans in the wild we decided to skip the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok and just go to the new Sunbear Sanctuary and then finish the afternoon with  a visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre which we could have easily spent a day in.

Aperos at Sabah Tea Garden

A teenager elephant

On the way back we managed to stop in Ranau and even wander around the wonderful Saturday market and say hello to my vegetable stall lady. We returned to Tuaran having travelled many kilometres but in the week I think Hazel and Pascal managed to see the mangroves, sea, beaches, mountains, rivers and jungle and many mammals, birds, fish, insects and reptiles. 

Proboscis monkeys

Sunbear

Hazel and Pascal and their three children have lived near us in Normandie for many years with our children growing up together. Hazel and I would do gym classes together every Wednesday and have a weekly catch up of what was going on in each other's lives. They are a part of our family and also a very talented couple .We all love going to  their house as not only is Hazel an excellent cook but grows her own vegetables and has a wonderful garden. Pascal is an expert on the barbeque, a carpenter by trade and continually perfecting the house and garden too with deckings and garages etc....they make us feel tired thinking about all they achieve!! They also happen to be the kindest, 

loyal and most steadfast of friends we could have and they have helped us out out on too many occasions to count. Bon voyage dear friends and see you soon in Normandie,,,,, only 5 weeks before the wedding!

Paganakan Dii  Resort Sepilok