We decided on a lazy first day in Kota Kinabalu, and after I braved the outdoors to retrieve coffee and snacks, we spent the morning reading and relaxing. Eventually, our need for food outweighed our desire for AC and remaining as horizontal as possible, and we sought out sustenance. A quick walk to one of KK's malls brought us to a delightful dim sum spot (Living Seed), where we grossly over-ordered, unaware that a dish for 4 dollars could be meant to be shared by 4+ people.

On our walk back to the hotel we stopped by the tourism board, half looking for assistance tracking down a tour company that would take us to Pulau Tiga of Survivor season 1 fame, and half to avoid the afternoon downpour that would become a daily occurrence during our stay. Tour companies having already closed for the day (it was 2pm), the tourism board employee (is there a better word for that? concierge?) left us with some numbers to call the following day. 

Back at our hotel, we watched the night market go up from our window in anticipation. 

Only slightly apprehensive of the fortitude of our stomachs we enjoyed: tenghulu (sugar glass coated fruit on a stick), otak otak (leaf wrapped fish cake), apam balik (thin, folded pancakes with peanuts, corn and sugar), and durian (notoriously smelly fruit that is banned from most hotels that you are given gloves to eat!). 

After a short break of tiger beers at a local mexican bar (lol), we returned to the market for some martabak tahu (pancake stuffed tofu) and takoyaki (it's like a savory, spherical pancake). We fell asleep to the sounds of the market below....

And awoke to the night market having been replaced with a day market! If we weren't planning on continuing on for another 350 days, our bags would've runneth over with tchotchkes. The market still of course had food, though less than the previous nights, but it also had pets (dogs, cats, birds, fish), fresh coffee ground with a gas-powered grinder, and a hardware store! 

After perusing the market, our quest to find a tour company began. Having no luck with the phone numbers we received yesterday, we planned a route through the city that would take us by several companies' offices. In addition to bringing us by the waterfront, several food markets, and a craft market, we also got to see the inside of several half-abandoned, very creepy, office buildings. 

No closer to finding a touring company we made our way back towards Gaya street (where our hotel and many affordable and delicious restaurants could be found). Cutting through a smaller mall, we stumbled upon a tour desk that ostensibly had tours to Pulau Tiga! We left our name and number and headed to lunch and the Sabah State Museum while they organized the particulars.

By the time we finished at the museum, the tour company informed us that they wouldn't be able to do Pulau Tiga, but had an island hopping tour available the next day! We went back to finalize it in person, and had our first laundromat experience of the trip after dinner.