Yokmil was out again this morning while we raked the platforms, but he kept a safe distance, and one of the Sun Bear rangers was with us as bodyguard. The juveniles pretty much all disappeared this morning. Bidu Bidu is a big fan of moving along the rope in a cartwheel fashion, hand then leg, then hand then leg. Chiquita is back today, and I did the handful of water trick with her - she loved it too, making great big slurping sounds to try and get all the water. In the break we headed over to the cafe at Sepilok to get an iced Milo (which is fast becoming a group tradition). Dato was there sitting at a table with some of the other rangers, and asked me if I would be his girlfriend. Apparently he has been asking after me all week. Sylvia was also there, and said maybe this would be the first volunteer marriage! Unlikely – sorry Dato.

In the afternoon the orangs were all pretty well behaved. Then it started to rain, which they are not keen on. We went and cut some leafy branches and put them on the platforms for them to shelter under. Suddenly, Bidu Bidu decided he wasn't keen, so he ran over and clung onto my leg so hard it was impossible to pry him free. I held a branch over his head for a while, but Amoy said to take him back, as he wouldn't budge. He wouldn't let go of my leg, so I had to try and drag him along with my foot, until he realised we were heading inside and I managed to get him to walk. Steph came to help me wash his hands and feet. When I returned outside, Peanut had hidden under the bench where we sit, and when we tried to take him inside he clung on with every limb, so Amoy said to leave him for a while. It was absolutely pouring by now and he wasn't prepared to go out at all, even just the short distance to the overnight building. He had a rock he kept playing with under the bench, and every now and again one of his hands would shoot up and hold my hand, or my wrist, or the top of my leg. If I looked down he would look straight at me and kept trying to kiss my hand – at one point fitting my whole fist in his mouth! This is why it's important to wear gloves, as hot as they are!

For some reason Peanut never seems to try and snatch your glove off you like the others do. At one stage he decided to play with my right elbow, using one finger to push the loose skin back and forth from side to side – they are so curious. Then, with my other arm, he gripped my elbow from the inside and was digging his fingers in, feeling my tendon. He kept spitting out his little rock and putting it under his armpit.

As we sat there watching the others in the rain, I looked down at his tiny hand gripped around my thigh and I realised how much I am going to miss this rotation. I studied his hand more closely – with his little black fingernails and coarse hair and bumpy skin, covered in dirt from his adventures. The rain eased after ten minutes or so, and I made a move to take him inside. It was still a bit of a struggle to get him to let go of the bench, and when he did he flung himself around my leg and started to climb up to my waist and held on for dear life, which is very unlike him. He clung on around my neck and waist as I carried him along, and refused to have his hands and feet washed outside. So we did it inside with the hose, and I gave him a couple of mouthfuls of water because he loves that so much.

When I put him in his cage he decided to stand up and place his hands on both my shoulders, as if he was hugging me. It's like he knew this was the last time he would see me – and he was looking me straight in the eye as well. All of a sudden I felt really teary. I've become so settled in this experience that I can't imagine leaving it behind right now. Then I gave milk to Chiquita and Peanut. Chiquita was very well behaved – looking at me with those big eyes of hers and opening her mouth in a circle shape in anticipation. Peanut likes to wrap his lips around the entire end of the bottle – I will miss them all very much!

That evening our group (minus Jack, who had left for Semporna) went out for dinner at Lanun Cafe in Sandakan. It was a quirky little place, decorated in a pirate theme. The menu was very unusual, with items like avocado and ice cream, and 'married' dishes (whatever they are!). I ordered a blueberry dragon monkey drink, which was a bit like a blue slush puppy with black tapioca pearls at the bottom, served in a skull glass. The other guys all ordered a freak shake-style drink – and they were massive! There were bits of cake, wafer, chocolate bar and even cereal, all precariously balanced on the top of the glass. For food I ordered pasta with a carbonara flavoured sauce and several crispy prawns on top, and some fries on the side. It was so nice to have pasta!