This is the holiday that has been wished for many years, been a year in waiting and tomorrow we embark on a very different type of vacation than we have been used to. Gone, for the most part are the sun loungers and flip-flops, to be replaced by heavy walking boots and sweaty tee-shirts. This is going to be Borneo and the hope that we will be able to see orang-utans in their natural surrounds. There are no guarantees, but we travel in hope. Perhaps the only guarantee is that it will be wet, enter a rainforest and it will rain. So we leave Heathrow tomorrow with the expectation that it will rain 24 hours a day, every day and that for all this we will not even see a orang-utan in the wild, after this everything is a bonus.
We have chosen Audley as our tour operator. So far, they have have been thoroughly professional and we hope that when we return to the UK we will be recommending them to all our friends that wish for a similar experience.
I'm not expecting a great deal of internet access, so this blog will not be updated on a daily basis, but more of a place where friends will be able to review our trip and view our pictures without us boring them silly.
First stop, Kuala Lumpur.
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur
Despite the fact that you have barely slept a wink through fear of not hearing the alarm (a physical impossibility given that Ann's phone alarm could be used as a nuclear warning) it still comes as a shock when it sounds at 3.15 a.m.
The day before had been spent making sure that everything was packed and ready to go so that I could indulge myself with the Gillingham v Luton Town fixture. Having set out for Priestfield I was forced to turn around on hearing that the game had been postponed due to fog. This seemed a but surreal as I had encountered no such weather between Marden and Maidstone.
But the weather was real enough for Woody, our taxi driver, to arrive half-an-hour early "just in case". Patchy fog in the rural areas was evident, but the M25 was mostly clear and we arrived at Terminal 3 miles too early, first in the queue in fact. Three quarters of an hour later a couple who had driven down from the Black Country made the line look less of a Billy No Mates convention. It was their first time to Heathrow and they remarked on its vastness. This led into us telling the story of our November fiasco when we had failed to find the car park only for them to report that they had found our infamous Purple Parking with no trouble. Must have fluked it, though the RAC directions does not appear a horrible oversight.
No matter how many times you use it, there still seems something disconcerting about an e-ticket. The old-fashioned ticket has the feel of a legal document whereas an e-ticket is a scruffy piece of paper that you've managed to extract from your home, akin to printing off dodgy fivers. But the system works, so who are we to question, with our dinosaur thoughts.
Twelve hours on a plane is pretty unforgiving if you are over six feet, but the extra leg room afforded on Malaysian made the flight bearable, despite the food being only mediocre.
Malaysia is obviously a more trusting nation than the UK allowing foreigners into their sovereign nation without any filling in of immigration forms. Passport control and customs were similarly relaxed and courteous.
Into the entrance hall and a young lady was there calling out Mr Tomkinson. She was from Audley's ground agents Discovery Overland and we were efficiently whisked to a waiting car and driver. The driver told us that the journey into the city would take an hour, perhaps more if the rush hour traffic was bad. As it happened and with the aid of a new toll road - that our man took great delight in - traffic was fairly easy until the last mile or so. The driver pointed out various sights along the way and whilst we showed interest, such is our bent that the national football stadium got the most excitement.
It was too our embarrassment that on arrival at the hotel we had no smaller denomination ringetts to tip the bloke. Why cannot banks supply a few ones and fives?
The day before had been spent making sure that everything was packed and ready to go so that I could indulge myself with the Gillingham v Luton Town fixture. Having set out for Priestfield I was forced to turn around on hearing that the game had been postponed due to fog. This seemed a but surreal as I had encountered no such weather between Marden and Maidstone.
But the weather was real enough for Woody, our taxi driver, to arrive half-an-hour early "just in case". Patchy fog in the rural areas was evident, but the M25 was mostly clear and we arrived at Terminal 3 miles too early, first in the queue in fact. Three quarters of an hour later a couple who had driven down from the Black Country made the line look less of a Billy No Mates convention. It was their first time to Heathrow and they remarked on its vastness. This led into us telling the story of our November fiasco when we had failed to find the car park only for them to report that they had found our infamous Purple Parking with no trouble. Must have fluked it, though the RAC directions does not appear a horrible oversight.
No matter how many times you use it, there still seems something disconcerting about an e-ticket. The old-fashioned ticket has the feel of a legal document whereas an e-ticket is a scruffy piece of paper that you've managed to extract from your home, akin to printing off dodgy fivers. But the system works, so who are we to question, with our dinosaur thoughts.
Twelve hours on a plane is pretty unforgiving if you are over six feet, but the extra leg room afforded on Malaysian made the flight bearable, despite the food being only mediocre.
Malaysia is obviously a more trusting nation than the UK allowing foreigners into their sovereign nation without any filling in of immigration forms. Passport control and customs were similarly relaxed and courteous.
Into the entrance hall and a young lady was there calling out Mr Tomkinson. She was from Audley's ground agents Discovery Overland and we were efficiently whisked to a waiting car and driver. The driver told us that the journey into the city would take an hour, perhaps more if the rush hour traffic was bad. As it happened and with the aid of a new toll road - that our man took great delight in - traffic was fairly easy until the last mile or so. The driver pointed out various sights along the way and whilst we showed interest, such is our bent that the national football stadium got the most excitement.
It was too our embarrassment that on arrival at the hotel we had no smaller denomination ringetts to tip the bloke. Why cannot banks supply a few ones and fives?
Day One - Kuala Lumpur
The Renaissance are twin 24-storey towers but when you later see them against others they dwarf in comparison. The hotel is beautifully positioned for the stopover of just a couple of days. From our bedroom window, framed in the gap between the East and West Towers was the Kuala Lumpur tower, an edifice that looked as if it was designed with our BT Tower in mind, but higher, much higher. Step outside of the front of the hotel and the Petronas Tower could be seen in all its glory. The night view is absolutely magnificent. A five minute walk away was the monorail station, Bukit Nanas and another couple of minutes to the LRT station Dang Wengi. We used them both and they were cheap and easy to get from A to B.
Ultimately we decided that we could have done with an extra day in KL. On arrival we were both naturally tired from the journey so we opted for a quick nap and that lost the first morning. Some of our problem in KL was self-inflicted as we had drawn on our experience in Bangkok and thought the shopping via the street hawkers would be the same. On the advice of a work colleague we took the monorail a couple of stops to Bukit Bintang, an area of five shopping malls. We needed a few bits for the Borneo leg and hoped that the market stalls would supply them “on the cheap”.Unfortunately there was no market as such, so we wandered around the malls, that were very nice and the prices showed a saving on GB, but were not the cheap and cheerful that we were looking for. We spent a couple of hours browsing, bought a couple of bits and returned to the monorail before the home-bound rush hour took hold. Each of these trains only consist of a couple of carriages, so I would imagine they got sardine-like come the work exodus.
Another catch-up 40 winks and we went to dinner at the Renaissance. Today was Valentines Day, so a lavish buffet with love in mind was the theme, but the toll of journey (and probably the fact that we’ve seen 33 Valentines) was lost on us. Following a good dinner costing RM180 (about £30) a couple, not bad for hotel prices, we stepped outside the hotel to view the illuminated Petronas Towers. By daylight these are impressive, by night they are bloody fantastic. Not sure what it does for global warming, but with a sight like that I didn’t give a fig.
Day Two - Kuala Lumpur
Our last day in KL took us to the Petronas Towers, up the KL Tower and a visit to Chinatown.
We made the short walk to the Towers and it is undoubtedly an awesome structure, Its cladding appears to be made of stainless steel and it gives a great effect.
Tickets are free for the viewing bridge but to obtain one it is necessary to be in queue by 7 a.m. This we were not prepared to do and opted to pay the fee at the KL Tower instead.
The interior of the Petronas Towers was like Bluewater but multiplied by at least two and the trouble with KL and shopping is that it sucks you in and chews up your time. To be honest, whilst it is very classy it was a bit like John Lewis’ - a bit mundane after the first 20 minutes, unless you have pots of money to spend in very up-market, designer stores.
We walked to the KL Tower and at its foot there is a free shuttle bus that takes you to its entrance and we were glad of it as it is some hill to negotiate. On paying our fee we found that at the age of 55 we were classified as senior citizens and entitled to a RM3 (50p) reduction. Our first-ever OAP concession! The elevator whisks you up the 50-odd storeys to the viewing gallery at a speed that made my ears pop on the way down.
It was a clear day and we could see the sprawl of towering buildings for miles. Probably the only disappointment is that the Petronas Towers are viewed side-on which lessens their effect.
From the KL Tower we walked to Dang Wengi subway for a couple of stops ride to Chinatown where we alighted at Putra Seni. A kindly lady pointed us in the direction of Central Market and Chinatown itself as we peered into a map outside the station.
Central Market was a sort of mall of craft shops, a pleasant walk round, but we bought nothing. A Chinese warrior caught our eye but the RM1290 price tag certainly didn’t.
A short walk into Chinatown brought us a different dimension of shopping. Here was the hustle and bustle of the street sellers. The latest releases on DVD, all the top brands, Addidas to Reebok, shirts to shoes, luggage and watches, Rolex to Timex - all, of course, FAKE. But we have learned from Thailand that fake doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality. I’ve “Lacoste” shirts that have been washed endlessly for the past five years and are still in good nick. So armed with this confidence I bought half-a-dozen more at prices ranging from £3 to a scandalous £7, some flashy Lacoste sneekers for a tenner, whilst Ann indulged herself with a Gucci handbag and wallet.
It is rather to our shame that in the heart of Chinatown we spotted a Swiss Hotel and chose to eat burger and chips which was nice enough but hardly in keeping.
As said before, we got sucked in by the shopping and could have done with an extra day for more cultural sightseeing.
Overall we liked KL. Making a comparison with Bangkok it was far cleaner and less polluted. Chinatown was wonderful fun with its bustle and the Petronas Towers will live in the memory.
We made the short walk to the Towers and it is undoubtedly an awesome structure, Its cladding appears to be made of stainless steel and it gives a great effect.Tickets are free for the viewing bridge but to obtain one it is necessary to be in queue by 7 a.m. This we were not prepared to do and opted to pay the fee at the KL Tower instead.
The interior of the Petronas Towers was like Bluewater but multiplied by at least two and the trouble with KL and shopping is that it sucks you in and chews up your time. To be honest, whilst it is very classy it was a bit like John Lewis’ - a bit mundane after the first 20 minutes, unless you have pots of money to spend in very up-market, designer stores.
We walked to the KL Tower and at its foot there is a free shuttle bus that takes you to its entrance and we were glad of it as it is some hill to negotiate. On paying our fee we found that at the age of 55 we were classified as senior citizens and entitled to a RM3 (50p) reduction. Our first-ever OAP concession! The elevator whisks you up the 50-odd storeys to the viewing gallery at a speed that made my ears pop on the way down.
It was a clear day and we could see the sprawl of towering buildings for miles. Probably the only disappointment is that the Petronas Towers are viewed side-on which lessens their effect.
From the KL Tower we walked to Dang Wengi subway for a couple of stops ride to Chinatown where we alighted at Putra Seni. A kindly lady pointed us in the direction of Central Market and Chinatown itself as we peered into a map outside the station.
Central Market was a sort of mall of craft shops, a pleasant walk round, but we bought nothing. A Chinese warrior caught our eye but the RM1290 price tag certainly didn’t.
A short walk into Chinatown brought us a different dimension of shopping. Here was the hustle and bustle of the street sellers. The latest releases on DVD, all the top brands, Addidas to Reebok, shirts to shoes, luggage and watches, Rolex to Timex - all, of course, FAKE. But we have learned from Thailand that fake doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality. I’ve “Lacoste” shirts that have been washed endlessly for the past five years and are still in good nick. So armed with this confidence I bought half-a-dozen more at prices ranging from £3 to a scandalous £7, some flashy Lacoste sneekers for a tenner, whilst Ann indulged herself with a Gucci handbag and wallet.
It is rather to our shame that in the heart of Chinatown we spotted a Swiss Hotel and chose to eat burger and chips which was nice enough but hardly in keeping.
As said before, we got sucked in by the shopping and could have done with an extra day for more cultural sightseeing.
Overall we liked KL. Making a comparison with Bangkok it was far cleaner and less polluted. Chinatown was wonderful fun with its bustle and the Petronas Towers will live in the memory.
Day Three - Kota Kinabalu
Legs were a bit weary from Kuala Lumpur so we looked forward to something less frenetic in Kota Kinabalu, our first entry point in Borneo.
True to form as the plane touched down it was absolutely slatting it down with rain. Once again there was no problem as a young man from KK Tours was there to steer us out of a airport under major renovation.
The drive down to the Rasa Ria was done in varying degrees of rain from a minimum of heavy through to torrential rain - welcome to Borneo - or as the locals would say Selamat Datang.
Shangri-La Rasa Ria is a quality hotel. Our room was certainly the best in which we’ve stayed. A double bed so massive you needed a loud-hailer to say goodnight to each other.
It rained pretty much all day and al fresco eating under cover does not have the same appeal in such conditions.
Bed was quickly the order of the day as everything was catching up with us.
True to form as the plane touched down it was absolutely slatting it down with rain. Once again there was no problem as a young man from KK Tours was there to steer us out of a airport under major renovation.
The drive down to the Rasa Ria was done in varying degrees of rain from a minimum of heavy through to torrential rain - welcome to Borneo - or as the locals would say Selamat Datang.
Shangri-La Rasa Ria is a quality hotel. Our room was certainly the best in which we’ve stayed. A double bed so massive you needed a loud-hailer to say goodnight to each other.
It rained pretty much all day and al fresco eating under cover does not have the same appeal in such conditions.
Bed was quickly the order of the day as everything was catching up with us.
Day Four - Kota Kinabalu
Today was to be the first day to catch sight of orang-utans.
After a leisurely morning spent gazing out onto the well-kept grounds and keeping a watchful eye on the weather, which of course was rain. But it was mostly quite light for which we were keeping our fingers crossed as our viewing at the Rasa Ria Nature Reserve could be cancelled if it got harder. Thankfully it did not.
The Nature Reserve is Stage One in the rehabilitation of rescued young orangs. At present it is home to seven, which is only one short of its maximum. It is an area of forest in which the animals roam at their own discretion. Only the youngest of the seven is brought back to a pen at night. There are two feedings per day at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and you trust your luck to nature whether any of the orangs turn up. We had three that swung down from the trees, one of which was a complete showman and entertained with various acts, one of which rather rude!! They feed until satisfied and then disappear into the forest. For a first look it was exhilarating and worth the RM100 per couple entrance fee.
From this Nature Reserve and after up to seven years the young orangs will graduate to Sepilok, our next port of call.
A couple of drinks and a much more enjoyable meal brought to an end our rest and relaxation at the Rasa Ria - now on to our real reason for being in Borneo.
After a leisurely morning spent gazing out onto the well-kept grounds and keeping a watchful eye on the weather, which of course was rain. But it was mostly quite light for which we were keeping our fingers crossed as our viewing at the Rasa Ria Nature Reserve could be cancelled if it got harder. Thankfully it did not.
The Nature Reserve is Stage One in the rehabilitation of rescued young orangs. At present it is home to seven, which is only one short of its maximum. It is an area of forest in which the animals roam at their own discretion. Only the youngest of the seven is brought back to a pen at night. There are two feedings per day at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and you trust your luck to nature whether any of the orangs turn up. We had three that swung down from the trees, one of which was a complete showman and entertained with various acts, one of which rather rude!! They feed until satisfied and then disappear into the forest. For a first look it was exhilarating and worth the RM100 per couple entrance fee.
From this Nature Reserve and after up to seven years the young orangs will graduate to Sepilok, our next port of call.
A couple of drinks and a much more enjoyable meal brought to an end our rest and relaxation at the Rasa Ria - now on to our real reason for being in Borneo.
Day Five - Sandakan
We always realised that there would be mistakes made on this trip, our first holiday off the sunbed. The first one surfaced when packing for the seven days away from the Rasa Ria. The two rucksacks we had brought were far from adequate and we had to buy a new large one from the hotel shop. Toiletries come in such large bottles these days and consumed far too much space - must buy smaller bottles next time.
As ever KK Tours were there bang on time to take us to the airport for the 40 minute flight and their young lady took us right through to departures. At the departure gate was half-a-plane load of young men with identical haircuts and white shirts, we later found out they were cadets entering their national service.
A domestic flight into Sandakan meant no immigration to pass through and as ever the luggage carousel was the only time delay. We walked out onto the front of their airport to meet our first hiccup, no driver/guide was waiting for us. There was no initial panic, but 10 minutes later when we were the only couple still waiting thoughts turned to what do we do now?
The mobile phone was useless getting some obscure message back. My thoughts were to ask a policeman, Ann’s was to ask a mobile phone shop to make the call. Almost from nowhere a Good Samaritan appeared and asked if we had a problem. We told him the situation and within ten minutes our ride had arrived. Evidently a bit of paperwork had gone astray. Safely inside the minibus and on our way to Sepilok Nature Resort the previous half-hour was quickly forgotten.
The chalet at Sepilok was clean and tidy with all the basic facilities including air conditioning. Naturally enough it was tipping it down on arrival. The chalets and restaurant overlook a river that provides a picturesque setting. Arrival at three in the afternoon through to dinner at seven leaves four hours with very little to do. So a cool beer watching the river go by might have been perfect but no alcohol is served. With the rain having stopped we walked across to the Jungle Lodge where they sold tins of Calsberg. The sale of alcohol was about the only redeeming feature of the Jungle, that certainly lacked the quality of the Nature Resort.
A better than expected meal ended with a first meeting with a couple of 60-plus ladies with stories to burn. Jules and Jan became very good company for the next couple of days.
As ever KK Tours were there bang on time to take us to the airport for the 40 minute flight and their young lady took us right through to departures. At the departure gate was half-a-plane load of young men with identical haircuts and white shirts, we later found out they were cadets entering their national service.
A domestic flight into Sandakan meant no immigration to pass through and as ever the luggage carousel was the only time delay. We walked out onto the front of their airport to meet our first hiccup, no driver/guide was waiting for us. There was no initial panic, but 10 minutes later when we were the only couple still waiting thoughts turned to what do we do now?
The mobile phone was useless getting some obscure message back. My thoughts were to ask a policeman, Ann’s was to ask a mobile phone shop to make the call. Almost from nowhere a Good Samaritan appeared and asked if we had a problem. We told him the situation and within ten minutes our ride had arrived. Evidently a bit of paperwork had gone astray. Safely inside the minibus and on our way to Sepilok Nature Resort the previous half-hour was quickly forgotten.
The chalet at Sepilok was clean and tidy with all the basic facilities including air conditioning. Naturally enough it was tipping it down on arrival. The chalets and restaurant overlook a river that provides a picturesque setting. Arrival at three in the afternoon through to dinner at seven leaves four hours with very little to do. So a cool beer watching the river go by might have been perfect but no alcohol is served. With the rain having stopped we walked across to the Jungle Lodge where they sold tins of Calsberg. The sale of alcohol was about the only redeeming feature of the Jungle, that certainly lacked the quality of the Nature Resort.
A better than expected meal ended with a first meeting with a couple of 60-plus ladies with stories to burn. Jules and Jan became very good company for the next couple of days.
Day 6 - Turtle Island National Park, Selingan
An early breakfast at the Nature Resort with a monitor lizard providing the cabaret. Was it two foot, was it four, well Ann is prone to exaggeration!
The rain of the previous day and night had led to fears that our trip to Turtle Island might have to be cancelled. The previous days’ guests had been turned around three-quarters of the way across as the rough sea was becoming dangerous. Today, surprise, it was raining, but at least it was still.
At 7.30 a.m. our guide from yesterday, Glenn, arrived with our personal guide for the next four days, Joanne. Se was relatively (to us) young, we later discovered she was 28 and had been a guide for eight years.
We drove down into Sandakan and parked up. Joanne suggested we take a short walk as we had 15 minutes to kill. When we returned the car had a parking ticket, a fine of about 8p!
The speedboat ride took us past a stilted village before getting choppy about half-way across. A few big waves had to be rode before it became a more manageable swell. Our arrival at Turtle Island signalled the beginning of the long wait.
The object of Turtle Island from the tourist viewpoint is to watch turtles nesting and then to release hatchlings back to the sea. This doesn’t happen until after nightfall so having arrived on the island at 10.30 a.m. there was a lot of time to kill. Fortunately it had stopped raining and was turning out rather nice. A walk around the island killed 20 minutes and following lunch the weather was sufficiently favourable to sit on the beach for a couple of hours with a little nap in the sun taking the sting out of the early start. At 1800 the beach becomes out of bounds for anybody other than the Rangers for 12 hours. A beer on the verandah of the chalets with some Danish neighbours consumed the rest of the time before dinner.
The chalets are adequate, but with only cold showers and a trickle of water coming from the sink tap it was a quick splash the chosen method of cleansing. A film about the turtles and the work being done on the island was shown before dinner which was nice enough given the simple nature of the facilities and then 49 people with a few children included began the waiting game. On a board there was the details of the landings and releases, but this showed a date 4 or 5 days previous when two turtles had landed and nested laying 76 eggs. The landings were timed at 2217 and nesting at 2330, so that was promising even if the date was not.
But those times came and went with nothing happening. Ann stepped outside for a cigarette at about 2315 and came back with the info that a turtle had come ashore and the Rangers were now observing to see if it is going to nest and then we would be allowed on the beach to see her. But sadly for us, the turtle turned tail and headed back to the sea.
As it was past midnight and with the turtle gone it was decided to release the hatchlings. This could have been a magical experience if it had been organised better. Too many people were crowded around the release box so lots of people, including us, had their views limited. Given the time we had been waiting and a couple of pieces of string a corridor could have been formed so that everybody had a chance to watch the little turtles make their first entrance into the sea. The photographs are far from great, but if you look closely you can just about make out some of the little turtles.
After this people started to drift away to bed. Promises were made that if a turtle came ashore the bedroom doors would be knocked. We gave it another half-hour, but I think we knew our chance had gone. For a little while we laid on the beds thinking we could hear doors being knocked, but when it started to rain heavily it was time to crawl under the covers and forget it.
The rain of the previous day and night had led to fears that our trip to Turtle Island might have to be cancelled. The previous days’ guests had been turned around three-quarters of the way across as the rough sea was becoming dangerous. Today, surprise, it was raining, but at least it was still.
At 7.30 a.m. our guide from yesterday, Glenn, arrived with our personal guide for the next four days, Joanne. Se was relatively (to us) young, we later discovered she was 28 and had been a guide for eight years.
We drove down into Sandakan and parked up. Joanne suggested we take a short walk as we had 15 minutes to kill. When we returned the car had a parking ticket, a fine of about 8p!
The speedboat ride took us past a stilted village before getting choppy about half-way across. A few big waves had to be rode before it became a more manageable swell. Our arrival at Turtle Island signalled the beginning of the long wait.
The object of Turtle Island from the tourist viewpoint is to watch turtles nesting and then to release hatchlings back to the sea. This doesn’t happen until after nightfall so having arrived on the island at 10.30 a.m. there was a lot of time to kill. Fortunately it had stopped raining and was turning out rather nice. A walk around the island killed 20 minutes and following lunch the weather was sufficiently favourable to sit on the beach for a couple of hours with a little nap in the sun taking the sting out of the early start. At 1800 the beach becomes out of bounds for anybody other than the Rangers for 12 hours. A beer on the verandah of the chalets with some Danish neighbours consumed the rest of the time before dinner.The chalets are adequate, but with only cold showers and a trickle of water coming from the sink tap it was a quick splash the chosen method of cleansing. A film about the turtles and the work being done on the island was shown before dinner which was nice enough given the simple nature of the facilities and then 49 people with a few children included began the waiting game. On a board there was the details of the landings and releases, but this showed a date 4 or 5 days previous when two turtles had landed and nested laying 76 eggs. The landings were timed at 2217 and nesting at 2330, so that was promising even if the date was not.
But those times came and went with nothing happening. Ann stepped outside for a cigarette at about 2315 and came back with the info that a turtle had come ashore and the Rangers were now observing to see if it is going to nest and then we would be allowed on the beach to see her. But sadly for us, the turtle turned tail and headed back to the sea.
As it was past midnight and with the turtle gone it was decided to release the hatchlings. This could have been a magical experience if it had been organised better. Too many people were crowded around the release box so lots of people, including us, had their views limited. Given the time we had been waiting and a couple of pieces of string a corridor could have been formed so that everybody had a chance to watch the little turtles make their first entrance into the sea. The photographs are far from great, but if you look closely you can just about make out some of the little turtles.
After this people started to drift away to bed. Promises were made that if a turtle came ashore the bedroom doors would be knocked. We gave it another half-hour, but I think we knew our chance had gone. For a little while we laid on the beds thinking we could hear doors being knocked, but when it started to rain heavily it was time to crawl under the covers and forget it.
Monday, 17 March 2008
Day 7 - Sepilok Nature Reserve and on to Sukau
Another pre-six o’clock alarm call and after confirming with the neighbouring Danes that they had not had a call during the night it was back to the boat and the crossing back to Sandakan.
Ten minutes out of the island and, to a certain extent, it was payback time as we viewed a mating pair of turtles. For us this was for our eyes only as we said when neither of the cameras could get close enough for a good shot. But Jules with her super length lenses managed to get a great shot. She took email addresses so the picture could be passed on. It will be published here when it arrives.
After breakfast in Sandakan we made our way to the Sepilok Nature Reserve. In comparison with Rasa Ria this is a huge area of protected forest. At peak times I can imagine this becomes a real bun fight and today there must have been in excess of a hundred people vying for postion on the viewing platform. But also like Rasa Ria, it is not a circus with animals performing tricks and it is up to the animals themselves whether they come down to the feeding station. In fact, in some way, they are discouraged from attending by the mundane nature of the food that is left for them, thereby encouraging them to find more enjoyable fare in the forest.
We were fortunate that a mother and baby and three other orangs visited the feeding station and another one appeared before we left and walked around the front of the platform. He was pursued as if he was a celebrity and the public the paparrazi. The monkeys, long and pig-tailed macaques are kept away from the food until the orangs have finished, but once they are allowed they quickly hoover up the remains.
Sepilok is a last stage rehabilitation centre and a short film is shown that culminates in the release of one of its “graduates” into a safe area of the natural rainforest.
The previous night we had made a decision with Joanne to travel down to Sukau by boat rather than road and what a good decision it turned out to be.
As the boat sped its way down river Joanne was pointing out various birds, swifts swooping and a trio of hornbills flying overhead. Then about an hour in, Joanne excitedly pointed to the forest at the riverbank’s edge and there was our first sighting of a orang-utan in the wild. We were so thrilled. We had understood the reality that we would not see one, but we had broken our duck really quickly. We watched for some while as first it was sat seemingly watching us, watching him and then he swung from one tree to another and out of sight. If we had not been handed the river option the opportunity would have been lost.
Twenty minutes or so from our destination, the Melapi Lodge, we could see that there was some rain upfront. We were quickly engulfed by the storm and as ever in Borneo, it is never drizzle. Within seconds it was clear to the boatman that the canvas sides needed dropping and securing. The windscreen wipers struggled to cope with the rain, Ann sitting upfront said she could not see a thing. On the way we had seen a couple of logging rafts being towed. These are absolutely massive in length, no exaggeration to say they were half-a-mile in length. They also cause a considerable amount of flotsam as huge logs become detached from the main chain and in conditions where the visibility becomes limited these can be very dangerous. We thought that the logging companies should be made to clear up their mess, perhaps they are. As we progressed a bit more sedately the weather cleared and the sides were rolled up, but no sooner this was done down they came again as the monsoon returned.
It was still raining when we arrived at the Melapi. A welcome drink and we were shown to our stilted chalet overlooking the river. We found it very nice, in fact Audley’s classification as simple is a bit harsh. They have effective air conditioning, a hot shower which after the previous night on Turtle Island was absolute bliss.
It was straight out onto the river, even though the rain clouds still threatened. This afternoon cruise produced an unbelievable three separate sightings of orangs including a mother and baby. Our guide said that it was estimated that along these banks there could be 1,000 orangs living in what is secondary forestry - we were feeling so lucky we could see them all. Admittedly one of the sightings was much easier seen with the naked eye than through a camera lens. We also saw mother and baby macaques amongst a family as we returned to the Melapi once again exhilarated by our good fortune.
Ten minutes out of the island and, to a certain extent, it was payback time as we viewed a mating pair of turtles. For us this was for our eyes only as we said when neither of the cameras could get close enough for a good shot. But Jules with her super length lenses managed to get a great shot. She took email addresses so the picture could be passed on. It will be published here when it arrives.
After breakfast in Sandakan we made our way to the Sepilok Nature Reserve. In comparison with Rasa Ria this is a huge area of protected forest. At peak times I can imagine this becomes a real bun fight and today there must have been in excess of a hundred people vying for postion on the viewing platform. But also like Rasa Ria, it is not a circus with animals performing tricks and it is up to the animals themselves whether they come down to the feeding station. In fact, in some way, they are discouraged from attending by the mundane nature of the food that is left for them, thereby encouraging them to find more enjoyable fare in the forest.We were fortunate that a mother and baby and three other orangs visited the feeding station and another one appeared before we left and walked around the front of the platform. He was pursued as if he was a celebrity and the public the paparrazi. The monkeys, long and pig-tailed macaques are kept away from the food until the orangs have finished, but once they are allowed they quickly hoover up the remains.
Sepilok is a last stage rehabilitation centre and a short film is shown that culminates in the release of one of its “graduates” into a safe area of the natural rainforest.The previous night we had made a decision with Joanne to travel down to Sukau by boat rather than road and what a good decision it turned out to be.
As the boat sped its way down river Joanne was pointing out various birds, swifts swooping and a trio of hornbills flying overhead. Then about an hour in, Joanne excitedly pointed to the forest at the riverbank’s edge and there was our first sighting of a orang-utan in the wild. We were so thrilled. We had understood the reality that we would not see one, but we had broken our duck really quickly. We watched for some while as first it was sat seemingly watching us, watching him and then he swung from one tree to another and out of sight. If we had not been handed the river option the opportunity would have been lost.
Twenty minutes or so from our destination, the Melapi Lodge, we could see that there was some rain upfront. We were quickly engulfed by the storm and as ever in Borneo, it is never drizzle. Within seconds it was clear to the boatman that the canvas sides needed dropping and securing. The windscreen wipers struggled to cope with the rain, Ann sitting upfront said she could not see a thing. On the way we had seen a couple of logging rafts being towed. These are absolutely massive in length, no exaggeration to say they were half-a-mile in length. They also cause a considerable amount of flotsam as huge logs become detached from the main chain and in conditions where the visibility becomes limited these can be very dangerous. We thought that the logging companies should be made to clear up their mess, perhaps they are. As we progressed a bit more sedately the weather cleared and the sides were rolled up, but no sooner this was done down they came again as the monsoon returned.
It was still raining when we arrived at the Melapi. A welcome drink and we were shown to our stilted chalet overlooking the river. We found it very nice, in fact Audley’s classification as simple is a bit harsh. They have effective air conditioning, a hot shower which after the previous night on Turtle Island was absolute bliss.
It was straight out onto the river, even though the rain clouds still threatened. This afternoon cruise produced an unbelievable three separate sightings of orangs including a mother and baby. Our guide said that it was estimated that along these banks there could be 1,000 orangs living in what is secondary forestry - we were feeling so lucky we could see them all. Admittedly one of the sightings was much easier seen with the naked eye than through a camera lens. We also saw mother and baby macaques amongst a family as we returned to the Melapi once again exhilarated by our good fortune.
Sunday, 16 March 2008
Day 8 - Kinabatangan River
The alarm clock sounding at 5.45 a.m. was no longer coming as a shock to the system as with very little to do in the evenings and no TV to distract early nigts are very much the order of the day. We peered out of the bedroom window to see the river shrouded in mist. As Ann took her constitutional first fag on the balcony, we listened as the riverbank serenaded us with its early morning call.
A swift cup of tea (and we enjoyed Sabah tea all the way) and we was back out on the boat with Joanne and our trusty boatman, Jani. We had a running joke with Joanne that following our lack of success on Turtle Island she had a lot of making up to do, as if four orang-utan sightings had not been enough!
But making up she was as we added another two sightings on this pre-breakfast cruise. At first it is difficult to see what the experts eyes catch at a glimpse and you have to stay focussed on what appears to be nothing but leaves and branches for some while. When those leaves start moving an arm might appear, then quickly the rest of the orang comes into view as he moves from his overnight nest in search of his breakfast. On the river where the forest is no so dense the sighting can be clear for some minutes.
Further down river we had yet another sighting and as with a couple of these views the moment is either so fleeting or mostly obscured that it does make photography difficult with an ordinary camera. On the way back to the Lodge we continued our joke with Joanne telling her that despite having now seen seven orangs (including the baby) until we had seen pygmy elephants and crocodiles failure with the turtles had not been compensated.
For the afternoon cruise Joanne suggested that since we had a good number of sightings of orangs we make quick progress further down the river in the hope of seeing elephants. I think Jani the boatman must have super-natural intuition as he took us almost directly to a junction with a tributary where in full view, and with only one boat in front of us, were three adults and two young elephants. Jani navigated the boat very close to these magnificent creatures as they shredded the river grass. Slightly distant down the tributary was the rest of the herd, we estimated there could be as many as a dozen in total.
We had a long look watching one of the elephants clearing logs left as flotsam by the logging rafts before the rest of the convoy of about eight boats turned up and in turn unsettle the elephants with their young to turn tail and head back up the tributary.
Our package with Audley allowed us a private boat whereby the boats arriving had upwards of eight people in each and the clamouring for position is too much for the animals. Some of the boats took advantage of the clearing that had been done by the elephant to chase them downstream, but all they achieved was exactly that, they chased them away.
Jani was much wiser, he backed out and sailed down river to where he considered they would reappear and there was already an elephant there ripping away at the grass. We sat alone, almost within touching distance, as she took no notice of us and continued feeding. We watched for ages before the convoy caught up and spoilt the moment. By this time we were getting hot, so as the elephant turned its back on the rest, they could have their fleeting look which was all they deserved for their callous chasing.
We had booked the night cruise with Jani, so as we sailed back to Melapi for tea and donuts we had still more stories to tell to our fellow Audley travelling companions, Simon and Monica, who had yet to see a orang-utan so our seventh sighting was a bit embarrassing. But it was taken in friendly banter.
After dinner the night cruise proved that the river could be just as magical with fewer sightings. As the boat left the jetty with Jani and Joanne manning the spotlights we must have travelled ten yards and Jani was pulling the boat to the side. There, perched on a branch, was a beautiful Buffy Owl, but it had been too quick as we struggled to get our cameras out of the bag the bird took flight. Lesson to be learnt, always be ready from the outset. We then saw a beautiful kingfisher perched, almost posing and how Jani picked out a baby crocodile is beyond me, I just saw a pair of eyes before it submerged. After the turning point we saw a monitor lizard just stretched out along a branch, perhaps five foot from head to tail, just watching the world go by and flicking out a tongue to catch the unsuspecting fly.
Jani pulled the boat over to the centre of the river, cut the engines and with just him and Joanne, sat in silence, looked up at the stars and took in the sounds of the river. It was a moment when it was impossible not to feel emotional.
There was still time for Jani to show us his fantastic awareness when he spotted a bigger, but still very long crocodile, this time our view was perfect. On arrival back at the Melapi it was time to say goodbye to Jani and his wonderful skills. Time to say goodbye to the Kinabatagan River, that had been so good for us.
The following morning as we descended the steps to the jetty, having said our farewells to Lynn, April and Azzuri, the cheery girls who had helped make the stay, once again it was hard not too get misty-eyed on the five minute sail upstream.
A swift cup of tea (and we enjoyed Sabah tea all the way) and we was back out on the boat with Joanne and our trusty boatman, Jani. We had a running joke with Joanne that following our lack of success on Turtle Island she had a lot of making up to do, as if four orang-utan sightings had not been enough!
But making up she was as we added another two sightings on this pre-breakfast cruise. At first it is difficult to see what the experts eyes catch at a glimpse and you have to stay focussed on what appears to be nothing but leaves and branches for some while. When those leaves start moving an arm might appear, then quickly the rest of the orang comes into view as he moves from his overnight nest in search of his breakfast. On the river where the forest is no so dense the sighting can be clear for some minutes.Further down river we had yet another sighting and as with a couple of these views the moment is either so fleeting or mostly obscured that it does make photography difficult with an ordinary camera. On the way back to the Lodge we continued our joke with Joanne telling her that despite having now seen seven orangs (including the baby) until we had seen pygmy elephants and crocodiles failure with the turtles had not been compensated.
For the afternoon cruise Joanne suggested that since we had a good number of sightings of orangs we make quick progress further down the river in the hope of seeing elephants. I think Jani the boatman must have super-natural intuition as he took us almost directly to a junction with a tributary where in full view, and with only one boat in front of us, were three adults and two young elephants. Jani navigated the boat very close to these magnificent creatures as they shredded the river grass. Slightly distant down the tributary was the rest of the herd, we estimated there could be as many as a dozen in total.
We had a long look watching one of the elephants clearing logs left as flotsam by the logging rafts before the rest of the convoy of about eight boats turned up and in turn unsettle the elephants with their young to turn tail and head back up the tributary.Our package with Audley allowed us a private boat whereby the boats arriving had upwards of eight people in each and the clamouring for position is too much for the animals. Some of the boats took advantage of the clearing that had been done by the elephant to chase them downstream, but all they achieved was exactly that, they chased them away.
Jani was much wiser, he backed out and sailed down river to where he considered they would reappear and there was already an elephant there ripping away at the grass. We sat alone, almost within touching distance, as she took no notice of us and continued feeding. We watched for ages before the convoy caught up and spoilt the moment. By this time we were getting hot, so as the elephant turned its back on the rest, they could have their fleeting look which was all they deserved for their callous chasing.We had booked the night cruise with Jani, so as we sailed back to Melapi for tea and donuts we had still more stories to tell to our fellow Audley travelling companions, Simon and Monica, who had yet to see a orang-utan so our seventh sighting was a bit embarrassing. But it was taken in friendly banter.
After dinner the night cruise proved that the river could be just as magical with fewer sightings. As the boat left the jetty with Jani and Joanne manning the spotlights we must have travelled ten yards and Jani was pulling the boat to the side. There, perched on a branch, was a beautiful Buffy Owl, but it had been too quick as we struggled to get our cameras out of the bag the bird took flight. Lesson to be learnt, always be ready from the outset. We then saw a beautiful kingfisher perched, almost posing and how Jani picked out a baby crocodile is beyond me, I just saw a pair of eyes before it submerged. After the turning point we saw a monitor lizard just stretched out along a branch, perhaps five foot from head to tail, just watching the world go by and flicking out a tongue to catch the unsuspecting fly.
Jani pulled the boat over to the centre of the river, cut the engines and with just him and Joanne, sat in silence, looked up at the stars and took in the sounds of the river. It was a moment when it was impossible not to feel emotional.There was still time for Jani to show us his fantastic awareness when he spotted a bigger, but still very long crocodile, this time our view was perfect. On arrival back at the Melapi it was time to say goodbye to Jani and his wonderful skills. Time to say goodbye to the Kinabatagan River, that had been so good for us.
The following morning as we descended the steps to the jetty, having said our farewells to Lynn, April and Azzuri, the cheery girls who had helped make the stay, once again it was hard not too get misty-eyed on the five minute sail upstream.
Day 9 - Journey down to Danum Valley
The road out of Sukau is supposedly under construction but is a minefield of bumps and potholes. Our driver, Ali, spent the best part of an hour weaving a trail on both sides of the road and Joanne commented that the road was 100% better than it was a year ago. Once clear of this road it is a straightforward run into Lahid Datu, where we said our goodbyes to Joanne. She had not only been a good guide but also very good company. We enjoyed a laugh, sympathised with her, but also shared a joke, when she told us her best friend had decided to become a nun, not next year or month, but tomorrow! She was a lovely young lady and our farewells were sad.
At the offices of Lahid Datu we were told the vehicle picking us up had been delayed by the logging trucks. We found ourselves a tea and donut and was joined by Simon and Monica who had made their way from Sandakan in a separate car.
The Land Rover with a driver that spoke no English had arrived when we returned and we set out on an expected two and a half hour drive. Once we had left the surrounds of Lahid Datu the road became a track but it was easily negotiated by the Land Rover, so much so we wondered what the delay had been about. The odd logging truck lumbered by in the opposite direction heavily laden. Just over half-way the track started to become muddy with deep ruts caused by the trucks. As we approached the top of a hill the problem was unfolding in front of us. A truck was stuck in the mud and a Caterpillar was being despatched to pull it out. Eventually it took two Caterpillars in tandem to drag the truck to the top of the hill. As we finally got past after a half-hour wait we surveyed the “log-jam” that was queued behind. A minimum of 40 trucks, all fully laden, waiting their turn to attack the hill.
It was muddy and rutted for the rest of the journey but eventually we arrived at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge having journeyed only marginally longer than the estimated time. At the usual Selamat Datang we were shown to our accommodation, a lovely room with a view of the imposing rainforest that was both spectacular and beautiful.
There was no time to waste as we were due to meet our guide, Vivien and have our first introductory trek. But by this time it had started to rain (again!) and as stated before Borneo doesn’t do drizzle. Cracks of thunder, flashes of lightning and Vivien decided that there was no point to the walk, to which we heartily agreed. There was to be a night drive if the weather prevailed.
There have been times on this trip when you wanted the moment to last forever, sadly this night drive was an experience that we couldn’t wait for it to end. Perhaps we had been spoilt by the personal attention we had with Joanne, but packed on the back of a truck with 10 others did not make for a comfortable ride and the chances of seeing much was very limited. We saw some samba deer, but over the coming nights watched these grazing from our balcony. We peered into the trees for ages whilst the rangers made every effort to get a flying squirrel to take flight. It was to our satisfaction that they failed. Finally, what might have been a saving glory the spotlight picks out on the road in front the shining eyes of a Leopard Cat. To us, the sensible thing would have been to stop the truck a let the cat walk towards us, but we continued to go forward and only managed to encourage the cat into the undergrowth, so the eyes were all we got.
We went to bed thrilled with our spectacular surrounds but disappointed with our first foray into the forest. But that is nature, doing its own thing.
At the offices of Lahid Datu we were told the vehicle picking us up had been delayed by the logging trucks. We found ourselves a tea and donut and was joined by Simon and Monica who had made their way from Sandakan in a separate car.
The Land Rover with a driver that spoke no English had arrived when we returned and we set out on an expected two and a half hour drive. Once we had left the surrounds of Lahid Datu the road became a track but it was easily negotiated by the Land Rover, so much so we wondered what the delay had been about. The odd logging truck lumbered by in the opposite direction heavily laden. Just over half-way the track started to become muddy with deep ruts caused by the trucks. As we approached the top of a hill the problem was unfolding in front of us. A truck was stuck in the mud and a Caterpillar was being despatched to pull it out. Eventually it took two Caterpillars in tandem to drag the truck to the top of the hill. As we finally got past after a half-hour wait we surveyed the “log-jam” that was queued behind. A minimum of 40 trucks, all fully laden, waiting their turn to attack the hill.
It was muddy and rutted for the rest of the journey but eventually we arrived at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge having journeyed only marginally longer than the estimated time. At the usual Selamat Datang we were shown to our accommodation, a lovely room with a view of the imposing rainforest that was both spectacular and beautiful.
There was no time to waste as we were due to meet our guide, Vivien and have our first introductory trek. But by this time it had started to rain (again!) and as stated before Borneo doesn’t do drizzle. Cracks of thunder, flashes of lightning and Vivien decided that there was no point to the walk, to which we heartily agreed. There was to be a night drive if the weather prevailed.
There have been times on this trip when you wanted the moment to last forever, sadly this night drive was an experience that we couldn’t wait for it to end. Perhaps we had been spoilt by the personal attention we had with Joanne, but packed on the back of a truck with 10 others did not make for a comfortable ride and the chances of seeing much was very limited. We saw some samba deer, but over the coming nights watched these grazing from our balcony. We peered into the trees for ages whilst the rangers made every effort to get a flying squirrel to take flight. It was to our satisfaction that they failed. Finally, what might have been a saving glory the spotlight picks out on the road in front the shining eyes of a Leopard Cat. To us, the sensible thing would have been to stop the truck a let the cat walk towards us, but we continued to go forward and only managed to encourage the cat into the undergrowth, so the eyes were all we got.
We went to bed thrilled with our spectacular surrounds but disappointed with our first foray into the forest. But that is nature, doing its own thing.
Day 10 - Borneo Rainforest Lodge
As ever it was a 6.30 start when we met up with Vivien for our pre-breakfast trek. We were back in a personal guide situation that we were comfortable with. We strolled down the road getting to know each other, when Vivien’s radio crackled that a orang-utan had been spotted about 400 metres in front. We quickened our pace and caught up with 3 or 4 other groups looking up into the trees. Simon and Monica were amongst them and they had had the merest of sighting. Various people explained exactly where the orang was nested but I could not see it. The rangers decided to hack a path towards the tree where is was nested. Eventually following the Rangers in was quite exciting as we fought our way in being helped and helping others in the process. When we got into position we probably only climbed 50 metres into the jungle, but it seemed like a mile. As the Rangers stood under the tree we were all told to keep a distance as should the orang come down the tree we would have to make a quick exit, something that wasn’t entirely feasible.To disturb the orang from its nest a couple of the Rangers began to knock the base of its tree. I have to say this was not to my liking and Ann found the practice unacceptable. After what seemed too long a time the nest showed some sign of movement. Then continued to whack the tree and when the radios told that gibbons were on the road Ann (and Simon) had had enough of this and opted to return. Monica and myself held on and were eventually rewarded (in the very loosest phrase) with a sighting of the largest of the orangs we saw on the entire trip as he swung away from his agitators. It did seem justice when the animal decided his form of retribution would be to urinate down on those below. Good on him, but there again I was out of range. I would have loved to have filmed that final act of defiance but both hands had been needed to get into position.
What had happened is a balance between and intrusion of the animals lives and the desire of the public to watch them. As said, Ann and Simon found it distasteful and backed off, Monica stayed and got her first sighting of her holiday. Perhaps Ann and Simon have the moral high ground, but I would argue that our money is helping to protect these areas of rainforest from the logging companies and whilst our orang was intruded upon he was able to swing away safely into the vastness of the area without threat from poachers or loggers at the price of a new nest of which they build four a day.
Back on the roadside we were still in time to watch the gibbons are literally hurtled among the trees with stunning agility. It was back to juat Vivien and ourselves when we watched a group of otters cross the road into a narrow ditch of running water. We were making our way towards the canopy walk that spans the Danum River, 273 metres long and 40 metres above the water. For those that are challenged by height it would be daunting, especially climbing down the 90 degree ladders from one canopy to another, but as you slightly wobble your way across the view is awesome. Ann spotted a deer that appeared to be people watching and the canopy was a great video opportunity.
By the time we got back to the lodge and breakfast the rights and wrongs of the orang situations could be put to one side as we had spent a most enjoyable first trek.
Our after-breakfast trek was mostly about reaching a viewing point rather than spotting any animals along the way as the 1.23 km climb is too high for most primates. A lack of any preparation in terms of fitness came home to roost on this climb. By the half-way point the legs were beginning to tighten. The trail has some steps of a sort and some points there are ropes to hold onto. Borneo’s ever-present rain makes the trail muddy and slippery. On the way up we surveyed fascinating millipedes and centipedes and something like a giant woodlice that curled into a ball when you touched it.By three-quarters distance we were like a couple of kids in the back seats of a car on a journey, “are we there yet”? I swear Vivien told us it was another 100 metres three times. His last 100m looked virtually vertical and we felt every inch of it. But as we finally clambered onto the viewing point a magnificent panoramic view of the lodge and the rainforest was spread beneath us. The prize had been worth the effort.
Just below the peak is a 300 year old burial site where a tribal leader had been placed in a ironwood coffin. His remains have long since been devoured by the passage of time, but the shape of the coffin is remarkably intact. On a ledge below were placed the bodies of a couple of children and here somewhat eerily, a skull bone and jaw with three or four teeth can be seen. Climbing away from the site we saw a small nest with some gecko eggs like little mint imperials.
We hoped that the way down would be easier, it is but it pulls on a different set of muscles. Towards the bottom is a waterfall and natural pool. It is a refreshing dip after the toils of the trek. The downside is getting the walking gear off. It was here a leech got into my boot and putting my barefoot into it to walk away from the water’s edge I got my first leech attachment. Vivien just flicked it away, it drew a little blood and stung for a couple of minutes. We had the leech socks and everywhere else they did the job although later on I managed to pick up another one on the hand.
Back at the Lodge, lunch had been well-earned, but the sitting meant that the muscles were quickly tightening.
The afternoon trek was the Hornbill trail. The previous days’ trek had been cancelled as a storm rolled in and today the weather threatened similar. After a brief but heavy shower Vivien decided it was OK to go. Some of the limbs didn’t feel much like it, but at least the spirit was willing.
On the Kinabatagan river we had seen several hornbills flying overhead, how Joanne identified a rhinoserous from a crested looking upwards is beyond me, but we had seen none in a sedentary position for a camera shot. Vivien heard the calls from the birds and responded with his own. Despite several attempts and much craning of the neck we never really got a clear view of the birds. The sound of their wings as they take flight is something I will remember though.
It started to rain as we emerged from the trail. As it had been dry when we left the lodge and our raincoats got extremely hot in the humid conditions we had elected to leave them behind. Within seconds the rain turned torrential with the occasional crack of thunder lending atmosphere.
We sheltered under a wooden cover to the entrance of another trail in the hope that the rain would ease to a mere downpour. Simon and Monica emerged from their trail with their guide, Raphael, who apparently gets nervous of falling trees in the forest in these conditions. We all squeezed together on the bench as the rain went from bad to worse.
After a few minutes the two guides felt that as long as we (Monica and Simon were suitably attired) were prepared to make our way in our t-shirts we might as well go for it. As Ann and myself were already soaked we had nothing to lose. Once you are wet through to your underpants it can get no worse, in fairness Vivien had offered Ann his gagule, but we declined and the took our bag with the cameras to protect them from the deluge.
The guides set a fair pace and were a few yards in front when Raphael turned and came back to us. What we are about to show you is very special, he said. As we went forward a few paces he pointed at what appeared to be a leaf in the road. This is a Malaysian wind-up, me thinks. But as we got within a couple of yards we could see it was a large frog. It was, we were told, a Bornean Horned Frog. I’m not going to attempt to describe it and will let the photograph do the talking.The frog made no attempt to hop to safety as Raphael tenderly picked it up. He wanted to take it back to the Lodge to show his colleagues. Back at the Lodge there was genuine excitement as staff took pictures with their camera phones and the big boss himself was summoned to see the creature that he hadn’t seen in his six months in the job. After everybody had had a look the frog was taken, with the four of us as witnesses, back to a trail where it was rested in a bed of leaves. An hour later, Vivien returned and the frog had gone, probably making its way back up the road!!
Of course , there are always the cynical and when we related the event to an American couple at dinner, the guy exclaimed “He got it outta his pocket”. Ah, well there’s always one.
After dinner, a gentle walk was promised by Vivien and our tired limbs could not take much more. Our guide flashed the spotlight to and fro and we did so less effectively with our torches. We spotted nocturnal favourites such as a bat hanging right in front of our noses, lizards, frogs, pill snakes. Vivien knew that barring a pair of eyes of the Leopard Cat we had yet to see any cats. As we approached the Lodge we circled the staff quarters and under one of the cabins his searchlight picked out a Common Civet Cat, it might have been common to him, it wasn’t to us. It was quite a large cat that backed away to the other side of the building as the spotlight picked it out. We attempted to get her to turn and face us so we could see its face with cries of “din dins”, well it works with our cats. Vivien said that a call of mun-muns might be more appropriate and we did get a glimpse of its features before it disappeared. Back at the Lodge we had a second chance to see the resident Bearded Pig grubbing for scraps at the rear of the kitchen. He obviously finds plenty as he was a big old boy.
It was very tired legs that hit the bed that night and with no six o’clock call we looked forward to a lie in and leisurely breakfast. We hadn’t seen as much in the Danum Valley as at Sukau but it was a quite different experience. On the river, in effect, you sat on the boat and if the sightings were too come, they came to you. At Danum you were truly hunting every last one and this made it all the more satisfying.
Day 11 - Lahid Datu to Kota Kinabalu
The Malaysians are absolutely mad keen on the English Premiership and Vivien was no different. Unfortunately his knowledge of the English game did not stretch down to the depths occupied by Gillingham. We met up with Vivien before our departure to say our goodbyes and in the guides room they were surfing the internet. Seizing the opportunity I asked if they would look for the result of the previous days’ game. Upon finding that the Gills had won they joined in with my pleasure. The cheers turned to chuckles when the league table showed that the win had taken them out of the red relegation area, one place above the line. I’m sure Gillingham and Adam Miller (their scorer on the day) will stay with Vivien for a while.
Despite the Lodge’s worries that the heavy rain would delay the arrival of our transport, the same driver that had brought us down was on time. Indeed the first part of the drive was remarkably plain sailing as we saw far less logging trucks than on the way down. Once we had surmounted the hill that had caused all the problems previously we thought we were clear and so did the driver, who did whatever you have to do to the wheels to cease it being 4-wheel drive. His confidence was misguided though as within minutes we were stuck in a rut a couple of feet deep. A futile effort was made to push and it was a logging lorry coming up behind that was our salvation. A tow rope seems always at the ready and the lorry towed us backwards for the driver to have another attempt, but once again became stuck. Another tow, a different approach and this time we made it.
The rest of the drive was uneventful and we were thankful that the heavy rainstorm encountered in Lahid Datu hadn’t happened an hour earlier on the muddy track.
A Fokker prop plane took us from the small airport back to KK despite Ann’s fears that it wasn’t a proper plane.
Back at KK our young lady was waiting to take us back to the Rasa Ria. As we left the city, Ann rather surprised me when she said that she didn’t really want to be here. We were on our way to a luxury 5-star hotel and she was wishing she was back in the rainforest. We had truly made the conversion from the sunbed to the more active holiday with those few words.
Despite the Lodge’s worries that the heavy rain would delay the arrival of our transport, the same driver that had brought us down was on time. Indeed the first part of the drive was remarkably plain sailing as we saw far less logging trucks than on the way down. Once we had surmounted the hill that had caused all the problems previously we thought we were clear and so did the driver, who did whatever you have to do to the wheels to cease it being 4-wheel drive. His confidence was misguided though as within minutes we were stuck in a rut a couple of feet deep. A futile effort was made to push and it was a logging lorry coming up behind that was our salvation. A tow rope seems always at the ready and the lorry towed us backwards for the driver to have another attempt, but once again became stuck. Another tow, a different approach and this time we made it.The rest of the drive was uneventful and we were thankful that the heavy rainstorm encountered in Lahid Datu hadn’t happened an hour earlier on the muddy track.
A Fokker prop plane took us from the small airport back to KK despite Ann’s fears that it wasn’t a proper plane.
Back at KK our young lady was waiting to take us back to the Rasa Ria. As we left the city, Ann rather surprised me when she said that she didn’t really want to be here. We were on our way to a luxury 5-star hotel and she was wishing she was back in the rainforest. We had truly made the conversion from the sunbed to the more active holiday with those few words.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Day 12 to the End - Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu
Lets face it there are worse places to be holed up for four nights than the Rasa Ria. It is a lovely hotel on a beautiful stretch of beach, somewhere perfect for resting up the still aching limbs. This blog will tail off now (if you’ve read the lot, you’ll be thankful for that!), because there is no much interest in sipping cocktails in 30degC of sunshine. Jealous or what.
We made a trip back into the city for some shopping. It tipped it down with rain and the night market where we hoped to buy a bit more fake was disappointing but perhaps we were expecting too much after Kuala Lumpur.
A second visit was made to the Nature Reserve and this was even better than the first time. This time four orang-utans came to the feeding platform with a group of long-tailed macaques. The eldest of the orangs, Hope, a seven year old will later this year be transferred to Sepilok to continue his rehabilitation. He is probably ready to go now but is needed at the Rasa Ria until one of the younger orangs is ready to take his place as group leader.
We also got to see a hornbill, albeit one that had been adopted by the rangers and didn’t seem particularly fussed about moving too far from his perch. Once again it was time well spent. It is extremely heartening to see these orangs so full of life, free to roam in the 64 acres of dense forest and that without the efforts of the sanctuary here and at Sepilok they would undoubtedly have been dead.
Even within the confines of the hotel the wildlife manages to surprise, no more so than when a porcupine wandered out from under a stool at the beachside bar.
We were thwarted by yet another rainstorm from attending a nocturnal watch at the Reserve but this gave us the opportunity of seeing the entertaining cultural dancing.
Fifteen hours of flying are now to be endured on our return to Heathrow and the reported cold and fog of England.
We made a trip back into the city for some shopping. It tipped it down with rain and the night market where we hoped to buy a bit more fake was disappointing but perhaps we were expecting too much after Kuala Lumpur.
A second visit was made to the Nature Reserve and this was even better than the first time. This time four orang-utans came to the feeding platform with a group of long-tailed macaques. The eldest of the orangs, Hope, a seven year old will later this year be transferred to Sepilok to continue his rehabilitation. He is probably ready to go now but is needed at the Rasa Ria until one of the younger orangs is ready to take his place as group leader.
We also got to see a hornbill, albeit one that had been adopted by the rangers and didn’t seem particularly fussed about moving too far from his perch. Once again it was time well spent. It is extremely heartening to see these orangs so full of life, free to roam in the 64 acres of dense forest and that without the efforts of the sanctuary here and at Sepilok they would undoubtedly have been dead.
Even within the confines of the hotel the wildlife manages to surprise, no more so than when a porcupine wandered out from under a stool at the beachside bar.We were thwarted by yet another rainstorm from attending a nocturnal watch at the Reserve but this gave us the opportunity of seeing the entertaining cultural dancing.
Fifteen hours of flying are now to be endured on our return to Heathrow and the reported cold and fog of England.
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