The best things about being away ...
* No need to shave regularly (or ever)
* Time was almost irrelevant
* Could wear shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops everyday
What I missed about home ...
* Driving
* Regular, warm showers
* Electric toothbrush
What I found most frustrating ...
* Being arrested in Barnaul, Siberia
* Having the ‘runs’ and not being able to go to the loo or leave the train for 6 hours whilst waiting for Chinese immigration to return our passports
* Persistent rain in Vietnam
* Mosquitos
My worst journeys ...
* The 15hr overnight journey from Krakow to Vilnius, changing trains three times and no sleep
* The 17hr minibus from Barnaul (having just been held by Russian police) to Ust-Koksa
* Frightful minibus journey along the edge of a cliff along a road littered with rocks from landslides above Tiger Leaping Gorge
* The 20hr bus from Luang Prabang to Xam Neua in Laos, some of which was spent sitting on a broken plastic stool in the aisle
* The minibus journey returning from the Vinh Moc tunnels in Vietnam ... it didn't help that I vomited on the bus and was up until 4am the night before in DMZ bar
The most unusual accommodation ...
* Camping in a two-person tent with four girls in Altai
* Camping on a beach along the shores of Lake Baikal
* Sleeping in a ger with a nomad family in the Gobi desert
* 60p a night for a room with balcony on Don Diet island, Laos
* Sleeping on bamboo sticks in freezing conditions ahead of the climb to the summit of Mt Fansipan
* Sleeping in a hammock in the Borneo jungle
* The open veranda of the Iban longhouse in Sawarak, Borneo
What I saw and missed on TV ...
* Legendary Wimbledon final with Nadal beating Federer – missed
* Tiger Woods winning the US Open despite a knee injury - watched in Berlin
* Liverpool beating Man Utd – missed
* Croatia narrowly lose to Turkey - watched in a Warsaw pub with a die-hard Croat
* Liverpool’s comeback against Man City – watched in Luang Prabang
* Obama's historic Presidential victory - watched in Hanoi
The best bars ...
* Prozac, Krakow
* Muse, Shanghai
* Anna's bar off Nanluoguxiang, Beijing
* Bar 4, tubing along the Nam Song River in Vang Vieng
* Angkor What? bar, Siem Reap
* Red Mask, Hanoi
* DMZ Bar, Hue
Food and drink ...
* Sichuan hotpot - spicy and amazing
* Dried curd offered by the nomad family in Mongolia - nasty
* Chicken wings in the hutongs of Beijing - awesome
* Yak steak in Yunnan - yummy
* Wasabi challenge rolls in Haiku restaurant, Shanghai
* Sticky rice - enough already
* Altai local brand - very good, but strong
* Beerlao - not bad for someone who doesn't do beer usually
* Chinese bhai-zhou - strong and not nice
* Laolao - a little better
* Kiau rice wine - good
The best nights ...
* Countless nights out in Beijing with Whitney and Erika
* G Plus in Hangzhou with Ed
* Muse in Shanghai with Ed and Cathy
* Karaoke in Dali
* Tubing in Vang Vieng and afters at Bucket Bar
* Night on the boat in Halong Bay
* Dinner and drinks in Kiau village, Sabah, Borneo
* Night at Sepilok B&B in Borneo playing Uno, musical chairs, Duck-Goose and darts
* Final night in Sabah playing volleyball, ping pong, Uno, and other games
More fun ...
* Olympics in Beijing, especially beach volleyball
* Pool everywhere, but especially in Vietnam
* Firing AK-47s and M60s in Vietnam
* Playing ping pong in Emei Shan
My most adventurous escapades ...
* Mountain-biking in the Ural Mountains
* A week trekking and camping in the Altai Mountains
* Horse-riding in Mongolia
* Climbing to the top of Kwang Si falls in Luang Prabang
* Tubing in Vang Vieng
* Renting a motorbike in Vietnam
* Climbing the peaks of Mt Fansipan, Mt Kinabalu and the Pinnacles
* Eating pig's head
The coolest animals ...
* Pandas in Chengdu, China
* Irawaddy dolphins in the Mekong near Kratie
* Crocs in Dead Fish Restaurant in Siem Reap
* Monitor lizards, tarantulas and proboscis monkeys in the Borneo jungle
* Green turtles coming onshore to nest at night on Turtle Island
* The orangutans of Borneo
The most amazing sights ...
* Twilight in St. Petersburg
* The Hermitage, St. Petersburg
* The lakes and mountains in Altai
* The Great Wall of China viewed from Jinshanling and Simatai
* Seeing GB win gold in the double sculls rowing at the Olympics
* Rice fields and palm trees in Siphandon, Laos
* Bayon in Angkor, Cambodia
* At the peak of Mount Fansipan in Vietnam
* Halong Bay's limestone karsts
* Russian girls in Novosibirsk
What I am unlikely to return for ...
* Brussels
* SE Asia's many hookers
* Public transport, especially buses
* Russian hospitality
What I missed and will return for ...
* Tibet
* Grand Prix in Singapore
* Lake Baikal in the winter
Bye bye
Mount Kinabalu, Borneo
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Random travel tips
Would I do anything differently if I could do the trip again? Not sure, but the contents of my bag would certainly be different. Here are a few, more unusual tips from personal experience.
Take trousers and shorts with zip pockets. It would have saved me $200, the loss of my bank cards, driving licence, wallet and friend's house keys!
Good hiking boots are an excellent investment if you intend to do lots of hiking. Many suffered more than necessary walking with trainers or poor walking shoes. My Scarpas, 7yrs old now, carried me across the Altai Mountains, along Tiger Leaping Gorge, and to the top of Mount Fansipan, Mount Kinabalu and the Pinnacles, without fuss and blisters.
You may not have to take your entire trip's supply of contact lens. I did, but found that they are available in most big cities.
Travel speakers, small and battery-operated, are great when looking for entertainment in isolated places. They're not expensive either.
An inflatable pillow may seem unnecessary when you have so little space, but it proved priceless at times, especially on long bus journeys in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Even though not fashionable, keep a poncho on you at all times (raincoat won't keep you dry) if visiting regions with heavy rainfall, as it can come down heavily at very short notice. I got caught in the monsoons on many occasions, especially in Cambodia and Vietnam, and it wasn't fun. You can normally buy cheap ones locally. Similarly, have rain covers for all your bags.
A waterproof camera is great to capture unique moments, and is light and small. I didn't have one and regretted it in Laos and Vietnam when on river trips. You won't use it often, but when you do, like in Vang Vieng, Laos for example, others will be very envious.
Take plenty of insect repellent from home. It's not easy to find good stuff in most places.
If you're a keen trekker, you may want to consider buying a gadget that measures altitude and distance. They are very cool, but not essential by any means.
An all-in-one charger (for phone, MP3 player, iPod etc) is small and excellent value, but get a decent one and try it out before you leave.
Other useful tips ...
Don't book flights too early unless on busy routes. You want to maintain flexibility and avoid charges due to changing flights. Most domestic flights in the South-East Asian region are typically available up until a few days prior to departure.
Check your visa requirements carefully and how exactly you can obtain them. Quite a few people I met had got it wrong, for example, thinking they could get a visa on arrival (you cannot in Vietnam under normal circumstances). The other classic which many failed to understand was that if you go to Hong Kong from mainland China, and subsequently return, you need a double-entry visa.
Laundry services are usually available outside of hotels more cheaply.
Get card protection in the event you lose your bank cards, passport or driving licence. It's not expensive and can save you a lot of hassle.
That's it from me.
Take trousers and shorts with zip pockets. It would have saved me $200, the loss of my bank cards, driving licence, wallet and friend's house keys!
Good hiking boots are an excellent investment if you intend to do lots of hiking. Many suffered more than necessary walking with trainers or poor walking shoes. My Scarpas, 7yrs old now, carried me across the Altai Mountains, along Tiger Leaping Gorge, and to the top of Mount Fansipan, Mount Kinabalu and the Pinnacles, without fuss and blisters.
You may not have to take your entire trip's supply of contact lens. I did, but found that they are available in most big cities.
Travel speakers, small and battery-operated, are great when looking for entertainment in isolated places. They're not expensive either.
An inflatable pillow may seem unnecessary when you have so little space, but it proved priceless at times, especially on long bus journeys in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Even though not fashionable, keep a poncho on you at all times (raincoat won't keep you dry) if visiting regions with heavy rainfall, as it can come down heavily at very short notice. I got caught in the monsoons on many occasions, especially in Cambodia and Vietnam, and it wasn't fun. You can normally buy cheap ones locally. Similarly, have rain covers for all your bags.
A waterproof camera is great to capture unique moments, and is light and small. I didn't have one and regretted it in Laos and Vietnam when on river trips. You won't use it often, but when you do, like in Vang Vieng, Laos for example, others will be very envious.
Take plenty of insect repellent from home. It's not easy to find good stuff in most places.
If you're a keen trekker, you may want to consider buying a gadget that measures altitude and distance. They are very cool, but not essential by any means.
An all-in-one charger (for phone, MP3 player, iPod etc) is small and excellent value, but get a decent one and try it out before you leave.
Other useful tips ...
Don't book flights too early unless on busy routes. You want to maintain flexibility and avoid charges due to changing flights. Most domestic flights in the South-East Asian region are typically available up until a few days prior to departure.
Check your visa requirements carefully and how exactly you can obtain them. Quite a few people I met had got it wrong, for example, thinking they could get a visa on arrival (you cannot in Vietnam under normal circumstances). The other classic which many failed to understand was that if you go to Hong Kong from mainland China, and subsequently return, you need a double-entry visa.
Laundry services are usually available outside of hotels more cheaply.
Get card protection in the event you lose your bank cards, passport or driving licence. It's not expensive and can save you a lot of hassle.
That's it from me.
Raising money for Mines Advisory Group
Money raised to date: GBP3,050
For more information, click here.
To donate, click here.
17 Dec: the tube arrives in London
1 Dec: the tube proves a fun accessory on the beach at Turtle Island
26 Nov: the tube reaches the summit of Mount Kinabalu just before sunrise
22 Nov: it's time to head up mountains and into the Borneo jungle with the tube
14 Nov: what a pain in the ass! for the first time, I considered leaving the tube behind as I had to carry it (as well as my backpacks) on the back of a motorbike for 30 minutes
1 Nov: the tube travels into its third country with some difficulty
28 Oct: had to hold onto the tube, which was on the roof of a car, by hanging outside the rear window on Cambodia roads
21 Oct: every tuk-tuk, songthaew and bus driver thinks I'm nuts and wants to deflate my tube to minimise space!
Tube stops: 23
1 (14/15 Oct): Vientiane, capital of Laos
2 (17 Oct): Champasak, southern Laos
3 (18 Oct): Don Det, close to border with Cambodia
4 (19 Oct): Don Khone, even closer to border with Cambodia
5 (20 Oct): Kratie, home of the irrawaddy dolphins, Cambodia
6 (21-25 Oct): Siem Reap, Angkor Wat territory, Cambodia
7 (26-28 Oct): Silhanoukville, beaching in southern Cambodia
8 (29-31 Oct): Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia
9 (1-5 Nov): Hanoi, capital of Vietnam
10 (7-8 Nov): Sapa and a climb to Vietnam's highest mountain, Fansipan at 3143m
11 (10 Nov): Hanoi, back again to meet Mr Luyombya
12 (12 Nov): Hue, the divide between North and South Vietnam during the War
13 (13-14 Nov): Hoi An, in torrential rain
14 (15 Nov): Nha Trang, further south along the coast and same same rain
15 (16-20 Nov): Saigon, Saigon
16 (21 Nov): Kuala Lumpur, the tube makes it to its 4th country
17 (22 Nov): Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah region of Borneo
18 (23 Nov): Kiau, a Dusun village
19 (24-25 Nov): Mount Kinabalu, the summit at 4,095m above sea level
20 (26-27 Nov): Poring Hot Springs, relaxing after the tough climb
21 (1 Dec): Turtle Island, tubing in the Sulu Sea before seeing giant green turtles
22 (2 Dec): Sepilok Orangutan Reserve, with the infamous 97% human-like orangutans
23 (17 Dec): London, the greatest city in the world!
Thanks for all those who have donated!
For more information, click here.
To donate, click here.
17 Dec: the tube arrives in London
1 Dec: the tube proves a fun accessory on the beach at Turtle Island
26 Nov: the tube reaches the summit of Mount Kinabalu just before sunrise
22 Nov: it's time to head up mountains and into the Borneo jungle with the tube
14 Nov: what a pain in the ass! for the first time, I considered leaving the tube behind as I had to carry it (as well as my backpacks) on the back of a motorbike for 30 minutes
1 Nov: the tube travels into its third country with some difficulty
28 Oct: had to hold onto the tube, which was on the roof of a car, by hanging outside the rear window on Cambodia roads
21 Oct: every tuk-tuk, songthaew and bus driver thinks I'm nuts and wants to deflate my tube to minimise space!
Tube stops: 23
1 (14/15 Oct): Vientiane, capital of Laos
2 (17 Oct): Champasak, southern Laos
3 (18 Oct): Don Det, close to border with Cambodia
4 (19 Oct): Don Khone, even closer to border with Cambodia
5 (20 Oct): Kratie, home of the irrawaddy dolphins, Cambodia
6 (21-25 Oct): Siem Reap, Angkor Wat territory, Cambodia
7 (26-28 Oct): Silhanoukville, beaching in southern Cambodia
8 (29-31 Oct): Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia
9 (1-5 Nov): Hanoi, capital of Vietnam
10 (7-8 Nov): Sapa and a climb to Vietnam's highest mountain, Fansipan at 3143m
11 (10 Nov): Hanoi, back again to meet Mr Luyombya
12 (12 Nov): Hue, the divide between North and South Vietnam during the War
13 (13-14 Nov): Hoi An, in torrential rain
14 (15 Nov): Nha Trang, further south along the coast and same same rain
15 (16-20 Nov): Saigon, Saigon
16 (21 Nov): Kuala Lumpur, the tube makes it to its 4th country
17 (22 Nov): Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah region of Borneo
18 (23 Nov): Kiau, a Dusun village
19 (24-25 Nov): Mount Kinabalu, the summit at 4,095m above sea level
20 (26-27 Nov): Poring Hot Springs, relaxing after the tough climb
21 (1 Dec): Turtle Island, tubing in the Sulu Sea before seeing giant green turtles
22 (2 Dec): Sepilok Orangutan Reserve, with the infamous 97% human-like orangutans
23 (17 Dec): London, the greatest city in the world!
Thanks for all those who have donated!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
KL and my final few days on holiday
Kuala Lumpur
Arriving in KL, Malaysia's capital, felt like I was halfway home. Homely comforts at the Shangri-La hotel, the plush SkyBar and British architecture in the city's main square.
The spent the three days in KL walking around the various districts. Bukit Bintang is a buzzing street with many shopping malls, dodgy massage parlours, cafes. Just off Bukit Bintang is Changkat Bukit Bintang, a very cool street of hip bars and restaurants representing food from all over the globe - Russian, Brazilian, Danish, German, British, Irish, and many more. Nearby, Jalan Alor has several outdoor food stalls offering very good food for next to nothing. The Indian district isn't particularly pleasant, nor is Chinatown. Merdeka Square, the city centre when the British rules Malaysia has many pretty buildings.
The two main attractions, however, are the Pearl Tower and Petronas Towers, one of the tallest buildings in the world. You can view both buildings from almost anywhere in the city, and the sight by day and night is amazing.
At night, I would hover around Jalan Ramlee or at the SkyBar in the Traders Hotel, where I met Iris, Mysara and Andreas. The view from the 33rd floor SkyBar was great, and the drinks were great too.
Singapore
Arriving into Singapore's Changi airport felt like a different world. The people, language, organisation, efficiency, it was nothing like anywhere I had been to in the previous six months. I only had half a day, so I first headed to City Hall for a bit of shopping at the Funan DigitaLife Mall. I then headed to Little India for more shopping and a walk around what felt like Southall or Wembley in the West of London. I then went for a relaxing massage before taking the subway to Clarke Quay, where I would spend my last few hours on holiday. The Le Noir bar was great, but I couldn't help but think it was just being in Broadgate Circle, Liverpool Street on a summer's day, full of Brits in suits.
It was then time to go home.
Arriving in KL, Malaysia's capital, felt like I was halfway home. Homely comforts at the Shangri-La hotel, the plush SkyBar and British architecture in the city's main square.
The spent the three days in KL walking around the various districts. Bukit Bintang is a buzzing street with many shopping malls, dodgy massage parlours, cafes. Just off Bukit Bintang is Changkat Bukit Bintang, a very cool street of hip bars and restaurants representing food from all over the globe - Russian, Brazilian, Danish, German, British, Irish, and many more. Nearby, Jalan Alor has several outdoor food stalls offering very good food for next to nothing. The Indian district isn't particularly pleasant, nor is Chinatown. Merdeka Square, the city centre when the British rules Malaysia has many pretty buildings.
The two main attractions, however, are the Pearl Tower and Petronas Towers, one of the tallest buildings in the world. You can view both buildings from almost anywhere in the city, and the sight by day and night is amazing.
At night, I would hover around Jalan Ramlee or at the SkyBar in the Traders Hotel, where I met Iris, Mysara and Andreas. The view from the 33rd floor SkyBar was great, and the drinks were great too.
Singapore
Arriving into Singapore's Changi airport felt like a different world. The people, language, organisation, efficiency, it was nothing like anywhere I had been to in the previous six months. I only had half a day, so I first headed to City Hall for a bit of shopping at the Funan DigitaLife Mall. I then headed to Little India for more shopping and a walk around what felt like Southall or Wembley in the West of London. I then went for a relaxing massage before taking the subway to Clarke Quay, where I would spend my last few hours on holiday. The Le Noir bar was great, but I couldn't help but think it was just being in Broadgate Circle, Liverpool Street on a summer's day, full of Brits in suits.
It was then time to go home.
Final night in Borneo
We were back in Kuching. After going for a massage and spending most of the afternoon trying to change my flight to KL, we went for an Indian - Lyn's Restaurant. The food was very good and the owner of the restaurant was a little crazy, although entertaining. He was sharing his wisdom, a lot of which I disagreed with, but it was no use havign the debate.
I then headed out alone to check out Kuching on a Friday night. I went bar hopping from Goal to Piccadilly, where it was mainly locals. I then checked out Ipanema, before settling at Soho. I met Mike and Maja, both German working in Kuching, Joel, and Alisya, a very attractive local girl. We spent most of the night in Soho before briefly going to Mojo, but it soon closed and we were back in Soho. The music was not bad, but the local dancing was shocking. I then hopped into Maja's car and we headed to Junk Bar, where I stayed until around 5am I think. Fun night. Joel was a finance student of Warwick and worshipped the likes of Warren Buffet (so much that his shoes had WB's name printed on them), so it was fun taking the mick out of him.
The next morning, I paid a brief visit to the very impressive Sawarak Museum, but I didn't do it justice given my tired state. I then flew to KL.
It was a short, but very fun and adventurous trip to Sarawak. Anne and Aldrin are both very interesting and fun people, which made it even better. I couldn't help but feeling the trip was over, even though I had a few more days in KL and Singapore before heading home.
I then headed out alone to check out Kuching on a Friday night. I went bar hopping from Goal to Piccadilly, where it was mainly locals. I then checked out Ipanema, before settling at Soho. I met Mike and Maja, both German working in Kuching, Joel, and Alisya, a very attractive local girl. We spent most of the night in Soho before briefly going to Mojo, but it soon closed and we were back in Soho. The music was not bad, but the local dancing was shocking. I then hopped into Maja's car and we headed to Junk Bar, where I stayed until around 5am I think. Fun night. Joel was a finance student of Warwick and worshipped the likes of Warren Buffet (so much that his shoes had WB's name printed on them), so it was fun taking the mick out of him.
The next morning, I paid a brief visit to the very impressive Sawarak Museum, but I didn't do it justice given my tired state. I then flew to KL.
It was a short, but very fun and adventurous trip to Sarawak. Anne and Aldrin are both very interesting and fun people, which made it even better. I couldn't help but feeling the trip was over, even though I had a few more days in KL and Singapore before heading home.
Living in a traditional Iban longhouse
We headed out of Kuching in a minibus stopping for breakfast and again at the Serian Market. The market is where I saw a live turtle being de-shelled with many locals watching - it was very sick.
Our final part of the journey to Skandis, an Iban longhouse, was by boat. On arrival, we were greeted by the chief's wife as the chief himself was out hunting.
The longhouse at Skandis, built on stilts, consisted of 14 doors. Behind each door was a single room where a single family would live. All doors would face out to an open gallery shared across all families and where most people would sit during the day. There was an open veranda beyond this that would be used to hang clothes to dry, or dry rubber, rice etc. The longhouse was very basic with electricity only for a few hours in the evening, powered by a generator. The chief also has a fridge and satellite TV, which everyone would gather around at night to watch their favourite Indonesia soaps. The 'longdrop' toilets were outside.
There were kids and adults everywhere you looked. It was impossible to determine which kid belonged to who as it seemed like one big, happy family. Kids as young as 10 were drinking and smoking. There were roosters going at it all day and night.
We sat around until the chief returned from his hunt, something we would do a lot of - problem was there was no cushioning between my butt and the bamboo floor. It was getting late so the chief's wife asked Aldrin to present 'our' gifts to them - Aldrin had done a mass shop that morning of tobacco, toothpaste, fruits, and also a pig's head. Soon after the hunting party returned, guns in hand. There were around 20-25 of them, including a 7yr and 8yr boy, both bare-footed, who had been out for over 12hrs since 7am.
They were late as they caught and shot dead a barking deer. We were lucky, as well as our usual dinner, we were invited for some deer with the chief in his house. Someone also spotted a civet, but despite a few gun shots, it got away. We then had some chopped up pig's head as a snack during the rice wine session. There was more meat on it than I expected. The rice wine session simply involved lots of drinking and it was particularly fun for the teens who were lightweights by all accounts. We went through 11 bottles I think. It was then time for bed. The chief's wife pulled out three ultra-thin mattresses and laid them out outside. We tied out mozzie nets and that was bed - it was like my mum's village in Bochasan!
The next morning we went for a short walk walking up and down hills, across streams seeing how the Iban people extract latex from rubber trees. We were also pointed out iron wood, local plants and veggies, fruit trees etc. They have a use for almost every plant. The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent doing nothing, except every few hours we would be invited to eat something - I was eating like a beast and doing no exercise - great!
We went for a few swims/baths a day in the river to kill time. The kids loved the river and could swim from the age of 3! They would swim, splash and bathe in the river.
The final night, after dinner, was market time, where all the families bring out souvenirs for tourists to buy, except there were only 2 this time. Both Anne and I felt bad and bought something, but it was awkward to say the least.
The next morning we returned to Kuching, and notably the boatswoman fell in the river as she was paddling to prevent the boat from getting stuck in the rocks.
Our final part of the journey to Skandis, an Iban longhouse, was by boat. On arrival, we were greeted by the chief's wife as the chief himself was out hunting.
The longhouse at Skandis, built on stilts, consisted of 14 doors. Behind each door was a single room where a single family would live. All doors would face out to an open gallery shared across all families and where most people would sit during the day. There was an open veranda beyond this that would be used to hang clothes to dry, or dry rubber, rice etc. The longhouse was very basic with electricity only for a few hours in the evening, powered by a generator. The chief also has a fridge and satellite TV, which everyone would gather around at night to watch their favourite Indonesia soaps. The 'longdrop' toilets were outside.
There were kids and adults everywhere you looked. It was impossible to determine which kid belonged to who as it seemed like one big, happy family. Kids as young as 10 were drinking and smoking. There were roosters going at it all day and night.
We sat around until the chief returned from his hunt, something we would do a lot of - problem was there was no cushioning between my butt and the bamboo floor. It was getting late so the chief's wife asked Aldrin to present 'our' gifts to them - Aldrin had done a mass shop that morning of tobacco, toothpaste, fruits, and also a pig's head. Soon after the hunting party returned, guns in hand. There were around 20-25 of them, including a 7yr and 8yr boy, both bare-footed, who had been out for over 12hrs since 7am.
They were late as they caught and shot dead a barking deer. We were lucky, as well as our usual dinner, we were invited for some deer with the chief in his house. Someone also spotted a civet, but despite a few gun shots, it got away. We then had some chopped up pig's head as a snack during the rice wine session. There was more meat on it than I expected. The rice wine session simply involved lots of drinking and it was particularly fun for the teens who were lightweights by all accounts. We went through 11 bottles I think. It was then time for bed. The chief's wife pulled out three ultra-thin mattresses and laid them out outside. We tied out mozzie nets and that was bed - it was like my mum's village in Bochasan!
The next morning we went for a short walk walking up and down hills, across streams seeing how the Iban people extract latex from rubber trees. We were also pointed out iron wood, local plants and veggies, fruit trees etc. They have a use for almost every plant. The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent doing nothing, except every few hours we would be invited to eat something - I was eating like a beast and doing no exercise - great!
We went for a few swims/baths a day in the river to kill time. The kids loved the river and could swim from the age of 3! They would swim, splash and bathe in the river.
The final night, after dinner, was market time, where all the families bring out souvenirs for tourists to buy, except there were only 2 this time. Both Anne and I felt bad and bought something, but it was awkward to say the least.
The next morning we returned to Kuching, and notably the boatswoman fell in the river as she was paddling to prevent the boat from getting stuck in the rocks.
The stunning Mulu National Park
I left my Sabah group behind for a new leader, Aldrin, and new group ... that consisted of 1 person, Anne, from Brisbane, Australia. I suspect there will be fewer late nights on this trip, although I still couldn't wait to head to the national parks and longhouse.
After a flight to Miri, it was food and an early night before a 6am start the following morning. Han had warned me that this trip was much 'rougher', but I didn't expect what was to come.
Most tourists opt for the 20 minute flight from Miri to the Mulu National Park, but we were taking a different route, and what a difference. It started with a comfortable taxi to the jetty, but that's where we left comfort behind for the day. Next up was a 3hr ride on a closed, cramped longboat to Marudi town. After a short break, we jumped onto another boat to 'Somewhere'. This was a little more comfortable, but another 4-5hrs, although this was only meant to take 2-3hrs. By now, my butt was very sore. From Somewhere, we were supposed to get a private boat sent from Mulu National Park, but we were a few hours behind, and just as we arrived to Somewhere, it started to pour down with rain. Aldrin was concerned that our boat wouldn't come, either because we were late or due to the rain. We were in trouble. There was no mobile phone reception and no homes in sight. Eventually, someone came up to us and asked Aldrin what we are doing. He offered us his home to stay in if our boat didn't arrive - relief! Finally, only a few hours late, our boat did arrive. But by now, it was chucking it down with rain and the boat was a small, wooden, open boat! We tried to cover our bags up as much as possible and jumped into the boat. The engine kept on cutting out and as it got dark, we were concerned that we might hit logs in the river that had fallen into the river from the rains upstream. We were on the boat for 2hrs and finally got into the Park HQ around 7pm, well after dark, and 13hrs after we left Miri! Great adventure.
After a good meal just outside the Park, we hit the sack. We had a long walk ahead of us to Camp 5 in the morning.
We woke up to find the Park HQ flooded. The rain didn't stop overnight and we couldn't get out of the Park HQ until the water level dropped. We were lucky that we got the go-ahead to leave around 9am and were off, without Anne as we opted to stay at Park HQ and not risk the conditions en route and at Camp 5.
We jumped on a longboat and first headed to Wind Cave, one of many caves in the Park. Mulu contains the largest system of caves in the world. The cave was very large, but the guide, Esra, said this was tiny in comparison to what I would see a few days later. The neighbouring Clearwater Cave was not accessible due to high water leves. We continued on the boat for a bit before we couldn't go any further due to fallen logs in the river. We hopped out with our bags, had lunch, and began the 8km walk to Camp 5. It was the muddiest, wettest walk ever. I was often in mud above my knees and it was tough going, but I was loving it. Little did I know that the rains had damaged the water system at Camp 5 and there was no showers or tap water, so we had to bathe in the river which was a little dangerous as it was flowing very fast and unusually high.
The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling and chatting to an Aussie couple, Brandon and Caz, who had just come down from the Pinnacles climb, which I attempt the following day. Accommodation at Camp 5 consists of sleeping on bunks in open rooms - not surprisingly, I got bitten alive by sand flies that night!
It was time to climb (not really a hike) the Pinnacles, a climb that I was warned was much tougher than Mt Kinabalu. The trail was 2.4km, of which the final 400m was like rock climbing with the help of ladders to traverse across rocks, and very slippery. I was up in around 2.5hrs and had the entire view to myself. The Pinnacles are a collection of 45-metre high, limestone needles that cling to the side of Gunung Api (Fire Mountain). They form a forest of silver-grey stone encircled by thick green vegetation. I spent 2hrs at the top admiring the view and delaying what would be a nightmare descent. It proved a hellish return to Camp 5; my knees were in so much pain, but I was down in 2hrs and jumped straight into the river to swim and cool off. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and chatting to a group of expats from Brunei who also went up the Pinacles with me, before returning back to Park HQ the following morning.
I was in luck as I was able to visit Clearwater Cave as the water level had fallen in the past few days. The cave was simply stunning. Absolutely massive and with a river running through it. It is one of the longest caves in the world at over 100km.
I returned to Park HQ, only two days later, to see the water level had come down considerably. After lunch, Esra took Anne and me to Langs Cave and Deer Cave, the latter being the largest cave in the world. Deer Cave is also famous for the bats that reside within, and at around 6pm everyday, around 2 million bats, mostly free tailed and wrinkle-lipped bats, fly out of the cave in search for food. It was unreal.
My four day adventure to Mulu was over and we flew to Kuching via Miri for the second leg of the trip. The views from the plane were spectacular.
After a flight to Miri, it was food and an early night before a 6am start the following morning. Han had warned me that this trip was much 'rougher', but I didn't expect what was to come.
Most tourists opt for the 20 minute flight from Miri to the Mulu National Park, but we were taking a different route, and what a difference. It started with a comfortable taxi to the jetty, but that's where we left comfort behind for the day. Next up was a 3hr ride on a closed, cramped longboat to Marudi town. After a short break, we jumped onto another boat to 'Somewhere'. This was a little more comfortable, but another 4-5hrs, although this was only meant to take 2-3hrs. By now, my butt was very sore. From Somewhere, we were supposed to get a private boat sent from Mulu National Park, but we were a few hours behind, and just as we arrived to Somewhere, it started to pour down with rain. Aldrin was concerned that our boat wouldn't come, either because we were late or due to the rain. We were in trouble. There was no mobile phone reception and no homes in sight. Eventually, someone came up to us and asked Aldrin what we are doing. He offered us his home to stay in if our boat didn't arrive - relief! Finally, only a few hours late, our boat did arrive. But by now, it was chucking it down with rain and the boat was a small, wooden, open boat! We tried to cover our bags up as much as possible and jumped into the boat. The engine kept on cutting out and as it got dark, we were concerned that we might hit logs in the river that had fallen into the river from the rains upstream. We were on the boat for 2hrs and finally got into the Park HQ around 7pm, well after dark, and 13hrs after we left Miri! Great adventure.
After a good meal just outside the Park, we hit the sack. We had a long walk ahead of us to Camp 5 in the morning.
We woke up to find the Park HQ flooded. The rain didn't stop overnight and we couldn't get out of the Park HQ until the water level dropped. We were lucky that we got the go-ahead to leave around 9am and were off, without Anne as we opted to stay at Park HQ and not risk the conditions en route and at Camp 5.
We jumped on a longboat and first headed to Wind Cave, one of many caves in the Park. Mulu contains the largest system of caves in the world. The cave was very large, but the guide, Esra, said this was tiny in comparison to what I would see a few days later. The neighbouring Clearwater Cave was not accessible due to high water leves. We continued on the boat for a bit before we couldn't go any further due to fallen logs in the river. We hopped out with our bags, had lunch, and began the 8km walk to Camp 5. It was the muddiest, wettest walk ever. I was often in mud above my knees and it was tough going, but I was loving it. Little did I know that the rains had damaged the water system at Camp 5 and there was no showers or tap water, so we had to bathe in the river which was a little dangerous as it was flowing very fast and unusually high.
The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling and chatting to an Aussie couple, Brandon and Caz, who had just come down from the Pinnacles climb, which I attempt the following day. Accommodation at Camp 5 consists of sleeping on bunks in open rooms - not surprisingly, I got bitten alive by sand flies that night!
It was time to climb (not really a hike) the Pinnacles, a climb that I was warned was much tougher than Mt Kinabalu. The trail was 2.4km, of which the final 400m was like rock climbing with the help of ladders to traverse across rocks, and very slippery. I was up in around 2.5hrs and had the entire view to myself. The Pinnacles are a collection of 45-metre high, limestone needles that cling to the side of Gunung Api (Fire Mountain). They form a forest of silver-grey stone encircled by thick green vegetation. I spent 2hrs at the top admiring the view and delaying what would be a nightmare descent. It proved a hellish return to Camp 5; my knees were in so much pain, but I was down in 2hrs and jumped straight into the river to swim and cool off. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and chatting to a group of expats from Brunei who also went up the Pinacles with me, before returning back to Park HQ the following morning.
I was in luck as I was able to visit Clearwater Cave as the water level had fallen in the past few days. The cave was simply stunning. Absolutely massive and with a river running through it. It is one of the longest caves in the world at over 100km.
I returned to Park HQ, only two days later, to see the water level had come down considerably. After lunch, Esra took Anne and me to Langs Cave and Deer Cave, the latter being the largest cave in the world. Deer Cave is also famous for the bats that reside within, and at around 6pm everyday, around 2 million bats, mostly free tailed and wrinkle-lipped bats, fly out of the cave in search for food. It was unreal.
My four day adventure to Mulu was over and we flew to Kuching via Miri for the second leg of the trip. The views from the plane were spectacular.
Final few days in Sabah
The final days in Sabah were spent 20 minutes outside Kota Kinabalu at a seaside resort - Seaside Travellers Inn.
We had lots of fun chilling in the pool before our final group dinner. After dinner, we were joking around, Denmark had some tough riddles for us all.
We then played volleyball to settle the drawn game a few days ago in Sepilok. Wow, were the winners gloating.
Denmark taught us 'team ping pong' which was great fun. Jackie and I continued playing for another hour or so in very humid conditions while the rest kicked off a game of Uno.
Soon there were only four left. Yep, Scotland, Han and me. At around 2am, Han and Kathleen headed out in a car to fetch some food - they came back with sweet cheese biscuits, KFC and Mentos! That night ended very late and I had promised to wake up to meet all before we head off at 8am!
The next day, we all parted company, but not before arranging Dennis' Christmas message to his work colleagues.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
You hideous orangutan
I had only heard of the ORANGUTAN in an episode of Fawlty Towers when Manuel called one of the builders a 'hideous orangutan'. Seeing them in the flesh was one of my main reasons for visiting Borneo.
After some Chinese-style pork buns en route, we headed straight for the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary for the 10am feeding. The park was started for rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, and illegal hunting. The orphaned orangutans are trained to survive again in the wild and are released as soon as ready. Only a few of them came out for the morning feed, but it was amazing. They majestically cross the rope from thee trees to the feeding platform.
On our way back to the main centre of the sanctuary, we encountered angry-looking monkeys looking for some food. Some of them were quite scary, but it was great seeing so many of them out in the wild no more than a few metres from us.
After chilling at our B&B for a few hours, Scotland, Dennis and I returned to the Sanctuary for the 3pm feed. And how good a decision was that! We saw loads of them, big and small ones. It's amazing how the parent carries the baby as he/she traverses across the rope. After the orangutans were done with the bananas that had been left out for them, dozens of monkeys turned up for the scraps. It was an incredible sight to see both monkeys and orangutans in one eyeshot in their natural environment.
We walked back to the B&B very happy people. The evening entertainment then began. First, a very competitive game of volleyball followd by a fantastic BBQ that the B&B had put on for us on request - lamb chops, sausages, chicken wings, potato salad, greens, corn on the cob, it was delicious. It then started to get messy as we played 'Pyramil' with Uno cards (Denmark taught us), a drinking game, and then musical chairs, 'Duck Goose', and finally darts. At around 2am, just as everyone was heading to bed, a couple of locals turned up with local drinks, which Kathleen said smelt like "babies' vomit" (she's a nurse). The same old foursome continued on for a few more hours until only Jackie and I were left. We were in mischievous mood. First, we formed a human pyramid with a couple of locals, and then Jackie was driven away in the back of a van for a bit before I went and got her. One of the locals took a liking to Jackie, but was never going to be successful telling her she was 'fat' and '28' when she is only 26. After the locals left, we decided it would be fun to climb on top of one of the rooms and then block a few room doors with tables and brooms. We finally hit the sack around 4am.
After some Chinese-style pork buns en route, we headed straight for the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary for the 10am feeding. The park was started for rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, and illegal hunting. The orphaned orangutans are trained to survive again in the wild and are released as soon as ready. Only a few of them came out for the morning feed, but it was amazing. They majestically cross the rope from thee trees to the feeding platform.
On our way back to the main centre of the sanctuary, we encountered angry-looking monkeys looking for some food. Some of them were quite scary, but it was great seeing so many of them out in the wild no more than a few metres from us.
After chilling at our B&B for a few hours, Scotland, Dennis and I returned to the Sanctuary for the 3pm feed. And how good a decision was that! We saw loads of them, big and small ones. It's amazing how the parent carries the baby as he/she traverses across the rope. After the orangutans were done with the bananas that had been left out for them, dozens of monkeys turned up for the scraps. It was an incredible sight to see both monkeys and orangutans in one eyeshot in their natural environment.
We walked back to the B&B very happy people. The evening entertainment then began. First, a very competitive game of volleyball followd by a fantastic BBQ that the B&B had put on for us on request - lamb chops, sausages, chicken wings, potato salad, greens, corn on the cob, it was delicious. It then started to get messy as we played 'Pyramil' with Uno cards (Denmark taught us), a drinking game, and then musical chairs, 'Duck Goose', and finally darts. At around 2am, just as everyone was heading to bed, a couple of locals turned up with local drinks, which Kathleen said smelt like "babies' vomit" (she's a nurse). The same old foursome continued on for a few more hours until only Jackie and I were left. We were in mischievous mood. First, we formed a human pyramid with a couple of locals, and then Jackie was driven away in the back of a van for a bit before I went and got her. One of the locals took a liking to Jackie, but was never going to be successful telling her she was 'fat' and '28' when she is only 26. After the locals left, we decided it would be fun to climb on top of one of the rooms and then block a few room doors with tables and brooms. We finally hit the sack around 4am.
Puurrrple turrrtlesssss
My two days in the jungle were intense and very exciting, so have no time to write about it now, although photos are up.
Before heading to Turtle Island, we had a night in Sandakan, Sabah's second largest city.
I had a great Sunday afternoon there. Spent a few hours reading the local paper, went for a much needed haircut and chilled in front of the TV - is was just like a typical Sunday back at home, except without live football.
In the late afternoon, we went to visit the War Memorial, which was dedicated to the thousands of Australians and Brits who lost there lives at the hands of the Japanese during WW2, either at the POW camp (where the War Memorial now sits), or along one of the three Death Marches to Ranau, more than 200km away. Of approximately 2,400 POWs, only 6 survived. We then paid a visit to the Buddhist temple that sits on top of a hill overlooking the bay and Sulu Sea.
In the evening, we had dinner along the waterfront. Everyone went off to bed, but I stayed out a little longer to watch some footy. I headed back at 1am, my earliest night in a while.
The following morning, we spent an hour on a speedboat heading to Turtle Island. As the island came into our view, you could see the stunning palm trees and pristine beach. We pretty much had the beach to ourselves as they limit the number of visitors on the island per day to minimise disruption to the green and hawkbill turtles that come onto the beach at night to nest.
I had a great afternoon chilling in the sea on my tube, jumping into the sea off rocks, and playing 'water cricket'. As Scotland and I headed back to our rooms, we saw a baby turtle waddle into the water - great sight.
Before dinner, we spent a little time checking out the exhibition they have as well as a short documentary video on the turtles. During dinner we were alerted by the ranger that a green turtle had come onto the beach to nest. We all headed out quickly to see the spectacle. The green turtle had dug itself a nest about 30cm deep into the sand above the level of high tide. We saw each egg coming out - they looked like mini scotch eggs, but a little more gooey. The turtle's shell was more than 1m long and 80cm wide - the ranger measured it to enable it to identify and monitor the turtle in the future. The green turtle then thought it was burying the eggs under the sand, unaware that the ranger had removed them as they have a much better chance of survival in one of the islands' hatcheries. We saw the ranger bury the eggs in the hatchery and then saw him release 50 baby turtles, only 2 days old, into the sea - they have a 1-2% chance of survival. When they headed away back inland, we had to pick them up from the shell and point them in the right direction - it was quite amazing to seem them so close up. Throughout, we didn't use any cameras to protect the turtles from exposure to direct light.
We then headed back to our chalets for more Uno, which was later accompanied by lots of burping and farting (thanks to Scotland, Han and me) - not nice really, but reminded me of school:)
Eeveryone was taking the mick out of Jackie in the way she said 'turtles' with her strong Scottish accent - the way she said 'purple turtles' was even more amusing.
Before heading to Turtle Island, we had a night in Sandakan, Sabah's second largest city.
I had a great Sunday afternoon there. Spent a few hours reading the local paper, went for a much needed haircut and chilled in front of the TV - is was just like a typical Sunday back at home, except without live football.
In the late afternoon, we went to visit the War Memorial, which was dedicated to the thousands of Australians and Brits who lost there lives at the hands of the Japanese during WW2, either at the POW camp (where the War Memorial now sits), or along one of the three Death Marches to Ranau, more than 200km away. Of approximately 2,400 POWs, only 6 survived. We then paid a visit to the Buddhist temple that sits on top of a hill overlooking the bay and Sulu Sea.
In the evening, we had dinner along the waterfront. Everyone went off to bed, but I stayed out a little longer to watch some footy. I headed back at 1am, my earliest night in a while.
The following morning, we spent an hour on a speedboat heading to Turtle Island. As the island came into our view, you could see the stunning palm trees and pristine beach. We pretty much had the beach to ourselves as they limit the number of visitors on the island per day to minimise disruption to the green and hawkbill turtles that come onto the beach at night to nest.
I had a great afternoon chilling in the sea on my tube, jumping into the sea off rocks, and playing 'water cricket'. As Scotland and I headed back to our rooms, we saw a baby turtle waddle into the water - great sight.
Before dinner, we spent a little time checking out the exhibition they have as well as a short documentary video on the turtles. During dinner we were alerted by the ranger that a green turtle had come onto the beach to nest. We all headed out quickly to see the spectacle. The green turtle had dug itself a nest about 30cm deep into the sand above the level of high tide. We saw each egg coming out - they looked like mini scotch eggs, but a little more gooey. The turtle's shell was more than 1m long and 80cm wide - the ranger measured it to enable it to identify and monitor the turtle in the future. The green turtle then thought it was burying the eggs under the sand, unaware that the ranger had removed them as they have a much better chance of survival in one of the islands' hatcheries. We saw the ranger bury the eggs in the hatchery and then saw him release 50 baby turtles, only 2 days old, into the sea - they have a 1-2% chance of survival. When they headed away back inland, we had to pick them up from the shell and point them in the right direction - it was quite amazing to seem them so close up. Throughout, we didn't use any cameras to protect the turtles from exposure to direct light.
We then headed back to our chalets for more Uno, which was later accompanied by lots of burping and farting (thanks to Scotland, Han and me) - not nice really, but reminded me of school:)
Eeveryone was taking the mick out of Jackie in the way she said 'turtles' with her strong Scottish accent - the way she said 'purple turtles' was even more amusing.
Adventure in the Borneo jungle
After a little comfort in Poring, it was time to get smelly again, this time in Kinabatangan, deep within the Borneo jungle. We took a local bus from Poring to the Mescot Camp in a village along the Kinabatangan River.
Soon after we headed down the river in a longboat to our campsite, which was merely a small tent on the riverbank. We setup our 'bed' for the night amid fire ants, spiders, leeches, the lot.
We then took a trip further upstream in search for proboscis monkeys. We were in luck, we saw loads, and even saw an orangutan from distance. To see them swinging from tree to tree was quite something.
On our return, we had dinner (and lots of layer cakes), and headed into the jungle for a nightwalk. I wasn't expecting to see much, but it was excellent. Amazing how our local guide and Han can find all sorts of insects with only a small torch to help them. Despite the fact that we were making a fair bit of noise, especially when Jackie and Kristine jumped when they saw a flying butterfly, we saw lots - frogs, centipedes, lizards, but also a snake, a scorpion and the ultimate, a tarantula.
We returned to camp to play cards (Shithead) with Jim and Inkie. Jim also tried a ridiculous trick where he would ask someone to write their name on a piece of paper and then burn the paper. He would rub the paper, now ash, onto his arm and somehow guess the name. It didn't work, but he did burn himself.
It was time for bed, yes we were sleeping in hammocks in the sweltering heat, not helped by lots of farting. I didn't manage to get to sleep, but I was very manky when I woke up the next morning.
We had a jam-packed schedule for today. First up was a morning boat ride, hoping to see some birds. We saw more monkeys, and towards the end, we saw some great birds - an eagle sitting on top of a tree, the colourful kingfisher, and another cool bird whose name escapes me.
We then returned to the Mescot camp for a shower - with brown riverwater - hey it was something at least. Following this, we had some cooking lessons (mum will be proud). Denmark, Jackie and I opted to make doughnuts. It was fun, I was good at rolling dough (not surprising having seen my mum do it for 25 years). We even made rude ones:)
We then visited some nearby caves, where inside, as well as many bats, there were coffins of people and buffalos from many centuries ago. We also saw a karmeleon.
This followed a brief visit to a Muslim wedding that was taking place in the village. We were provided with local costumes. It reminded me very much of an Indian wedding. Lots of kids running around, food, chaos etc, but only around 200 people.
We were treated to an excellent performance by local artists in the afternoon, combining local dances, local instruments and some martial arts. Kathleen and I were also sucked into a dance of our own - fun, but quite embarrassing.
It got worse for me. Jim asked three of us to step up (Kenneth, Kristine and me). He then blindfolded us and asked us to stand on a chair. After that, he asked Kenneth to sit down and repeated the exercise on Kristine and I. After that, he asked Kristine to sit down, leaving only me. I was then blindfolded, asked to stand on a chair and the chair was then lifted on a few chairs that had been placed on a table. I was a good few metres off the ground. I was then asked to jump which was very scary. Little did I know it was a prank and I was jumping from a foot off the ground!
We then played some volleyball with the locals, only girls though because the guys were very serious and good.
We then separated and went off to our homestays. I was staying with Dennis and Han, and a family of a zillion. The father of the house introduced himself and we had a brief conversation. He has 15 kids, of which 10 are married! And 39 grandchildren! Most of the family just sit and lie in front of the tele all afternoon and evening. Dinner was good, very spicy, although it was a shame not to eat with the entire family, just the father. The bath was like my place in Indian, cold water from a bucket. I also had to share a bed with Han which wasn't ideal.
We then returned to the wedding for the evening event. We had different costumes this time, provided to us by our host family. Han and I looked very traditional, but also like muppets. It wasn't particularly exciting, although Scotland, Jim and I had fun spotting ladyboys. The bride's personal stylist was a ladyboy! After Han tried to set me up with a 22yr girl (who turned out to be 16!), some of us had a little dance with the locals, and the bride! It was the only time I saw the bride smiling!
The entire two days were excellent. Mescot has an excellent setup. I was looking forward to a shower though.
Soon after we headed down the river in a longboat to our campsite, which was merely a small tent on the riverbank. We setup our 'bed' for the night amid fire ants, spiders, leeches, the lot.
We then took a trip further upstream in search for proboscis monkeys. We were in luck, we saw loads, and even saw an orangutan from distance. To see them swinging from tree to tree was quite something.
On our return, we had dinner (and lots of layer cakes), and headed into the jungle for a nightwalk. I wasn't expecting to see much, but it was excellent. Amazing how our local guide and Han can find all sorts of insects with only a small torch to help them. Despite the fact that we were making a fair bit of noise, especially when Jackie and Kristine jumped when they saw a flying butterfly, we saw lots - frogs, centipedes, lizards, but also a snake, a scorpion and the ultimate, a tarantula.
We returned to camp to play cards (Shithead) with Jim and Inkie. Jim also tried a ridiculous trick where he would ask someone to write their name on a piece of paper and then burn the paper. He would rub the paper, now ash, onto his arm and somehow guess the name. It didn't work, but he did burn himself.
It was time for bed, yes we were sleeping in hammocks in the sweltering heat, not helped by lots of farting. I didn't manage to get to sleep, but I was very manky when I woke up the next morning.
We had a jam-packed schedule for today. First up was a morning boat ride, hoping to see some birds. We saw more monkeys, and towards the end, we saw some great birds - an eagle sitting on top of a tree, the colourful kingfisher, and another cool bird whose name escapes me.
We then returned to the Mescot camp for a shower - with brown riverwater - hey it was something at least. Following this, we had some cooking lessons (mum will be proud). Denmark, Jackie and I opted to make doughnuts. It was fun, I was good at rolling dough (not surprising having seen my mum do it for 25 years). We even made rude ones:)
We then visited some nearby caves, where inside, as well as many bats, there were coffins of people and buffalos from many centuries ago. We also saw a karmeleon.
This followed a brief visit to a Muslim wedding that was taking place in the village. We were provided with local costumes. It reminded me very much of an Indian wedding. Lots of kids running around, food, chaos etc, but only around 200 people.
We were treated to an excellent performance by local artists in the afternoon, combining local dances, local instruments and some martial arts. Kathleen and I were also sucked into a dance of our own - fun, but quite embarrassing.
It got worse for me. Jim asked three of us to step up (Kenneth, Kristine and me). He then blindfolded us and asked us to stand on a chair. After that, he asked Kenneth to sit down and repeated the exercise on Kristine and I. After that, he asked Kristine to sit down, leaving only me. I was then blindfolded, asked to stand on a chair and the chair was then lifted on a few chairs that had been placed on a table. I was a good few metres off the ground. I was then asked to jump which was very scary. Little did I know it was a prank and I was jumping from a foot off the ground!
We then played some volleyball with the locals, only girls though because the guys were very serious and good.
We then separated and went off to our homestays. I was staying with Dennis and Han, and a family of a zillion. The father of the house introduced himself and we had a brief conversation. He has 15 kids, of which 10 are married! And 39 grandchildren! Most of the family just sit and lie in front of the tele all afternoon and evening. Dinner was good, very spicy, although it was a shame not to eat with the entire family, just the father. The bath was like my place in Indian, cold water from a bucket. I also had to share a bed with Han which wasn't ideal.
We then returned to the wedding for the evening event. We had different costumes this time, provided to us by our host family. Han and I looked very traditional, but also like muppets. It wasn't particularly exciting, although Scotland, Jim and I had fun spotting ladyboys. The bride's personal stylist was a ladyboy! After Han tried to set me up with a 22yr girl (who turned out to be 16!), some of us had a little dance with the locals, and the bride! It was the only time I saw the bride smiling!
The entire two days were excellent. Mescot has an excellent setup. I was looking forward to a shower though.
Chilling at Poring Hot Springs
I was very glad to arrive at the Round Inn in Poring, and most looking forward to a hot shower and wearing clean clothes for the first time in a while!
Rather than get some kip like everyone else before dinner, I got drawn into an 'a bis' contest with Han and three local drivers: Ambulance, Helicopter and Bulldozer.
The next morning, I and everyone else were hobbling, feeling the effects of the climb. The hot springs were not great, basically bath tubs with sulphur water on drip. The massage later in the day was better, but extremely painful!
Scotland and I went to see Jackie, the resident orangutan in the park nearby. It was my first sight of an orangutan and I loved it - so human-like in its behaviour. On our return, we saw a snake that must have been around half a metre in length.
It was pouring down with rain in Poring, and there was little to do on our final night - so it turned out to be very messy in the confines of the Round Inn. There was a guitar, lots of singing by locals and us, lots of Uno and other card games, drinking games, skulling of beer with vodka, and for some unknown reason, throughout the night, the owner's wife kept on slapping me. It was a very late night.
Rather than get some kip like everyone else before dinner, I got drawn into an 'a bis' contest with Han and three local drivers: Ambulance, Helicopter and Bulldozer.
The next morning, I and everyone else were hobbling, feeling the effects of the climb. The hot springs were not great, basically bath tubs with sulphur water on drip. The massage later in the day was better, but extremely painful!
Scotland and I went to see Jackie, the resident orangutan in the park nearby. It was my first sight of an orangutan and I loved it - so human-like in its behaviour. On our return, we saw a snake that must have been around half a metre in length.
It was pouring down with rain in Poring, and there was little to do on our final night - so it turned out to be very messy in the confines of the Round Inn. There was a guitar, lots of singing by locals and us, lots of Uno and other card games, drinking games, skulling of beer with vodka, and for some unknown reason, throughout the night, the owner's wife kept on slapping me. It was a very late night.
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