Im alive and well in Indoseia, so dont worry folks.

Sorry its been so long in be updating with my whereabouts. but ive been busy having an amazing time in Indo. What a country. Even the hype before hand could not prepare me for such an amazing place.

From Volcanoes to beaches, from parties to fining zen. Ive done loads here in my last country before oz. I liked it so much i decided to take an extra month here in Sumatra. to take stock of the last 9months of my life and do some preparations for Oz. If i can find the energy im going to leave the lake im writing at and go off into the jungle for a week or so.

The reason there have been no updates on my Indo adventure is because im actually writing a book about my travels. So my blog may disappear soon, as some of the content will appear in the book. Now im not getting all JK rowling on you all here. Im writing it for my personal benefit, a personal tale i can share with my family and friends. If it turns out better than anticitpated i may look into getting it published. IF not published at least my own website dedicated to my journey.

Thanks for reading the story so far. Australia is a calling. My future awaits. but not to leave you all wanting, i will continue with pictures and a breif description of my actions along the way when i get the chance. Dont be concerned if im not on here to much, just be glad to know im having the best timeof my life!

until next time…. adios!

25-03-09

I was 28m down beneath the surface surrounded by deep blue sea, with a 600m sea wall to my right, as the gentle current pushed me along. The light darkened. I assumed it was clouds in the distant sky above. I was wrong. I looked up and into the tornado. Giant Barracuda, over five hundred, gather in the sea above us. They school together and swim in a circle around the currents, creating a clear centre where the light still remains. This was the barracuda tornado at Sipadan, one of the most famous sights in the world of diving. Here I was on Dive number 8 looking up at what most divers only dream of seeing. An amazing moment within my diving adventures and one I do not think I will forget.

The day had began with a 7am wake up call, I was out of bed in a flash. The day to dive Sipadan was finally here. To say I was excited and smiling at the shear thought was an understatement. I showered and changed. Practically skipped to breakfast and set off to the Dive Shop. Sipadan Scuba. I met my dive master Awang who has over 12years experience diving Sipadan, and Roelof one of the Sipadan Scuba instructors. We collected our gear and made our way down to the boat. Martjin and Roelof both had there cameras on them so we could get photos of the day.

An hours cruise with a breifing from Roelof. We landed at the island and signed in at the check in. Sipadan is now highly protected, as of 2005 all of the resorts were knocked down and now only a military base remains to protect the area and reef below the waters. The Island of Sipadan is tiny but it rises 600m from the sea bed below making it a haven for coral and fish in the whipping currents that can brush past the island. Our first dive site would be barracuda point and with everything being in our favour we would see some pretty impressive sights.

We geared up in a flash, Siggi a german guy mentioned that it was his 100th dive so a big round of applause was provided and Roelof being the likeable comic that he was said its PADI law that you have to do your 100th dive naked. Siggi laughed and said I thought you had to fill your goggles with Liquor and drink through your nose during the dive. It got us thinking whether that was possible?? Ha ha.

Backwards into the water and the white bubbles and dark blues of the sea filled my vision. This was it Sipadan Barracuda Point here we come. Deflating the BCD’s we all dropped beneath the ocean waves and entered the amazing world of Jacque Cousteau, whom made this very site world renowned all those years ago. At around 5m deep we were above the coral reef and beginning to make our way over to the drop off of the wall. Looking to our left we could see a huge school of Jack Fish, tightly packed into a swirling ball. I have never seen this many fish together. An amazing sight. Every now and then the ball would disperse as giant, big eyed and Blue fin travelley dart into the school, only to reform immediately after the predator had passed through. Safety in numbers.

The School of Jackfish

Blue Fin Travelley

We reached the wall drop off and proceeded t descend with it on our right hand side. Now at a depth of 18m we continued along the wall. Looking up a large grey reef shark was silhouetted against the dancing light, it cruised on by with not a single skip of my heart beat. Surprisingly my breathing remained calm and it didn’t scare me. What a sight, Scuba diving with a shark in the Celebes Sea. I smiled. The dive had only just begun and already I had seen two amazing sights.

Grey reef shark cruising - not the best photo!

The dive continued along the wall and I realized that my depth gauge was obviously not working as it still read 6m. I looked up at Roelof who was gesturing to all of us open water divers to rise up in the water, turns out we had actually gone down to a depth of 28m with Awang and the Advanced divers. In my defense my gauge was not working. Grey reef and white tip reef sharks passed, by the dozen, some staying still on the coral and sea bed, others cruising along in the search for food. Reef sharks, unlike other types of shark, can remain stationary on the sea floor without the need to have water passing over there gills in order for them to breath. Green turtles gently glide through the waters around us, resting on the corals and in caverns along the wall.

Grey reef shark resting on the sea bed

Green Turtle wedged in the coral

Half way into the dive I almost spat out my regulator, Roelof signaled me to look behind me. I turned hoping to see a great shark but I laughed so hard that I had to bite down to stop the breathing apparatus from flying out of my mouth. This is what I saw…

Siggi the Naked SCUBA Diver - 100th Dive

Yes a naked SCUBA diver. God bless you Siggi you crazy german nutter!! He must have been mad to do this with all of the Titan Trigger Fish, which again tried to attack us, plus the upcoming barracuda. Ha ha, I don’t think many divers have seen this sight at Barracuda point. Just over half way through the dive we arrived at the enigmatic site of five hundred giant barracuda, some almost 2m in size. Hanging in the waters it was mind blowing stuff to see this natural spectacle. One of the girls got to close to them though and spooked them back into a school swimming against the current. We swam on, the wall on the right covered in bright coral and feeding fish and the Silver glimmer of the swimming barracuda on our left. What a place.

Barracuda Tornado at Barracuda Point. WOW!

From here we entered the gulley with a quickening current it glided us down and to the next interesting sight. Swimming against the strong current you hold your hand out almost touching the coral and cleaner shrimp jump on and clean away. A surreal feeling as there little spindly legs get to work, almost like a tiny pinch as it works its way along eating the dead skin! Manicure anyone? The first dive was over and we were back on board the boat, ecstatic at the dive and laughing at Siggi and his underwater celebrations. We sat on the island just chatting and getting to know each other, I was speaking with Roelof about his life back in South Africa, he painted a great picture and it was interesting talking to him.

My Sipadan diving gang

An hour or so later we were back on the boat gearing up for dive two. South Point, where the larger stuff can be seen and if the conditions are perfect and luck is on your side its possible to see hammer head sharks. Starting the dive we looked down before descending, a shark cruised by and a turtle lay on the shallow reef below. We had not even got underneath the waves yet things were already looking impressive. This time we swam with the vertical wall on our left into a slight head current. Awang would produce magic light shows amongst the coral, as he approached the smaller reef fish, he would open out his fingers quickly which made the colourful fish dart into the protection of the coral.

While we swam sharks cruised all around us, we watched five white tips below in the murky depths three of them sitting there and two smaller ones cruising above them. Reaching one part Roelof turned and pointed out turtles lying in the coral relaxing and having a sleep. Roelof held up 4 fingers to indicate how many there were, he then turned back and showed five fingers, then six. Once we were right next to them we counted eight green turtles in one small area of reef. Watching this many turtles was brilliant we all had a photo taken next to one and whilst I watched the others get there photo taken a green turtle swam right up to me. I held my hand out to my left and the turtle swam past as my hand brushed the back of his shell. He could not have been alarmed as he continued at his slow pace past me. A truly magical moment.

White Tip Reef Shark cruises on by

Reef shark turns infront of us

Me and Crush from finding Nemo

A green turtle just chilling

The wall dropped again into the deep below us and Roelof pointed just above my head, I turned and looked up, one huge 2m plus Giant Barracuda swam solo looking for food not six feet from my mask. This fish was huge and has he shifted past me, with minimal effort, the light danced over his silvery body and glinted against the hundreds razor sharp teeth. Tom one of the other open water divers was yet again running low on air and so Roelof indicated to me and the two dutch girls to buddy up together and swim in a straight line along the wall to Awang and the advanced divers. He would then take Tom and his girlfriend Jenny to the surface. The dutch girls looked at me so I repeated what Roelof had signaled and pointed in the direction of Awang, they nodded and I turned to lead the way.

A few kicks of the fins and I was over one part of the coral reef, I could not see Awang as the visibility in this part was not excellent. I turned to make sure the girls were ok and I saw only blue water and coral. I turned 360, looked up and down yet my eyes did not see anyone. Awang was nowhere to be seen and the girls had not followed me. I was in the sea on my own with no dive buddy and I have to admit it was not a nice feeling.  Automatically my brain recalled my training back in Kho Tao, if you can not find your Dive buddy after a minute or so then safely surface. Knowing where I had come from I turned and kicked my fins back over the coral reef and the girls were still floating around like muppets and Roelof had surfaced with the other two. Siggi, fully clothed on this dive, had caught up and I indicated that we should buddy up and carry on as instructed. We did so meeting Awang and the other guys a few minuted along heading back towards us. The current was much stronger here so Awang had decided to swim with it and save some air and energy.

Continuing in the group we reached Roelof and the others floating at the surface. Martjin was close to the surface taking pictures when he drifted 8m above a Titan Trigger fish nest, the Titan shot up at him while we watched, it wasn’t until it was right next to him that he realised what it was and panicked, the titan shot around his head and bit into his fin. The fish shot back down towards the sea bed. Awang distracted it with his fins and it came for him this time, he managed to fend it off and it went back to its territory. I could not believe my eyes, we had just watched it attack Martjin and Awang, we had been talking about Trigger fish incidents all day on the boat yet one of the Dutch girls still got close to it, forcing Roelof to come back down and move her away.

Back on land and eating our lunch, Roelof informed everybody again about the Titan Triggerfish and that we should not purposely go near it as they do attack people. Something Martjin did not need telling. Whilst we relaxed and rested from the dive we watched a giant monitor lizard cruise around the picnic area looking for scraps. This prehistoric beast plodded around the sand smelling with the flicker of his tongue, honing in on the leftovers. Its scaly skin peeling around its leg revealing a brighter layer beneath. We watched as another large monitor encroached on its territory, the fight commenced and rather than rear up and attack the newcomer had realised the size difference and ran into the trees as the he was hotly pursued. The Victor returned and I could have quit happily sat and watched him all day but I had dive number 3 at hanging gardens in my diary so I was up and back on the boat with the others.

Monitor Land Lizard

The Monitor lizard was weary of us but not scared.

Yet another amazing wall dive, more grey reef and white tip sharks along with many more turtles. I was not bored of seeing these magnificent creatures under the waves, the more I saw the better it made the dive to be honest. One of the highlights of the dive for me was when Awang signaled me over to a large piece of fan coral that hung parallel to the sea bed, controlling my buoyancy I gently approached and hovered inches from the sea bed. Peering under the coral canopy my eyes adjusted to the dark and lying still in the ocean was a juvenile white tip shark. Around 2 feet in size it was perfectly still in the current, with just its gills slowly moving in and out as it breathed. I could not decide whether this shark was hiding for protection or waiting in ambush for its prey to come along. Perhaps it was both.

Roelof had spotted a beautiful Moray eel with its head poking out of a hole in the coral wall, he showed me and Benjamin and then pointed it out to Jenny. Jenny could not see it, even though he was pointing with his metal stick directly at it. Jenny got closer and closer, I could not help laugh in my regulator when she finally focused on the moray only feet away from here face. The wall jutted in and out, we swam along peering round each bend with anticipation as we looked along the new sections of wall. Roelof and Awang guided us through 2 small caverns which was an certainly a new experience under the water. One point my tank got stuck on the exit to the first small cavern and I have to admit it made me feel pretty claustrophobic. Towards the end of the dive a large White tip reef shark, around six foot in size, cruised out of the deep and came close by us. I decided that it was definitely more eerie to see one appear out of the deep blue than to notice one close up. Fortunately on all three of the dives I did not here Cellos once.

Moray Eel

The White Tip Reef Shark cruised close by

Awang the Dive masters air ring

What a truly amazing days diving. Im smiling just writing about all of this. Lucky that ive had the chance to dive at Sipadan and in good conditions as well. If  you are into your diving then you simply have to go to Sipadan as this place rocks your SCUBA socks off! It still baffles me to think how many sharks and turtles I dived with on the three dives, not to mention the whirling school of Giant barracuda. Happy days.

Well ive posted this just as im about to head into my 10th country, Indonesia. What an exciting prospect. I have so many things running through my head at the moment. Im really looking forward to getting to Oz soon but Indonesia fills me with intrigue. When I left the UK Indonesia had never been on the cards, even though komodo island was one place I wanted to go it was something I had said I could as a holiday from Oz one year. The tales that people have told me on my trail to Australia has made me decide to head here first and spend two months really exploring it. I’ve managed to save a bit of time along the way and with money still looking good I know it’s going to be a great adventure.

Knowing so little about the country really excites me and my eyes have grown ever wider in the last few weeks as ive read the guide book. Volcanoes, lakes, mountains, Culture, Orangutans, Prehistoric Dragons, Paradise beaches and more amazing diving are all on offer in Indonesia, so stay tuned and let Bruce and myself guide you along through our next set of adventures.

17/03/09 – 24/03/09

Semporna draws in hundreds of Divers every week from around the globe, as it’s the gate way to the legendary Sipadan island, one of the worlds top 5 dive sites in the world. Before arriving here though I had a promise to keep with SCUBA John. He told me of his adventures in Danum valley in Sabah, where he camped with his friend for 7 days in the jungle and had a true wilderness experience with nature. My promise was to try my hardest to get there, by no means an easy feet. I knew this in advance and had prepared myself in advance.

Sandakan to Lahad Dahtu took a few hours by public bus. Once here I sought out the Danum Valley Field centre office. This office has a Scientist research centre near the Valley, with cheap dorm accommodation it is possible to stay there if not full, but even then you need some scientific reason of going there. The blag was prepared.

I walked in with a great broad smile, “Salamat Pagi“, meaning Good Morning in Malay. She smiled and listened to my story. I was a herpetologist back in England but had quit my job to travel for one year, I informed here that I was writing a personal research paper on the Wranglers Pit Viper and was hoping they had space at the Centre to help me with my study. She looked quizzically at first but my smile was persistent and broke the deadlock. “did you make an advanced booking”. With my reply of no she double checked the system and said there are no beds available. I then asked if I could camp at outside the field centre. No go. I asked next door at a tour company about camping. No go. With them its £200 a night in a posh resort in the jungle. It was not looking good.

I walked outside dejected. I started chatting to a dodgy looking fellow who had a 4×4 truck. I told him of my dilemma and asked if anyone could take me there. He said he couldn’t take me as I didn’t have a permit and it would cost me around £100 to get there. He also said that there was nowhere to camp. I walked around the town looking for a traveler who may be interested in getting there through some means. Not one single traveler was there. I cut my loses and boarded the next bus to Semporna.

On this bus I met a like minded traveler called David. It was pretty funny with how much we had in common. Reasons to go traveling. What we had left behind. How traveling has changed us as people. What we have learned about each other. Our intended new outlook and goals for life. The next day David had booked a place at Sipadan Scuba to dive at the island of Sipadan for the following day, luckily he had got a cancellation. I spent my day checking out the Dive shops and deciding what to do. I booked my dive to Sipadan at the same place as David for the 25th March. My next decision was easy, I could not stay in Semporna as there is nothing to do there unless you dive everyday, which is not cheap – £60-150 a day depending on company and Dive location. This place needs a Dive equipment shop with a nice café on the side where divers can rest up, read books and buy new gear. Who ever does this would make an absolute killing, trust me.

The solution Uncle Changs, a backpackers joint on Mabul island. A small island out to the south via an hours boat ride, with a few small beaches, interesting local villages and expensive resorts it was certainly going to be more interesting than Semporna. Oh not too mention free snorkeling around the island and of course Cheap diving trips to various locations. I had booked a three dive day at Mabul and Kapalia islands and therefore got the 100ringit transfer fee knocked off the bill.

Mabul Island from the boat ride there.

View from my room at Uncle Changs

Once here I knew this was a cool place to chill, relax and enjoy being by the sea, my room actually sits directly over the water on stilts like the rest of the village. Heaven compared to Semporna. My first day I went snorkeling on the boat out to Lobster wall, a verticle drop into the deep blue below. This was just amazing, the shallow reef on the edge follows the wall all the way down. Colours infiltrate the eyes from fish and coral as they catch the beams of light which dance across the reef. Half way through the dive I noticed a shape emerging from the blue below. A few metres out from the wall, a round disc of green began to glint in the sunlight. A giant green turtle approached. My eyes bulged with glee and I smiled from ear to ear. Here I was in the Celebes Sea bobbing on the ocean top and Mr Crush from finding Nemo had came to say “Duuuuude, Sweet”. I laughed into my snorkel with the shear thought of it. He rose up, graceful and elegant his limbs propelling him along, reaching the surface he was only a few metres away and then simply plunged back into the deep. I turned my head to the shallows and there was another one resting on a flat piece of coral. Could life be any greater? I was in my element.

Continuing on with my smile, I arrived at an area where the water was clearer and I could see further down the wall. A fish swam at me shimmying its body to gather speed, mouth open and teeth showing. It wasn’t until it was 5 metres away and turned off that I realised it was a Titan trigger fish. Territorial and aggressive they often attack divers. Oh joy. The second and larger one turned and this time from directly below came in for the surprise attack, I spread my arms to make myself look like a bigger target, still he approached. To stop his assault I had to thrust my foot down towards him. Thankfully this worked he receded his attack and I moved into the shallows out to his territory. It had certainly turned out to be an eventful first day on the water.

Titan Trigger Fish, although the one i saw was trying to eat me not sand and rock.

Uncle changs platform faces directly east and the first days sunset was just breathtaking. Matt, an American guy, played the acoustic guitar and we all sat with our feet dangling over the platform watching the day come . I was perfectly at peace with the world.

Sunset day 1

Sitting relaxing and watching the day go by beneath the horizon

night sky out to sea.

Night view to the main land & My shack over the sea!!

On that first evening I realized that Uncle Changs was going to be fun to spend a number of days. Mr Chang dished out free bottles of rum and coke for everyone to join in the birthday celebrations of one of his staff. The Uncle Chang band, made up Dive Masters and Staff, jammed the night away singing various western songs. People drank and I consumed much rum that evening, I didn’t want the band to stop playing. Eventually at some unknown late time they did and sitting with Patrick, a great French guy, we spoke with Mr Chang about sports and football especially. Mr Chang wanted to know why England are crap in tournaments? I did not have the answer. He told me that Malaysians loose an awful lot of money every tournament as they always bet on England to win, I informed him to not do this in the future.

Uncle Changs home made drum kit. ha ha, they didnt have this in Catch a Thief dad!!

The next few days were spent snorkeling, relaxing and chatting to fellow guests as well as the staff. One Swedish couple I really got on well with, Magnus and Anele. Magnus and myself had a very similar outlook on various things and hit it off straight away and with Anele being born in Chile I leeched information about South America and the culture there. As we talked, it was really nice to see a couple so in love. The unusual thing was normally when I witness this on my travels it can leave me feeling jealous of the companionship that people have and I suppose makes me feel somewhat alone in the world. However I didn’t with Magnus and Anele. Thinking about it now I feel really content in life, obviously with the travel thing, but also from a relationship point of view. Its nice to be so happy and not long to be with someone.

Every evening the night skies above the sea had been perfectly clear, with storms in the distance over the main land. The stars like pin holes in the black painted ceiling of the universe. It fills my head with wonder knowing that the flicker of light from a star is millions of light years old, traveling through infinite space to reach this planet. How the mind boggles. The night sky for me fills me head with the unanswerable questions about life and our universe. The imagination runs riot with answers trying to justify and figure out our existence in the world. I sat for hours that night lost in the stars.

The day had arrived and I was buzzing with anticipation. For the last few days I had been chatting and hearing about everybody’s dives. Today was my turn. My first day of fun diving, two dives around Mabul and one out at Kapalai water village. I got my gear together and boarded the boat along with Patrick and his wife Veronique both from Toulouse in France, Mark an American living in Paris and my diving buddy Christian a german guy from Munich. The dive masters Thony and Lisa would guide us through the days diving pointing out the things of interest. The best of it was my dive buddy, christian, had his underwater camera and was able to get some shots of the days activities.

I was nervous. Would I remember everything I learned? I didn’t want to balls anything up. The guys helped calm my nerves and once at the first dive sight, Lobster wall, My chance to get beneath the waves was finally here again. Gearing up it all came flooding back to me which was good. Hand over regulator and fingers pressing my mask against my face I rolled backwards off the boat. Water and air bubbles filled my vision and down we went. The light dances above as the surface undulates. We descend into the deep blue staring straight at the wall of coral, surrounded by fish. The current was something new for me to try and deal with and I have to admit I struggled at first with my buoyancy and controlling myself in the moving water. After a short time I got used to it and began to relax. What an amazing dive, Thony and Lisa showed us an underwater micro world, from small shrimps and crabs in the coral to the bizarre Nudibranches. Bright multicolored slug type creatures. Fascinating.

The highlight of this dive was Scuba diving with the green turtles, being able to view these magnificent animals from all direction and watch them in there own environment was truly special and something I will never forget. Majestic in the way they moved I was tempted to give one which came within a few meters of me some fin, Nemo style, but I refrained myself from doing so. I was getting through my air pretty quickly being my first dive in a while so rather than finish the dive early Thony gave me his secondary regulator and I breathed on his tank for about 10minutes, once back on my air we continued along and proceeded with our safety stop for 5minutes at 3m. Looking up I left the tranquil world below for the surface and the daylight filled my eyes.

green turtle resting under the waves

Among the many fish species that we saw on this incredible dive, the more interesting ones were, Regal angelfish, Yellow Tailed Barracuda, Spine Cheek Anemones, Common Lionfish, Boxfish, Titan Trigger fish, Pipefish, Convent Sea Snake, Mushroom coral pipefish, Trumpet fish, white eyed moray eels and an Octopus.

Dive 2 was at Kapalai water village, with slightly less visibility the dive was great due to the sunken water village, wooden house frames sit with coral and sea creatures living on the old structures. A sunken boat along with a ship wreck which houses two huge giant groupers, fish which are about 6ft in size. More fish we spotted on this dive were Many Spotted Sweetlips and sub adults, Razorfish, Longfin Spadefish, Ornate Ghost Piepfish, White spot Puffer, Surgeon Fish, Yellow Back Fusilers, Painted Frogsfish (Pink Phase), Emperor Anglefish, Crocodile Flathead Fish and more Green turtles.

Dive 3 was back on Mabul Island at Paradise 2 Dive spot, yet another great dive with more different fish from the first dives. Eustarine stonefish, Blue-Spotted Ribbon Rays, Redfin Anthias, Garden Eels, Blue Triggerfish, Clown Trigger fish, Snowflake Moray eels, Black spotted puffer, Picasso triggerfish, Golden trumpet fish, oriental sweet lips including juvenile, False clown fish (Nemo), tomato Anemone fish and Longnose butterfly fish.

Nemo otherwise known as Flase Clown Anemone

Crocodile flathead fish

Painted Frogfish pink phase

Ornate ghost pipefish

Light rays dance into the Deep below!

Patrick and i chat on the boat

SCUBA Perry

The variety on the three dives was amazing and it was so enjoyable to be back under the water again. Unless you have witnessed the beauty of the deep blue sea its hard to really express the paradise that is the ocean below, its like walking through a Buddhist temple im simply at peace with myself and the world around me. Mabul and Kapalai had proved I was capable of diving and it had certainly got me in the mood for Sipadan Island. I was now itching to get there.

The next days were followed saying goodbye to old friends and welcoming new ones. The usual daily activities of snorkeling and relaxing, watching the sunset and being at one with the world. The highlight of these days had to be taking a walk through the enigmatic village. Its residents poor as can be yet they live life with the biggest smiles on their faces. I can not imagine how hard their life must be with the important things we take for granted in our first world countries, like health care and education. The children encapsulate the feeling of the entire village with there endless energy and happiness. They Laugh. They play. They dance. They love. To see this with your own eyes is just invigorating. It makes you realise many things about your own life and puts things into perspective. So many things can bring so little happiness.

Kids run through the villages, full of life!

Kids play on home made rafts in the sea

This kid was so quiet and lonely, thankfully a few pics cheered him up!

Beautiful laughing girl

Spot the nose picker!! ha ha

Hands up who picked their nose?

How much fun can you have with a tyre? Ask this kid!!

Another Amazing sunset over the Celebes Sea

'Mabul' written on the colourful boats

Storm over the mainland

last night at uncle changs, thanks to my friends!

You know that I often talk about how small the world is? Well it is small and you meet familiar faces along the traveling trail. You even meet people from near to where you live. I even met Scott in Loas from my own town. On my last night I had the weirdest small world experience so far. A mind boggling world defining moment that really made me think about the connections between people.

I had noticed a rather cute girl arriving during the day but it was only late on in the evening that we got talking. I had recognized earlier at the table, where the alcohol flowed, that she was from England. I have recently got pretty poor at recognizing accents and I think I am loosing mine. Doing the usual I asked where Sarah was from the conversation went something like this.

“So where are you from in England?”
“Birmingham” to which Adam laughed and said “so is he”. Now I was intrigued as I knew that she was from more of the north than south but had not been able to pinpoint here accent.
“Where in Birmingham?” peeking her interest in the conversation, she smiled “Do you know Cannock Chase?”. Considering that this is the name of a small woodland area right next to where I have lived all my life I released a laugh of surprise and sheer disbelief. “Im from Cannock” I exclaimed. “Oh my god im from Cannock Wood” I laughed here I was in Borneo having this very conversation. “Im from Wimblebury” which is only a couple of miles from Cannock Wood. We laughed faces of surprise and bewilderment. Then just when the world could not get much smaller after asking my age Sarah asked a defining question to which I almost lost the ability to speak, not due to alcohol I may add.

“Do you know Jason Brookhouse?” Well considering that Jason and Dean, his older brother, lived 3 doors from my old house, attending the same schools and literally growing up together then the answer to that was yes. “Im there Cousin” explained sarah. The rest of my final night at uncle changs was spent chatting to Sarah about Dean and Jason, growing up together and our lives back home. Realising that we have probably actually met before as I used to play at the Brookhouse family home which Sarah lived two doors away from. THE WORLD IS TINY, and things like this just prove it.

Small World wouldnt you say Sarah??

Mabul has been a great experience, Uncle changs abode was certainly the travelers haven I was looking for. The diving and their dive masters had been excellent, the equipment was okay too. So was the cheap accommodation.  Well it had to come to the end and today I head back to the mainland to boring Semporna where I will prepare to dive one of the top 5 dive spots in the world.

Arty shot of uncle changs dive shop!

Goodbye uncle Changs!

14/03/09 – 16/03/09

Here I am, sitting on the waters edge. The Sungai Kinabatangan river rolls by, harboring its wildlife along the corridor of Forest and Jungle which is surrounded by Palm Oil plantations. Birds Chirp and twitter in the days light breeze. Alone I am Happy as I begin to contemplate the last 24 hours on the River.

I had arrived in Sabah State, the northern state of Borneo, via several buses and boats from Brunei. Certainly a long journey but memorable for the old couple I got talking to using my Malay translation book. We talked about religion amongst other things and I found out that they were almost 70 years of age, with 12 children and 40 Choo Choo (Grandkids). Yes I was amazed too. I Joked and said to the old man that he must have been a busy man, his son and daughters got the joke and explained, he simply gave me a big broad smile while his wife laughed. Happy and Full of life, I wished that I would be like them when im older. Not sure about that many offspring though!

Wonderful malay family, who must have no TV!

Having rested in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, from where I decided that I would not climb Mount Kinabalu – An Over priced world heritage site. Roughly £120 per person for a 2day / 1night climb up a concrete staircase, with anything up to 700 other people. Naaghhh! I came to Borneo for wildlife, so off to the North I went. Arriving in Sandakan I researched the different companies for trips to the Kinabatangan River, finally deciding on Nature Lodge tours. With good reviews things looked hopeful. The chance to get back to nature was just a day away and this made me restless with anticipation.

A long bus ride followed by a short boat trip brought me to the lodge at about 3.40pm. Once I was checked into my dorm room I joined 9 other guests aboard the afternoon boat cruise. I was actually feeling a little deflated due to a conversation with our guide. I asked him how easy it is to spot Orangutan’s and Azis’ reply was ‘Very difficult as it is they are not common along the banks and your considered VARY lucky if you see one.’. I had been led to believe that sightings were a common occurrence here.

Ever hopeful with Positive thinking the boat started and my adventure along the Sungai Kinabatangan began. The River wide with fast flowing, murky dark brown waters. Fallen trees and logs float by bobbing on the surface, convincing my imaginative mind that crocodiles lurked everywhere. The air is cool and fresh, satisfying in the late afternoon temperature. The surrounding Dictocarp forest Butts right up along the muddy banks of the river.

We cruise at a steady speed, my eyes wide with anticipation, wandering in search of wildlife. They don’t have to wait long. Just around the first bend on the river, two large White Bellied Fish Eagles sat high in the baron branches. These were followed on the trip by a large family of Long Tail Macaque monkeys, filling me with confidence about seeing more wildlife. Watching the mischievous primates play the boat set off once more into the strong downstream current, heading towards the middle, the boat veered off as Khai spoke in Malay to Azis. ‘I don’t believe it, Orangutan at your 9 o’clock.’. Turning our head in unison I spotted him. A fully grown male Orangutan, around 25 years of age and weighing an impressive 100+ Kilos. Truly Magical. I was Ecstatic.

Khai steered the boat into the mud bank so we could get closer. The Orangutan, covered in its dark red hair, used its long elongated arms to swing across the sparse trees to one with fresh shoots and fruits. The tree and himself were not more than 20m away from me. I was elated with joy and he was hanging around happy and confident in his surroundings.

Hes the king of the Swingers!

Azis offered us his excellent knowledge on the Orangutan species. It was amazing to sit there being told all about these majestic animals whilst watching one in the wilderness of Borneo. With its slow movements and incredible strength, hanging around on what looked like the flimsiest of tree branches. He was watchful of us as he dined. His deep set eyes peering out with intrigue from behind the branches, but he didn’t seem concerned about us.

We watched each other in the jungle!

Azis explained that he was a really confident orangutan. His location in a sparse area of only a few trees confirmed his status as a fully mature and powerful mammal. Even a fully grown Clouded Leopard would not attack an Orangutan of his size and stature. We watched this beautiful king of the jungle for 20 minutes after which we decided to leave him in peace and continue our trip. I could have stayed there all evening watching this mammal, with its human like actions and mannerisms, pottering through its simple daily routine. I was so happy to have seen one in the wild, where they truly belong.

Meandering on down river with a smile on my face, Khai took us to the opposite bank where we encountered yet another primate, the Proboscis monkey. Most unusual of all primates in my eyes. A dominant male, ever watchful of the forest and his family, sat king of his castle. Shortly after we were lucky enough to see four Rhinoceros Hornbill birds high in the canopy. I was surprised by there size and colour, a beautiful bird.

White bellied fish eagle taking flight

Khai and Azis

The light faded so we headed home towards the lodge. Only 100m from where we saw him feeding, Mr Orangutan was sitting in his nest high in one of the trees settling down for the night. Orangutans sleep in nests made of branches, twigs and leaves, pretty much for comfort and warmth. They relocate or remake there nests every one or two days. We concluded that ’Nest’ for this fella was a bit girly and for a Orangutan of his size deserved the Title ’Den’ or ’Lair’.

Almost home we spotted two large Serpants Eagles flying over head. A simple boat trip down the river had turned into a wildlife adventure resulting in a Very lucky sighting of Borneo’s most famous Mammal.

After a good meal we donned our Wellington boots, leech proof socks, long trousers, long sleeved top copious amounts of Mosquito spray for our night walk. This was our defense against all the little critters out there who would try and dine out on us. Khai our boatman was leading the nights walk in the jungle, I have to say it was fun wading through all of the mud and  its always atmospheric being in the jungle at night. The only down side to the mud is the noise, the chance of seeing any nocturnal mammals is about zero. We were fortunate to see a Sun bird sleeping, with its beautiful red breast and blue flashes along its beak. I could not believe how small this little fellow was, not more than two inches tall.

Sun bird on the night walk

I can see you Mr Jungle mouse

Next apart from the leeches we spotted a vary unusual horned stick insect and a Leaf Nosed Lizard. The walk finished and we arrived back at the lodge ready for a drink and a bed time story from Papa Bear, one of the chief runners of the lodge. He gave us all a talk on Primates found in Borneo and information on the area around us. Retiring to bed at 11pm, our early alarm call would be Gibbons calling or Khai knocking our doors at 5.45am. Lying in bed the heavens opened and all I could think about was that poor orangutan in his ‘DEN‘, tying to keep the rain off him by pulling branches overhead. Orangutans are not keen on water and I doubt he had a poncho!

Khai knocked on our door at some ridiculous time in the morning. Im meant to be on holiday for christ sake. Then I realized that wildlife was just outside my door and I dint think ive ever got changed and ready so quick. Opening my door to the world outside, birds chirped their morning call and strange sounds emanated from the surrounding jungle. Mist carried itself over the river in the dawn light, day was approaching. Thin clouds covered the moon up above, traveling slowly in the breeze. I was awake and ready for the days adventure.

Morning Sky

Boarding the boat we traveled up river and started the sightseeing with a pair of Brameny Kites high up in the canopy. Swiftly followed by another white bellied fish eagle. It was amazing to see all of these birds of prey just sitting there in the trees looking powerful and graceful in their demeanor. Certainly worthy of our time sat in a boat at 6.15am. The mists began to lift and Khai swiftly spotted some Long Tail Macaques on the far bank, over we went and began to shift further up the near bank. Eventually stopping for a spy on a family of Proboscis monkeys. Shifting to the sunny banks of the river I managed got some great shots of a flock of Wrinkled hornbills, large colorful birds, high up in the trees.

A Serpant eagle takes flight over the Kinabatangan River

Wrinkled Hornbill

We then spotted the Silver Langur Monkey, a family of about 15 strong jumping through the trees. The juveniles are orange in colour and the parents with their obligatory silvery coat. After an hours cruise we turned the boat round to see the suns rays hitting the clouds in the morning sky, apart from the boat engine it was tranquil to be on the river in the early morning. Jerdons Baza bird, Storkbill and White Collared Kinfishers and two Black and Red Broadbill birds were also sighted on the cruise. Thankfully when heading back we encountered a really active family of Proboscis monkeys in the thick green trees. Watching gleefully I captured a young female jumping through the trees and then the large alpha male warning us off his patch, resulting in my best photo of the proboscis monkey.

female proboscis jumping through the canopy

Male Proboscis telling us to get off his patch.

Breakfast followed and the rest of the guests all disembarked the camp leaving me on my own for the rest of the day until more guests arrived at 3.30pm. This was great news for me as I now had a personal guide, Azis, for the Ox Bow lake walk. Fascinating is the only word I can find to describe our humorous and knowledgeable guide. We trudged through the mud and spoke of wildlife, he told me of his adventures through borneo and tales of weird encounters with animals, one of which a 2m long Croc that scared the crap out of him one day when on the river. His best story was how he got the job of nature guide…

He bumped into his friend one morning on his way to his hospitality job in a Hotel, asking him where he was going his friend told him he was attending an interview for a job. When he enquired his friend was quite reluctant to tell him what job it was for, which made Azis curious. He followed him. Skipping his work and sat in the waiting room after his friend had left. When asked his name the company said his name was not on the list, he said there must have been a mistake as he had been asked to come for the interview. They excepted his persistence and he got the interview. Problem was he was half way through the interview still having no idea what the job was for. All he could do was answer any questions with as much knowledge as he could. He began to realise it was something to do with tourism and they kept on asking him about wildlife.

Almost towards the end of the interview one of the boss’s twigged and said why are you here you were not in the original interviews, turned out it was a final interview with the head honchos of a tourism company. He confessed all to his interviewers. The friend, the bus ride, the blag to get the interview. They were impressed and his love for wildlife and love for life itself had came across. Before Azis knew it he was now a nature guide taking tourists around the Kinabatangan River, taking the likes of me to Ox Bow lake.

An hour of trekking in the shin high mud we reached our destination. I was impressed with this beautiful lake. Resting up I watched the waters and surrounding banks for wildlife. A few locals docked a boat and offloaded there catch. They were simply having a getaway from there families for a midday fishing a BBQ. Azis explained all about the fish they caught, from diet to their medicinal uses. Knowledge is the bomb. The lake was blissful, it was so peaceful. We sat watching Oriental Darter birds fish in the lake, diving for minutes at a time under the water. Egrets stalked the banks for shrimp and fish. A large flock of hornbills swooped over the lake to the trees opposite. Lucky enough for us we watched a family of Bearded pigs on the far bank saunter by. The highlight had to be viewing two Serpant Eagles dog fight in the air over the lake, using the thermal winds to rise high and attack each other – defending territories or fighting over food I will never know, I was just happy to see this spectacle.

Oxbow lake

Local and his catch. Nice Afro

Walking back we spotted a few birds calling out in the nearby branches, the first a Grey Chick Bull Bull Bird and the second a Juvenile black and yellow broadbill. Azis truly has amazing skills in spotting them. Almost half way back we neared the river where we heard a huge splash in the river. A Croc? Azis worked his way down to the bank, me following, to investigate. He informed me it must have been a large monitor lizard as a croc would have left slide marks in the mud. Excited that crocs lurk the shores my mind wandered. In full Sherlock homes mode Azis noticed the fresh tracks of a Monitor Lizard in the mud, we tracked it for over 200m along the trail but had no joy in spotting it. Good fun though. This trip proved to me just how useful it is to have a knowledgeable guide leading the way, it introduces you to a whole new world of interesting facts about where your walking.

Juvenile black and yellow broadbill

Monitor lizard claw print in the mud.

Back at the lodge I had been telling Azis of my own Jungle adventure in bako np. He was impressed with my efforts. We then spotted the same species of spider that I almost walked into on my Bako trek, he informed me that it’s a Naphelia Spider and is poisonous. Im glad I didn’t know that at the time. I took a photo for you to see what I looked up at…

The naphelia Spider, which i had run into along my travels. literally.

On the next afternoon cruise with some new guests the highlight was watching three families of Proboscis Monkey disagree over space and territories in the trees as they settled down for the night. One male clearly held the stake of hard nock, gesturing, calling and shaking the trees to intimidate his rivals. Even though it had rained heavily at the beginning of the trip we managed to see all of the following animals…

3 families of long tail Macaque monkey
8 large families of Proboscis monkey
4 oriental pied hornbill birds
3 bearded Pigs
2 Oriental Darter birds
White Collared Kingfisher bird

Oriental Pied hornbill hopping up the tree

Rhinoceros Honrbill

After dinner the new guys went on the night walk but I decided to stay at the lodge and chat to Azis some more. We went through his books noting the wildlife I had seen and offering more knowledge on the individual species. An early night followed as that early morning cruise was on the cards for my last day on the river.

The light rose slowly, brightening the thick misty air along the river. Kingfishers flittered along the waters surface looking for fish. Serpant Eagles swooped overhead with prey grasped in their claws. Proboscis monkeys sat in the trees calm and relaxed. The pig tailed macaques wandered through the canopy, making it my fifth primate species on the river trip. Hornbills gathered high up eating fruits from the trees. The White Bellied Fish Eagle watched as we cruised by. The mists failed to lift giving the entire morning a surreal mystical atmosphere.

misty morning on the river

Mists hang over the river

Misty jungle scene

Morning silver sunlight

Big nosed male proboscis

Serpant eagle in flight

Serpant eagle in flight

Serpant Eagle clutches its dinner

As the boat cruised on home to the lodge, bringing my Kinabatangan River adventure to a close, I sat and reflected all that I had seen, everything from the wildlife to Azis my guide. Watching that wonderful Orangutan in the wild will be the one thing that will clearly stay in my mind for a very long time. I reflected and I smiled, Happy.

me all happy as the river adventure ended

08/03/09 – 09/03/09

Returning from Mulu we stayed one night in Miri and proceeded to my ninth country of my travels. Brunei. I knew very little about this country but had planned to cut through it on my way to Saba state in Northern Borneo. Now most people have heard of Brunei, its oil and wealth along with the Sultan of Brunei, one of the richest men on the planet. Brunei is a truly amazing country worthy my visit and the 4 Buses and one ferry to get to the Capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

I was traveling there with Matt and Jess, we both had one night there and originally planned on just meandering around the small city centre and seeing the Mosque. Fortunately bumping into two English lads back in Miri we were informed about a guide at a youth hostel called Abdul. We checkedin and asked the Janitor if Abdul was around he said later. We wondered into the streets of Brunei, constantly being surprised; cars actually stop at zebra crossings for you; the size of this city is tiny with only 50’000 Residents; the friendliness of its people and then bowled over by how great and cheap the food was here.

After lunch we sat on the river front laughing and joking with the boatmen as we tucked into our fruit we purchased from the market. A guy approached us and started talking about Brunei and some tours he could offer. It only turned out to be Abdul, we knew he wasn’t faking as he asked if it was Ben and Steven who recommended him. We decided that even though the clouds threatened in the distance we would take up his offer and proceed with the boat trip and night excursion, costing £15. This turned out to be the best decision we could have made.

Abdul is a remarkable guy and a great Ambassador for Brunei, he normally does tours for richer tourists in the big hotels and takes business men round the city to important meetings. Thankfully when he is not busy he likes to take tourists around and divulges his wealthy knowledge on the city and country. We started with our afternoon boat excursion.

Arriving at the dock we met our boatman zak who proceeded to guide us into the Old Water village. Full of character and life this village sits on the Sungai Brunei river. Abdul informed us of its heritage and described what it was like to live here in Brunei, the Sultan offers so much in the way of financial support to his people its actually quite overwhelming. We past government schools within the water village, families waved as we cruised by, kids played in the river and on the boardwalks. This place simply engulfed my senses. I cold not get over the people here. They are so friendly. Full of smiles which was just infectious.

family in the old water village

Water village kids playing in the river

After the water village we cruised on by the Sultans Palace, Istana Nurul Iman, which we would return to on the night to view. Continuing upstream we entered thick jungle and mangrove forest covered banks. It surprised me as to just how much forest there was, a jungle paradise untouched in Brunei a home of the Oil industry – ironic isn’t it!! Far away from the city Zak almost hand braked turned the boat into the mangroves and we watched Proboscis Monkeys in the tree tops for over half an hour along this one area of forest. It was amazing to see these monkeys in more detail as in Bako they had been to far up in the canopy to clearly see. Unusual is the only word I can describe, there almost human like with those little upturned noses. The males are pretty amusing with their big fat bellies and Huge almost whisky drinker style noses. A truly wonderful experience.

Female Proboscis

Male Proboscis Monkey

Just after watching the monkeys the heavens opened and the heaviest rain of my travels commenced. Poor Zak got soaked as we had ponchos and umbrellas provided. Nearing the City we took refuge in the boat under a school on stilts, as the thunder and lightening was on top of us and the rain was just too heavy. Visibility was reduced to no more than 100m in the current conditions. The Rain eased off after 30mins and we proceeded back to the youth centre.

The evening tour proceeded with a visit to the night market. With no other tourists around it was just us and the local Brunei People. Overloading the senses with smells, sounds and colour we ambled around with Abdul getting us free tasters of anything from Sugar cane juice to curry dishes. Meeting the market sellers here through Abdul was great and he would recommend the good stalls to us, obviously his friends stores but it didn’t matter. I brought fruit, an amazing beef curry, a sugar cane juice drink and a delicious cake for afters.

Jungle Fruits in the market.

People queue for there grilled fish!

Lady Seller always happy to serve

Abdul moved us to the grandest Mosque I have ever seen in my life. Jame’Asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque was a gift from the Sultan to the people of Brunei. A true building of beauty. The cost of this building was never declared by the Sultan but the domes are 24K gold, mosaic tiles cover the towers and the Marble is some of the best in the world, Italian apparently. The light shines onto the mosque bringing it to life at night, the gold glistens against the contrasting black sky. Fountains flowed with palm trees in the courtyards as we sauntered around the grounds. Reaching the Royal Entrance I was just blown away by the scale, detail and escalator entrance reserved for the royal family and high government officials. Matt was about to take my photo in front of it when a security guy ushered us away.  A black Merc rolled up and a chap, who Abdul informed me was the Minister of Religion, got out shook hands with other dignitaries and went up the escalator.

Jame'Asr Mosque

Fountain View of the Mosque

Intricate detailing of the huge Mosque pillars

The royal entrance to the Mosque

Minister of Religion

Now we were full of the wonders of Islamic design, Abdul took us past the Istana Nurul Iman. The Sultans palace cost around $350 million and it’s the largest palace on the planet. With over 1788 rooms for only 100 residents and staff, over 200 toilets and a banquet hall that can cater for 4000 guests. At the end of Ramadan, known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the sultan opens up the palace to the public. Where you can meet the queens, the royals of Brunei and the Sultan himself. Free food and drink is provided. This would be an amazing time to visit Brunei. Seeing the palace inside would be unreal, my mind wondered with intrigue, I guess I would just have to settle for this river view.

Omar Ali saifddien Mosque at night

On the way back Abdul drove us past some of the Princes and Princesses Houses. Jeeez these belonged on some Hollywood hill resort with the film and music stars, huge abodes with huge car lots and grand gardens. I joked with Abdul if any of the Princesses were single, he skimmed over the question as I don’t think he got my humour. Matt and Jess said later that I was not Muslim so it would not work anyway, but I assured them that my English wit and charm could break the religious barrier. Ha, maybe not!!!

We awoke in the morning eager for the mornings events. We had timed it brilliantly as it was Mohammed’s Birthday in the Muslim Calendar which meant that amongst the festivities of the national holiday the Sultan of Brunei strolls around the city with his royal entourage. Brunei people line the streets in there best national dress and the buzz of the event fills the city. Making the first vantage point near the stadium we watched the Sutlan and his sons roll by in a gleaming Rolls Royce, I was amazed as I stood only 5 feet from the car. They obviously have no enemies in the world because the Sultan was not worried about security, I looked for Brunei Security marksman on the building tops, but there were non.

Sultan of Brunei cruisig by in his Rolls Royce

Papparazzi of Brunei

Proceeding to the next vantage point we walked right behind the royal box to an opening on the opposite side to where the Sultan had drove in. On the sports field Army, Navy, Police and School Children of Brunei stood to attention for the Sultan. The Brunei people were milling around the streets near to where we stood, adorned in there best dress, they laughed and joked, shook hands with each other and generally smiled through the ceremony. Speeches were made, Prayers were said and songs were sang. I personally think that Brunei has the longest national anthem in the world, if that’s what it was, must have had 30 verses. Thankfully that finished and the Sultan got to his feet and started walking towards us.

Sultan of Brunei infront of his Royal family

People of Brunei waiting for the Sultan

It all got a bit frantic and as hard as I tried with the professional photographers in front of him and people jossling for a place to see the Sultan I didn’t get a clear photo. I was not disappointed though as we stood on the curbside and he was in the middle of the road, not more than 10feet away was the sultan of Bruneione of the richest men on the planet and best of all a living King. I sware to you that he looked straight at the three of us and smiled, to which Matt raised his hand and casually waved him a big hello. A fantastic finish to our time in Brunei.

the Sultan Approached

Sultan giving us a sly look of Hello

What a place and what a city. This is the best part of travel when you come to a place with little expectation and lack of understanding and you leave with nothing but joyous memories and knowledge of another country and its culture. Brunei has really left an impression on me and I would recommend that anyone goes even if just for a day or two. People in this country live there lives with big smiles on there faces, this Boatmen sums up Brunei for me…

THIS IS BRUNEI!

03/03/09 – 07/03.09

Kuching to Miri required a 15 hours on a overnight bus, in a thunderstorm with broken sleep. Miri sits in the north west of Sarawak in Borneo, predominantly a transit hub for flights to various parts of remote Sarawak and transit to Brunei. I was here to get to Mulu National Parkin the North East.

Mulu national park is a Unesco listed world heritage site and many regard the park as Sarawaks top visitors attraction. The area consists of an amazing 529 sq km of jungle, cave and mountains, the largest of which is Gunung Mulu mountain which sits at 2377m in height. The park is home to a vast and diverse amount of wildlife set within a thick rainforest canopy. The parks caves are gigantic and with over 300km of passages its one of the top destinations for cavers to visit.

After a day of sorting stuff I had a £36 one way flight into the national park, which saved me a day of bus and boat travel – plus it was cheaper unless I could find a number of people to join me on the last boat ride into Mulu. An early morning start and a 30minute flight on a rather iffy plane took me into what must be the smallest airport in the world. In mid air the plane slightly concerned me as a mechanic had used gaffa tape to secure and hold down an air vent on the back of the engine. GULP!

Gaffa tape, a plane mechanics best friend!

The flight was great to get an aerial view of Borneo, from palm oil plantations to the lands dense jungle cut into swathes by the rivers of Borneo. I could see deforestation areas with large stacks of logs ready for the river boats to carry them off. Nearing the park I could see Mulu mountain which towered over the green flora below.

view of Borneo from above.

I was camping at the resident park campsite, £1 a night, so found a spot next to a young family and set up my tent. Chris was from New Zealand and his wife Doris was from Austria, they had a beautiful 3 year old girl called Raya who was full of beans. I chatted with Chris in the café about NZ, travel, ecotourism and nature. He was a bit of a nature hut himself so we got on really well. “Don’t think that once you have kids that’s it for traveling, even though it’s a little harder its much more rewarding for you and your kid!”. Watching Raya chasing butterflies in Borneo made that pretty obvious to me.

The first days activity was a guided trip into Lang and Deer caves, following a rather pricey snack at the only café in the park we commenced on a 40minute walk through the jungle and into the caves. Our guide was really good, even though the walk was a little rushed he showed us loads of interesting things in the jungle. He explained the uses of the well known Rattan plant and highlighted that when shaken it rattles in anger, demonstrating to us he explained that millions of ants live inside the rattan and when the plant is attacked the ants rattle from inside as a warning to the attacker. He even pointed out a tree which local Penang tribesman use to collect the sap as a poison for there blow pipe darts.

Tree frog on the trail to the caves

Tree sap used for Poison darts

long horned moth

Cliffs around the cave entrances

Lang Cave is renowned for its jagged stalagmites and stalactite formations.  The cave formations were certainly impressive but I was eager to get to deer cave. Next door to Lang cave sits Deer Cave, the largest cave passage in the world. Walking up the path the enormousness of the cave unfolded, my eyes widened to try to take it all in. The mind boggles to think that water dipping through the limestone here, over millions of years, has eroded away to leave the largest cave passage in the world. Another sense was struggling with the cave, smelling the air the thick and unpleasant smell of the Guano, bat poop to those who don’t know, filled my nasal passage. Three million bats consume about 15tonnes of jungle insects every night, half of this is turned into waste. So 7.5 ton of crap drops to  the floor but yet it does not fill the cave as millions of cockroaches and crustaceans feast upon the poop preventing a build up.

Once we were in the largest section of the cave we could finally see all of the bats sleeping on the roof, a mass of black covering huge areas some 150m above. Amazing. Reaching the end of the passage we walked from the viewing platform inside to the bat observation deck outside of the caves. We sat down and proceeded to watch up to 3million bats come streaming out of the cave into the early evening sky for there nightly feast. I was in complete awe of this wonderful natural spectacle. First the bats would leave the cave entrance and circle up the cliff face, waiting until there numbers were large enough and then stream into the jungle, producing a fluctuating black moving ribbon of bats in the blue skies above us. What a way to start my stay in Mulu National park.

Deer cave entrance

Black pathces on the ceiling are 3million bats

Bat mass exodus

Bats flying into the night

Bats dive into the jungle for cover and food.

Millipede on the trail back.

A furry winged dragon fly

Having slept ok in the tent I had another day of caves that awaited my discovery, Wind and Clearwater cave. I joined Matt (Canadian) and his girlfriend Jess (american) in my boat and cruised on upriver, first stopping off at a Penang Village market. Ok the market was setup strictly for tourists but it was interesting to see the Penang people, there Longhouses and a great backdrop to any football pitch. Further on up the river we arrived at the caves, meeting our giude at the entrance to wind cave. Wind cave is part of the Clearwater cave system and has some impressive formations. We then proceeded onto the eighth longest cave in the world, Clearwater Cave system measuring a staggering 129kmin length. Admittedly we only proceeded into the cave maybe one kilometer but with the river rushing through it made it worthy of the visit.

Penang women on the river bank

Penang Longhouse and Mulu mountain

Entrance to the 8th longest cave in the world.

Clearwater and its internal river

Lagoon near the cave, crystal clear waters

Back at the boat all three of us decided to go for a swim in the refreshing cold and perfectly clear waters of the river. A great way to cool off in the heat of Borneo. Today I felt that the guide, although helpful, slightly let us down as he was too quite and did not really inform us of much. He mainly spoke to an older couple in the group which I was slightly bothered about as it would have been nice to learn more about these caves. The boat ride had to have been my favourite part of the trip, passing huts and villages along the way, kids playing in the river or just simply washing themselves would shout and wave with huge smiles on there faces, perfectly happy in life.

From about 4pm until some wee hour of the morning it rained. Now when I say it rained I mean torrential South East Asian rain. The grass outside the café where Chris, Doris, Raya and Mike,an English lad whom I met in Miri’s Highlands hostel, and myself took refuge. I had decided earlier in the day that I was not going to attempt the pinnacles trek, 3 days, as my blisters had not fully healed. I was glad not to be stuck out trekking in this rain!! Although I was concerned about my tent. I asked in the Café if they had a brolly I could quickly borrow to check on it. They didn’t so I asked for a bin liner, “we sell poncho’s” was the reply. I only need to check on my tent, she fetched a bin liner and informed me I could have it for 1 Ringit (20p).. I laughed and said I cant believe you want to charge me for a bin liner. She begrudgingly gave it me for nothing.

I put a hole in for my head and ran out to check on my tent, the rain had been heavy but I was disappointed that my tent had started to leek a bit. High ground offered it protection from the puddles forming in the grass but the fly sheet was gradually seeping water into my tent. I resulted in re-pegging out the fly sheet and using some plastic bags to stop the dripping a little. It seemed to work and held firm into the night. Surprisingly the rain didn’t keep me awake too much.

I awoke early as the light poured in through my tent, thankfully the rain had abated and the clouds began to clear, blue skies were in the distance. A pricey breakfast followed and I joined Matt and Jess on the canopy walk. Taking us about 30m up in the tree tops it offered us a different perspective of Jungle life. It was fascinating being up in the canopy looking down onto the jungle below. The colours were different, with lighter greens in the canopy tops and smaller waxy leaves to gather the sunlight and hold in the moisture. The one thing you can not fail to notice up here is the level of noise, the cicadas insects which whine and whistle from below are now almost deafening up at this height. Pounding your ears it was difficult in some areas to listen out for the calling of the birds.

green leaf of the jungle Canopy

monkey high up in the Canopy

The canopy walk way

Leaves from above

A Dashing young fellow on the canopy walk

30m down my shadow was waving back to me!

We were lucky enough to see a monkey up in the trees as we sauntered along the path taking our time and reading the information panels scattered along the 480m walkway. I have to say that I really enjoyed this trip through the canopy and would recommend it to anyone who goes. Things only got better as well, I spotted a lizard on the way back, which I think was a water dragon lizard. We stood and watched this fellow basking on a leaf for a good five minutes, he was so content and happy for us to watch and photograph him.

Water Dragon Lizard

Smile buddy your on camera

That afternoon I flew out of the park and returned to Miri. I sat on the plane and noticed it was either the same one as my flight here or the same mechanic had an endless supply of that gaffa tape for rattling air vents. Id really enjoyed my trip to Mulu but I  could help feel restricted to what you can and cant do, always requiring a guide. I understand that the flora and fauna of the park need to be protected and you should always have a guide in the caves. However for such a large area you cant really getout there and see too much unless you wish to do the pinnacles, Mulu mountain or Hunting trail -all of which cost a fair bit and take numerous days to complete. I hope that in the future more walks and trails become available for people to walk along at their own leisure.

The River heading north

26/02/09 – 02/03/09

Leaving early for KL airport, I had an appointment with Mr Jamie Skinner one of my Kho Phi Phi Rock compatriots. It was surreal to see him standing in McDonalds after all these weeks. My first Maccies of the entire trip, 6 months on the road, was consumed and it was great to catch up on each others antics. Ha Skinner is such a funny guy. He tried his hardest to persuade me to go to Melbourne with him.

Tempting as it may have been I had a date with Borneo. Id been excited about this place for a long time, an undiscovered land, a jungle clad interior teaming with nature and tribal people. It’s the place that adventurers dream about. Could this country offer the exploration and wilderness that I was looking for?

Chatting to a Malaysian Architect on board my flight proved to be yet another Worldly coincidence. Here I was thousands of miles from home chatting to a Malaysian who has been to Stafford town to visit a former colleague. Small world hey??

Kuching City sits on the river banks of the Sungai Sarawak and it’s the capital of Sarawak State. The city got its name from Charles Brooke in 1872 after it was originally known as just Sarawak, the name itself comes from the word Cat and there is a rather pathetic statue in the city centre to pay homage to this fact. The city centre along the river is a pleasant place to walk around with its small feel and wonderful colourful buildings.

My first night was timed to perfection as it was Chinese temple festival, the streets were lined with onlookers and a carnival of floats, Chinese dragons, loud fireworks and marching bands. The procession wondered along from temple to temple, praying in front of each entrance as they marched through the city. It was a colourful and entertaining start to my trip to Borneo.

chinese temple

chinese Dragon

One Colourful side street after the other

I sat with a drink and watched the night close in over the river

After I perused the shops for a Tent and Sleeping bag I was ready for Bako National Park and the Jungle within. The Oldest park within the State of Sarawak, its 27sq km of beautiful jungle and mangrove fringed coastline. This park was to give me a taster of what Borneo was all about and would hopefully offer me a chance to watch the Proboscis monkey, a rare long nosed unusual looking mammal.

Bus followed by boat brought me to the park, where I ended up joining Ian and Ashley, a couple from Canada, on the Lintang Loop (5.8km). My first night here would be spent in the Hostel Dorms so I could leave most of my camping stuff and clothing at the park HQ.

The Lintang loop would take us through thick humid jungle, open plains and mangrove forest along a well walked trail. The highest point of the trail is Bukit Tambi where the air is a lot dryer here in the open plain of sun baked rocks. A sharp contrast to the climb up through the Warm damp air of the jungle path. I have to admit that this walk killed me, having never walked in heat like this I was finding it tough going. Sweat dripped off my chin with each and every step. Exhausted from the midday heat I found myself stopping at any occasion I got.

Myslef on the Lintang Loop. note the clear path for later...

Just when I was getting disappointed with the lack of wildlife we walked down to a mangrove forest and watched the most amazing hermit crabs, the largest id ever seen! Only 0.5km from the park HQ we heard thunder rolling in from the north, which caused a raucous in the tree tops. High up above we could see the trees moving as monkeys jumped from branch to branch wailing as they went, unfortunately we could not see these as the canopy was just too thick.

Round the Corner the story was different, Ian spotted a proboscis monkey in the tree. It surprised me as to just how big this type of monkey is, its face super weird with its long nose. The Proboscis monkey is quite shy and it didn’t hang around for too long. I was so pleased to have seen one though.

As clear a picture that i got, Proboscis monkey in the canopy

Back a the lodge we watched a large troop of Macaque monkeys playing in the trees, they even started to try and pee down on us. I asked a guy in the Café to show us the tree where the Pit Viper Snakes which housed a Green Pit Viper tree snake, I had been informed of this snake by a lad back at my hostel in Kuching. The Café owner gladly obliged and showed us three in nearby trees. Holy crud I would never have spotted these fellas on my own, perfectly camouflaged with the leaves of the trees.

The Pit viper is an arboreal snake, which means that it predominately lives in the trees. This small viper sits on a branch for weeks on end waiting for its prey to come within striking distance. There bright green bodies with blue striped bands running along its length and dark red eyes make this a truly stunning snake. They are poisonous and if bitten by one near any of your organs then your in serious trouble. One was right near my lodge as well. GULP! A great way to end the walk and an absolute highlight of my trip so far.

First Pit viper

Pit viper looking into the jungle waiting.

My favourite photograph of the Pit vipers. National Geographic maybe??

Young Inquisitive monkey

Excuse me a second but a girl from my dorm has just interrupted me, something to do with a monkey stealing my stuff. Yep a Macaque monkey prized open our Dormitory window and has nicked my Jacobs Biscuits. The story sounded a little far fetched so I checked the corners of the girls mouths with a quizatory glance for any biscuit crumbs, but I think they were telling the truth. The little bleeder, I was really looking forward to those!

Chatting to the two girls about the monkey ordeal, Hannah and Kiera informed me of a night walk that the park HQ organises. Two hours in length our guide, Anit, lead us through the jungle close by to the lodges. First we watched fire flies dance through the air as they serenade each other with twinkles of their arses. Anit showed us another Pit viper snake and some silver langur monkeys high up in the trees.

Pit viper on the night walk!

Further into the jungle we spotted a frog performing its mating call, followed by a small freshwater Catfish. Under one of the overhanging rocks he even found a solitary bat sleeping in its obligatory upside down pose. We were almost back at HQ when Anit turned off his torch, in the pitch black of the jungle we stood still and quite. Anit whispered “look for the reflection of the eyes, they are mouse deer” and with this he shone his torch into the depths of the thick flora. Sure enough we could see there eyes glow in the distance.

Tree frog on the night walk.

Anit was obviously at one with the jungle. He knew the animals and pathways like the back of his hand. Seconds after I thought this he fell straight off the raised wooden platform we were walking on. I almost peed myself laughing. Comedy is all about the timing Anit! A great walk and interesting to here the sounds of the jungle at night, with your eyes struggling your brain focus’s on the sounds making it seem that the jungle is louder and more intense than during the lighter hours of day.

Tomorrow is on my mind tonight, I struggled in the heat today and on my next voyage I would have all of my camping gear with me for a much longer trek into the wilderness. Just writing that word makes me smile. The wilderness awaits.

13km stood before me. 8.30am, Fed, Stocked up and ready for the wilderness. My walk to Telok Limua Beach would prove to be a REAL challenge.

It had rained for most of the night and was still pouring as I was about to set off, with darker clouds out at sea I thought it was best to check the walk was still safe to do so. I was told yes like it would not be a problem, which led me to think that the walk must be fairly flat.

The first 5.5km was along similar paths to yesterdays walk, thankfully with less heat but now with continuous rain which showed no signs of easing up. I spotted some birds and lots of squirrels playing in the trees, one was swimming in a large deep puddle which surprised me. I was making good progress and enjoying the walk, 3km in the first hour and 2.5km in the second hour.

The walk then began to get harder and I questioned whether to continue or head back, I didn’t want to be a quitter and convinced myself that my instinct was just being put off by the rain. Positive thinking; the rain will stop eventually. I decided if I slog it out then there must be something rewarding at the end of it. The next four km were tough going with the trail deteriorating into an overgrown jungle, only with the help of the colour coded markings on the trees could I now find my way through. Requiring more effort and energy to get through was not what I needed in this heat. A machete would have useful!

Slightly diferent to yesterdays trail wouldnt you say?

Arduous is a good descriptive word for the remainder of the trail, the gradual gradients had turned into steep ascents and descents requiring both hands to complete them safely. I have to admit I began to question what I was doing. The act of going against my instinct at the 5.5km marker was weighing heavy on my mind. Leaves and roots covered the floor, wet to the core it was harder to keep my footing. Logs over crevasses. Muddy bogs engulfed my feet and ankles making it sluggish work through the lower sections. The vines were the worst with thorns so sharp that they hook and rip through your skin as you walk by.

Physically challenging I could just about deal with but the mental challenge was proving a different aspect all together. Was I risking too much? What if I fell out here, on my own and with no phone reception. The what ifs were coming thick and fast; water rations, food rations, cuts, infections. I eventually managed to dull these thoughts as best as I could and just kept plodding on.

Now 10km in I had only 3km to go until I reached the beach where I would set up camp. I was doing well for time and the rain had finally stopped but the last few km took every ounce I strength I had both mentally and physically. Watching each foot placement I walked into a spiders web which felt stronger than the others. I looked back to see a critter of a spider the size of my hand with red fangs. Concentrate Eddie.

Spider i almomst walked into!!! Scary!

The Hills were beyond Ridiculous, I should have kept hold of my rock climbing shoes. Its energy sapping walking through this terrain, every band you leave a muddy bog and are confronted with a monolithic hill. Once your up you walk less than 100m and its all the way back down the other side.

I was trying to conserve my water which was making me crave the stuff even more. I was hungry but wanted to wait until made camp due to the mosquitoes around all this stagnant water. I was soaked to the bone, having never sweated like this in my life. The jungle bakes you even without the sun with the air so thick and moist on your lungs, your body struggles for breath.

Me blowing out my bum!

Nearing the 13km mark I descended and slipped again this time falling into a thorn covered tree. Shit that hurt, I pulled the thorns from my hand and picked myself back up and carried on. I climbed up again and was only 0.8km away. Thinking I was almost home I remembered what McGregor and Boorman talked about on the Long way down, Mr Pilkington there survival trainer had told them ‘the home stretch is the most dangerous part of any journey, your tired and your concentration goes as your thinking your already there.’ Boy was he right, I was tired and began to fall more often.

No matter how hard I concentrated I still kept slipping, leading to the inevitable. Arriving at a rocky descent I slipped off the edge, fell 6ft and hit the ground hard, bending my thumb backwards. The fall really knocked the wind out of me. I was beaten. I lay on that jungle floor for a minute or two and just started to sob, stupid in hindsight maybe, but it was mainly down to the fact that I was now scared shitless. Had I pushed myself to far and would I now pay the consequences?

Ironically having hit the lowest point on my travels, rock bottom, I began to feel better; looking at it from a positive spin that the fall could have been a lot worse. I wiped the tears from my face and lifted myself up and finished the walk, spotting a monitor lizard near to the camp site. I entered the camp site area and walked up to Limua Beach, 13km from where I started and I was completely on my own. I dumped my stuff and having no energy left could only muster a stumble into the sea. The salt water may have stung my cuts and blisters but it was a great refreshing moment. A moment of relief and respite from the jungle.

I pitched my tent, changed into fresh clothes and hung my walking stuff to dry- if at all possible? I sat on a large comfortable rock on the beach and just lay there looking at my beach, the sea rolled in, the breeze cooling my body from the heat of day. The sound of the waves soothed my mind and helped me switch off for a moment of tranquility. I contemplated that if a boat came past I would flag it over and get a lift back or arrange one for tomorrow. No boat came by so I planned my walk back. A good rice meal tonight, up early around 5am,pack the gear, have breakfast and return to HQ.
Sitting here on this beach writing this I can be truthful and say that the walk back does worry me. I know the first 5-6km are the hardest but ill be fresh for these in the morning and with it the mental advantage of each step is a step closer to HQ, Showers, Food, Glorious H2O and more importantly safety. I hope this pushes me on tomorrow.

A time too reflect

Camp Perry. No i dont mean gay!! ha ha

Reading through what I have just written has got me thinking about what the hell I was doing here. I came here to seek the wilderness and escape the vast tourist crowds. Im now sitting on a beach 13km from the nearest human in a jungle in Borneo. Not a bad effort really. I have my ipod and Jack Kerouac (book on the road) for company. I just hope I survive the night with all these critters around me. Ha ha.

Hermit crabs were just one of the many critters around!

I can safely say that im knackered but smiling

This was my very own beach!

5am and the alarm went, I peered outside and it was still pitch black. I stayed under my mozzie net and drifted back off to sleep. Finally my alarm went again at 6.30am and there was more light outside so I decided to get up. It was hard as i had hardly slept a wink. I hit the hay at around 8pm after reading some of my book. I drifted off fine but for some reason my phone went off at 9.55pm with this weird noise! Very strange. I really struggled to get into a deep sleep and while I did hear the odd tree rustle from monkeys and rather unusual insect noises, it was not the sound of the jungle that was keeping me awake. Nor was it the electrical storm out at sea with its lightening flashes illuminating the tent.  Ok the floor was not the most comfortable and it was warm in the tent, but I think it was the fear of oversleeping and what lay ahead of me the next day. It was playing on my mind.

Finally I had eaten breakfast got some liquids inside me and packed away the tent. Day 2 of the jungle expedition. I felt confident, although tired, my legs did not ache and I set off into the jungle once more. It was overcast yet already warm, I had long trousers on and a long top due to the morning mozzies. Within the first hour of the walk I covered 2.5km which I was ecstatic about as today’s first 5 or 6 km were really tough yesterday. My mental strength was returning and focused on the task of just getting back I popped my camera in my bag, knowing that SOD has a law.

One part of the path lead through a narrow corridor between two rocks, as I wondered through I noticed to my immediate left something moved on the rock. It was a 6inch long Scorpion, Night blue in colour its armour glistened in the morning light. Pincers perched and its menacing sting up and back ready to defend itself. I stopped instantly and knowing I was far enough away from him I watched his defensive behaviour, after a minute or so I left him be and carried on, ill have to keep an eye out for them! Admittedly from the many wildlife programmes I know that the big ones are not very poisonous, the small ones are the deadly ones. I still did not want to get stung by one.

Further along the trail I spotted Jeremy the spider, this time perfectly in the middle of his web. Shortly followed by his mate about 10minutes along the path, I was beginning to regret burying my camera at the bottom of my bag. I knew that this would happen. Oh well!

4km in and the steep climbs were killing me, already so early into the walk. This worried me, I had 9km still left to go and I knew the hills were still steep and prevalent along the next 3 or 4km. I had several blisters on each foot, ha I was now wearing socks and sandles – ooo fashion fo-par! My thumb was killing me this morning, it really hurt to move it too much. I had to keep on going though, I had no choice. There was nothing else for it, I reached into my bag removed my headphones and banged on some songs. I know its sacra ledge and I was enjoying the sounds of the jungle but they hardly put a bounce in your step like music can.

Believe me or not but it actually made a difference and I finally got through the first 6.5km, Half way point. I was running on empty now, not water or food, just complete exhaustion from all of the walking. My body was telling me to give up, Game over Perry. I still felt like I was in danger of not making it and it made matters worse that I was still on the trail that now one walks. I had to stop and have a stern word with myself. I needed to find the positives and concentrate on them.  After a few minutes resting I realized that things were looking up, I had passed through the difficult climbs and descents without to much trouble, I had only fallen once when my foot slipped on a tree. I was on the home run now and soon I would be back on the main paths. I knew the 3km near the Head Quarters were relatively easy. My only real issue was rationing my water supply, I did have water treatment tablets but I was concerned Id screw it up and make myself ill. I carried on pushing myself forward, concentrating to exert myself only when required.

Admittedly this went out the window when I realized I had small ants running all over my back and neck. I frantically stripped down to my waist and proceeded to dance around like Fred Astair on fire to brush them  off me. How they got there I don’t know but the little bar stewards had bit me on my neck a few times.

I was in a lot of discomfort now, my body ached with each step. My shoulders from the back pack and weight being carried on them. My hands from the cuts from the vines. My feet hurt the most not only from the sheer amount of walking but the blisters were getting to much and it was now extremely hard to block out the pain. Finally however through sheer mind over matter I reached the intersection with a beach walk. I was now back on one of the main tracks, and even though the climbs were still hard in places the paths were clear of too many obstacles. 5km in and I had to rub my eyes. There in front of me stood two girls walking towards me. The first people I had seem since leaving the previous morning. I stopped and spoke to them, it really lifted my spirits again.

Finally I reached Tajor falls. I had only 3.6km to go but I had decided earlier that I would rest and cool myself off in the water. I removed my rucksack, to which my shoulders said “thank you”, I felt three feet taller without it on my back. I put my hand in the water, it was cold and refreshing. It was not too deep in the one pool so in a walked. I lay down and fully submerged myself. Short sharp breathes followed as the temperature shocked my body, such a contrast in the water to my body walking body temperature. The cooling water surrounded my body giving it some much needed TLC. This was revitalizing. I got out and lay on the rock for 15minutes to just rest a little more, I finished my mentos mints and set off for the last leg of the trip.

Around 2.5km left and I began to pass more people walking, I was back and ld enough water left for the last bit. I don’t know why it happened here but I was filled with raw emotion and my body released its anxiety. My tears were not shed in the same vein as yesterdays, these cascaded over my face because I had made it. I had taken on the jungle and pushed myself beyond my limits. More importantly I felt safe and my fears were instantly released in this emotional outburst.

Another thought raced through my head, I missed my family. Especially my Mom, Dad and Brother. Ive obviously missed them on this trip but I think maybe these rawer feelings had been buried deep down and through this emotional outburst they came to the surface. I just wanted to pick up a phone there and then and say “hey I love you and I miss you and I’m now safe.”. Ha in reality I know I would have aid you never guess what ive just been and done, to which my dad would have said “Silly boy!”. Yep your right dad.

I felt reenergized. The bounce returned to my step as if I had only just set out. The last 2.5km were completed in exactly 40 minutes. I calculated that I had walked 31.8km, not including the night walk, through the jungle in 3 days. The first thing I did back at the canteen was buy a 1.5litre bottle of water and neck I stood there and drank the lot, gulp by gulp until it was gone. Once I was showered I had food, followed by more water and simply sat in the café with my feet up and reflected on my adventure.

First things first in hindsight it seems pretty silly thinking I was at deaths door during this trip. In reality if anything would have happened I would have only have had to it it out for a day and help would have arrived, using the log in and out system they would have known that I was missing and would have been back. So long as I was not badly bleeding from an accident I could have survived for that length of time. This does not overshadow the danger of what I undertook. I can clearly state that this common sense approach was miles away from my head yesterday afternoon after falling. My body and mind were too heavily drained to contemplate rational thought. I’m not trying to exaggerate my story either, as far as I was concerned I was dicing with death out there in every realistic sense of the word. I was truly fearful.

Now in hindsight the experience was amazing, an incredible challenge which I overcame through true grit and determination. It was me that got me back out of the mental holes that I kept falling into. My mind pushed me on even when my body said I cant.

The adventure taught me a lot about the jungle too. Respect is key, if you don’t respect her them then the simple fact is you will get into trouble. Its clear to me now that mother nature does not want you to be traipsing around here, from thorned vines, spiders, scorpions, venomous snakes and insects of eveykind all the way through to the mind melting heat under her canopy. It has taught me thatthe jungle is not to be messed with.

Would I do it again? In a word yes. With a few differences first of which would be distance, I underestimated trekking in the jungle, both with the terrain and heat, so I learnt the hard way due to my ignorance. Another reason; when its such a long walk you cant take your time and observe mother nature, its head down and race the clock walking. When your in this environment its not to missed. Understanding more on the water requirements a well, I would take/drink a minimum of around 4 litres per day – so perfecting the art of the iodine solution is key. I would ideally like to have company incase you do get injured there is help at hand. A guide would be great for information and wildlife knowledge.

So if I was so worried and frightened why do it again? Simply because I learnt so much about myself in the last three days. I discovered things about my mental and physical strength that I would not have known if I had not had undertook this task. I really did test myself out there and I proved I could do it. Crazy to think I now know myself so well from going to the boundary of what is possible. Realising just how much I missed my family. Proving that while I don’t mind taking a risk here and there, death actually terrifies me. Believing more in the human spirit and what its capable of when the need is there. Im finding it hard to explain all this properly. One thing I do know…

Like Mohammed Ali, I had a Rumble in the Jungle and it was only in the last round of the fight that I realized I had what it took to win.

20/02/09

If any Motorcyclists or Cyclists read this then I have found an amazing stretch of road to travel down. Leaving the Cameron highlands for KL takes you south along a 50km stretch of downhill road, yes downhill most of the way is what I said. The road winds its way via hairpin bend after treacherous drop, cutting through amazing forest and mountainous landscape. It was that windy it actually made me feel sick, which is something I do not normally suffer from!

Five hours later we were here in KL, checking into Oasis guesthouse our dorm beds were costing £2.40 a night. Not a bad start to KL. The highlight of the first day was going to view the Patronas Towers at night. These steel clad towers are symbolic with Malaysia, everywhere you go, from shop signs to University emblems. I visit to KL is just not complete without a visit to these towers and standing at 451m high they soar above the rest of the cities skyline.

Tim, Yasmine (german girl from our hostel) and myself took the Mono rail to the towers. Whilst on the train the heavens opened for 5minutes covering the streets in a thin layer of surface water. Just as we were leaving the train I felt my wallet lift out of my pocket, I grabbed it and looked at the Malaysian guy next to me. I could not work out if it was his hand lifting it or his bag, he looked shady. I stared at him, whilst he casually pulled out his phone and walked away. He looked like a weasel so maybe he was trying to steal it. Almost 6months traveling and the first time any one has tried to pull something like this. Not a great start to KL but a warning to be more vigilant.

The towers are awesome at night, standing like two monolithic giants among other buildings, white light glistens on the windows and metal of the structure. Joined in the middle by the skywalk the towers look stunning when your up close. Petronas is an national oil company who own the towers and occupy most of the building, built in 1998 they have 88 stories probably making it one of the largest buildings in South East Asia. I really like the design of this building, each tower is made up of a square edge followed by a round section which continues all the way along its circumference. Visually stunning we sat in ore of the building taking a few snaps.

The Mighty Petronas towers

Arty shot of the towers from their base.

Arriving back in China town near our hostel we were eating food, when Nathalie one of sams friends who I met in Koh Chang and Bangkok noticed me and said Hello. It really through me as I did not expect anyone I knew to be in KL. It was certainly a pleasant surprise and we all went for a drink in the Reggae bar. Drinking in Malaysia is not a good idea, as its expensive as hell. After a few drinks we all called it a night and went home. A good end to my first day in KL.

Did I hear thunder?
21/02/09

Lazily the morning past by without a bit of internet and general chit chat with the people in our hostel. I even had chance and the inspiration to hand in my laundry, which would prove to be a mistake! Meeting at Nathalie’s hostel at 2:30pm the four of us proceeded to walk to KLLC Park which sits in front of the Petronas Twin Towers. The City itself is quite compact, with most of the tourist attractions close at hand.

The park is a relaxing place, couples and groups of friends sit under the shade of the many trees, cooling from the midday heat. In the centre of the park sit’s a pool with metal sculptures and a rather depressed individual who’s job is to keep all of the leaves out of the pool. A thankless task with the wind blowing them back in. I really felt sorry for this guy, he could walk around all day and when his boss comes around at the end of it, “you’ve done nothing all day its full of leaves!!”

A rather funny moment was when myself and Tim were both lying down reading our books and a Park Police woman came over and told us of. “Lying Down No”. So its against the law to lie down on the grass, you can sit and walk on it but not lie down because that’s obviously just rude. We actually could not stop laughing about it. I formed a theory that if you are a repeat “lying down” offender you have to do a days community service cleaning the parks pool of leaves. Maybe that’s why he was depressed?? Ha ha. We then contemplated if a jail sentence was the punishment, “don’t mess with that guy he’s in hear for “Lying down in a park”.

The clouds started to form so we headed for Berjayan Times Square, which is the largest department store in the whole of South East Asia. This place is a mega mall, a mall to overshadow all other malls, one mall to rule them all. Honestly who needs a huge foyer and 10, yes 10 floors? Id get lost in here so easily. It holds an Imax theatre, another Cinema, Ten pin bowling and a Car retailer. This all however is overshadowed by a indoor theme park on the 7th floor. I could not believe my eyes when in front of me, measuring 3 stories in height, is an indoor rollercoaster. Yes I said rollercoaster, a huge one at that with two loops and loads of track. This is pure genius, this keeps the men and kids entertained while the wife/girlfriend peruses the shops – Hey who said shopping was boring!!

Roller coaster in Bajayan times square

largest Mall in South East Asia

Later in the evening we went to the KL tower, which has a viewing platform and a revolving restaurant, offering amazing views of the city at night. Unfortunately by the time we arrived a massive thunderstorm had hit the city, we could still go up but the lady said that visibility would be really poor. We waited 30minutes to see if it eased up but nothing, just torrential south east Asian rain. Dampened by not being able to go up the tower I was even more miffed that my shirt and vest top had gone missing in my returned washing. I quizzed the Hostel workers that I was missing two items, I get a very reluctant search and not even an apology – I kept my cool which would hopefully remain in my favour.

Batu caves
22/02/09

13km North of KL sit’s a monolithic limestone outcrop inside which sit’s a series of caves, known as the Batu Caves. The caves were discovered around 120 years ago by an American naturalist, William Hornaday. It was shortly after this that a Hindu Shrine was placed inside the largest of the caves, what became known as Temple cave, promoting years of worship and pilgrimage for Hindus. The temple is famous for the three days of worship during Thiapusam. Were by men haul chariots, filled with offerings to the gods, over 13km to the caves. Doesn’t sound difficult does it although I didn’t mention that they move these offerings by attaching hooks all over there backs and pulling them using just there skin. Ouch. This period sees over 1million worshippers

Arriving at the caves you are first greeted by a huge golden statue of the Hindu god Muruga, also known as Lord Subramaniam, whom the caves are dedicated to. This statue is enormous and almost engulfs the experience of the caves, well either that or the monkeys that litter the stairs ascending to the caves. People flock around them taking photo’s laughing and joking with each other. Then they get too close and the monkey either grabs something to steal or makes a sudden movement, which is always ensued by the cry; yelp; or general shriek of the tourist. Highly amusing.

Entrance to the Batu Caves

he cant believe its not butter!!!

By the time we reached the top, step 272, I was more mesmerized by the colorful clothing and dress of the Hindu Worshipers on route to the summit. Every colour imaginable is on show, with customized jewelry and face markings from the obligatory red forehead dot to white stripes and full shaved heads painted with a yellowish ochre paint. I found the whole experience very interesting and made me wondering about all of the culture. Unfortunately we did not notice an guides around the entrance, as the experience would have been even more educational if there had been. Leaving the temple I realized that I had not felt a sense of peace and tranquility like I had in Buddhist temples throughout the rest of SEA and China, making me even more curious as to what it is about those spiritual places that make me feel so at ease with the world?

mom with familyat the top of the stairs.

Step 272 and two feet you may recognise.

Flowes used for prayer at the temples.

A rather not so good day
23/02/09

An early morning trip to the Indonesian Embassy to acquire my 60-day visa went well. Arriving there I was told I could not enter as I had shorts on. However I could lend a pair for a £1 of the guard, don’t worry he didn’t take his off, although that would have been amusing to see a guard standing there trying to look menacing in just his underpants. Once in the embassy I noted all the things I needed, one of which was a flight out of Indonesia. Which I didn’t have. So literally after 5minutes I was back out of the embassy feeling pretty annoyed, not helped by the guard who when I paid him the 5 Ringit he laughed. GET STUFFED NODDY, you short arse! It wasn’t just the embassy that had put me in a bad mood, id been sick in the night and my stomach felt delicate – lets just say it was getting to the stage where I dare not trust a fart. This rendered me active less for the rest of the day, which was spent in my hostel booking my flight to Darwin in Australia.

WOW Australia beckons. Im now due to leave Indonesia for the shores of Oz on the 28th May 2009, its been a dream for years to get there. I now had a ticket. I was going and I have to admit that I had the biggest grin on my face when I had the confirmation.

As if by Magic
24/02/09

Today the Embassy went much smoother, I had trousers on, all the relevant documentation for the visa and new music on my ipod helped. Today was a happier day, walking with a spring in my step and a smile on my face, the sun shone for most of the morning. One not so good thing was getting my phone fixed as the LCD screen had packed up – costing me £30! Returning to my guest house my vest top had been handed in, good news and when enquiring about my shirt, a tall lanky guy who took us to the hostel from the bus took over proceedings and said he would speak to his boss re: compensation for the item. Even better news.

In the afternoon I was contemplating going to the Lake Garden park when the thunder clapped and the heavens opened. The rain, refreshing and cooling the air as it fell, pounded the concrete of KL with such force that the roads became rivers. It rained solidly like this for over about 2 hours, probably the heaviest rainfall I have witnessed on my trip so far, all I can say is that thankfully I was indoors.

Risking a proper meal, after the fear of throwing it all back up, I went for dinner at a small local restaurant. I sat enjoying my meal watching the world go by, something I had grown accustomed to do over all these months; Shop keepers harassing and badgering the tourists to buy from them “Good price, come look!”. Westerners looking into a world of culture amid the urban jungle of KL streets, some walking around happy in the moment, while others look as though there world has just fell apart. Maybe they had lost a shirt in the washing as well?

My time here in KL has been pretty drawn out, ive spent a bit longer here than I originally wanted but its been a pleasant experience all round. Its given me a lot of time to reflect and think about the future. I had a really good chat with Nathalie on the way back from the Batu Caves about the teaching that she does in South Korea, id got a good impression of what life is like teaching abroad from Sam, Emily, Nathalie and Scott. These people live and work in another country and can probably get work in any non speaking English country in the world.

From the age of 14 I have always known what it is that I wanted to do with my life, be a designer. I love design and I cant actually describe how much joy it brings to be able to create things in your head and see them come to life. I worked at my last company in England for 6 ½ years and even though I had moments of profanity, I loved it. Some of my TEAM (ha ha) really didn’t get the enjoyment that I got out of it. Well now im here on the other side, sitting in a backpackers lounge and I honestly do not know where I am in my life.

I don’t mean that in a terrible way, travel has really got me thinking about life and what I want from it. Recent thoughts have been about why we strive for careers and lets face facts its society that tells us this is the thing to do. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just asking the question is it all their is? Do I need to constantly be stuck in the mould of society? One thing is for sure if I had done this a few years back I would have so many more options, but this is life and everyone can say if only and what if. I’m not going to be that person, I’m going to except the way that things are and deal with the options I have in the here and now – looking back is a pointless thing to do, you cant turn the clocks back. The fact remains that I have a whole world of options, we all do. For me now its fine to think about pipe dreams and the possibilities that they bring but I can not make any decisions until I get to Australia and see what is in store for me there.

The only thing which is fact is that the world and its people have got inside my heart and I want more of this, I simply don’t want it to end.

Lifes full of thingsto make you smile. Sunset over the mosque in KL!

17/02/09

Mainland Malyasia has a rung of mountains which runs up its middle called Banjaran Titiwangsa, and amid these lofty peaks sit’s the hill station of the Cameron Highlands. Named after its founder William Cameron in 1885. In the mid 1920’s people began to realise that its cooler climate and location would prove useful and rewarding, Indian and Chinese tea vegetable farmers quickly migrated there to start tea plantations. The books state that it has a very English Quintessential feel to it, amid the rolling hills of the plateau and its occasional soaring peaks. I was expecting it to be touristy but was hoping that it would ease me gently into the my ideal traveling environment; nature.

Early morning rise and the coldest air conditioning on the morning ferry could have chilled the mood, I didn’t however too much excitement at being able to interact with the forest and the natural world. Warming myself on a bus to Ipoh I was joined by Karen, girl who I met in Phuket (small world again) and a dutch guy called Wouter. As goes the process in South East Asia it was another bus change in Ipoh to head into the Cameron Highlands. The first thing that struck me about the mainland is just how much forest is here, maybe its not seeing much in Thailand that makes me think its everywhere. No hold on it actually is. Thick tall forest covering every inch of land that isn’t turned into fields or houses. Even the houses battle for daylight and land with the surrounding wilderness.

The town of Tanah Rata sits at an elevation of 1400m in a cool climate and surrounded by mountains, forest and tea plantations. Arriving late it was a meal and then crashing out in my £2 a night dorm bed. Ooo pricey.

Cupa Cha?

18/02/09

Bitterly cold. That’s how I felt when I first opened my eyes and the window, which doesn’t shut, was letting in the morning freshness. Struggling to get out of bed, I finally got changed, washed and the three of us went for breakfast. It was actually a refreshing change to not be in a hot and humid environment. The first days walk was along route 1, leading up to Gunung (Mount) Brinchang which sits at 2033m elevation. What an amazing walk, thick green Forest all the way with not many clearings so as you climbed you had no real idea just how high you were with no land marks to judge against.

The forest was dense and the walk tiring, large steps up the tree roots, kind tree roots though as they had a great way of offering you a perfectly placed hand hole for each move upwards. The trees towered above, some baron with leaves at the top, others covered in thick moss and fungi. Vines and creeper plants worked there way through the environment clinging to whatever they could. Birds sang from the canopy above, normally just out of sight, the insects whirring and clicking away. This forest had a voice and its song was life.

Fern Bud in the forest

Im the king of the swingers, a jungle V.I.P

Tree with a circle of moss on the top.

Wild Orchids

Throughout the entire walk upwards we did not encounter one other person, leaving us to the forest on our own. A steady leisurely pace was set and this enabled us to take spot the wild orchids and weird fungi growing there. Appreciating the smaller things in this forest made it all the more interesting, bringing colour and detail to what some would see as simply trees and shrubs. The cool crisp air was glorious here at this altitude, making it a very pleasurable walk, with the shade of the trees protecting us from the suns intensity. The weather was perfect and after the ominous clouds of yesterdays journey to get here I was more happy than normal about it.

Just before the summit, Woulter noticed a great view point out over the surrounding mountains, giving us a clear view of just how high we had trekked. The vista that lay before us was certainly pleasurable on the eye, with rolling forests beneath and mountain peaks in the distance, huge clouds swallowing the vastness of the sky. The viewpoint was a little hairy with a vast drop not half a foot away, on boggy moss, left a little to be desired.

View out from near the top.

Moving on we reached the summit where ugly radio masts soared above; the price we pay for wanting the latest entertainment and communications. A view point looked unlikely through the trees until we spotted an iron tower to the north. Climbing it the views were not as good as earlier, making me more appreciative of Wouts find.

A fern uncurling at altitude

View from the trail at the top

Exiting via a road we found a small trail, a wooden walk way, leading to some impressive views of the surrounding landscape as well as more wildflowers and orchids. Descending for an hour down the steep road, the legs were having to work overtime and the aches and strain on the muscles were beginning to take there toll. Reminding me that it had been a while since my body had trekked.

Luckily the road leveled, we past some workers and then around the next corner rolled out hills of tea plants. The Famous Tea Plantations stood before us as we looked downwards, a rich green mass cut into lanes, creating wonderful patterns which led the eye through the landscape. One of the funnier moments was when we attempted to get a photo of all three of us in the tea fields. Karen and Wouter took up there positions in the field and I had a setting on my camera which gave me about 20-25 seconds (3 pictures) to get there in time for the last shot. Hitting the button I ran at full pelt down the hill then spotting the correct channel to take I ran up through the soft earth as fast as I could. It took three attempts but we got there in the end. I was knackered now!!!

View of the tea plantation

Almost made it! i put this one up as it was funnier than the one with three of us.

Me rather tired after the running.

Reaching the main road we hitched a lift in the back of a guys pick up truck, this was exhilarating to just stop a stranger jump in the back of his pick up and get a free lift into town! Hitchhiking was fun, hmmmm I began to ponder. Enlightened is how I felt on this trek, good to be back at traveling again, seeing what I deem a real environment. Tomorrow would hopefully bring the same same but different.

Ancient villages and Satellite TV

19/02/09

Reaching our goal, after several ours of trekking, we gazed out upon the village of Orang Sali people in the forest clearing. Children played and we simply watched the village life below. We spotted an elder with a long stick in his hand. Maybe it was the legendary blow pipe that the locals are so famous for? No of all things it was an 8 iron Golf club. Should not have surprised us as he probably follows the golf on his satellite TV.

The day had started with a walk along trail 10, leading up to Grunung Jasar. Joining us on the walk was Kiki, Miri and Tim. The trail was steep and arduous and for some reason the pace was higher than yesterday. Still taking time to take some pictures and take it all in, after a 1 hour climb through the thick forest we were reaching the top of the mountain. The track headed back down and deteriorated as we descended, now we were out in the open and I have to admit the trail was pretty crap now.

The gang on day 2

Eventually getting past a weather station we got back on a trail and finally arrived at our destination, the Aborigine village of the Olong Sali people. Hmm not really what we were expecting, tin huts with satellite dishes outside wasn’t the tribal village of mud huts I had in mind. Still it was nice to sit there and watch the village life role by. Normally kids in oversized flip flops running about and peering around corners. Walking in to the village, Woult had a game of golf with the golf club guy, while me an tim watched this little security guard, with club in hand, patrol his village making sure everything was in check. Walking back via the Parit waterfall it was another good days walking, preparing me for the wilderness.

Reflections of the forest

Village view

Rodger the spider joined me for a walk

Kid in the village entertaining himself. BANG!

A great part of traveling is not having a schedule, and changing things at the last moment is all part of the fun. Karen and myself were thinking of going to Taman Negara national park but it cost £20 to get there which is super steep. So I decided to head into Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, before setting off to Borneo.

13/02/09 – 17/02/09

After a two days of traveling to get to Langkawi island in the north of Malaysia I needed some time to reflect on things. A chilled island to relax around was the perfect place.

Id now entered my 7th country on my travels, 8 if you include the visa run to Singapore. Five and a half months since I had left England. A long time on the road, yet im still full of excitement about my next leg of the journey.

Thailand is a great country but its left me with the feeling that the past 6 weeks have not been traveling, just one big holiday. Im not complaining as I think it was needed, the break enabled me to kick back a little and let loose with some great friends id met along the way. From New years in Ko Chang through to the Full moon I had rarely been on my own and more than enjoyed the company.

I need to get back to the traveling though, Thailand is so hard to experience the countries culture due to the number of tourists. I had to leave Thailand due to this fact. Six weeks and the only thing I know about Thailand is tourism and tourists that flock there. It is a beautiful country and im not knocking it in anyway, it was my choice to not see certain things but when tourism is at the fore front of the locals minds business sense takes over and some cultural highlights are hidden from you as a traveler.

Here in Langkawi it’s the start of my next jaunt, an ideal place to relax on the beach even though the humidity kills me, upload photographs and catch up with this here Blog. Try and get fit by running and planning my next location. Frustratingly hard as here in the resort of Chenang I can not buy a guide book.

One thing I know for sure is that from conversations ive had and the recent books ive read I feel the urge and desire to get off the beaten track. Im planning on trekking and camping in the wilderness of the Jungle. Just me and mother nature, something I have an overwhelming desire to do. Ive found that its only when your on your own away from it all that you can really grasp the important things in your life as your away from any distraction. You do however have to be around people from time to time, I genuinely believe in Chris McCandleness’ quote of “happiness is only real when its shared”. Very true in my eyes, but with solidarity comes pure thought and this is something that I need to help figure out where im heading in life and what I want from it.

The desire to get out there was emphasized even more when I went for a run up past the top of the resort. At around 6 o’clock I put on my running shoes and with water bottle in hand went to exercise the lungs. Leaving the resort along the main road it lead me to the fields and wildlife. Running up to a go kart track I decided to head back. The setting sun shone in my face, spilling out its golds and oranges across the dusk sky. The farmers fields surround the river that cuts through winding across their land. Irrigation channels veer off  providing the land with the much needed resource for life.

Water buffalo grazed along the rivers edge, swallows danced against the sky, large horn billed stalks took off in there flock and landed in another field. I noticed something down to the side in a irrigation channel move, looking down swam the prehistoric monster. A 1m+ monitor lizard, legs tucked backwards and tail gliding it along, swam in the water below me. It was not more than 4m from me, wild and natural in its habitat. Id spent years watching these creatures on wildlife programmes, truly fascinated by them. Now here I was running alongside one in the wild on a Malaysian island not 15mins from civilisation. This was amazing. Slowly jogging along I took it all in, the life around me shone just like the setting sun. Speaking of which…

Me and the sunset on the beach.

Pink Skies after the sun had vanished.