Update update and merry Christmas

Because I used the new camera in the rainforest, the photos are too large to add more than one to the posts.  I’m working on reducing the size of files so I can update the blob with the rest of the story so far.

Hope everyone is having a great Christmas, I know we are - caught the sun today !!

Gomantong Caves

The last day of our Rainforest trip was not in the Rainforest but a drive to the Gomantong caves.  These limestone are home to thousands of bats and several species of swiftlets which build their nests high up on the cave walls and ceiling.  These are collected twice a year to produce Bird’s Nest Soup.  This area is allegedly the best managed birf’s Nest collection are in the world.  They are collected by erecting flimsy rattan ladders which are manoeuvred by ropes tied to the ladders and pulled and guided by people on the cave floor.  Scary work but hats off to David Attenborough who insisted on going to the top when he filmed here - not on the ladders but on a special hoist -  to film the bats. The amount of guano in the caves meant the stench was overpowering - or it would have been to those who can smell - lucky me eh?

Please click here for PHOTOS

Rainforest Day 2

So, up and out for a quick breakfast at 06:30 and then a boat trip to the oxbow lake.  I remember oxbow lakes from O’level Geography.  Silt is deposited on the banks of a river where it makes a tight meander.  Over time the silt almost cuts of the main river and the lake is formed.  The lake was covered in wild hyacinth (photos) and grows so thick it can become almost impassable.    The photo of the 2 hornbills before we set off, shows part of the relationship ritual between Horbills.  The male offes a seed or nut to the female.  If she accepts, they remain together for life - sweet.

Back to camp for real breakfast a rest then lunch.  After lunch, the afternoon boat trip.  We were treated today by a herd of elephants on the riverbank and the last remaining of the Big 5 - wild Orang Utan - very special as they are not often seen.  With regards to the elephants, a man living in the region for the las 15 years had made 7 visits into the Rainforest and this was the first time he had seen elephants !!! And we had seen them 2 days running.  Just lucky I guess.


Please click here for PHOTOS

Rainforest - Day 1

The tour continued after the sun bears (btw, they are the smallest bear species) - a 2 hour minibus ride followed by a 2 minute boat ride downstream and across the other side of the Kinabatangan river.  Help your self lunch a couple of hours rest then a 4pm river cruise, wildlife spotting.  It was supposed to be either a trek or a river cruise.  The trek was cancelled as they said there were elephants about and an encounter may have been a bit hairy

The guides on all the boats were phone app connected and as soon as anything was spotted by one boat, the rest arrived shortly after

We were treated to 2 elephants trampling around a disused house, long tailed macaques, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and a small croc.  Only thing missing from the Sabah Big 5 was Orang Utan.  What a great day.  The evening cruise was cut short due to rain but only after a close-up of 2 Kingfishers asleep on a branch at the river’s edge.

The lodge accommodation was pretty basic - no hot water and because it was off season and not many people there - no evening activities, so very quiet.  - 06:30 start tomorrow !!!!


Please click here for PHOTOS

Sepilok - Sun Bears

Across the road from the Orang Utang sanctuary was one for the Sun Bears (also known as honey bears).  These are a protected endangered species as their natural habitat was severely destroyed by deforestation caused by logging in the second half of the 20th century

During feeding, the sun bear can extend the exceptionally long tongue 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) to extract insects and honey.

Sepilok - Orang Utang Sanctuary

  

We stopped the following day around the pool at the hotel in Sandakan as a day’s relax after the time spent in the big city.  Monday morning we were picked up @ 8am to take us to the rain forest.  First stop was the Orang Utang sanctuary at Sepilok where orphaned orang utangs are taught the rudiments of life to prepare them for return to the wild.  Normally they are with their mothers for 6 / 7 years and then they separate for ever.  This one, Rosa, cam out of the forest and walked along the side rail and guided us to the  day centre where we were treated to such antics as this, proving their skills

End of part one

Today saw us move on from the throbbing Metropolis that is Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan in Sabah on the island of Borneo,

I have been impressed by KL in particular and Malaysia as a whole.  Everyone we have met has been so kind and welcoming.  When we have be in the street or at a train station seeming lost or confused (it’s an age thing) someone normally someone young has approached us and given help with a smile. Yesterday we were at an Expo in the centre of the city in the area of Masjid Jemak the purpose of which was to tell everyone the plans the Government had for Malaysia and how everyone can play a part.  How one should focus on what they can do `not what they can’t.  By 2020, the aim is to have the whole of Malaysia connected by public transport.  Trains will travel between KL and Singapore in 90 mins.  New towns are being built everywhere with houses/apartments for all.  Malaysia has a future.

Then we arrive here in Borneo.  The contrast is so stark, yes there are new developments springing up but there is an awful of squalor.  I suppose progress has to start somewhere.  The vision is there and the poor will have help to move on.  Let’s see what tomorrow brings

The Bird Park

Standing in 21acres (8.5 Hectares)
the birdpark is a ‘free flight’ aviary at times 30m high and containing over 300 birds,  We easily ‘lost’ half a day in there, travelling by ‘GrabCar’ for the first time.  To a non-City dweller, this mode of transport is so convenient and cheap and easy to use (as long as you have a WiFi connection.    So many peacocks, many blocking the walkways standing proud.  Standing so until people approached, then they turned like a revolving door to let them pass.

Batu Caves

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Batu caves lie a simple train ride taking less than half an hour ‘door to door’ from here.  They are the site of a Hindu temple and shrine and so the principal tourists here are Hindu and the food available is geared to their diet ie primarily vegetarian.  Some of them may not look to salubrious but the food is good.  Accompanying our Thali plate we had coconut water direct from the coconut with the top cut off.  These are obviously cut young whilst there is a lot of water inside.  The meat’ inside was so soft and scoopable, almost the sensation of a soft lychee.  You walk up 272 steps to get to the caves.  There are flat areas every so many steps so you don’t have to do them all in one go.

The first cave reached is the ‘Dark Cave.  Here we took the educational tour for 35RM taking about 45mins.  Provided with safety helmets worn backwards - not for style I hasten to add but rather for ease of visibility

At one point all torch lights were extinguished to experience TOTAL blackness. Even after allowing eyes to adjust, there was nothing.  Everything living in there was blind as there was nothing to see, so they weren’t disturbed by the flashlights

    Next steps lead up lead to the main Temple cave.  There is a lot of construction work being work being carried out here, building edifices around the deity status and shrines.  Visitors are asked to help carry materials to the upper cave .  The cave here opens out to the sky

  

Not to be missed is a cave off to the left when you leave the station.  At 5RM per person, it’s a great spectacle.

  

Petronas Towers

They remain the largest twin towers in/ the world.  The tour took us to the viewing gallery on the 37th floor.  This a split level walkway between the two towers, the lower gallery for the tourists and the upper gallery for staff

The tour continued much further up, with the lift moving @ 6m per sec

View on the park from 37th floor

View of the park from 87th floor

Shopping Malls

KL is not a place to walk the streets.  People travel by train, Uber or similar and seem to be for ever in the malls, which are many and at times mind blowing to someone not used to the big City. They all have large food areas with sellers of every food taste imaginable (including the Chizza - a pizza topped with thick melted cheese) round the outside and eating area in the middle.

The largest indoor theme park in Malaysia, inside one of the malls, complete with
Big Dipper and other rides

My feelings entirely!

The taxi driver said they don’t celebrate Christmas in Malaysia

Look at the size of those prawns

Not very brown, should be a Greenie perhaps :-)

They may have left France but they are still in KL

KLCC Park

So we found the KLCC Park round the back of the twin towers. This is a veritable oasis in the middle of the city.  a great place to relax or play.  

There is a tarmacced course of 1200m which meandered round lakes, grass, trees, seating areas, in fact everything you’d find in a park

Mangrove trees everywhere

The end of the large lake with stainless steel sculptures and kiddies pool atria in the background

Regalia Suites, Kuala Lumpur

Pretty spectacular - view on twin Petronas Towers and KL Tower

Infinity pool on the 37th floor

Blimey, never expected that!

Bizarre, ‘Hark the Herald....’ playing over the tannoy at Abu Dhabi arport

Last Leg

On our way from Abu Dhabi.  Sand, sand, more sand, some old buildings




 and some water