Borneo

A long journey saw us arrive at Bintulu a stop off point for a day visit to Similajua national park. We had a great day at the park, the highlight being a long jungle walk ably led by Kirsten to a deserted beach. At times Kirsten walked so fast I could hardly keep up, never before have I a witnessed such a level of fitness and she never appeared fatigued in any way. I need to ask her for her fitness program! The beach was beautiful and the run back ( that was just me) even better. The only thing that marred the day was the mysterious police incident tape in the jungle which made me imagine buried bodies and I’m sure I heard them calling to me, probably only the monkeys though!

Think that's Barry at the end!!



Don't know how I cope with the stress!!



All I can say is YES!!!

WOW!!

The next national park on our list was Niah.  A very well maintained park we had a great cabin for the seven of us, which made us feel at home.  This park is all about the prehistoric caves which house thousands of swiftlets and bats.  The nests which are made from the saliva of the swiftlets fetch a high price in the Chinese community and so are very sought after.  Young men risk their lives to reach the nests and harvest them, perched precariously on thin wooden poles.  Fatalities are apparently common.  We all had a visit to the caves and found them fascinating.  Not too much for me though due to not liking bats, birds or the dark!! Or wooden poles!! Or fatalities!!
  




 

This is how they wear it in Borneo

Where's wally? I mean Simon!

The next day a fairly relaxed day was had chilling around the cabin.  Obviously apart from Barry and Pauline, the kiwi wonders, who had their usual 40k stroll before breakfast.  Me, I went for what I thought would be an easy run/walk.  I realised I should have read the imformation  leaflet a bit closer when I lost my shoes twice in the jungle swamp, came across bridges that consisted of a single plank of wood suspended 20 meters high and climbed a steep slippery moss covered mountain in my thin soled running shoes.  Didn’t have to climb all the way down though not when you can slide on your backside!  To add insult to injury the jungle is reached by a ferry boat across the river and once the ferry man saw the state of my muddy legs he seemed reluctant to let me on.  A bit of a smile on my part and a flash of my blue eyes worked and I didn’t have to swim with the crocodiles.  Getting back to the cabin the others had had a good day in particular SImon who had invented a bizarre hide and seek game in a cupboard.  After two hours and no-one finding him or indeed even looking for him, he came out.  Takes all sorts!