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Published: December 10th 2008
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Tsunami
The youngest and cheekiest of the all! Selamat Datang...........well guys I'm nearing the end of my work at Negara Zoo, my team - now known as "Slimey Slimey" because most of what we touched was.....you guessed it.......slimely, and Chloe, one of our team, was always saying it, so we called ourselves the Slimey Slimey Team!!!
Being part of a team with such wonderful people was amazing, we all pulled together, in the Zoo, back at home and when we went out in the evenings to the local town. Of course my friend Sharon Simpson has now joined me for the remainder of my trip. We go back some 34 years, we were at boarding school together in the Isle of Wight. It is lovely sharing this journey with such a dear friend.
I hope that the work we did at the Zoo has gone some way to contributing to the well being of the Orangutans and Chimpanzees, I had absolutely no idea that I would become so attached to these wonderful animals - I know it sounds daft but they became my friends - they didnt argue with you, they were genuinely pleased to see you - even if they showed it a most perculier fashion
Zoo Negara
Choakie sulking after having a tiff with Anna sometimes!! They all have minds of their own and they decide, like we do, whether they like you or not, which is incredible.
Katie was our Team Co-ordinator, and she was fantastic, a mere 24 years of age, but she managed us with care, consderation, skill and wisdom. She made our work there worth doing, her love for the apes showed through her sheer passion in her work. I have nothing but admiration for her and wish her all the luck in the world for her future ventures, she desparately wants to work in the Jungle rehabilitating the Orangutans back into the wild. Good Luck Katie!
I think most of my duties were explained in my last blog so I will just add a few of my personal feelings.
"Slimey Slimey" flew to Kuching to meet up with our "other" team from Taiping Zoo.
Kuching (meaning "cat" in Malay) is the capital of Sarawak and is a riverine town located on the banks of the Sarawak River. The town is filled with ornate Chinese temples, elegant colonial-style buildings, bustling strets and a beautiful waterfront.
There are so many beautiful temples around, including the famous Tua
Zoo Negara
What a beautiful Tiger Pek Kong Temple, which is the oldest in the city. This temple is particularly famous for its Wang Kang celebration to commemorate the spirit of the dead. It was built in 1843 but official records only recognised its existence in 1976!
There are plenty of handicraft shops, selling something for everyone including favourite items such as Iban pua kumbu (hand-woven rugs) woodcarvings, basket weaving, Penan blowpipes, bags, ornaments and much more. You could spend a fortune, but fortunately for me I can't actually squeeze another thing into my backpack!! We will be visiting Semenggoh wildlife rehabilitation centre before travelling to the jungle.
Unfortunately we only had a day and a night here so it was impossible to visit all the attractions Kuching had to offer.
We arrived at Singasenna Lodge, which was decorated with such simple yet exquiste taste that I immediately fell in love with the place. We all met in the bar upstairs at the Lodge, for a few drinks, to relax after our flight and to get to know each other. At first it seemed quite hard to integrate with them, I guess it was "us" and "them", but we were all going to
Zoo Negara
One of my favourites - Katie! be living in the jungle together for a week so it was up to us to get along. We all had such different experiences at our respective zoo's, so we had plenty to talk about and swap stories. We were all from such different walks of life, but we were all going to be sharing a wonderful experience together. After a few drinks the energising blend of conversation and music the tempo went up - one thing that unites everyone is that we are all truly relaxed, laughing and we are all there to have fun.
Although it's not easy to pinpoint why, but there is no denying that these nights are when new faces become new friends, and a mood of festivity and friendship just seems to hang in the air - these times are just the best. Although I miss my friends and family back home terribly, it is lovely making new ones. Out of the many people I have met and made friends with, there are a few that I know will take back with me and remain friends with for a long time.
I know that I will truly miss working at Negara Zoo,
Zoo Negara
Hard at work making a hammock for Awang and Manga the zoo keepers, the canteen staff, the sweepers, the "team", Katie and all the staff were just wonderful. I hope that one day I can come back and visit again.
For many people the idea of living their dreams comes in different forms - we all have to realise our dreams, and act upon them before its too late.
The one thing I have realised, and this is something I've come to love about Malaysia, is that every smiles at you. How lovely is that?
Until my next blog when I arrive in Borneo I leave you to look at a few of my favourite photo's, this is just a small selection which I hope you will enjoy...........
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Amelie Gough
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Monkey love
Such remarkable photos! Such moments!