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Published: April 8th 2006
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Hello!
What a brilliant time we have had in Borneo! After the longhouse trip we decided that as one of the 'World's largest flower species' was still blooming in Gurung Gading national park we would make a dash down there to see it. We woke up on Tuesday morning and the weather was awful! It rained, and rained, and rained! Nevertheless we braved our waterproofs and battled down to the bus stop to get the first in a series of buses to the national park. After 5 minutes walking we were wet from head to toe and quite an amusement to the locals! Damp, we arrived at the park at about 12.30. Unfortunately there were no guides around to take us to see the flower and then around the park (I suspect because none else was mad enough to go to a national park in the driving rain) but he assured us the flower was very easy to find. He drew a biro blob on a simple plan of the poark and instructed us to " walk into the forest for about 100 yards once you pass a patch of bananna leaves." Unconcerned we set off at a fair pace up
the rocky climb of the path. 20 mins later having not seen any bananna leaves we passed a sign informing us we were way past where the flower should be. oh. Walking back we scanned the forest for bananna leaves but couldnt see any. I ploughed into the forest relishing the chance to be a jungle explorer which was all good fun until an evil prickly vine wrapped itself around me and cut my arm up. In true explorer spirit I battled on- by this point Fran was getting a bit concerned. 2 hrs later we went back to visitor information; it seemed the world's biggest flower was alluding us. The staff seemed confused and gave us more directions seeming reluctant to give us a guide. We tried again. It was now 3pm, and the last bus back to Kuching left at 4pm. Time was short. We ran back to the visitor information and an older guide took pity on us and said he'd show us if we could run! So all three of us legged it into the forest and eventually came to the flower! We would never have found it on our own with the directions we were
given! By this time we were more tempted to kick the flipping flower in than marvel over it! After a few minutes looking at it we were then wizzed over to the other side of the park to look at the tallest flower species in the world. "Oh" says the guide, you'll miss the bus if you walk, we go see the other flower, then I will get my son and drive you to the bus station on my way to his school" He had taken pity on our haphazard ways! we then rushed along the (very wet) wooden walkways slipping and sliding our way to meet him in his car. We made it to the bus stop in time - thank goodness for the Park man!
The next day we left for Bako which was absolutely beautiful. We had to get a boat from the jetty into the park, and when we arrived the trees around the park were full of monkeys. A very tall American man found us and told us where to go and see the very rare probiscous monkeys, so we went up into the forest and watched them for a while. They are such
funny things with long noses and big belllies. They sit slumped in the trees like lazy old men - all they need is a can of larger to complete the look! The sun was setting over the beach' the whole scene was so beautiful. That evening when we had finished dinner, the American man found us again and took us to see the boat jetty at about 9pm,; it was pitch black and the trees were alive with fire flies. It was so beautiful, they looked like optic christmas trees!
The next day was my birthday! The American man fund us on our way off for a walk and showed us the deadly green viper which was hanging in the tree nearby. "do you want to take a picture?" he asked, I though ok! And then he picked up this massive stick : oh my god, I thought he is going to poke this snake! "I'll just hold the the leaves back for you" Phew, but still, he is poking about near a deadly snake!
We took a very sweaty walk to a secluded beach where we saw a giant monitor lizard! We picnicked and swam before returning looking
at the carnivorous pitcher plants on the way. That evening we toasted my birthday with a litre of red wine out of plastic mugs with Abby and carl, a couple of travellers we had met.
The next day we returned to Kuching for one more day and treated oursleves to a back massage! We then set off for a hokey Cokey back to Singapore!
Singapore was still hot, but my dress came back looking really good which was such a relief, after much fun in the post office I eventually got it sent home! We then arrived in Darwin at 4 o clock in the morning, urgh and we have organised a trip to Kakadu park satarting on Sunday
Speak to you all soon,
Lots of love
Sarah xxx
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