Last week in Borneo

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Returned to Miri from Bario on the 22nd August and went back to stay at the Highlands. Think Joel and I are now Johanne's (the lady who runs the hostel) favorite people. Most people she hardly speaks to but she treated us to takeaway and let us drink her black market alcohol!! Had a really good night drinking illegal alcohol and watching illegaly copied dvds!!!

On sat Johanne got on of her friends to take Joel to the airport and me to the bus station. We went seperate ways for the week because he had had enough of the jungle and the trekking!! I had decided that I would take the night bus down the coast to Sibu (8hrs) and then take the ferry from Sibu to Kuching (4hrs). There was a night bus that went all the way to Kuching from Miri but decided i didnt want to be on the coach for 16 hours - big mistake!!!

Johanne's friend took me to the bus station and said she would help me to get a ticket etc. I am so glad she did - i had been told that it would be really quiet, however it was school holidays and the station was far from quiet!! As soon as i stepped out of the car loads of people started shouting at me trying to get me to go with their bus company!! It is importatn to chose the right one i had been told as all the buses are old buses and some are more likely to make it than others! However, i did not really get a choice in the matter as someone came up and took my rucksack which immeadiately meant i had to follow him and i was going on that bus!! Once on the bus the excitement continued. There was a lady frm one of the tribes sat in my seat and she looked about 200years old so i didnt really feel i could ask her to move. Instead i sat in another empty seat only to be sonstanly having to move out of people's way! Every now and then a man would get on and scream something in malay and then a few people would get off. I was never entirely sure what was going on and to make it even more confusing it seems that parents dont but tickets for their kids they just get on and hope there is a seat for them. If not the kids are supposed to share their parents seats, however, one woman in particular seemed determined that her kids were not sitting on her lap even if that meant they were on a strngers lap instead!! Eventually I ended up in my own seat, sitting next to the 200yr old! And i thought given the job i have just left it is typical that i am sat next to the oldest prson (infact the only old person) on this bus!! We eventually left the station at 9pm and as soon as we were out of the station the air conditioning was on full blast! It was freezing but they are so proud that the bus has air con they refuse to turn it off even though it also leaks on everyone!! At each of the stops on the way everybody seemed to get off to use the toilet etc excpet from the old lady and me. It soon became clear that getting off the but was not a good idea if you still wanted a seat when you came back, because the bus driver seemd to sell people's seats to other people while they were away. It rained all the way but stil the air con remained on and the bus driver continued to drive as if he was trying to get a starring role in Tokyo Drift!! I made the fatal mistake of trying to look where we were going only to witness us spinning sideways through the corner with the wheels schreeching!! I understand now why the I had been told that the buses are not the safest way to travel!! Finally arrived at Sibu bus station at 4am and tried to get a bit of sleep, with even more fun to come.

At 6.30am i caught a taxi to the ferry terminal. I had been told that the ferry left at 7.30, however, it turns out it was actually 11.30 and i couldn't buy a ticket until 8am. So sat in the crowded ferry terminal and waited, only to be told at 8am that due to the school holidays the 11.30 ferry was sold out and I would have to take the 1.30pm ferry. If only I had stayed on the bus i would have been in Kuching by then!! Went for a bit of a walk around and got some food. Decided to have some icecream, it came covered in more sprinkles than i have ever seen and rather strangely it was also covered in cornflakes!!!Back at the ferry terminal many of the locals kept coming to talk to me, they are so friendly and so pleased to know if you have enjoyed their country. The place was packed and I was the only white person so couldnt really go unoticed, when two more people arrived from Germany the local man i had been chatting to asked if i wanted to sit with them as if i may know them bacause they were also white!! It was a really good experience actually and would have been even better if the ferry had arrived on time, didnt actually end up leaving Sibu till nearer 3pm and guess what - on the ferry they love their air conditioning!! Once again i was absolutely freezing for another 4 and a half hours!! But the journey wa snice especially the first part along the river. Arrived at Kuching at 7.30pm and got a taxis to the B&B Inn. Really nice hostel, clean with friendly staff and very cheap. 3quid a night for my own room with huge double bed (fan instead of air con thank god) and breakfast!

In the morning walked down to the waterfront and booked my accomodation for Bako national park. Had a look round Kuching. Very quiet place but probably one of the nicest cities i have been to in Borneo. Walked through China town, some very impressive temples. Had some amazing food - pineapple chicken with rice and salad - all for one pound fifty including my drink. Then went to have a massage and went back to bed as still recovering from my trip! And I wasnt too sure how easy it was going to be to get to Bako national park in the morning as on the timetable it says 'Public bus service is not reliable or accurate" - great start!!

Tues am decided to save money and walk the 20min walk to the bus station instead of taking a taxi- was dying by the time i got there as it was boiling hot and i was carrying about 17kgs on top of my own weight (which is rapidly increasing despite all the trekking due to the extrememyl good and extremely cheap food!!). Arrived at the bus stop to be told by a taxi driver that i had missed the bus by 5mins and would have to wait another hour for the next one - but suprise suprise he would take me for 40 ringget. Even though it would only cost RM2 on the bus and i expect the taxi driver was exaggerating the length of time i would have to weight i decided to go with him just because i really needed to put my backpack down and sit down. As it worked out I arrived at the same time as 6others and so was able to split the cost of the boat to the park, so instead of paying RM47 only had to pay RM9.

Bako park is amazing, accesed by boat there are many limetone rock formations and mangrove forests on the way. And there are so many animals so close to you. Infact so close at times, the male proboscis monkey, who is very big, nearly fell ontop of my head whilst trying to swing through the trees. They are so funny looking and really not very well designed. They have such huge bellies that they kind of crash through the trees! Also saw silver langer monkeys, which i thought were going to attack me as they came runnign up so close whilst growling, and long tailed macque which worked in gangs trying to steal anything which wasnbt bolted down including one womans breakfast!! At night there are also bearded pigs around the accomodation areas. Didnt see any crocodiles although did see many warnings not to enter the rivers or swim near the river mouth.

Stayed at Bako for two nights and spent three days there, mostly on the beach. It was a very hot and sweaty 2.9km walk to and from the beach but it was well worth it. There was hardly ever anyone on it and the sand was white and the water was warm. However, on the last day Nicky (a girl i had met there) and I were traumatised by a massive fat german lady in the smallest thong you have ever seen getting naked on the beach!! Thought for a moment i had been transported to Benidorm!!

On the second day i cheated because i started talking to one of the boatmen and he offered me a free ride round to the beach so only had to walk back. On the third day i walked there and then caught the boat back - i decided that after all the trekking i have been doing over the last month it was only neccesary to do one walk a day!! In the evening the sunset over the water was gorgeous - honestly think that Bako may have been one of the most beautiful places i have ever visited.

Spent one more night in Kuching and then flew to Kuala Lumpur on the 29th. What a big difference to sleepy Kuching. This place is so busy with people and traffic, nearly died several times trying to cross the round. The motorbikes just appear from nowhere and if the road is busy then they go on the path!! Staying in a really nice hostel called Le Village which is on the edge of Chinatown. The only problem with it is the bed bugs!! Have so many bites, but it is very cheap and has a really nice friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Slightly too laid back at times probably due to the staff being stoned to the point they cant talk alot of the time!!

Whilst in KL have walked up to the Petronas towers and taken the photo that everybody who comes here takes, i have been shopping in Chinatown and bought many imatation goods and last night was a massive celebration for Independence day. It was in Merdeka square which is very close to the hostel, with a lot of traditional dancing and then a huge fireworks display at midnight. Leave tomorrow to fly to Cambodia. Think i will really miss the malysian food, especially roti which is a kind of pancake which you dip in curry sauce. I have been eating it for breakfast every day as i couldnt face eating rice or noodles at that time. Also had a fantastic last day in KL biking around town on these home made bikes with one of the local men staying at the hostel. Man (that is his name!) had made these bikes with hsi family, so funny to ride as so close to the ground!! And biking in KL is fairly mental especially when you do not have any brakes!! He took me to Kampung Baro which used to be a small village outside Kl but now has been surrounded by the city, it is the last traditional malay village in the area. The government are trying to force the people to leave, however, the land was a gift from the King so they are unable to take it.

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Photos

Sibu Swan
Guards the city as legend had it a swan saved them from famine

Sibu Temple
View from the ferry terminal

Main beach at park
Cant swim here though because of crocs and stingrays!!

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Could get so close to them, really strange with their big bellies and long noses!

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The beach i had all to myself!

Comments

[MUMSY X]

WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL AWESOME! LOVING THE BLOGS. YOU WON'T WANT TO COME HOME - EVER. CAN YOU TRY AND PUT THE PHOTOS CLOSER TOGETHER SO DOESN'T USE SO MUCH PAPER WHEN I PRINT FOR GRANDMA. LOVE AND MISS YOU. OH AND GLAD I HAVEN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN OBESE STRANGE ANIMAL - YET!!!