We are now in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. Tomorrow we head east then south toward the Chinese border. The capital is busy but, according to our guide, is still on edge after the massacre that happened here in April. We feel safe but have been warned not to go out after dark. No worries there as we had to get up at 2:30 AM to catch our 5:30 flight this morning. We had an hour’s rest at our hotel on arrival and then headed out for some sightseeing for the rest of the day. We’ve had dinner in the hotel and are heading to bed soon.
There is going to be a referendum on a new proposed constitution on June 27, the day before we are supposed to re-enter the country from China. Hopefully the results won’t start up a new round of violence. We plan to be far to the east up in the mountains anyway. We have really good support from our tour company and we feel assured that we won’t be allowed to re-enter the county if there is any question about our safety.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ancient Khorezm
(June 13)
Heading out from Khiva after lunch, we drove northeast into the heart of ancient Khorezm. The Khorezm civilization flourished between the 5th century BC and the 8th century AD as part of the broader Ancient Persian influenced territories. It consisted of many states that covered a huge area stretching from the Khiva region to the Aral Sea. Archaeological investigations have found that the area has been settled since 5000 BC.
We visited the ruins of four Khorezm towns among the 20 that have been identified in one small region. Khorezm was part of many empires including the Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid and Afrighid – names that few have heard of in our part of the world. But in the 5th century BC, Herodotus described Khorezm as having greater cities than Egypt. All that remains are the thick sand walls that rise from the plains.
We spent the night at a yurt camp near Ayaz-Qala, a major regional trading centre between the 6th and 7th centuries AD. Dinner was served on long low tables inside the yurt and consisted of salads, dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, a yummy meat stew and a bottle of vodka. It was hot inside the yurt and the night was perfectly clear, so Barney and I opted to sleep outside on one of the several concrete platforms that were in place for just that purpose. It was windy and cool (my thermometer read 28 C) and the stars were brilliant. Surrounded by empty desert, we slept well.
Pictures from Ancient Khorezm...
Heading out from Khiva after lunch, we drove northeast into the heart of ancient Khorezm. The Khorezm civilization flourished between the 5th century BC and the 8th century AD as part of the broader Ancient Persian influenced territories. It consisted of many states that covered a huge area stretching from the Khiva region to the Aral Sea. Archaeological investigations have found that the area has been settled since 5000 BC.
We visited the ruins of four Khorezm towns among the 20 that have been identified in one small region. Khorezm was part of many empires including the Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid and Afrighid – names that few have heard of in our part of the world. But in the 5th century BC, Herodotus described Khorezm as having greater cities than Egypt. All that remains are the thick sand walls that rise from the plains.
We spent the night at a yurt camp near Ayaz-Qala, a major regional trading centre between the 6th and 7th centuries AD. Dinner was served on long low tables inside the yurt and consisted of salads, dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, a yummy meat stew and a bottle of vodka. It was hot inside the yurt and the night was perfectly clear, so Barney and I opted to sleep outside on one of the several concrete platforms that were in place for just that purpose. It was windy and cool (my thermometer read 28 C) and the stars were brilliant. Surrounded by empty desert, we slept well.
Pictures from Ancient Khorezm...
 |
| Ayaz Qala |
Videos from Khiva
The many variations of a folding wooden book stand...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiWr86GzS9w
Making a silk carpet...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg7TYkIzC4o
Panorama of Khiva...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca-pDBC81aA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiWr86GzS9w
Making a silk carpet...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg7TYkIzC4o
Panorama of Khiva...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca-pDBC81aA
Monday, June 21, 2010
Khiva
We only spent about 24 hours in Khiva but it was one big brilliant history lesson as we wandering among narrow alleys and in and out of mosques, minarets, palaces, and medressas. Within the medieval walls lies a ‘living museum’ that has been meticulously restored with many stunning examples of 15th to 19th century Islamic architecture. Khiva is an ancient regional capital that has been inhabited for over 2000 years. It’s suffered devastation by Mongols, Sogdians and Bolsheviks (to name only a few) but has been repeatedly rebuilt.
The bazaars and shops were full of locally made weavings, puppets, fur hats, carpets, embroidery, carved book stands, silk scarves, and wool slippers. The restaurants served salads of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes with yogurt, and tiny apples and apricots for dessert. The sun was relentless raising the temperature to an exhausting (but very dry) 38 C. We had an air conditioned room in a small family run hotel that was decorated in traditional Uzbek style. Everyone we met was gracious, inquisitive and friendly although only few people spoke a little English. A lot of the exchanges were done with just smiles and laughs.
I took over 300 pictures in Khiva. I got a little carried away trying to capture the lovely tile work, wooden doors and carved pillars. The photos I have included below are just a sample.
Pictures from Khiva...
The bazaars and shops were full of locally made weavings, puppets, fur hats, carpets, embroidery, carved book stands, silk scarves, and wool slippers. The restaurants served salads of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes with yogurt, and tiny apples and apricots for dessert. The sun was relentless raising the temperature to an exhausting (but very dry) 38 C. We had an air conditioned room in a small family run hotel that was decorated in traditional Uzbek style. Everyone we met was gracious, inquisitive and friendly although only few people spoke a little English. A lot of the exchanges were done with just smiles and laughs.
I took over 300 pictures in Khiva. I got a little carried away trying to capture the lovely tile work, wooden doors and carved pillars. The photos I have included below are just a sample.
Pictures from Khiva...
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| Khiva |
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| Khiva |
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| Khiva |
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Get out your maps of Kyrgyzstan
We're back in Tashkent for one night. We've had an outstanding time so far, visiting the towns/ cities of Khiva, Bokhara, and Samarkand as well as two nights out in the countryside. Internet access has been a bit of a problem - especially finding places that offer the wireless connections that I need to upload the photos. Be patient. I'll post our news whenever I can.
All the recent turmoil in Kyrgyzstan has caused us to change our tour route. We were supposed to travel through the Ferghana Valley (Uzbekistan) and enter Kyrgyzstan at Osh - the sight of all the trouble. The plan now is to head to Ferghana (the city) tomorrow for one night and then return to Tashkent. On the 23rd we fly to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is far to the northeast of Osh and remains safe for travel. From Bishkek we drive via Naryn into China over the Torugart Pass and onto to Kashgar. After Kashgar we turn around and retrace our path over the pass and pick up the tour as it was originally planned. The Canadian Foreign Affairs Department says it's OK to travel to the areas we are going.
All the recent turmoil in Kyrgyzstan has caused us to change our tour route. We were supposed to travel through the Ferghana Valley (Uzbekistan) and enter Kyrgyzstan at Osh - the sight of all the trouble. The plan now is to head to Ferghana (the city) tomorrow for one night and then return to Tashkent. On the 23rd we fly to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is far to the northeast of Osh and remains safe for travel. From Bishkek we drive via Naryn into China over the Torugart Pass and onto to Kashgar. After Kashgar we turn around and retrace our path over the pass and pick up the tour as it was originally planned. The Canadian Foreign Affairs Department says it's OK to travel to the areas we are going.
Overnight train to Khiva
(June 11)
Our first destination was Khiva on the other side of Uzbekistan - far to the west on the border with Turkmenistan. The train journey was to take us 20 hours and passed through a variety of landscapes – deserts, mountains, and lush irrigated fields. For much of the trip the Karakum desert lay to the south and the Kyzylkum desert to the north.
Barney and I had a four-birth room to ourselves with blue satin pillows and bedspreads. There was a lovely blue and white teapot and four cups waiting for us on the small table between the beds. It could be filled for 35 cents with black or green tea.
We boarded at 6 so had a few hours to watch the country side before it got dark. We weren’t far out of Tashkent before we started to see farms. The night was hot but we got some rest. I don’t find rocking trains very soothing.
We woke to scrubby plains a lot like parts of Australia but with clay-coloured dirt not rusty red. In greener areas we saw a gazelle and several Bactrian camels. The camels must have been domesticated but it was still exciting to see their two humps instead of one.
Towards the end of the trip we crossed the Amu Darya – the historical Oxus River – crossed by Alexander the Great, Chinghiz Khan and Tamerlane. Uzbek Armies, Persian armies, Russian armies, and Mongol armies forded this river in waves of conquest and destruction.
The train ride was hot – really hot. Our room got up to 42 C by mid-afternoon. No air conditioning but a few open windows provided some relief.
We got off the train at the end of the line at Urgench where we were met by another huge air conditioned bus and the two drivers who were to be our companions for the next 10 days. A final half hour drive brought us to Khiva, a medieval walled city designated a World Heritage Site.
Pictures from the train trip to Khiva...
Our first destination was Khiva on the other side of Uzbekistan - far to the west on the border with Turkmenistan. The train journey was to take us 20 hours and passed through a variety of landscapes – deserts, mountains, and lush irrigated fields. For much of the trip the Karakum desert lay to the south and the Kyzylkum desert to the north.
Barney and I had a four-birth room to ourselves with blue satin pillows and bedspreads. There was a lovely blue and white teapot and four cups waiting for us on the small table between the beds. It could be filled for 35 cents with black or green tea.
We boarded at 6 so had a few hours to watch the country side before it got dark. We weren’t far out of Tashkent before we started to see farms. The night was hot but we got some rest. I don’t find rocking trains very soothing.
We woke to scrubby plains a lot like parts of Australia but with clay-coloured dirt not rusty red. In greener areas we saw a gazelle and several Bactrian camels. The camels must have been domesticated but it was still exciting to see their two humps instead of one.
Towards the end of the trip we crossed the Amu Darya – the historical Oxus River – crossed by Alexander the Great, Chinghiz Khan and Tamerlane. Uzbek Armies, Persian armies, Russian armies, and Mongol armies forded this river in waves of conquest and destruction.
The train ride was hot – really hot. Our room got up to 42 C by mid-afternoon. No air conditioning but a few open windows provided some relief.
We got off the train at the end of the line at Urgench where we were met by another huge air conditioned bus and the two drivers who were to be our companions for the next 10 days. A final half hour drive brought us to Khiva, a medieval walled city designated a World Heritage Site.
Pictures from the train trip to Khiva...
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| Khiva train |
Tashkent
(June 8, 9, 10)
Barney and I arrived in Tashkent after the 7.5 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. There were too many clouds along the way to see much of the Himalayas, but we did get a good view of huge sand dunes that we think were in southern China. It was 34 C when we landed but it felt surprisingly cool because it wasn’t humid.
We were met at the airport and driven to the Hotel Uzbekistan – a four star Soviet-era colossus that was decorated with satin, silk and imitation Louis 14th furniture. Coffee was served in china demi-tasse cups with painted gold rims.
The tour didn’t start until two days after we arrived. We spent a bit of time over those two days walking around the city but I was more interested in getting some rest so we weren’t too ambitious. We discovered that Tashkent (population over two million) is a very green city full of well maintained parks, large spreading trees, and wide stately streets. Eighty percent of Tashkent was flattened in an earthquake in 1966 and the rebuilt city is lovely. I guess I was expecting ugly Soviet blocks of apartments and office buildings but what we found was a charmingly modern city, clean and beautifully laid out.
Crossing the street was something of a challenge. Drivers attack the street with an aggression that is a mix of drag racing and dodge’em cars. And U-turns are a common practice so we could never be sure where a car might be coming from.
Museum of Fine Arts had an absolutely stunning collection of textiles, paintings (older and modern), furniture, carved wooden and gypsum screens, ceramic bird houses, ornate embroidered clothing and musical instruments. Everything was beautiful displayed and had English labels. The museum far outshone the one we’d visited in Kuala Lumpur. I later learned that some of the collection once belonged to the Romanovs. We also passed by the Opera House on our wanderings - quite an imposing building. Tickets to full production operas only cost $2. Unfortunately it’s closed in June and July.
When we visited the Olay bazaar we were a bit intimidated at first by all the grim stern faces as we were used to the ready smiles of the Malaysians. However we soon found if we initiated the smile it was generally returned with a warm smile or a friendly nod. Many people have had their front teeth replaced with gold ones (replaced – not capped!) which adds a sparkle to any wide grin. Very few people spoke any English but we managed to negotiate the purchase of some pistachios, fresh apricots and small apples for our upcoming train trip. Later we also found a ‘department store’ that sold Uzbek silk at $6 per metre.
Uzbek currency is called 'sum'. There are 1500 sum to the dollar. We changed $200 and wound up with a ridiculous pile as the biggest bill is 1000 som (see the picture below. So if you buy something for 50,000 som, you have to count out 50 bills.
We spent our third day in Tashkent with our newly formed group – one New Zealander, 12 Aussies and us two Canadians – visiting some of the city’s mosques and medressas (religious school), the Museum of Uzbek History and the Chorsu Bazaar in a huge air conditioned bus. What a well travelled group we’ve found ourselves in. I think the youngest person is 50 and the oldest in his mid-70s. Our guide’s name is Rustam and he will accompany us on the Uzbekistan portion of our tour.
Pictures from Tashkent
Barney and I arrived in Tashkent after the 7.5 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. There were too many clouds along the way to see much of the Himalayas, but we did get a good view of huge sand dunes that we think were in southern China. It was 34 C when we landed but it felt surprisingly cool because it wasn’t humid.
We were met at the airport and driven to the Hotel Uzbekistan – a four star Soviet-era colossus that was decorated with satin, silk and imitation Louis 14th furniture. Coffee was served in china demi-tasse cups with painted gold rims.
The tour didn’t start until two days after we arrived. We spent a bit of time over those two days walking around the city but I was more interested in getting some rest so we weren’t too ambitious. We discovered that Tashkent (population over two million) is a very green city full of well maintained parks, large spreading trees, and wide stately streets. Eighty percent of Tashkent was flattened in an earthquake in 1966 and the rebuilt city is lovely. I guess I was expecting ugly Soviet blocks of apartments and office buildings but what we found was a charmingly modern city, clean and beautifully laid out.
Crossing the street was something of a challenge. Drivers attack the street with an aggression that is a mix of drag racing and dodge’em cars. And U-turns are a common practice so we could never be sure where a car might be coming from.
Museum of Fine Arts had an absolutely stunning collection of textiles, paintings (older and modern), furniture, carved wooden and gypsum screens, ceramic bird houses, ornate embroidered clothing and musical instruments. Everything was beautiful displayed and had English labels. The museum far outshone the one we’d visited in Kuala Lumpur. I later learned that some of the collection once belonged to the Romanovs. We also passed by the Opera House on our wanderings - quite an imposing building. Tickets to full production operas only cost $2. Unfortunately it’s closed in June and July.
When we visited the Olay bazaar we were a bit intimidated at first by all the grim stern faces as we were used to the ready smiles of the Malaysians. However we soon found if we initiated the smile it was generally returned with a warm smile or a friendly nod. Many people have had their front teeth replaced with gold ones (replaced – not capped!) which adds a sparkle to any wide grin. Very few people spoke any English but we managed to negotiate the purchase of some pistachios, fresh apricots and small apples for our upcoming train trip. Later we also found a ‘department store’ that sold Uzbek silk at $6 per metre.
Uzbek currency is called 'sum'. There are 1500 sum to the dollar. We changed $200 and wound up with a ridiculous pile as the biggest bill is 1000 som (see the picture below. So if you buy something for 50,000 som, you have to count out 50 bills.
We spent our third day in Tashkent with our newly formed group – one New Zealander, 12 Aussies and us two Canadians – visiting some of the city’s mosques and medressas (religious school), the Museum of Uzbek History and the Chorsu Bazaar in a huge air conditioned bus. What a well travelled group we’ve found ourselves in. I think the youngest person is 50 and the oldest in his mid-70s. Our guide’s name is Rustam and he will accompany us on the Uzbekistan portion of our tour.
Pictures from Tashkent
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| Tashkent |
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Real time update - 5
We are having a great time in Uzbekistan. However the situation in Krygzstan seems to be worsening which means our trip there will either be cancelled or re-routed to avoid the trouble spots. Stay tuned and don't worry about us.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Kota Kinabalu times four
We stayed in KK four times- using it as a base for all our comings and goings. It's a nice city - larger than Kuching - with lots of friendly people always smiling at us. It felt comfortable and safe but of course it was ridiculously hot and humid. We stayed in a place called Lavender Lodge where the staff greeted us warmly everytime we came back.
During our first stay (after Bario, before Brunei) we found several of those huge seafood / fish restaurants, but in KK all the dinner offerings are kept live in huge tanks. It was actually kind of creepy. But we turned our backs on all the eyes, scratching claws and waving tentacles and had a dinner of abolone and scallops.
KK wound up being the place for us to regroup and reorganize for the next adventure. As a result we didn't explore any of the museums but we did spend some time checking out all the markets. Most of the pictures below are of the wide range of goods you can find - everything from oversized jewelry to 3 foot long cinnamon sticks.
On our return from Mt. Kinabalu we found a "Texas" restaurant that served great steaks and gin and tonics. After a month of excellent Malaysian food, something a little more familiar was a welcomed treat.
Pictures from KK...
During our first stay (after Bario, before Brunei) we found several of those huge seafood / fish restaurants, but in KK all the dinner offerings are kept live in huge tanks. It was actually kind of creepy. But we turned our backs on all the eyes, scratching claws and waving tentacles and had a dinner of abolone and scallops.
KK wound up being the place for us to regroup and reorganize for the next adventure. As a result we didn't explore any of the museums but we did spend some time checking out all the markets. Most of the pictures below are of the wide range of goods you can find - everything from oversized jewelry to 3 foot long cinnamon sticks.
On our return from Mt. Kinabalu we found a "Texas" restaurant that served great steaks and gin and tonics. After a month of excellent Malaysian food, something a little more familiar was a welcomed treat.
Pictures from KK...
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| KK |
Mt. Kinabalu
(June 3 and 4)
We were directed to the long distance taxi stand to find up a ride up to small town of Kundasung in the foothills surrounding Mt. Kinabalu. We wound up sharing a minivan for the two hour drive, most of it climbing continuously on the busy winding road. We’d booked two nights at the Kinabalu Pine Resort that boasted a view of Mt. Kinabalu from every cabin. The mountain is the tallest in Borneo and a popular climb. But our interest was hiking in the forest – at a cool 1500 m.
Our hotel was vaguely colonial with a touch of Muskoka. The views of the mountain were spectacular from our little deck. It was wonderful to be up in the mountains where it was so much cooler. Still tropical but not steamy hot. It was also wonderful to see pine trees. The evenings were cool enough to put on my light fleece. It was funny to see the Malaysians bundle up their kids against the ‘cold’.
We only had one full day to explore the park. We started out by walking into the nearby village of Kundasang and right into the thick of their weekly market day. The fresh vegetables were amazing. We hadn’t seen such diversity in any other market. It is all produced on the local farms. We bought some fruit and ‘donuts’ for a picnic later on.
We went on several hikes in the park including one guided walk. There are 1000 species of orchids in the park and over 350 species of birds. It’s a really beautiful spot to explore. The cool evenings allowed us to sleep soundly both nights without the aid of air conditioning or even a fan. It was a nice break.
Pictures from Mt. Kinabalu...
Video - Kundasang market - dried fish stall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSrPO3eB00U
We were directed to the long distance taxi stand to find up a ride up to small town of Kundasung in the foothills surrounding Mt. Kinabalu. We wound up sharing a minivan for the two hour drive, most of it climbing continuously on the busy winding road. We’d booked two nights at the Kinabalu Pine Resort that boasted a view of Mt. Kinabalu from every cabin. The mountain is the tallest in Borneo and a popular climb. But our interest was hiking in the forest – at a cool 1500 m.
Our hotel was vaguely colonial with a touch of Muskoka. The views of the mountain were spectacular from our little deck. It was wonderful to be up in the mountains where it was so much cooler. Still tropical but not steamy hot. It was also wonderful to see pine trees. The evenings were cool enough to put on my light fleece. It was funny to see the Malaysians bundle up their kids against the ‘cold’.
We only had one full day to explore the park. We started out by walking into the nearby village of Kundasang and right into the thick of their weekly market day. The fresh vegetables were amazing. We hadn’t seen such diversity in any other market. It is all produced on the local farms. We bought some fruit and ‘donuts’ for a picnic later on.
We went on several hikes in the park including one guided walk. There are 1000 species of orchids in the park and over 350 species of birds. It’s a really beautiful spot to explore. The cool evenings allowed us to sleep soundly both nights without the aid of air conditioning or even a fan. It was a nice break.
Pictures from Mt. Kinabalu...
 |
| Mt. Kinabalu |
Video - Kundasang market - dried fish stall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSrPO3eB00U
Monday, June 7, 2010
Real time update - 4
Hard to believe that we're half way through our trip. Malaysia and Australia are behind us; Uzbekistan, China, Kyrgzstan and Mongolia are ahead.
We're spending tonight in a hotel at the airport in Kuala Lumpur. Our Borneo adventures are over for now but it's sure a place we'd like to explore some more.
Tomorrow morning we fly to Tashkent. Our 30-day Central Asia tour starts on Thursday. http://www.peregrineadventures.com/central-asia-north-asia/uzbekistan/secrets-central-asia-2009
Meanwhile we can spend a few days relaxing in our Soviet-era hotel. I think we're in for some culture shock. Stay tuned.
We're spending tonight in a hotel at the airport in Kuala Lumpur. Our Borneo adventures are over for now but it's sure a place we'd like to explore some more.
Tomorrow morning we fly to Tashkent. Our 30-day Central Asia tour starts on Thursday. http://www.peregrineadventures.com/central-asia-north-asia/uzbekistan/secrets-central-asia-2009
Meanwhile we can spend a few days relaxing in our Soviet-era hotel. I think we're in for some culture shock. Stay tuned.
Friday, June 4, 2010
So many turtles we lost count
(May 29 – June 2)
We spent one night back in Kota Kinabalu and then flew down to the other side of Sabah to a town called Tawau. As soon as we arrived we got a taxi to take us to Semporna on the SE coast. A further 50 minute boat ride and we arrived at our homestay on Mabul Island. (A homestay differs from a hotel or hostel in that they are usually quite small, the price includes three meals a day, and you get to hang out with some local people as opposed to a bunch of tourists.) Our homestay on Mabul was called Spheredivers. http://www.spheredivers.com/ It was a great place built on stilts over the water. It looked out over the Celebes Sea and we could watch a variety of marine life on the small reef off the dining area. Our hosts were Stanley (a certified scuba instructor) and Azhar (a dive master). We were also ‘assigned’ a snorkelling buddy whose name was Ali.
This part of Borneo is world famous for its diving sites – the most famous being Sipidan which is rated as one of the top five dive sites in the world. Diving on the reef is by permit only - a conservation measure introduced 6 years ago when the government made all the hotel operators move off the island. With the help of Azhar we were able to get a permit to go snorkelling on the third day after our arrival.
Meanwhile we were able to spend some time snorkelled at the reefs closer to Mabul, with Ali along to point out some interesting species of fish and coral. We began at an island called Kapalai. The second I put my face down into the water I was stunned. I have never seen such an abundance of fish in such clear clear water. The tide was out so we were in fairly shallow water – maybe 3 to 4 feet. For an hour and a half we swam around repeatedly spotting new species of fish, coral, sponges and other invertebrates. Several green sea turtles swam nearby as well as a white-tip shark. Barney and Ali were ‘attacked’ by an aggressively territorial trigger fish. They have large nasty teeth for a fish that’s only about 30 cm long that they used to bit off chunks of coral. All the superlatives I can think of sound trite and don’t do justice to our experience. Whew!
Back at Spheredivers, we watched some of the local fishermen bring their catch to the fish buyer next door. These fishermen usually go out to sea in their relatively small boats for three days at a time. They do all of their fishing with hand lines. The catches included yellow-fin tuna and marlin. The tuna were huge with round smooth bodies and traces of yellow on their tails and thread-like fins. Surprisingly they were only likely to fetch about $65 each at the fish market in Semporna. Not much for an endangered species!
That night Azhar took lead us along the boardwalk and onto the island to check out a local wedding. It looked like the entire population of the island had turned out for the event. Many of Mabul’s residents are illegal immigrants from the Philippines – only an hour to the north by boat. Azhar told us that the wedding was following Filipino traditions, including the custom of the bride and groom changing their clothes seven times during the festivities.
The next day we took the boat out to the reef off Mabul. We saw many species we hadn’t seen the day before - in the same incredible density and in the same clear clear water. Another snorkelling experience that left us both trilled and in awe. That night we were kept awake for hours by the karaoke croaks from a nearby bar. The evening’s favourites seemed to be “Take Me Home County Road”, “Valarie” and assorted Tom Jones.
We headed out for Sipidan early in the morning of our third day in a boat with five divers. Ali had located an underwater camera for us to rent, like the one we’d rented in Cairns. Sipidan lived up to all the hype and more - the clearest water, 60 genera of coral, a stunning diversity of anemones, tube worms, sponges and other invertebrates. All the fish were oversized and brilliant in colour. There were turtles everywhere – so many that we lost count. I was able to swim along side of one for several minutes, touching its shell and feeling the wake of its forelegs sweeping past me. We got to snorkel at four different sites around the island. All were spectacular. I can’t imagine I will ever see anything better.
We got out snorkelling twice more – once back to Kapalai (with the underwater camera) and later to another reef off Mabul. Ali had another run in with a trigger fish at Kapalai. This time his fin was bitten!
The food at Spheredivers was great. Fresh fish every night. Our last night we got to try out some trigger fish, its nasty teeth fixed in a snarl as we stripped off the blackened skin. Ali thought it was just revenge for the repeated attacks he’d dealt with over the previous few days. The sunset that night provided a fitting good-bye display of pinks and oranges against the Celebes Sea. Quite the place.
Pictures from Mabul, Kapalai and Sipidan
We spent one night back in Kota Kinabalu and then flew down to the other side of Sabah to a town called Tawau. As soon as we arrived we got a taxi to take us to Semporna on the SE coast. A further 50 minute boat ride and we arrived at our homestay on Mabul Island. (A homestay differs from a hotel or hostel in that they are usually quite small, the price includes three meals a day, and you get to hang out with some local people as opposed to a bunch of tourists.) Our homestay on Mabul was called Spheredivers. http://www.spheredivers.com/ It was a great place built on stilts over the water. It looked out over the Celebes Sea and we could watch a variety of marine life on the small reef off the dining area. Our hosts were Stanley (a certified scuba instructor) and Azhar (a dive master). We were also ‘assigned’ a snorkelling buddy whose name was Ali.
This part of Borneo is world famous for its diving sites – the most famous being Sipidan which is rated as one of the top five dive sites in the world. Diving on the reef is by permit only - a conservation measure introduced 6 years ago when the government made all the hotel operators move off the island. With the help of Azhar we were able to get a permit to go snorkelling on the third day after our arrival.
Meanwhile we were able to spend some time snorkelled at the reefs closer to Mabul, with Ali along to point out some interesting species of fish and coral. We began at an island called Kapalai. The second I put my face down into the water I was stunned. I have never seen such an abundance of fish in such clear clear water. The tide was out so we were in fairly shallow water – maybe 3 to 4 feet. For an hour and a half we swam around repeatedly spotting new species of fish, coral, sponges and other invertebrates. Several green sea turtles swam nearby as well as a white-tip shark. Barney and Ali were ‘attacked’ by an aggressively territorial trigger fish. They have large nasty teeth for a fish that’s only about 30 cm long that they used to bit off chunks of coral. All the superlatives I can think of sound trite and don’t do justice to our experience. Whew!
Back at Spheredivers, we watched some of the local fishermen bring their catch to the fish buyer next door. These fishermen usually go out to sea in their relatively small boats for three days at a time. They do all of their fishing with hand lines. The catches included yellow-fin tuna and marlin. The tuna were huge with round smooth bodies and traces of yellow on their tails and thread-like fins. Surprisingly they were only likely to fetch about $65 each at the fish market in Semporna. Not much for an endangered species!
That night Azhar took lead us along the boardwalk and onto the island to check out a local wedding. It looked like the entire population of the island had turned out for the event. Many of Mabul’s residents are illegal immigrants from the Philippines – only an hour to the north by boat. Azhar told us that the wedding was following Filipino traditions, including the custom of the bride and groom changing their clothes seven times during the festivities.
The next day we took the boat out to the reef off Mabul. We saw many species we hadn’t seen the day before - in the same incredible density and in the same clear clear water. Another snorkelling experience that left us both trilled and in awe. That night we were kept awake for hours by the karaoke croaks from a nearby bar. The evening’s favourites seemed to be “Take Me Home County Road”, “Valarie” and assorted Tom Jones.
We headed out for Sipidan early in the morning of our third day in a boat with five divers. Ali had located an underwater camera for us to rent, like the one we’d rented in Cairns. Sipidan lived up to all the hype and more - the clearest water, 60 genera of coral, a stunning diversity of anemones, tube worms, sponges and other invertebrates. All the fish were oversized and brilliant in colour. There were turtles everywhere – so many that we lost count. I was able to swim along side of one for several minutes, touching its shell and feeling the wake of its forelegs sweeping past me. We got to snorkel at four different sites around the island. All were spectacular. I can’t imagine I will ever see anything better.
We got out snorkelling twice more – once back to Kapalai (with the underwater camera) and later to another reef off Mabul. Ali had another run in with a trigger fish at Kapalai. This time his fin was bitten!
The food at Spheredivers was great. Fresh fish every night. Our last night we got to try out some trigger fish, its nasty teeth fixed in a snarl as we stripped off the blackened skin. Ali thought it was just revenge for the repeated attacks he’d dealt with over the previous few days. The sunset that night provided a fitting good-bye display of pinks and oranges against the Celebes Sea. Quite the place.
Pictures from Mabul, Kapalai and Sipidan
 |
| Mabul |
Videos from Mabul, Kapali and Sipidan
I got fed-up with the time it was taking to load videos to the blog so I've decided to use a link to YouTube instead. Just click on the links below...
Green turtle...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyOG4vY9bsQ
Anenome fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmuCLPrsi_g
Crocodile fish - well camouflaged....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT6R-qQ-Qyo
Watch these little guys hide in the coral...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjI8k-g2iXA
Schooling fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPEBavZOYDM
More fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9EQH2fgDr8
Lots of fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVvFJiH35M
***
Wedding dancer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGE1FOu_NSo
Green turtle...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyOG4vY9bsQ
Anenome fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmuCLPrsi_g
Crocodile fish - well camouflaged....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT6R-qQ-Qyo
Watch these little guys hide in the coral...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjI8k-g2iXA
Schooling fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPEBavZOYDM
More fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9EQH2fgDr8
Lots of fish...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVvFJiH35M
***
Wedding dancer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGE1FOu_NSo
The Borneo Post - Saturday May 29, 2010
Pigeon held in India on suspicion of spying for Pakistan
New Delhi: Indian police are holding a pigeon under armed guard after it was caught on an alleged spying mission for arch rivals and neighbours Pakistan, media reported on Friday.
The white-coloured bird was found by a local resident in India’s Punjab state which borders Pakistan, and taken to a police station 40 kilometres from the capital Amritsar.
The pigeon had a ring around its foot and a Pakistani phone number and address stamped on its body in red ink.
Police officer Ramdas Jagjit Singh Chadal told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency that they suspected the pigeon may have landed on Indian soil from Pakistan with a message, although no trace of a note has been found.
Officials have directed that no-one should b allowed to visit the pigeon, which police say may have been on a “special mission spying”.
The bird had been medically examined and was being kept in an air conditioned room under police guard.
Senior officers have asked to be kept updated on the situation three times a day, PTI said.
Chahal said local pigeon fanciers in the sensitive border area had told police that Pakistani pigeons were easily identifiable as they look different from Indian ones, according to the Indian Express newspaper.
New Delhi: Indian police are holding a pigeon under armed guard after it was caught on an alleged spying mission for arch rivals and neighbours Pakistan, media reported on Friday.
The white-coloured bird was found by a local resident in India’s Punjab state which borders Pakistan, and taken to a police station 40 kilometres from the capital Amritsar.
The pigeon had a ring around its foot and a Pakistani phone number and address stamped on its body in red ink.
Police officer Ramdas Jagjit Singh Chadal told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency that they suspected the pigeon may have landed on Indian soil from Pakistan with a message, although no trace of a note has been found.
Officials have directed that no-one should b allowed to visit the pigeon, which police say may have been on a “special mission spying”.
The bird had been medically examined and was being kept in an air conditioned room under police guard.
Senior officers have asked to be kept updated on the situation three times a day, PTI said.
Chahal said local pigeon fanciers in the sensitive border area had told police that Pakistani pigeons were easily identifiable as they look different from Indian ones, according to the Indian Express newspaper.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Stamp stamp
May 28
The bus ride between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kota Kinabalu passes in and out of Brunei and two Malyasian states. We had to go through immigration entering and exiting each one. It went something like this...
Depart 8 AM. An hour’s drive to the first border crossing then - stamp stamp - exit Brunei. Down the road 500m then - stamp stamp - enter Sarawak (Malaysia).
Drive for another hour then - stamp stamp - exit Sarawak.
A few kilometres down the road and - stamp stamp - enter Brunei.
Another 45 minutes and - stamp stamp - exit Brunei.
Take a ferry across a river no more than 150m wide and -stamp stamp- enter Sarawak (again)
Drive another hour + have a lunch stop, followed by -stamp stamp - exit Sarawak.
And finally - stamp stamp - enter Sabah (Malaysia) and continue on for another four hours until we reached Kota Kinabalu.
The bus ride between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kota Kinabalu passes in and out of Brunei and two Malyasian states. We had to go through immigration entering and exiting each one. It went something like this...
Depart 8 AM. An hour’s drive to the first border crossing then - stamp stamp - exit Brunei. Down the road 500m then - stamp stamp - enter Sarawak (Malaysia).
Drive for another hour then - stamp stamp - exit Sarawak.
A few kilometres down the road and - stamp stamp - enter Brunei.
Another 45 minutes and - stamp stamp - exit Brunei.
Take a ferry across a river no more than 150m wide and -stamp stamp- enter Sarawak (again)
Drive another hour + have a lunch stop, followed by -stamp stamp - exit Sarawak.
And finally - stamp stamp - enter Sabah (Malaysia) and continue on for another four hours until we reached Kota Kinabalu.
Brunei
(May 25, 26, 27)
Our journey to the Sultanate of Brunei began with a four-hour boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, south along the coast to the island of Labuan. Labuan is a duty-free port with lots of shops selling cheap liquor, chocolate and perfume, so I bought a bottle of wine. We hadn’t had any wine since leaving Australia which was a bit ridiculous. After waiting a couple of hours we got on another ferry for the 45 minute ride to Brunei. Off shore we could see some of the oil platforms that serve to extract the country’s vast reserves. It is this oil that makes Brunei one of the riches countries in the world.
On arrival, we had to go through customs whose sole intent seemed to determine if we had any alcohol. Brunei takes its Islamic obligations quite seriously. No alcohol for sale anywhere! As a visitor I was allowed to import my precious bottle of wine but first I had to sign a declaration saying that I am a non-Muslim and would drink it in private. A final short bus ride took us into the main city – Bandar Seri Begawan.
That night we walked a short way toward the river to look for a place to eat. The town was unbelievably quiet. Big wide streets, sparkling black SUVs, and over-sized buildings all exhibiting the country’s wealth. Citizens of Brunei pay no tax, have free schooling including university, free medical and get cheap trips to Mecca. Their purchase of cars and housing is heavily subsidized and gas is only 40 cents a litre. All this under the benevolent rule of the Sultan whose lineage and position date back over 600 years. No democracy here – just a monarchical autocracy. We got our first glimpse of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built by and named after the 28th Sultan in 1958, the father of the present Sultan. It’s a huge building – one of Asia’s largest mosques – with brilliant white minarets and a golden dome that glowed under the night lights.
First thing the next morning we headed out on a tour to Ulu Temerong National Park. We began with a 45 minute speedboat ride from Bandar out to the coast and then back inland to the town of Bangar, weaving upstream through mangrove channels. The area that includes the park has never been settled or logged. There are no roads; access is by traditional (motorized) longboat up river to the park headquarters. It was a fun ride ploughing through rapids, surrounded by huge trees and lush jungle. We chose to go to the park because it is the last remaining area of primary lowland rainforest in Borneo. All the rest has been logged. The species diversity is mind-boggling. One scientist identified 400 species of beetle on a single tree. There are more tree species in a single hectare of this rainforest than in all of North America. Walking through the forest was prehistoric with its bigger, dense vegetation.
The big attraction of the park is the 50 metre tall canopy walk, suspended in sections from aluminum towers. To get up there you have to climb up a seemingly endless set of (enclosed) ladders. I was able to outwit my terror of heights by not looking down- a trick I learned climbing Kilimanjaro. The view from the top out over the tree tops to the surrounding hills was well worth the climb. Barney was rewarded by a sighting of a rhinoceros hornbill which I missed by being too busy not looking down. We followed up the very hot and muggy climb with a soak in a forest pool complete with waterfall and tiny fish nibbling at our toes.
Magellan’s voyage took his ship into Brunei in 1521. Across the river from the present Bangar Seri Begawan they found the settlement of Kampong Ayer which at the time was home to over 1000,000 people. The Chinese had been trading here since the 9th century. The community still exists although its population is currently about 30,000. It is a town perched on stilts above the river, stretching 3 km along the banks. We hired a boatman to give us a tour. It is entirely self-sufficient with mosques, schools, shops, clinics, fire stations, police and floating gas stations. The houses are connected to a sewer and water system. Our boat driver repeatedly commented that it was a very good place to live. “No crocodiles, no snakes, no mosquitoes”, followed by a slightly demonic laugh. People were fishing and setting crab and prawn traps off their front porches. Small vegetable gardens thrived in flower boxes.
Our last night we took a taxi to the ‘suburb’ of Gadong where we heard there was a good night market. The place was hopping with a big shopping mall, hotels and shops. This was obviously where the local people spend their evenings – not in the downtown area by the river. The night market was primarily a food market. The air was filled with charcoal smoke and delicious smells. We bought some roasted corn, wandered around and finally settled on a main course. I had stir-fried chicken with noodles in black pepper sauce. It’s not possible to describe how good it was.
Pictures from Brunei...
Video - upriver longboat ride
Video - My dinner
Video - canopy walk
Our journey to the Sultanate of Brunei began with a four-hour boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, south along the coast to the island of Labuan. Labuan is a duty-free port with lots of shops selling cheap liquor, chocolate and perfume, so I bought a bottle of wine. We hadn’t had any wine since leaving Australia which was a bit ridiculous. After waiting a couple of hours we got on another ferry for the 45 minute ride to Brunei. Off shore we could see some of the oil platforms that serve to extract the country’s vast reserves. It is this oil that makes Brunei one of the riches countries in the world.
On arrival, we had to go through customs whose sole intent seemed to determine if we had any alcohol. Brunei takes its Islamic obligations quite seriously. No alcohol for sale anywhere! As a visitor I was allowed to import my precious bottle of wine but first I had to sign a declaration saying that I am a non-Muslim and would drink it in private. A final short bus ride took us into the main city – Bandar Seri Begawan.
That night we walked a short way toward the river to look for a place to eat. The town was unbelievably quiet. Big wide streets, sparkling black SUVs, and over-sized buildings all exhibiting the country’s wealth. Citizens of Brunei pay no tax, have free schooling including university, free medical and get cheap trips to Mecca. Their purchase of cars and housing is heavily subsidized and gas is only 40 cents a litre. All this under the benevolent rule of the Sultan whose lineage and position date back over 600 years. No democracy here – just a monarchical autocracy. We got our first glimpse of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built by and named after the 28th Sultan in 1958, the father of the present Sultan. It’s a huge building – one of Asia’s largest mosques – with brilliant white minarets and a golden dome that glowed under the night lights.
First thing the next morning we headed out on a tour to Ulu Temerong National Park. We began with a 45 minute speedboat ride from Bandar out to the coast and then back inland to the town of Bangar, weaving upstream through mangrove channels. The area that includes the park has never been settled or logged. There are no roads; access is by traditional (motorized) longboat up river to the park headquarters. It was a fun ride ploughing through rapids, surrounded by huge trees and lush jungle. We chose to go to the park because it is the last remaining area of primary lowland rainforest in Borneo. All the rest has been logged. The species diversity is mind-boggling. One scientist identified 400 species of beetle on a single tree. There are more tree species in a single hectare of this rainforest than in all of North America. Walking through the forest was prehistoric with its bigger, dense vegetation.
The big attraction of the park is the 50 metre tall canopy walk, suspended in sections from aluminum towers. To get up there you have to climb up a seemingly endless set of (enclosed) ladders. I was able to outwit my terror of heights by not looking down- a trick I learned climbing Kilimanjaro. The view from the top out over the tree tops to the surrounding hills was well worth the climb. Barney was rewarded by a sighting of a rhinoceros hornbill which I missed by being too busy not looking down. We followed up the very hot and muggy climb with a soak in a forest pool complete with waterfall and tiny fish nibbling at our toes.
Magellan’s voyage took his ship into Brunei in 1521. Across the river from the present Bangar Seri Begawan they found the settlement of Kampong Ayer which at the time was home to over 1000,000 people. The Chinese had been trading here since the 9th century. The community still exists although its population is currently about 30,000. It is a town perched on stilts above the river, stretching 3 km along the banks. We hired a boatman to give us a tour. It is entirely self-sufficient with mosques, schools, shops, clinics, fire stations, police and floating gas stations. The houses are connected to a sewer and water system. Our boat driver repeatedly commented that it was a very good place to live. “No crocodiles, no snakes, no mosquitoes”, followed by a slightly demonic laugh. People were fishing and setting crab and prawn traps off their front porches. Small vegetable gardens thrived in flower boxes.
Our last night we took a taxi to the ‘suburb’ of Gadong where we heard there was a good night market. The place was hopping with a big shopping mall, hotels and shops. This was obviously where the local people spend their evenings – not in the downtown area by the river. The night market was primarily a food market. The air was filled with charcoal smoke and delicious smells. We bought some roasted corn, wandered around and finally settled on a main course. I had stir-fried chicken with noodles in black pepper sauce. It’s not possible to describe how good it was.
Pictures from Brunei...
 |
| Brunei |
Video - upriver longboat ride
Video - My dinner
Video - canopy walk
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Kilabit Highlands
(May 19 to 22)
The flight to Bario is on a Twin Otter out of Miri. Passing over miles of palm plantations we see what we’ve heard so much about – the forest is gone, replaced by neat rows of palms cultivated for palm oil (for cooking) and for biodiesel. I was surprised to learn that there’s such a huge market for the palm oil given it has the highest bad fat content of any oil used in food. The catch is that it tastes so good and all the local food is more delicious because of it.
Henry, in Kuching, had helped us make some arrangements for accommodation in Bario and an overnight hike to a nearby village. As soon as we saw Bario from the air we felt good. Until last year it was a fly-in only community and there’s still plenty of that peace that comes along with the isolation. (The new ‘road’ is over 440 km long and takes 14 torturous hours to drive.) The town’s population is about 900.
Bario is located in the Kilabit Highlands, close to the Indonesian border. The area is the traditional home of the Kilabit people(once notorious head hunters)and the nomadic Penan. The barrier of mountain jungle that separates the highlands from the coast kept Islam and colonial settlement out when both were taking over South East Asia. But the evangelist eventually found their way in and the town is now a bastion of Christianity. At 1000m the climate is cooler and the conditions perfect for rice cultivation. Bario rice is famous throughout Malaysia as the best you can buy.
We were met at the airport by Apoi (pronounced Ap-wee) who was wearing a Molson Canadian ball cap (a present from his brother who lives in Toronto). Apoi took us along to his ‘homestay’, a huge longhouse that is owed by his parents who are currently in Kuching for an extended visit. Apoi returned to Bario a few months ago after living for many years in Kuala Lumpur to help out and run the homestay. He cooked us the most amazing dinner that night. Wild boar, smoked mutton and locally grown veggies. During dinner I asked him what work he had done in KL. He giggled a little and replied that he had been a wine salesman.
The next morning we headed off on our hike to a village called Pa’ Lungan. Our guide was a wonderful man named Lian. He had been an engineer with Shell for many years (they put him though university) until he decided to return home and try out running a tourism business that includes a homestay and guided hikes. Lian is well known for his knowledge of the area’s birds so he and Barney had a wonderful time together. Every time they stopped to look up a bird in one of their bird books, I had the chance to scan the surrounding jungle, discovering orchids, ferns, insects and flowers.
After an hour of following a newly constructed dirt road we reached the village of Pa’ Ukat. Then we entered the jungle proper slowly working our way over log bridges and along the muddy path for the next 5 hours. We’d been warned about the inevitability of leeches finding their way up our legs but in fact we only saw two, neither of which had the chance to become friendly. It was a sweaty workout but not too hard. At one point Lain stopped us to point out a cicada on a tree. We’d been hearing their incredibly loud melodic buzzing for hours but were very surprised to see a 4 inch long black hulk of an insect. (Check out the video below.)
In Pa’ Lugan we spent the night at a homestay run by a lovely woman called Supang. The hospitality of the Kilibat is like nothing I have ever experienced. Supang’s warmth and sincerity in welcoming us into her home was both gracious and genuine. And on top of all that, she prepared the tastiest, most delicate dish I have ever eaten – wild ginger flowers stir fried with forest ferns. She also apologised for the lateness of the meal. She explained that she wanted to serve us fresh wild boar and had to wait till the hunter returned from the jungle. Everything on the table that night was superb including Supang’s homemade rice wine. As we headed out the next day Supang gave us some of her excellent rice to take home with us and a beaded key holder that she made as she thanked us for coming to stay.
Pa’ Lungan has its own “Stonehenge” as the local people call it. Way up in the jungle, miles from their source, stand several huge monoliths capped by another massive block of rock. Oral history says it is a burial place of a great chief but the full story is lost. There are several other monoliths and petrogyphs to be found in the highlands; there are probably many more concealed by the dense jungle vegetation.
The hike back to Bario was very hot, humid and slippery due to the heavy rain the night before. You know you’re in trouble when your guide says it’s too hot. We had a couple of exciting moments. Once was when Barney stopped to look at some sort of marker the side of trail and didn’t notice the yellow pit viper that was far too close. The other was when Lian spotted “killer bees” and made us scurry along the path as fast as possible. Lian was visibly quite unnerved by both incidents.
We had two more nights in Bario on our return. We rested and watched the heavy rain. We had Apoi’s excellent company and cooking to keep us happy. We also had the great company of two British eighteen year olds who had been volunteering as teachers in the community for several months during the year before starting university.
Apoi saw us off at the airport with gifts of 8 inch cinnamon sticks and some of the famous locally produced salt. He also promised to send me some wild ginger flower as soon as he is able to dry some. We only had four days in the Kilabit Highlands but that was plenty to make up hope that we will be able to return.
Pictures from the Kilabit Highlands...
BLE>
Video - Four inch long cicada...
The flight to Bario is on a Twin Otter out of Miri. Passing over miles of palm plantations we see what we’ve heard so much about – the forest is gone, replaced by neat rows of palms cultivated for palm oil (for cooking) and for biodiesel. I was surprised to learn that there’s such a huge market for the palm oil given it has the highest bad fat content of any oil used in food. The catch is that it tastes so good and all the local food is more delicious because of it.
Henry, in Kuching, had helped us make some arrangements for accommodation in Bario and an overnight hike to a nearby village. As soon as we saw Bario from the air we felt good. Until last year it was a fly-in only community and there’s still plenty of that peace that comes along with the isolation. (The new ‘road’ is over 440 km long and takes 14 torturous hours to drive.) The town’s population is about 900.
Bario is located in the Kilabit Highlands, close to the Indonesian border. The area is the traditional home of the Kilabit people(once notorious head hunters)and the nomadic Penan. The barrier of mountain jungle that separates the highlands from the coast kept Islam and colonial settlement out when both were taking over South East Asia. But the evangelist eventually found their way in and the town is now a bastion of Christianity. At 1000m the climate is cooler and the conditions perfect for rice cultivation. Bario rice is famous throughout Malaysia as the best you can buy.
We were met at the airport by Apoi (pronounced Ap-wee) who was wearing a Molson Canadian ball cap (a present from his brother who lives in Toronto). Apoi took us along to his ‘homestay’, a huge longhouse that is owed by his parents who are currently in Kuching for an extended visit. Apoi returned to Bario a few months ago after living for many years in Kuala Lumpur to help out and run the homestay. He cooked us the most amazing dinner that night. Wild boar, smoked mutton and locally grown veggies. During dinner I asked him what work he had done in KL. He giggled a little and replied that he had been a wine salesman.
The next morning we headed off on our hike to a village called Pa’ Lungan. Our guide was a wonderful man named Lian. He had been an engineer with Shell for many years (they put him though university) until he decided to return home and try out running a tourism business that includes a homestay and guided hikes. Lian is well known for his knowledge of the area’s birds so he and Barney had a wonderful time together. Every time they stopped to look up a bird in one of their bird books, I had the chance to scan the surrounding jungle, discovering orchids, ferns, insects and flowers.
After an hour of following a newly constructed dirt road we reached the village of Pa’ Ukat. Then we entered the jungle proper slowly working our way over log bridges and along the muddy path for the next 5 hours. We’d been warned about the inevitability of leeches finding their way up our legs but in fact we only saw two, neither of which had the chance to become friendly. It was a sweaty workout but not too hard. At one point Lain stopped us to point out a cicada on a tree. We’d been hearing their incredibly loud melodic buzzing for hours but were very surprised to see a 4 inch long black hulk of an insect. (Check out the video below.)
In Pa’ Lugan we spent the night at a homestay run by a lovely woman called Supang. The hospitality of the Kilibat is like nothing I have ever experienced. Supang’s warmth and sincerity in welcoming us into her home was both gracious and genuine. And on top of all that, she prepared the tastiest, most delicate dish I have ever eaten – wild ginger flowers stir fried with forest ferns. She also apologised for the lateness of the meal. She explained that she wanted to serve us fresh wild boar and had to wait till the hunter returned from the jungle. Everything on the table that night was superb including Supang’s homemade rice wine. As we headed out the next day Supang gave us some of her excellent rice to take home with us and a beaded key holder that she made as she thanked us for coming to stay.
Pa’ Lungan has its own “Stonehenge” as the local people call it. Way up in the jungle, miles from their source, stand several huge monoliths capped by another massive block of rock. Oral history says it is a burial place of a great chief but the full story is lost. There are several other monoliths and petrogyphs to be found in the highlands; there are probably many more concealed by the dense jungle vegetation.
The hike back to Bario was very hot, humid and slippery due to the heavy rain the night before. You know you’re in trouble when your guide says it’s too hot. We had a couple of exciting moments. Once was when Barney stopped to look at some sort of marker the side of trail and didn’t notice the yellow pit viper that was far too close. The other was when Lian spotted “killer bees” and made us scurry along the path as fast as possible. Lian was visibly quite unnerved by both incidents.
We had two more nights in Bario on our return. We rested and watched the heavy rain. We had Apoi’s excellent company and cooking to keep us happy. We also had the great company of two British eighteen year olds who had been volunteering as teachers in the community for several months during the year before starting university.
Apoi saw us off at the airport with gifts of 8 inch cinnamon sticks and some of the famous locally produced salt. He also promised to send me some wild ginger flower as soon as he is able to dry some. We only had four days in the Kilabit Highlands but that was plenty to make up hope that we will be able to return.
Pictures from the Kilabit Highlands...
 |
| Bario |
Video - Four inch long cicada...
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