River Jungle Monkey Spotting
January 2, 2008
Ooh dear, I am in no mans land. Being away for xmas and new year is cool in a way but I feel very distant from where I am somehow. Almost snuffed out is my usual chirpy self and I am left in slog mode – grinding through all the travel. This time of year is normally so social for me and around me constantly are people I dont know and it is draining to always talk about the same things for an hour or two. I guess you have to be here to know what I mean. I feel needy and in need of some attention…
Anyway, that said – I had a good time in the jungle the last three days. It is the best place to see wildlife in Borneo I had heard and it was fairly easy to spot stuff that I wanted to see. I did two early morning cruises, a night walk, a day walk to a lake and more boat trips. It was very muddy in the jungle – sloshing about in wellies and seeing loads of huge millipedes and butterflies. The night walk was cool. The guide showed us a whole range of insects that come out at night like scorpions (huge things scuttling about in the trees), glowing worms and centipedes. On the boat I saw proboscis monkey which have a big rubbery nose (they look so human – the way their legs are and the way they move), loads of hornbills and very colourful kingfishers. But the chances are quite low to see an Orangutan in the wild their but we did it! A boat was already there and a big male was hanging about and reaching to bushes around to eat the fruit. He was unbelievable! Very dark skin and huge hands and feet.
I celebrated new year there with the locals and enjoyed being on the river first thing and then as it got dark. It had a typical Borneo atmosphere and views. Misty jungle and deep rainforest. I have a very busy travel week ahead – getting to India after getting to Singapore and I am already spaced out to the max. Hope you all had a good new year….
