OK - I'm back in civilisation

Briefly. . . .
Went to the rain forest for 7 days & nights, got wet frequently, got nobbled by leeches, got bitten by all sorts of bugs & crawling/flying things, had to sleep under a mosquito net & get all tangled up every time I needed the loo in the night, went in an Iban longhouse, saw a wild Orang utan, took loads of painkillers to help me trek up hill & down dale (latter with frequent help from Amggun), got a cool stick (from previously mentioned Amggun), planted a tree, made a carved sign with a pic of Blackpool Tower on it (to put next to previously mentioned tree), saw bear claw marks on a tree, saw a gi-normous spider (in previously mentioned loo), ate stuff from the forest (but missed out eating a bug as previously mentioned Amggun ate it all), and had a great time.

About to have a last drink with the other 6 volunteers, so going now.
Will blog more - with photos, once back home & I can do it in the Library for free.
Cheers - or Oooo Haaaaaaaaa, as the Iban say
OAO

Forest vs jungle

OK
Left KL for Kuching & was picked up & brought here on Thurs.

The hostel is lovely, &, as there are 7 of us, I'm on my own - as James & Sal are sharing a room.

Our Iban guide, Francis, came by Thurs pm & told us the schedule, & yesterday he and Acok, the driver, took us to Matang Wildlife Centre where we saw animals being rehabilitated, & some being trained for life in the wild.

We saw one huge male, Aman, who was the first recipient of a glaucoma op (done by a surgeon brought in from S Africa), & he can now see after being blind for about 10 yrs.
He also got into a can of glue years ago, & stuck his tongue up, so half of it had to be amputated. I think he can still call, though.

We had a long chat with Leo, the centre director, who's British, &, as well as seeing a lot of saved animals, we got roped in to help with a bit of upkeep.
I helped a girl called Roxanne chuck a load of river stones over a wall into the croc enclosure.
I knew my shot-putt training would come in handy eventually!
Incidentally, the enclosure was empty, so no crocs were in danger of braining by rock ;-P

Today we went to a nearer rehab centre & saw semi-wild orangs being fed. One had a young baby with her, & the other was her adolescent daughter. Not sure of names, will ask Francis & put them up with the photos - which is likely to be once I get home, though.
It was a very interesting morning, & it's good to think these Orangs are successfully making a go of it in the forest.

Afternoon saw me falling asleep in the sun, yes again! & mooching round shops, before I sat down for a drink & got chatting to an American research scientist, from DC, called Clifford.

We chatted for ages - usual stuff: life, the universe & Orang utans! May still have been chatting, but James walked by at some point & told me the group were meeting at 7 for dinner, so we said our goodbyes about 1/4 to.

Tomorrow we have a 4hr coach journey, then about 2hrs in a boat upriver, so I'll be out of touch until next Sunday (31st)

Incidentally - Francis told us the word jungle came from the sanskrit jonglar (spelling may be wrong?) & which was bastardised by the English on their return home after stints in India.
I get the inpression he'd like us to call it forest (as in rain forest - which it is, after all!)

We can leave most of our stuff here, as we'll be coming back for 1 night before our transfers to the airport, & we're only supposed to take the minimum of stuff upriver.

So, as I need to finish packing the little case to take, that's all tonight.
OAO

Off to the jungle

0930 here & just in checking E's & doing last blog in civilisation

Will be staying in a lodge where the main form of transportation is boat; it's the rainy season, so whatever gets wet, stays wet; & the generator is shut down at 10ish.

Flying from KL to Kuching at 1525 & from there to accom.
Tomorrow we visit the rehabilitation centre, but only for a short time.

After that it's the aforementioned jungle.

Not looking forward to leeches, trekking through jungle in the mud, & being continually damp, but I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth?
I just hope the experience exceeds expectations, as this one did!
ie - wrapped in an Orang, as Lesley put it :-))

I still have loads of pics, but doubt I'll be uploading more until I get back to Blighty - certainly not now, as I'm off to buy a brush for the Ape Centre - their's are pathetic & use way too much energy (& therefore sweat!) to clean properly.
Mazrul suggested it would be a good pressie, as my idea for a hose pressure thingummy was not a good idea, as it would not be used by the keepers - they prefer the old 'thumb on the end' apparently!
No accounting for taste, eh? ;-P

Anyway, gotta dash & get to Ace Hardware before my 1/2 hr walk back to the zoo, & final preps for next leg.

Have fun while I'm 'off line'
OAO

Today = wow, but 1st, the Langkawi pics

OK so I lied! The 1st 2 are me & Tsunami on Jan 9th. As usual, I haven't quite got the hang of how to upload in the right order, and put words on. I tried a different way, but it's even worse than before, AND I've been here nearly 3 hours. See below for next 4 & the 7th is also Jan 9th. Then it's an apricot pussy, a palm & nice flowers, Sunsets & Dawn, the Team, Cocktails, the view while I sunbathed, 2 pics from the Ferry, & a couple from Georgetown. Then...... The Tsunami Photos from earlier today. Sorry it's all such a mess. Will try harder ;-) manana OAO

















The next 4 are when we made ice lollies for them.

Xmas day doings in colour!

I'd gone to try & get some location shots at Deer Park Heights, but couldn't, so had Tom Ka Gai at a Thai, which was open for lunch (I was the only customer) & this bird came for a look! (& some sugar I used to tempt him)


This was the starter to my Xmas Dinner
I'd actually gone on the SS Earnslaw by then, & texted loadsa folk Happy X, but still cocking up the upload order - oops
At the mo, I'm too cold & wet (air con + rainsoaked!) to bother messin' abart!


A view from SS Earnslaw @ 2.30 pm 25 12 9
That's Lake Wakatipu I'm on, in case you haven't been concentrating ;-)


This is Nomad's Dining room, taken from the kitchen on Christmas morning 09.
That's the free breakfast at the front!


Nomad's is the one with the sloping roofs & the light brick. Very new & clean, unlike Rowena's!

Taken from the balcony of The Boardwalk, where I'd had my expensive Xmas dinner.

Queenstown, the harbour, beach & sloop/racing yacht 'New Zealand'

This is SS Earnslaw, Lake Wakatipu & Mt Something or other!

So that's most of the tourist NZ uploaded. Most of the rest are LOR locations & stuff.

I had hoped to upload Langkawi, but I'm shivering & my fingers are blue, so I'm going outside for a warm (Bloody aircon!)

Will do Langkawi & more Orang stuff manana

OAO

More NZ touristy pics

These are from Nelson to Queenstown, but, as usual, they're ass-backwards ;-P
The one above is the beach at Queenstown. I arrived in Xmas eve


This is a view of Mt Cook/Aoraki across Lake Pukake
I told you it was an amazing blue, but I bet you didn't think it was this colour?
I swam in it, too. See below


Another as above, but zoomier!

Lupins ahoy! No prizes for guessing what mountain's in the background!

The front bit of blue is a canal. I got the salmon near here - see blog done at the time.

The canal runs to Lake Pukake - the other bit of blue, & then MC/A at the back


This is the colourful dinner - salmon etc., I spoke about in the blog at the time.

It's taken me this long to get round to uploading - largely due to expensive net time in NZ.


An arty photo of Mt Cook/Aoraki & Lake Pukake ;-)


I went for a swim to the rock on the left, & then dried off in the sun - smashing!

I think it was Dec 23rd


Christchurch main square & chaps playing uber-chess!


OK. This is back at Nelson & a pudding & pudding wine. Can't remember the date! Poss 18th Dec?

This is the view from my table where I had the pudding

This is another view, & it's either riesling or gewurtztraminer - it went with the fish I ate!

At least Gill can now see some of the things I ate & drank!

This is a Maori troupe at Nelson Sunday market.

I took some vid, too

More pics to come

OAO for now

Langkawi

OK
I'm back, but VERY wet
The heavens roared & then emptied the bath all over me on the way down here tonight, so I'm sitting here completely sodden.
Fortunately my bum bag kept the camera, phone & memory sticks dry. Phew!

So - there I am on the ferry north from Georgetown to Langkawi & I had chance to chat with the 'A Team' - as they call themselves. AKA Sal, James & sisters Sam & Virginia.
They're up at Taiping, which only has 3 Orangs, but they've had loads of 'hands-on' experiences apparently.

We docked about midday after a 3.5hr trip. The air-con below was freezing, so I left the others & went up on deck where it was warmer, if a little wet ;-)

James negotiated a taxi & the guy took us to a complex on the beach. Pics of the view from my room coming soon.

We had a bit of nosh & hit the beach/sea.
So now I've added the Andaman Sea to my list of seas/oceans I've swum in!
There were some jelly fish, but not nasty ones.

The chap selling time on the sunbeds, Joe, brought us a freebie can of Carling each. He also brought some Baileys (Eh up, Jen!), but I missed out due to catching up on the zzz's missed the night before.
He told us about a good bar for later, as well.

The sun set over the Andaman Sea & we got ready for dinner, which was great, & only just across the road.
Afterwards we tried to find Joe's bar, but couldn't so ended up in a yellow one. You can't tell in the dark, but it was!

The other 4 were getting into the cocktails, but I was a pooper & went to bed about 1130.

Next morning was sunny - what a surprise!, & I was on the beach soon after breakfast - @ 1030

I opted out of Joe's 10 ringit sunbeds on the soft white sand & lay on the hard stuff instead. It was still white, though. Photo coming!

After lunch the other 4 from Negara Zoo arrived & I went with them for cocktails - how decadent at 2 in the afternoon!
As I didn't want to get ratted, I had a look at some shops & went back to my spot on the hard stuff.
Eventually, I was way too hot, & had another dip in the sea & decided to do a hundred strokes out to sea, & see how many it took to swim back in.
Basically, this is because swimming is quite boring, & it gives me something to think about ;-P
On my way out a jellyfish stung my L butt!, but I survived without treatment.

James & Sal had gone back to Taiping after breakfast, & Virginia had got sunburnt, so it was just Sam who joined the rest of us for dinner.
This was Thai, & I had salad.
It was still hot enough to make my tongue tingle for hours: They like their chilli, the Thai's, don't they?

I'd located Joe's bar during my shopping dawdle, so I led everyone there.
At least, I was the only one who knew where we were going, but I still had the delightful view of Emma & Steph's backsides until we got there.
No change there then!?

I had 2 pina coladas & a house special before leaving to grab some shopping to take home. Langkawi's a duty free resort, so I got myself something, too, plus some fruit for our trip back to the zoo.

Next morning we 5 left by taxi for the ferry, & then took a shorter ferry to Kuala Perlis - more or less straight across east, rather tah south to Georgetown on Penang.
After that it was a coach all the way to KL.
We set off around 1215 & got to KL well after 8. Phew. Good job their coaches are comfier than National Express!

In KL Jon & Emma went to say Hi to some friends, & we 3 mooched for a while & then got a taxi back to the zoo.

Once again, the nice security guys took me back to the LHATZ on a moped.

I was glad to get home.
If I'd known we'd be spending so much time travelling on our days off, I'd've stayed behind & chilled.
While it was nice to see Langkawi, there are just as pretty places in Europe, & some places I saw in NZ knocks it for dead!

Anyway - this & the last post covered Tues to Fri, so I'm nearly up to date.

I'll post this, & upload some photos for you to look at.

OAO

I get some days off ! ?

So you've read what we do at work - most days are the same.
Having worked 5, the 3 of us doing the zoo/jungle experience had a couple of days due, plus they added the 2 for the next 5 days so we could go sightseeing & meet up with the 4 at Zoo Taiping.

Emma decided it might be good if we met up at Langkawi, up the coast from KL, so she got a plan together & we were to check out buses etc the next day - Tues.

Unfortunately, Jon & Emma didn't get Tues, as they're on a different do, so me, Penny & Steph got up late, did some washing & internetting & once the other 2 had finished & showered, we took the train to the city (the zoo's in a suburb) & went to catch the overnight train north.

Another 'unfortunately' was Penny didn't realise the date, & when we got to the station, the train had gone, so Emma trundled us off to the bus station where we could get an overnight bus to Butterworth - & from there the boat to Penang/Georgetown.

It didn't leave 'til 2330, so I hung out at the bus station while the other 4 went for some grub. I didn't go with them for 2 reasons:-
1 Not particularly hungry
2 Fed up with following Emma & Steph's backsides while they hurried along, & didn't want to walk any further.

When they got back we all hung out & eventually the bus came & took us with it.

The driver was quite chatty, but his accent was so thick, it was difficult to understand him!

The journey was supposed to take about 5-6 hrs, but he made it fly & suddenly said "Battuth, Battuth".
Eventually, we realised this was the local version of Butterworth, so grabbed our bags & got off.

It was 25 past 4 !

The 1st ferry out to Penang left at 0530 & the booking office opened at 5. As it was right by the bus station, we didn't have far to go - thank goodness.
I doubt any of us were up for another trundle at that hour ;-)

The ferry cost 1.20RM.
That's about 20p !
It was only a 10 minute journey, though. A bit like the Fleetwood/Knott End trip, I guess.

So that left us in Georgetown before 6 am, & we followed Emma as she lead us to a hostel mentioned in The Lonely Planet.
It was in Love Lane, but I think the proprietor didn't love Emma much when she knocked on his door at 6 in the morning?
I mean, what was she thinking?
Maybe the world stops for Emma elsewhere, but I think she was severely out of order expecting people to let us in at that hour.
Nothing daunted, though, off she went again, down Love Lane, & our little fivesome kept meeting a single Chinese girl who'd been on the ferry & was also looking for somewhere to crash.

Everywhere was shut, of course, & after 5 attempts, we ended up in a cafe to await the dawn!

The Chinese girl turned up too, & asked to join us, so I got her name, Claire, & introduced her the the others.
No-one else was inclined to chat much & Steph just put her head on the table.

By this point I decided I seriously needed to lose Emma.
Her general ignorance, lack of concern for normal behaviour, & the way she spoke to boyfriend, Jon, were winding me up somewhat, so, as I knew the other 4 where headed for Langkawi, & Emma had plans to 'show us round Georgetown' (my quotes ;-P ), I decided to join the "A Team" on the ferry to Langkawi at 0830.

I just made it.

Now, the story stops here until manana, as the I-cafe shuts at 7 on a Sunday & it's 2 min to.

So hasta manana for the next instalment - plus photos
OAO

More touristy pics from NZ

OK - these are all totally out of order
When taken they all had a number, but I renamed them in Nelson & then it all went alphabetical.
So - I just uploaded in alpha order - it's too late to go deciding which came first & leaving it as the last to upload etc etc etc!


This is the view from Faye's lounge & that's Faye - lovely lady


The island in the middle is where they signed the treaty of something or other.
Important place, but I've forgotten the details - sorry.
You could try enlarging the map of the Interislander journey - below. It tells you on there


The Marae at Te Papa


Me talking about the Baccarat loo - sorry, vid too big to upload. If you want a laugh, you'll have to come round to 171. You could have a look at the other vids then, too ;-P


Atlantis Backpackers, Picton


The big rock on the L looks like a face?


The Maori Brunch at Te Papa. I never did manage to find any Kawa Kawa Tea

Faye stopped the car so I could take a pic of Peter Jackson's house

The cyclist came at just the wrong mo. Typical ;-)

Peter's from the Interislander. It's the one on the right I think? (Because of the tree Faye told me he lights every Xmas)

Me on the Jetty across the road from Faye's bungalow

Me & Sheira outside Atlantis hostel at Picton

Me & Dion after the flight

See below for his Daniel Craig impersonation ;-)


Lunch & bottle at Picton

The Embassy, Wellington, & the Lovely Bones premier poster. This was where they did the LOR premier

Lisa & Peter Jackson's model at the Te Papa Marae

It's the one with the camera on a tripod.

This is the map of the Interisland journey I spoke of above. Treaty island is there somewhere

This is Harwood's Hole & peeps go in it for fun. No accounting for taste

Taken from Daniel's (AKA Dion) helicopter

Faye's house from the Interislander.

See the lampost at the end of the jetty? Well, go 1 lampost L & it's the little red roofed 1
Nice spot for a bungalow!

Taken after the ferry had entered Marlborough Sound

Dion (AKA Daniel ! ! ! ) doing his pre-flight check

Well, I did tell you they were all out of sync!

Dion doing his DC mouth impression ;-P

Well I thought he was a bit like him !

Cool lagoon & Nelson in the distance

Dion & Scott at the Crebain rocks - BIG rocks!?

The back of Rowena's (the mucky Wellington hostel). This is how I got the cherry red suitcase in & out - you can see it behind the posts

Atlantis pussy

Abel Tasman National Park. Small, but perfectly formed

Another Daniel/Dion lip shot ;-P

Mangaweka is on SH1 & I just HAD to stop for a photo!

Tripod statue outside the Embassy, Wellington. It's made out of a lorry!

Another Whitianga pic - see prev blog

Mist in Mordor - AKA Ruapehu

That cow pic I spoke of (ages ago, now!) That's Ruapehu in the background & I think & was on SH49 - it's from the south anyway

More misty Mordor, with my bum bag on the L.

I was trying to get some perspective, but failed miserably. ;-)


Cool rocks on Ruapehu. I told you the weather was perfect Mordor weather. The previous day was like the pic with the cows - totally inappropriate!

Ruapehu from SH1 - taken just after the Ngaruhoe one below

Ruapeho - L, & Ngaruhoe - R. Taken whilst I was up to my chest in Lake Taupo

When I saw the clours & shapes, I just had to stop for a piccy.

BTW - that's Ruapehu from the south!

Late afternoon sun on Ruapehu. Taken from SH1, which runs down the east side of the range

The road up to the south slopes of Ruapehu (& the 'Gollum fishing stream')

See what I mean about fantastical flora?

Ngnaruhoe from SH1. This volcano was the image for Mt Doom, but the action was actually on Ruapehu, next door

This lot was after I left Rotorua for Ohakune - via Lake Taupo, plus some in Wellington & some of the Interislander to Picton (that's the place with the singing loo!)

I'll try & get the rest of the Touristy pics up before I go to the jungle on the 21st

I had planned to tell you all about my jaunt to Langkawi, but it's now 2020, & I've been here since 7.45.

As I get up at 0715 & it's a 1/2 hr walk home, I'd better go.

Hopefully it's hasta manana?

OAO