Rain forest
22 Januari 2014 | Maleisië, Kota Kinabalu
Highlights of the park are the "Clearwater Caves" and the "Dear Cave". To go to Clearwater first we took a small boat (picture). After discovering the caves (pictures), it was time for a swim (picture) in the clear water (hence the name), surrounded by tropical fresh water fishes... luckily they found us scary enough to swim away. The Dear Cave is a bit misleading name. There is no Dear around, however about 2 to 3 million bats see this cave as their home. Imagine the layer of poo on the ground... and the amount of insects living from this... Let alone the smell. Glad to be out! we waited for dusk to see the bats flying out (picture), hunting for insects. Scientist have calculated they eat about 15ton of insects a day/night. Note as well the Abraham Lincoln shape rock formation (picture) in the same cave.
Then there was the Canopy Skywalk. A small 2 plank wide footpath (picture) hanging between trees at about 20 to 30 meters up. Besides the pigmy squirrels, we didn't find new jungle stuff.
However, on the jungle floor we spotted walking sticks (the picture from what seems a dead branch, a bit diagonal, is actually a walking stick, eyes and mouth are almost in the middle of the frame). Anyway, maybe the flying leave (picture) is more easy to recognise. Then there was the bat that decided to sleep in a rolled leave (picture). The huge tree we are standing in front of (picture) can grow this big as the bark can let go easily so lianas have no chance of growing along. Also the wider parts next to us are sometimes hollow. You can use them to make noise, jungle-calling your friends when you are lost (who needs wifi knowing this...).
Monkey time. After a 6 hour bus drive we arrived at Sandakan. Here we learned that the rain part in rain forest sucks. The only moment you have dry feet is when you dried them right after the shower. The city is depressing.
But we came to see monkeys. In the Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre they do there up most to rehabilitate them. Giving a mono diet of bananas at scheduled times to give tourist a change for a picture, and at the same time encourage the Utans to find there own food.
In the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, right next door to the Orang-Utan, they try to do the same for the Bears. We where lucky, this centre opened 5 days before and where doing tourist test runs. Luckily we run faster than the bears..... :-). The Proboscis monkeys (pictures) are even more special, as these monkeys with the funny noses, only live on Borneo, although if you take a close look at them, you'd swear you've spotted on in the corner of a dodgy bar (quote Lonely Planet).
Back in the city jungly we saw how they transport meat (picture), just in the open air, must be very healthy...
Today we went to the Mari Mari Cultural Village, to sniff some culture. One of us was busy trying out the local clothes, while the other went to the local bar.
Next update will come from our next country: Singapore.
-
23 Januari 2014 - 11:08
Alwin:
Leuk allemaal hoor, ben jij nog in Brunei geweest? Moest je bij die tourist test 'run' nou rennen voor je leven ;-)
-
24 Januari 2014 - 20:56
Sandra:
hele mooie foto's! met leuke unisex kleding! Morgen laat ik Bobby de foto's zien. Hij zal wel verbaasd zijn dat je durfde te zwemmen tussen de krokodillen. -
25 Januari 2014 - 15:55
Sandra:
Bobby dacht dat die beertjes een gorilla was. En hij vroeg zich af waar de wilde dieren waren? Tenslotte zijn jullie een lekker hapje toch? -
28 Januari 2014 - 16:56
Bert Ketelaar:
Ziet er allemaal schitterend uit. wat een belevenissen. Gave foto's!!
-
28 Januari 2014 - 19:54
Olivier:
look really nice! not so different from Alkmaar though ;-) -
30 Januari 2014 - 19:39
Toni:
maleisie ....prachtig land,, leuke dingen zien en doen jullie,,,,, nu alweer in australie,,,we zijn benieuwd naar de belevenissen daar -
30 Januari 2014 - 22:11
Auke Burrie:
Wil wel iets vertellen over damherten in de waterleidingduinen, maar begin er niet aan.
Dat maakt op jullie geen indruk meer. Erg leuke verslagen. In Australie schijnt echt alles anders te zijn in de natuur. Benieuwd naar volgende verhalen.
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley