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Welcome to Allan and Heather Bantick's diary of our trip to Borneo in 2010
Sun 24th Jan Mon 25th Jan Tues 26th Jan Weds 27th Jan Brunei is Tax Free - no VAT, no Income Tax etc. Petrol is 20p and diesel 3p per litre. There is no poverty. Downside - no freedom of speech, no alcohol (not officially anyhow) and no night life.
We had to take our shoes off in the Mosque and Museum. No photos were permitted at the Mosque and photos only in the first hall at the Museum. All the ladies plus any gents in shorts had to wear a robe in the Mosque. In both places there were lockers for cameras We were told the Sultan's brother Prince Geoffrey is a bad lot and is in exile. He blew 8 million USD of public money on buying himself the Dorchester Hotel and sundry casinos and the like. The Sultan booted him out. The Sultan has had 3 wives. The first one is the main wife and was an arranged marriage. The second was an air hostess but the Sultan divorced her and married a pretty TV presenter. He has 12 children plus a bump - not sure which wife has the bump. Lunch at the Sheraton Hotel then back to the airport for our short flight to Kota Kinabalu (KK). We got there at 1745, changed some money and were then bussed to Tuaran Beach Resort. While on the bus The Independent newspaper phoned me to talk about beavers but I was hardly in a position to speak to them so I arranged for SWT staff to pick it up. Got to Tuaran at 1930 for a briefing, happy hour and dinner before crashing into bed exhausted Thurs 28th Jan
0730 I took the camera for a walk to the beach and after breakfast repeated the exercise with Heather. Lovely spot but so far no wildlife to speak of apart from a handful of small sparrow-like birds 1030 briefing. Today was mostly to ourselves but there would be a walk on the mangroves at 1630 and a Mock Wedding in the evening. We had a pizza each for lunch at the Pool Bar (far too big, should have shared one) then slept the rest of the afternoon. The mangrove walk was good but only 4 of our group of 15 turned up, however that turned out to be a good thing in the narrow confines of the boardwalk. Our guide Terence told us the story of how the route for the boardwalk had been devised and how it had been built. We walked as far as the river and heard about the local small-clawed otters. Terence told us "They are in those mangroves right there". On the way back we planted some mangrove seeds to help save the planet
It was hot and sweaty and thick with mozzies in the mangroves but I loved it. We got back to our room in time to shower and change before the Mock Wedding. It was very colourful and a bit of fun and we took loads of pictures before heading off to pay our bill - it was to be a very early start next day. It took more than half an hour to sort the billl out because the invoices had not been brought up from the bars. They tried very hard to under charge us but eventually all the papers were found and we were able to go to bed. I think their system could use some tweaking It took ages to pack. We needed 5 bags; one with spare gear in to stay at Tuaran (to be picked up when we got back next week) and two each to travel with us. Trouble was, we'd only been here a couple of days and the sweaty gear was already mounting up Fri 29th Jan A Buddhist Temple came next then coffee and pancakes in a cafe, a visit to a village on stilts and an indoor marketplace where we bought a football to add to our small collection of gifts that we were amassing to give to the children who were to dance for us next evening.
We had lunch at the Sabah Hotel which was quite plushy but our vegetarian was not impressed with her limited options. I took myself off for a walk to spot wildlife but there was nothing about I slept through the afternoon visit to a supermarket where more goodies were obtained for the children and we then headed for a river where two boats were waiting to take us out to sea to Libaran Island where we were to spend three nights .
We were greeted by our hosts which included some dogs who were delighted to see Terence. Evidently he was a regular visitor and spoiled the dogs. I had another sleep (severe lack the last few days) before Heather dragged me out for a beach walk before darkness fell. Terence was out too and had found a snake (species unknown) and we then found a hermit crab - wildlife at last
The evening began with its usual briefing intricately woven with Terence's amazing anecdotes and little known facts. We went into dinner with a passable idea of what tomorrow would bring. The Libaran bar had a 3-for-1 deal going on wine and I plucked up courage to ask if I could have one glass now and two tomorrow. No problem, they said, but I wondered if anyone would remember our deal next day. Back at our cabin Heather sorted out our mosquito nets and we fell into bed Sat 30th Jan Further on we came to the school which, it being Saturday, was shut. Terence gave the low down on the education system including disciplinary measures, which tended to be of the traditional variety. Don't ask and don't get me started. Anyhow, the school seemed to us much better provided for than many others we have seen on our travels.
We strolled back to base along the beach getting much
too hot so we bought cooling drinks at the bar Once again I slept and did not want to wake up but off we went in two boats to the mainland to look for wildlife along the Lalasun River which runs through a huge mangrove forest. The first thing we saw was a mud skipper
Next we came to a village where a wedding was in progress
and we were waved ashore to join the party. Most of us managed the
climb up steep steps into the house where the bride and groom sat
stiffly on display. We paid our respects, noting that he was quite
old and she quite young which Terence thought suggested a second marriage.
Our ladies imagined how wife number one was feeling - probably quietly
seething at what would be going on later
They played Clapton's Wonderful Tonight for our benefit but the singer was so nervous he froze on the words. We accepted the host's offer of fruit drinks (with some trepidation because the water in it could have come from anywhere including the river) but politely refused the offer of food. Not wishing to outstay our welcome we clambered back down the bank into the boats. Soon we came upon two troupes of monkeys. One group was of small, grey animals but the others were the much larger proboscis monkeys. Neither group stuck around long. We tied up to the bank for Terence to tell us all about the high value of mangroves while the crew served tea, coffee and small donuts. A kite flew over while this was going on. The light began to fail so we headed back down river towards the setting sun and bounced across to Liibaran Island on a choppy sea just in time to get showered and changed before going to the lodge for the briefing, dinner and an evening of entertainment from the locals.
After the briefing we were joined for dinner by a New Zealand couple and then the revels began First the young men formed a drum group and played a few sets, during the last of which other men performed martial arts dance sequences. Then the young girls began their performance; three Malay dances and a line dance We were then expected to get up and join in which we dutifully did but the music went on and on so we were soon expiring in the heat. At last it was over and time to distribute our gifts among the children. Our football had been spotted early on by a girl in red and she made it known to Heather that she would really really like it. When it came time for the children to choose dance partners she tried hard to grab Heather to cement her claim to the ball but was thwarted for the first dance by her best friend (who she now hates). Long story short, she got the ball. It was 2200 by the time we got to our hut.
Sun 31st Jan
There was a shout so we struggled out of the sea and quickly got rid of our equipment as the others were waiting for us in the glass bottomed boat. It was a bit of a let down because the glass comprised just a few small windows in the hull so anything we saw was just a glimpse as we drifted past. Nevertheless the trip gave us some ideas for our next snorkelling session. The current was just as strong where the boat had been but the water was deeper and there were more plants and corals. Soon I found a way to cheat the current. A line of small buoys had been fixed 50 metres or so from the beach and parallel to it, joined together by a rope. I swam to the buoys and easily hauled myself along the rope against the current until I had gone far enough, then let go and drifted down the current back to the start. Bea joined me for a second run and Helen came with me for the final turn before we were called to pack up ready to leave. Back at Libaran Island lunch was ready and the afternoon was at leisure until tea and a batik demonstration at 1600. The batik man showed how it was done then most of us had a go so that together we built up a patterned batik cloth. Somebody actually bought it.
That was good, which is more than can be said for the next activity; watching Andy Murray losing to Federer in the final of the Australian Open tennis. The evening briefing was well up to Terence's high standard of information overload but we got the gist of it in the end. Dinner was a BBQ but only if you liked cremated fish and other sea food. Normal food was also available. Back at our hut we discovered that our snorkelling had gone a little too long; we both had sunburnt bits despite the shirts - the backs of our legs, top of my head and Heather's neck Mon 1st Feb
On arrival Heather and I set off to walk right round
the island. We started along a stretch of sand where clearly turtles
had come ashore to lay eggs, then passed the designated snorkelling
area where some of our companions were already at play. In view of
our over exposure of the previous day we thought it wise to abstain.
At the end of the island a large area of lumpy dead coral was exposed
by the low tide and the choice was either to walk across it or turn
back because the shoreline comprised dense vegetation. We braved the
rocky coral and the going was a bit awkward but easier than it had
looked. At last we came full circle to the beach where we had arrived
and it was a short step from there to the main lodge where we rewarded
ourselves with ice cream 1900 we met at the lodge for a turtle video and then
went in to dinner. After that it was a question of waiting in
the dining room hoping there would be a radio message from one of
the four beaches to say a turtle had landed. People chatted, played
cards, sent text messages, worked at their puzzle books and dozed
to kill time.
We then went with the eggs to the hatchery and watched the ranger bury the eggs and mark a peg with the date and serial number of the nest and the number of eggs. This was already nest number 133 of 2010 - and we were only one month into the year. To finish off, a cylindrical nylon net was placed around the nest to keep predators out and to keep the hatchlings together when they emerged.
Finally that evening's hatchlings were put into a plastic basket and carried down to the beach where they were released within a few feet of the ocean's edge. Our presence kept predators away while the babies made a dash for the relative safety of the sea. One set off in the wrong direction but was soon steered back on course by a wall of kindly feet. Sadly, even this highly protected start in life will not save most of these young turtles because there are so many predators waiting for them in the deeps.
Nevertheless this project is thought to be having a beneficial effect on turtle numbers. How could it not?. A much higher percentage of eggs hatch and a much higher percentage of hatchlings make it to the sea than could possibly be the case if left to nature. Detailed records are kept and much is now known about the ecology of these animals except for the so-called lost years between the hatchlings entering the sea and the point at which they turn up as sub-adults about twenty years later Tues 2nd Feb
We boarded our boats for the final time at 0720 and
cruised to the mainland for 0800 where a coach was waiting.
We went back to the main centre where a video was to
be shown at 1100 but Heather and I passed in favour of ice cream in
the cafe. Next stop was a supermarket for Terence and the driver
to buy themselves some food; the rest of us had official packed lunches.
At 1345 we arrived at Gomatong caves. Again we had to buy camera permits
at 30 RM each which is triple the price of most other places. I paid
up and in the end was glad that I did
Terence told us all about the place with its valuable bird nests and the lengths the staff go to protect the nests from thieves. Some of our group hated the place with its stench and slime but we did not stay long. I managed to get a nice shot of a cave rat.
Back at the car park a few of us joined Terence for a walk along the road to look for wildlife. We did quite well with a small white falcon, a young serpent eagle, ravens, a bat hawk and some civet poo. At 1745 some of us ventured back to the cave to watch the bats fly out. It was amazing, like smoke coming out of a chimney and to add to the spectacle 3 bat hawks turned up and we saw 2 of them each catch a bat.
On the walk back I went with Terence to see a wild orang utan settling down in its nest for the night - he had already shown some of the others. At 1825 we left to go to the Sukau River Lodge for a couple of nights. The journey took half an hour and it was dark when we arrived. A boat was waiting for us on the Kinabatangan River to take us the last few hundreds to our lodge where welcome drinks were waiting. Over dinner it transpired that the same 3 for 1 wine deal was on offer as at Libaran Island except that you had to drink all three there and then; you couldn't carry some forward. Never mind; Heather helped. In bed by 2200 Weds 3rd Jan
Progress was slow due to the strong current but there was plenty to see. We spotted 2 monitor lizards, a serpent eagle, 2 black hornbills,an oriental darter, a black eagle, a Storm's stork and other birds whose names I cannot remember. After about an hour we reached the creek that leads to the oxbow lake but the entrance was so choked with driftwood that it was impassable.
Plan B kicked in and we went downstream a little way to where a tiny track meets the river. Once all ashore Terence gave us a safety briefing including what to do if he became incapacitated and we had to find our own way out. He also cut some sticks for those who wanted one but they were so long I think they were more of a hindrance than a help in the tangled confines of the jungle. Heather had her own ski stick which she was accustomed to so she managed OK. I took up the position of back marker to try to help keep the group together but the pace was so slow it was hardly an issue. There were a few halts to examine interesting plants and other jungle features such as camphor and elephant dung - yes they have Asian elephants here.
From the comments I overheard now and then not everyone
was happy in the jungle but Heather and I just loved it We got back to Sukau River Lodge at 1200 where there was just time to wash out Terence's leech socks before lunch. Heather and I took a short walk after lunch as far as the boardwalk and local flooding would allow. We saw a couple of reddish-brown squirrels and when we got back to the chalet there was a pied hornbill and a long tailed macaque in a nearby tree. At 1600 we got back in the boat for a dusk ride along the tributary beside the lodge. It was brilliant. We saw hornbills, Storm's stork, kingfishers, long tailed macaques, proboscis monkeys with young and a python that was digesting something big - probably a monkey.
Later we learned at the briefing that the programme for the next few days was to be different from SAGA's original to the extent that the full day in the Mount Kinabalu Park was not going to happen. We were to spend the whole of the next day travelling and visiting war memorials instead of going to Poring Hot Springs, the next day would be at Poring Hot Springs instead of Kinabaluand Park and the next day we had to go back to Tuaran beach so would only get part of the morning in Kinabalu Park. I was looking forward to a chance to explore the park further so was not at all happy that it should be dropped in favour of yet more visits to war memorials. From the mutterings I heard I think some of the other guests shared my view that there was a time to mourn the war dead but this wasn't it, especially as these visits to memorials were not on the programme we had signed up to and paid for. Thurs 4th Feb We stopped for lunch on a bridge on the road to Ranau with wide views in both directions over forested hills. Another coach carrying young people also stopped on the bridge but for rather different reasons - they had a shredded tyre and broken suspension at the rear end. We loaned them our jack so that the wheel could be changed which meant we had to wait for them to finish the job and return our jack before could move on.
Next stop was an evangelical church with memorials at Ranau where the death marches from Sandakan ended. A few kilometres further on we stopped at more memorials and a centre dedicated to the fallen where most of our group watched a video about the atrocities. Bea and I elected to visit the local shops and eat ice cream. We joined the others later at the memorial gardens; one each for Australia, Britain and Borneo. It was only a ten minute drive from there to our accommodation at the Kinabalu Mountain Lodge, which is only a few hundred metres beyond the Fairy Garden Hotel where we stayed in 2006. Snacks and drinks awaited us at the lodge where all our chalets overlooked a beautiful forested valley, the far edge of which formed the lower slopes of the majestic Mount Kinabalu itself. The view was truly stunning and we slept that night with curtains open so that we would be greeted by that panorama when we woke up.
Fri 5th Feb
Speaking of sunshine we had had no rain on the trip so far and plenty of sun. We set off on the day's trip at 0830 and first stop was at a vegetable market run by women. Customers come from all over the district to buy their veg and bulk orders are phoned in. All the same there was so much stuff it was hard to see how they would shift it all. We bought some tapioca honey crackers to share round on the coach.
We then drove the 20 miles to Poring hot springs where we spend the rest of the day. Half way there we saw a sign that said the giant raffelesia flower was in bloom so we turned off down a narrow road then up a steep track to a yard that the driver managed to squeeze us into without mishap. It's amazing where these buses will go. It cost 30 RM (about £6) to view the flower but not all of us bothered. On the way out of the yard the bus grounded with an ominous crunch but no great harm was done. At Poring the first thing we did was watch a video about the biodiversity of the Kinabalu Park. The video was almost all about plants with the occasional insect, a frog and some fungus. No mention of birds or mammals at all. Sorry, but that's nonsense. We then went to the canopy walk which involved a fairly steep climb to get to the start so a couple of our party struggled. Fortunately there was plenty of willing help on hand so we all made it to the start. It's quite good fun and lots of photos were taken, not to mention some video. You had to pay 5 RM (£1) to use a camera and 30 RM (£6) for a video camera. One of group began to freak out at the height we were above the ground but she managed OK in the end - I think I got the blame for making it sway. Next was a walk to a waterfall. It took about 15 minutes, much of it uphill through trees. The fall was at a lovely spot and Heather and I were soon in for a dip. A few others followed. There were several pools, the deepest and widest of which was right under the fall so that's where we settled. We were soon found by tiny fish that cleaned our feet and legs by nibbling at them. It was a strange feeling; a bit tickly and slightly weird but apparently recommended treatment for certain skin disorders.
The water was very cold so after 20 minutes we joined the others among the rocks to eat our packed lunches; boxes stuffed with great food. We probably ate far too much on this trip. At last we wandered back to the main centre where the cold swimming pool and hot tubs were waiting. Heather and I just swam but most of the others sampled the hot springs before joining us at the pool. Terence kindly looked after our valuables. Bea went off to the butterfly garden while I went in search of a beer but failed to find one. When Heather came back Terence put us on the right track for beer (for me) and a souvenir shop (for guess who). Only downside - the beer was twice the price of everywhere else. No wonder the bar was empty apart from me - and I pointed this out to the bar staff. At this point it started to rain but it was only a shower lasting a few minutes. On the way back to Kinabalu Mountain Lodge we stopped for half an hour at a fruit market and eventually got back to our room at 1800. Sat 6th Feb
We walked in the garden for approx 90 minutes with Terence explaining about some of the plants. He claimed he was no expert but seemed quite knowledgeable to me.
At 1145 we split into 2 groups; a trail-walking group and a non-walking group. The non-walkers were sent down to a nearby cafe and told we would be at least 45 minutes. We were in fact only 24 minutes - I don't think Terence likes walking very much. Anyhow it was a very nice walk along narrow paths with a lot of uphill at the start and quite uneven and muddy in places. Great.
Back at the Kinabalu Mountain Lodge we had lunch, finished packing and set off at 1400. Just before we left we were slightly mystified by a letter box on a building near the lodge entrance intended for messages for the Tourist Police. Good job we'd been behaving ourselves.
We had 2 stops on the way back to Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran Beach. The first was at a souvenir market where a few tee shirts and some ice creams were bought. The second was at a pottery where we were treated to a demonstration and a tour of the factory. Very interesting indeed. The souvenir shop was the best we'd seen all week and we spent spent spent
We got to Tuaran Beach in time for a briefing and to get our gear sorted out before dinner. We stayed up until midnight to watch the Liverpool derby on ESPN but fell asleep before the Man U game Sun 7th Feb We got back for lunch at the Pool Bar and in the aftenoon Bea swam in the pool and I slept in preparation for tonight's midnight Chelsea v Arsenal match. Chelsea won. Mon 8th Feb Verdict: ----------------------------------------------------------------- To contact Cairngorm Wildlife on any aspect of our work please email Allan Bantick or Heather Bantick or phone us on 01479 831768 or 07787 323264 or write
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