Malay moments

Final day in Kuching and a last chance to explore this charming gentle ‘cat’ city-kitsch statues of pussy cats abound from wall paintings (backpacking cat on the hostel), statuesque stones, and tiny reflective mosaic kittens.

As conspicuous westerners we’ve clearly become a local tourist attraction due to our very odd habit of walking! Security guards wave merrily, staff at the ‘ice cream’ stop K Mart greet us with a smile, Paul’s evening meal gets larger by the day now he’s a regular!  The heat is intense, lightening flickers over the sky-today’s taxi driver insists Sarawak was not so hot when he was a child, blaming global warming.

This morning we took a tambang (small river ferry) over to the Malay Kampungs, small villages, traditional Malay houses, tight knit village communities still existing within the city, meandering around the planked boardwalks, spotting the newer concrete western houses springing up between the corrugated iron/bamboo huts. Despite progress-cars can be seen glinting under the stilts and behind grills, this was an intimate glimpse into the lives of Malay people; our concern about intruding into private lives put at ease as everyone smiled, children came out to wave, teenagers on motorbikes slowed to say hallo.

Back over on the ‘western’ side of the river we wandered over to the Islamic museum for an insight into the highly visible presence of Islam here-the gold cupolas of the Kuching Mosque are a striking landmark, prayer rooms are everywhere (more of them than public loos!). Interesting though it was, the highlight of the visit was the sight of an enormous butterfly, 4/5 inches across, deep indigo blue, which flew over our heads inside.

Time for a swim before the evening promenade-and tonight we pack ready for Mulu National Park. Tomorrow we head into this famous park with its celebrated bat caves and hopefully, more wildlife!!  Bako was a unique experience, but taking the time to get to know Kuching, seeing the spectacular annual parade, wandering around the nooks and crannies of the city/riverside, has given a rewarding insight into Sarawak, where we’ve met with so much kindness.

The complex history of the state is reflected in the town, from the Chinese merchant traders (the Main Bazaar is the oldest street in the city, the splendid Chinese Temples date back to 17th century), the reign of the ‘ White Rajahs’ from Britain, the Brooke family, who took control in the 19th century, the Japanese invasion in 1940s, the political infighting and the proud independence in 1963 when Sarah and Sarawak joined Malay to become Malaysia. Caching is an eclectic diverse social, cultural, architectural, maze, a great place!

Thursday/Friday in Kuching

'Down time’, swimming in the pool here-worth the 20 minute walk to town to have the bliss of floating in the cool blue waters or resting in the shady lush gardens-and exploring the town.

The Sarawak museum complex has a fascinating display of the complex history of the state, plus a longhouse living museum section, an eclectic mix of buildings including an aquarium, natural history collection, and an excellent café with the biggest mango shake I’ve had since I left England!  All free (bar the very cheap café) and the perfect way to pass an exceptionally wet Thursday morning. Unusually the rain was accompanied by strong winds-I was cold for the first time since I left England-not such a pleasant experience!

Like true Englishers abroad we walked back to the hotel clad in our (not) rainproof ponchos, paddling up the ankle deep awash pavements-time for a swim, hehe…

By the late afternoon the sun reappeared and we got to grips with the small ferries which ply the riverbanks, hopping over to see the setting sun from the opposite bank. Paul has a favourite riverfront café where he is working his way through the menu of rice with assorted meats/seafoods whilst I watch the buskers, browse the street stalls, and on Thursday join in with the crowds in a pray march/vigil/ dance (the Hindu one) to honour the Malaysian Airways plane disaster, such a major event here.

Sunset over the river - Thursday

Friday the rain passed and the heat was back with a vengeance. Off we set for the orchid park. An absolute gem-once we’d found it! Alas, we crossed the river in the wrong place, only a few hundred yards wrong, but taking the road off believing it wound round to the aforementioned we found ourselves in the middle of deserted nowhere, heading rapidly away from the river and stranded in the midst of market gardens.  Thankfully a work lorry appeared like an oasis; I flagged it down, and in the back we hopped, bless them!!

The two workmen had little English and were unsure of the exact location of our destination, but insisted on driving around until we found it-miles away; we’d never have got there on foot without their kindness!!

The orchids were splendid; we spent hours there in the impeccably kept grounds, drinking in the glorious colours. Totally alone in the quiet acres of wondrous flowers, humming birds, butterflies…superb.

a selection of Orchids

and not an orchid!

A cool off in the pool and a stunning sunset-Borneo’s rain produces amazing flora/scenery, a feast for the eyes.

Friday sunset

Brilliant Bako - Animal Magic

As the photos show, we had a fabulous time at Bako! Animal magic-admittedly it would have been preferable at times had the wildlife stayed OUT of our hut…me running after a monkey wrapped only in a towel and flip-flops to reclaim my cup of coffee would have made another interesting nature shot had Paul stopped laughing enough to get the camera out!

Monday morning, clutching only essentials-thanks to Basaga for storage facilities-we departed for the boat upriver.  A charter boat was essential due to the state of the tide, but four of us paid the same as the shuttle price for one-only to discover we’d hired the skipper equivalent of Sebastian Vettel!

Village on the river bank

Once out of the river banks, lined with village stilt houses, and into the open waters of the South China Sea, the waves were high, the swell tremendous. 30 ‘rocky’ minutes later the superb scenery of the sea stack outcrops, sandy bays and high lush green rainforest islands come into view. Landing at the jetty (High tide, otherwise it’s a wet entrance via the beach) we walked along the boardwalk to the ‘one stop’ multi purpose entrance to pick up our keys/towels/and a first –salutary-lesson in dodging the monkeys and the bearded pigs!

Our hut was a basic wooden shelter on stilts, but it had a cold shower –albeit with very brown water, even by my standards-a tap, mattresses with sheets and towels-no worries. The café nearby provided cheap, if basic, food and drink, no worries. Main worries-monkeys! Or ants/spiders/snakes/lizards, bearded pigs-very keen on the mud pit under the hut-plus other unidentified creepies.

Rain forest lived up to the name-intense storm showers came and went, the heat was intense as was the humidity. Luckily the afternoon was dry so we were able to tackle one of the many treks, to Paku beach. Less than a kilometre, but it takes over an hour to reach the sands due to the hill climb over tree roots, slippery rocks, avoiding tree spikes, fire ants, spiders, waterfalls,…nature in tooth and claw!

A paddle in the warm waters, scaring the mud skippers who jumped in hundreds from the hot stones in fright, and back we crawled! By now the light was fading fast and the proboscis monkeys were gathering-a wonderful sight in the swaying trees.

A guided night walk produced a tarantula, poisonous rock frog, assorted night birds, luminescent fungi-very bizarre-stick insects-and the experience of the sights and sounds of the pitch blackness of the rainforest!

Tuesday’s trek took us to the top of the ridge-where a graffiti artist had aptly written ‘the survival of the fittest’!! And ‘don’t forget to breath’ on the rickety seat awaiting the sheer steep haul up a loose rope rock face! Staring over the treetops watching the multi shades of greens, breathing in clear air above the humid ground, was amazing!

view from the ridge

spot the distant beach below, hidden by rainforest

I’ll just stay here and wait for an airlift out

the view from the verandah!!

 Another ridge clamber admiring the pitcher plants, the wildlife, odd fauna and flora, and we were literally done in!!   Exploring the mangrove areas in the dry low tide, watching the strange crabs/marine life, watching the sunset with its reflected orange/purple light show and into bed listening to the monkeys playing in the trees over our heads and the pigs snuffling underneath!

Deep red fungi

Skull like rock formation

setting sun over the mangrove swamps

we’re being watched

A sad farewell as the shuttle boat ferried us off, bouncing us back over the waves to the riverside and the bus back to Kuching. Reunited with our bags, our comfy beds and the same room as before, we swam in the pool and luxuriated in the western style residence-only to awake covered in mossie bites as, lulled into a false sense of security, we’d forgot to protect ourselves ;).

monkey eyeing up my cuppa

monkey caught in the act rifling through the rubbish bin

Proboscis Monkey

bearded pigs enjoying themselves outside our hut….

Kuching Day 2

Fireworks continued into the early hours of today, Sunday, in the daylight the streets are littered with procession debris uncannily reminiscent of Lewes on November 6th!
As far as we can work out this annual event is in honour of the dedication of the Hiang Thian Siang Temple; where a plaque detailing the anniversary states ‘crowds will be rewarded with a skilful display of talents by lion and dragon dance troups amidst the thunderous beatings of gongs and drums whilst pretty maidens, singers and dancers in colourful costumes perform on beautifully decorated floats’. Exactly!

one of many floats in the colourful procession

Luckily for them and us last night was dry and clear as today was overcast/stormy…rain to me is still a delightful treat but as it came down in buckets whilst we were exploring the Sunday market this morning everyone else retreated hastily undercover. Being British, Paul and I continued to walk undeterred along the deserted city streets. Alas the distance from the market site to the hotel was considerably further than we had realised….after an hour with the post rain sun beating down on us I decided enough was enough, only then to discover this is not a city where you can ‘hail’ a taxi. Um…problem.

Coming upon a hall where local children were attending a martial arts club and parents sitting outside chatting, we ventured to ask for a solution to our dilemma, only to be offered a lift immediately by a kind ‘dad’-these people are so wonderfully friendly!! We offered to pay but he insisted it was no trouble-apparently the lack of public/private transport is a well known problem for tourists as everyone here drives.

Recovering by the pool in the spasmodic rain was a pleasure-sunbathing in the clouds bizarrely fun-and by the late afternoon the sky cleared and we walked-slowly-down to the waterfront to join the Sunday promenades….tomorrow we leave for Bako national park, taking only the basics and storing our bags/possessions with this hotel for safekeeping; report will follow in due course assuming we and the bags are safely reunited in a few days time!!

Kuching

First day in Borneo, in Kuching.  Green, colourful and peaceful. A morning stroll along the waterfront, wandering through the bazaars, through Little India and Chinatown (a miniature version of KL!).

We are staying at a small hotel out of the centre with a pool-a blissful bonus in the blistering midday heat. In the late afternoon we ambled back into the town to find ourselves in the midst of the annual celebrations for ‘God’s Birthday’ –as the locals described it.  Hundreds of Chinese dragons, puppets, marching bands, Buddhist pagodas mounted on lorries, animalist ogres, sky-high flags, acrobats, drummers…each ‘wave’ stopped to ‘pray’ at impromptu altars and prayer spirals mounted at the roadside, so although the march began at 6pm by 8pm the roads were completely blocked by stationary tableaux, the noise had reached fever pitch , fireworks were lighting up the sky, we wended our way past the never ending magical event to our quiet abode-a great intro

Kuala Lumpur

March 19/20th.

Yes, we met as planned, by the baggage carousel at KL International Airport. Paul left England for two days/I left Cambodia for an hour’s flight (an absolutely deserted Malaysian Airways plane, more staff than passengers, impeccable service, clearly very difficult time for the company and crew)-we found each other at the allocated time/place!  A long hug-watched with many smiles-and a culture shock for both of us in KL.

For me, a return to western skylines/shops/efficient transport –full marks to KL Airport Express train- a ‘modern’ hotel room with no ants/no sand/a flushing loo/hot water/comfy bed…and RAIN.

In the late evening sunset the storm set in-a quick stroll left us soaked to the skin! I was splashing about laughing enjoying the unusual sensation, much to the local’s bemusement.

This morning a splendid buffet breakfast overlooking the city and off we set on the rapid transit monorail to explore. First stop, Petronas Twin Towers. Neither of us fancied paying the extortionate price to go up and we're not keen on the fast lift experience, so pottered about the outside parks and inside shopping complex admiring the skyline in the sunshine until-it rained!

We retreated inside, following the staff away from the expensive food courts to their local ‘shop’ downstairs for a cheap but delicious coffee/ice cream/lunch. Off to Chinatown/Central Market area to see the other downmarket side of the city. As the rain eased off we wandered around the typical Chinese alleys, dodged the enormous puddles, found ourselves in Little India in a Hindu temple and had a restorative massive mango shake –tis Asia despite the city high street/upmarket brands.

Hindu Temple

In the cool pleasant aftermath of the storm we decided to walk to the KL tower, not realising the path that climbed through the forest park below it was a) steep, wet, and mosquito ridden and b) deserted. Deserted because after half an hour of clambering up uneven steps through denser foliage that we realised we found the gate to the tower locked!!

As it was beginning to get dark desperation took over; I seized the locked gates and yelled at the top of my voice! Staff appeared from somewhere –we could only see a brick wall and the glimmer of the tower high above us-and after much debate a security guard was summoned with a key. Full marks to the kind/helpful KL populace, bless them! Apparently the gates were locked due to the heightened security re the missing plane, and not many people ever walk up that way usually-only mad people like us!

As before we declined the expensive lift experience and contented ourselves with walking around the tower spotting city landmarks from its hilltop vantage point. A walk back along the safer highway to the station, on to the train watching the setting sun over the towers and the city skyline-KL has given us the perfect space to become a couple again. Off to Borneo tomorrow, it’s been good to have today to ourselves in this ‘easy’ but still fascinating cityscape.

Petronas Towers in the sunset

KL Tower in the setting sun

Back on the bus

As the sun rose over the already scorching sands I tramped through the sands to the waiting tuk tuk to travel in Silanoukville for the bus back to Phnom Penh.  This time a minivan.

My English foresight in prebooking my ticket had nabbed me the front seat with more leg room…I had to be very assertive to claim this, demanding the driver evict the invaders, but it was worth it!  The roads and the traffic are horrendous but having a tiny space to stretch out my legs without spending hours crouched knees to chest helped (a bit). The buses all show films (Skyfall-again!) no doubt to distract passengers from the driving.

So now I am back in an air conditioned brick built hotel. It’s not exactly the Ritz, but the toilet flushes, there is no sand other than the pit which fell out of my case-there are ants, even on the ninth floor, but apart from that I can see no other wildlife! I have a television, unimaginable luxury, and a kettle with coffee sachets/complimentary biscuits.  Yet after five nights in total darkness/silence I am finding it all rather odd-when I get home the idea of being able to drink the water-and have a bath!!-will be soo strange!!

Hot and hotter

OMG it is soo hot here….I am lying under the fan in my little bamboo oven sweating and its 10pm…much as I have loved this free time on this paradise beach, I am ready to go back to air conditioning, running water (ok, not drinkable, but a tap and a flushing loo will be a luxury now, my standards have changed considerably) and a room which isn’t full of sand/red ants/lizards/etc…

So at dawn tomorrow I leave for Phnom Penh, time to regroup, declutter the case, de sand me and everything and get ready to meet Paul in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
Today as I repeated my routine of breakfast at one end of the beach and an evening two hour walk at the other end of the beach/day I was greeted with friendly waves and cheery hallos. I shall miss the gorgeous expanse of sand, the warm waters, the shallow surf, the endless blue sky, the spectacular sunsets…

I am ready to return to civilisation though. It is impossible to do anything here but lie in the shade between noon and three and even then the heat/glare makes even reading hard. I swim with a turban and long sleeves, much to the young backpacker’s amusement! Sun cream liberally applied sweats off so quickly that despite much care I have acquired a rather red shade of brown! My feet have acquired a webbed look from spending so long in the sea, plus I am sporting a neat selection of bites from assorted creatures. And my mind, happy to shut down a few days ago, is starting up and craving stimulation…

So farewell to the beach and almost farewell to my solo travels, nearly time for Paul and Edwina’s travels-Borneo awaits!

Just chilling

For once, I am doing nothing! No boat trips, no sightseeing tours, no forays into the town. I walk along the beach 3 kms to Otres 2 for breakfast soon after sunrise, catch up on the BBC News playing in the hostel there, enjoy my pancakes feet up on the sandy sofa in a shady bamboo shack, wander back before the heat rises and fall exhausted onto a sunbed.

Lying under the trees inches from the calm warm waves I read and sleep and swim until the heat passes, buying fresh coconut, iced coffee and fruit from the café and passing vendors.

The Beach

By late afternoon it is cool enough to walk once more, this time in the opposite direction. I’ve learnt to time the stroll so that I have time to get back before darkness descends as it is pitch black here then and impossible to see anything!

In the evening I sit under the stars reading/writing the blog/washing the endless sand out of everything-impossible and thankless task as this hut is set in sand dunes and then there’s the beach so there is nothing but sand, sand and more sand…

Sunset

 

The loo has to be ‘flushed’ with a bucket, the water is cold and brown, the hut is unbearably hot at times, the ants are the least of my wildlife companions-I did take exception to an enormous wasp this morning-but the peace, the silence, the sheer luxury of doing nothing, is wonderful. Not long now til Paul comes out to join me for Borneo and I needed this rest, I was bone achingly weary. More than I realised. It is unusual for me to stop, rare for me not to be twitchy, but here I find I can do nothing, be still, and relax. ‘Just chilling’ (though it is impossible to be cool, even the seawater is boiling!) is fantastic.

Sihanoukville

Cambodia has beautiful beaches! And I’m on one, in a bamboo ‘bungalow’ on stilts in a peaceful spot, the very end of Otres 1 beach in Sihanoukville.  This lovely place is a collection of 7 huts set in a garden a few metres from the beach, away from the ‘party’ areas. The quiet is disconcerting-no television, no air conditioning, cold-and brown-water, I am sharing my living quarters with wildlife from lizards to ants but so far we’ve been amicable partners…I’m wrapped into my mosquito net more to avoid being dive-bombed by bats/frogs than mossies, eyes glint down at me as I type, I’m not making eye contact!

My Angkor Air flight-an extravagance but it saved me two days on a bus-not only turned up in Siem Reap, a minor miracle as they are notoriously unreliable- but went on time. There are only a few flights a week here and I was prepared to be stranded in Angkor chasing a bus ticket, but to mine and everyone else’s surprise, the usual tiny propeller plane lifted off and within an hour dropped us down again in deepest Southern Cambodia.

The shuttle bus to the town also appeared-another miracle-and then a tuk tuk knew where I wanted to go, as Otres beach is another 5 kms outside the town itself. A fortunate choice as what little I saw of downtown Sihanoukville reminded me of a Cambodian Margate, originally a fishing village now a large dock and tourist haunt, I was relieved when my tuk tuk drove out of the heaving masses and into the countryside, depositing me in the middle of nowhere bar a few hostels like this one (‘Don’t Tell Mama’) and beach cafes.

It was pitch dark as I arrived. I sat outside on my veranda with a cold beer provided by the friendly German couple who run this, stared up at the moon, and realised I could hear absolutely nothing. The odd dog barking, geckos otherwise total total silence. I am always amazed at how odd this feels.

Today I rose with sun as normal and set off along the deserted beach in bare feet and shorts. It feels so liberating to be free of the usual Cambodian dress code of shoulder/knee coverings. Otres 2, a 30 minute walk away, has a collection of beach cafes where I greedily consumed a pancake with honey/coffee/fruit shake. ..

As the pics show, I am relishing the freedom of the beach-the water is warm! Truly warm! Shallow, calm, a pleasure to float around in (best to ignore the rubbish, this is Cambodia after all!). A sunbed for the price of a sprite (a dollar) comes with a shady umbrella and free hassle from beach vendors/masseurs/beggars thrown in!

There is a welcome breeze here after the stifling heat of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. I walked for hours in the late afternoon watching the setting sun, ambling along the beach, chatting idly to other strollers –there are few people here bar the ‘party’ backpackers haunt at the furthest end to my ‘pad’ so a carnival holiday atmosphere prevails.

I intend to do very little for the next few days bar swim, sleep, sunbathe, eat, drink and be merry!

Temple travelling

Another day, another cycle ride around the temples of Angkor. Although at times I eyed the passing tuk tuks with a tinge of envy as I pedalled along the red hot red dust tracks, I do prefer the freedom of going my own way and at my own (slow) pace.

There are unexpected delights at every turn-the small temple of Prasat Kravan at first sight seemed only a collection of towering spires but inside each individual column hide wonderful carvings of ‘Vishnu’-see pics of this Hindu site, dating from 921 AD.

Carvings of Vishnu

My favourite temple is Phrom, the ruins dominated by the enormous banyan trees which have grown through the collapsed stones, casting welcome shade over the site. I sat from a pleasant hour eating two pineapples and a mango (my negotiations with the stallholder were so successful I ended up with rather too much fruit!) lying with my back against a tree trunk, listening to the distant sound of Khmer music and the sounds of silence.

This afternoon I joined the throng in Angkor Wat for a final foray to the most famous temple of them all. There is a real sense of awe uniting the crowds who gather at sunset, a true friendliness uniting tourists from multi nations and locals who also make the pilgrimage to this holy place. People share cameras-hence the many pics of me sporting the unglamorous baggy cut-offs from Phnom Penh market, a sunburnt glow and a scarf protecting my cut leg from the dirt-an improvised bandage but fingers crossed it’s done the trick.

 

Angkor Wat

 

Sunset at Angkor Wat

Stunning though the sunset was it did mean cycling back the 7kms to Siem Reap in the dark with an unlit bike on unlit very busy roads where no one has any road sense, dodging tuk tuks, tourist coaches, pedestrians, monkeys-the most unpredictable, one nearly sent me under the wheels of a passing car-oxen…especially hard as the potholes become invisible in the blackness. Siem Reap itself is gaudy with neon lights sending a beacon to light my way ‘home’.  Two cups of iced sweet coffee and a cold shower and I resemble something human again, at least for the present. I have grown to love the temple tours but am off tomorrow for the beach and a much needed rest-fingers crossed for sun, sand, blue seas and a hammock!