Bouncing around Borneo

Finally! A chance to get online, get some pics uploaded, and show all you Americans (rather than just tell you) just what I have been up to as of late....

Here are some images to catch you up on the Paranhtian Islands and the Taman Negara National Park:

Sign on the Paranhtians....literally, the next day after poking fun at this sign, a coconut fell from a tree and landed about 3 ft from where I was standing. Karma?

Our basic bungalows on the island: cold showers and musty smells.

Day of snorkeling off the Paranhtians (10/24). This little guy and a few of his cousins were hanging out on the beach, catching some rays...

View from the beach, also on the Paranhtians (10/25)

Nice sunset (10/25). Even nicer shiner.

Remember my free night's accomodation I spoke of? I would say the cliche "You get what you pay for..." captures this moment very well.

I'm going to assume this means "STOP" in Malaysian...



It's easy to tell I'm in a different world here (taken in Jerantut, small sendoff city for the boat ride into the Taman Negara National Park)...

Sign greeting me as I came into Kuala Tahan, the small village sitting adjacent to the jungle/national park. I thought it was catchy.

Warm up climb, day 1 in the jungle....5-6 km


"Floating restaurant", sitting on the river separating the village of Kuala Tahan and the Taman Negara National Park. Want dinner? Walk the plank.

Little friend watching me from his spot on the ceiling in restaurant

Biggest roach/bug/beetle beast I have ever seen. Conveniently, he was comfortably situated next to the sink where I was brushing my teeth at my "budget accomodation"

Breakfast before embarking on my 2-day, 25 km trek. The menu, needless to say, was a bit limited. Above: Indian Pancake and curry dipping sauce (those aren't spices in the sauce, they're dead flies...mmm) Not pictured but also eaten for breakfast: Coconut Rice

Packing my breakfast/lunch/dinners for the big trek!


Ready to rock. Admit it, I look like I'm headed out to not only explore the world, but conquer it....

Destination of Day 1 hike: our jungle hideaway

This ain't no Holiday Inn...

Select Comfort?

The pictures don't do it justice, but my body was in some serious pain after the first day's hike. The up and down, relentless terrain through which we hiked was extremely taxing on the body. The 12 km took roughly 6 or 6 1/2 hours, and was I sweaty, stinky mess when we reached our jungle home.

Through the window seen in the photo above, we (there was 6 travelers who made the hike and stayed in the hide) were able to peer out all afternoon and evening, in attempt to spot any wildlife feeding in the habitant below our home. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any large animals. However, the animal noices that came to the surface once the lights dimmed in the jungle created a symphony of sound that provided a not-so-ordinary backdrop for sleeping. Staying in the jungle, without the aid of electricity or even screened windows, was quite the trip.

On the morning of Day 2, we peeled our sore, stiff bodies off the wooden bunks and made our way back on the muddy paths. No one was all that anxious to repeat the exhausting hike, but when you're 7-8 miles out in the jungle, how else are you going to get back??

Not too far into the hike, we spotted a mean old scorpion of substantial size (see comparison to woman's hand....yep, it was a fatty) on the path....

On the hike back, we also managed to sneak in a glimpse at some wild boars/pigs running through the trees. But other than these fellas, along with our scorpio friend, the hike was a fairly quiet one (with the exception of our deep breathing from the hilly terrain)...

The hike back seemed to go a bit quicker. I think the anticipation of a cold shower, a backpack-free back, dry clothes, and some Gold Bond powder all contributed to our increased "hustle" on the way back.

(Me, post hike. I had changed into glasses after washing my face in a babbling brook backfired and caused me to fling dirt in my eye. I'll just say this: glasses and rain forest don't mix well. You can't keep the damn things from fogging up!)

The jungle, though an exhausting 3 days, was a great experience. The chalk-full-of-oxygen air, various aromas, and ever-changing sounds made for some incredible time in the deep.

Consequently, it also made for some serious chafing, rotten-smelling clothing, and bloody feet via hungry leeches. But hey, it's all in the adventure, right?

Next, it was back to the city for me. After taking an overnight train to Kuala Lumpur, the country's capital, I had time for a quick 6-hr pit stop (Friday 10/31) in the city before continuing on to Singapore.

A stop at the infamous Petronas Towers was a must. As was the photograph below.

Two other fellas and myself then took to the top of Menara Kuala Lumpur tower, the world's 4th largest telecommunications tower.

The view from the top provided a nice overview of the capital city.....

After getting a glimpse of the city, it was off to Singapore, my final destination on the "mainland" before shipping east to Borneo Malaysia, the portion of the country due east of Peninsular Malaysia.

Singapore, as I was told in advance, was a very Western city. In fact, with the modern amenities offered, the modern shopping centers, and the state-of-the-art architecture, it seemed like I was indeed in an American city. The big difference? The place's cleanliness. Never had I been on an underground train/subway and seen such spotless floors and walls. Considering one of Singapore's laws enforces a fine for chewing gum, it shouldn't be surprising that the place is nearly spotless. Having said that, leave it up to me to chose the day I crossed into the country's border to purchase a pack of chewing gum.....needless to say, the woman at customs was not too happy to have found the stuff in my pocket when crossing the border. Luckily I only received a "slap on the hand" treatment and was permitted to bring in my newly purchased treat....

After a weekend in Singapore, I made my way out early this morning (Monday, 11/3) on a flight to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. It's only a brief stop before catching another flight tonight (in 3 hrs) to Tawau, on the east coast of the country. It's from there where I will take a short commute (land, then water) to the waters around Sipadan Island, a diver's paradise. I've been told this place has some of the best diving in the world, year in and year out, so I am about to find out!

(Cue music from JAWS now.)

I will dive tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, going down 6 times over the course of my stay. It's been a 2 weeks since my course, so I am looking forward to going deep again and exploring the waters once again!!

I'll leave you all with one last image: my poor, poor attempt to grow a beard. I tried for 2 1/2 wks and this is all I could put together. Back to baby face for me.....