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.....

Welcome to the jungle...

Well, here we are....in the tiny village of Kuala Tahan, sitting at the foot of the world's oldest rain forest, the Taman Negara. I'll be honest. I never really knew too much about the place, and I nearly passed it up as a stop in my journey through Malaysia. Fortunately, I think I'll soon find out, I chose to make a pit stop here. Based on the little hiking I did today, I should be in for a treat.

But first, just a bit of a recap on the happenings of the last several days....

On Thursday morning, I set off on a 30-min taxi boat to the Paranhtian Islands. I shot over on the rickety little wood boat with a few others, two being an American girl and an English girl I had met on my travels to the Malaysian border. We arrived to find the much-hyped small island (there are two islands that comprise the Paranhtians, a "big" island and a "small" island, simply named) very quiet. Actually, the place seemed dead! It was almost as if we were going to have the place to ourselves, a big change from the very populated Thai islands I had seen over the past several weeks. It would soon become evident there were more people on this island than we initially observed, but nonetheless, it was still very quiet given the place's natural beauty. Monsoon season, we learned, is just a couple weeks away and the island closes its doors at that time.....so that would explain the aura of a "ghost town" we received upon arrival.

Day 1 on the island was a pretty simple one: we walked around the island, literally. A few hours on foot and we had nearly covered the island's perimeter. What the place has to offer is much what I've seen in the past few weeks--beautiful beach and blue/green waters--but this time, without the traffic. After barely beating the sunset, we came out of the jungle that makes up the island and arrived at "home". Home, for two or three nights anyways, was a simple little bungalow set just far enough off the beach to allow trees to surround us.... A fan room, (versus air-conditioning), cold shower, a stale smell, and a cheap price tag (15 ringit/person, or just over $4 US)--just what we are used to and what we were looking for!

Day 2 on the island is where nature took over. After hearing good things about the snorkeling off the Paranhtians, we signed up for an all-day trip that would include 4 different stops over the course of the day. We were in for a treat. The day went on, and as it did, the stops continued to get progressively better and better....

*First, we saw some amazing coral, some colorful fish, and some pesky jellyfish. Sure, cool stuff.
*Next, we investigated some more coral. This time more elaborate and more decorated, and the fish over abundant. Schools of large fish (unfortunatly I can't identify them yet) passed by, clownfish lurked (Nemo was a clownfish, FYI), and eels tucked themselves into small crevices in the coral. We're starting to get warmed up here.
*Thirdly, our driver took us to a shallow water spot named Shark Point. They weren't kidding when they called it this. We were able to see and swim near 3 good-sized (5 or 6 ft long) shallow water sharks. I'm fairly certain they were "Black Tip Sharks", but can't be 100% positive. In either case, although they are not in any way harmful, it was pretty amazing being in the water with these beasts.
*Finally, we were taken to see the turtles. And I'm not talking small, wimpy things we're used to seeing back home. These were massive sea turtles, 3 and 4 ft in diameter, that swam through the salty water. As they would come to the surface periodically, we were able to swim right up behind them. I was even trailing one close enough that allowed me to give the guy a bear hug as he made his way to the top. What a treat!

Easily, the best snorkeling I have been a part of since I've been in the water.

Day 3 was a lazy day on the beach. After two days of overcast, rain-threatening days, a day of sun was more than welcomed. I type this just moments after I read an email from my old man, explaining that Iowa just saw its first dusting of snow. I'll enjoy the warm sun and sandy beaches while I have the chance!

I made my way back to the mainland on Sunday after a quiet, but very nice, stay on the Paranhtians. Unfortunately, most of my day back on land was spent in a Malaysian police station. No, not because I was the recipient of another fist, but because three Westerners I had met and got to know quite well during my stay were victims of theft in their bungalow. A long story short, they had some encounters with the dodgy management, and it became clear they were not all that welcome at the resort. Upon coming back to their rooms on their last night, with their provided padlocks still intact and windows locked, they found their bags had been filtered through and were lacking iPods, cameras, phones, and cash. Needless to say, all fingers pointed to a staff-driven robbery. So I spent the day with them in the police station as they sorted through the police report....

Speaking of friends, I had made friends with the Malaysian man that worked at the travel shop where we had booked our boat tickets for the islands. Upon arriving back to the mainland and not having accomodation yet booked for Sunday evening, he offered to put me up for the night. Free accomodation? Why not! Turns out his friend (one of the boatmen) lived just 100 meters from the tourist shop and offered me a place to crash for the evening. I arrived to his place around 8pm and joined him and two others for some hot tea....they went on to toss me the keys to the travel shop and told me that I was free to use the Internet if I needed. Talk about hospitality! I was a bit hesitant about their level of kindness after the rough times I had experienced in the previous two weeks (a.k.a. getting robbed, getting punched), but I went along with it. I'm glad I did. They were great people and, although the place was no Holiday Inn, were happy to offer up what they had. Still, I can't wait to post pictures of the room I stayed in....a simple, airy little loft above a local shop....it was a classy joint I tell you....

Monday, I set off solo on the Jungle Railway, a trainline that runs through the jungle and makes its way to Jerantut, the jumping off point to enter the National Park.

Today, I took a 3 hr boat ride into the jungle and arrived in Kuala Tehan (across the river from the park boundaries) around Noon. I managed about a 6 -7 kilometer hike today in effort to warm up for what is to come tomorrow and Thursday.... I set off around 9am tomorrow, with two others I met on my boat this morning, for a trek a little deeper into the jungle's thickness. We will trek about 11 or 12 kilometers and hopefully arrive to our destination around 4 or 5pm. Our destination? A basic, electricity-free hide (as it is called) , a basic shack that sits above a man-made salt lick. The salt lick is meant to attract all sort of different wildlife at night, and hopefully we'll be able to see what nature throws at us tomorrow night. Rats and tamirs are apparently the most abundant creatures we will see, but there should be wild deer, monkeys, and the occasional elephant (although not likely). I've been told that the sounds you hear as you go to sleep make for quite an interesting evening.... I will hike back the 11 or 12 km on Thursday and eventually make my way out of the park.

That's what's new on my end, everyone! Sorry, I am not able to upload any pictures at this time....the Internet is painfully slow here but ironically quite expensive. Once I make it to Kuala Lumpur, the country's capital, in a few days, I should be able to get some images up on the blog.

Until then, I hope you all are enjoying the snow and the Iowa State losses. Sounds like nothing changes!

Made it to Malaysia!

Real quick note here, folks. The internet here is crawling, and I have sleep to catch...

I am in Malaysia right now, in the small town of Kuala Besut. This place is more or less a port for the Perenthian Islands, where I am headed in the morning. Currently, it is 10:30pm, and here in Malaysia we are now 13 hrs ahead of Iowa time, instead of 12.

It's been a long 24+ hrs.....
*I left on a night ferry off the island of Koh Tao last night around 9pm
*Arrived on the mainland around 5am this morning
*Hopped a bus around 6:30am
*Switched to another bus around 2pm
*Arrived at the Malaysia border around 4pm
*Crossed the border (literally walked across the border after our bus left us a good quarter mile from Malaysia...strange) with two girls who were en route to Malaysia as well
*Made it through customs and split a taxi with the girls (2hrs) from the border to where we sleep tonight

It's been about 24 hours of commuting, and I am spent. Tomorrow, we head to the Perhentian Islands, about 20 km off the coast of Malaysia. White sands and postcard sunsets await, so I better go rest up! Internet may not be available on the island, so stayed tuned for a few days, and I'll work to get some pictures up when I'm back on land....

Certified to swim with the fishies....

It's official. I'm an open-water diver!

Finished my course yesterday with two dives at 18 meters. What a rush it is being down there....it really blows you away. I never thought it could be as relaxing as was under water. We were swimming through schools of small fish, seeing incredible colors in both the fish and the coral as we passed. Unbelievable! There was a chance that we could see some whale sharks at one of the dive sites as they had been spotted just earlier in the week, but no luck.

It's inevitable that, if I do make it to Bali in the next month (which I'm planning), I will certainly take the time to get in the water there. Oh, just another hobby that has put its paws around my neck...

Either today or tomorrow, I'll be heading south and making my way to the neighboring country of Malaysia. It should be about a 24-hour trip (boat+bus+bus) to Kuala Lumpur, the capital. Can't wait for that nice, little trip!!

Morning of the final dive














Getting all geared up before the big dive

Dives complete!

My diving resort on Koh Tao














And last but not least, I would be holding out if I didn't share this next little bit with you all. Let's just say this: I've gotten a couple hints that it's my time to leave the Thai islands...first getting robbed in Koh Phangan, now getting punched in Koh Tao? Oh the memories I'll have from this trip. I guess we'll learn that local Thai men don't carry the appreciation for "sarcasm" quite like we do in the States. Sooo, as a result, I earned my second black eye ever (my nephew Matthew gave me my first when he was 8). Well, that'll teach me! It's okay, Mom, I'm fine. Your little boy can take a good smackin'. Even the boys from Wales I was with were impressed with my compusure.

As always, however, I'll maintain my stance as a lover and never a fighter...

So, from Thailand, possibly the last post from within the borders of this country, I'm signing off. Happy trails from Rocky Balboa!

Underworld World, Day 3

If this trip would have one common theme, it would revolve around the idea of stepping up my confidence and conquering some of the fears and/or reservations I have had in my life....

I've never been good with heights, so I tried rock climbing. I am now digging it completely and don't seem to have any beef in dealing with the heights as I scale a rock tower. Similarly, although I can swim and have even worked as a lifeguard, I'd never dreamed I would have the guts to go down deep into the ocean and breathe by way of steel cylinder and narrow tube.

Well, today was a big day. My dive group went down for two dives of 12 meters today, spending much of the time under water performing skill assessments and drills. We did manage some swim time, but the current we were dealing with around the deep-water coral was, apparently, some of the worst Kho Tao has had in some time. Why not start with the toughest conditions, right? The day was great, and, although the visibility wasn't the best, we did manage to have enough to keep our eyes wandering around the sea floor.

Tomorrow will be the fun day, however. We'll finish our techniques/drills in the morning, and we will finish in the afternoon with some exploratory diving 18 meters deep in the Bay of Thailand. Can't wait!

On a completely, unrelated note....I can't seem to ever get away from the state of Iowa! In 2004, when I studied in Ireland, I can recall watching the CNN World network as they covered the Iowa Caucuses. Well, four and a half years later, as I track yet another election, Iowa comes into the picture again. I was in my room during my lunch break today from our class and decided to catch up on some news. I flipped on the CNN World network, yet again, and amid all the serious election coverage, they paused to touch on a more humerous subject. Apparently there are these two children, a 4-yr old and a 2-yr old, who have been discussing politics and the elections over their morning cereal/yogurt for the past few weeks. One supported Obama and the other McCain, and the camera footage captured them debating and conversing about their candidates. And, of course, where were the two kids from? Iowa, of course. The exact city in the Hawkeye State wasn't mentioned, however. But, I must admit, it was quite strange to be sitting in my hotel room on a small island off the coast of Thailand and seeing news footage from a Des Moines television station.

It's a small world....

Underwater World, Day 2

If this whole SCUBA diving bit catches on like rock climbing did, I'm in for an expensive, hobby-filled life ahead.....

After a brief afternoon in the classroom yesterday and some more preparation from the textbook this morning, we took to the pool for some basic skills this afternoon. I never thought that I could be quite so comfortable underwater, but after spending all afternoon in the water, 3 hours of which were spent in the 12 ft water without coming back to the surface, I think I've become more adapted than I could have ever imagined.

Tomorrow, we spend one last morning in the classroom before taking to the waters of the Gulf of Thailand tomorrow afternoon. We'll do two dives down around 12 meters (in/around 36 feet) and that's when the fun should begin. Sunday (Day 4) will be capped off with the deepest dive (18 meters) prior to receive my open-water certification. And then, I'm officially a diver!

The laid-back atmosphere of Kho Tao has been great, and I can already tell it will be one of those places that will be difficult to part with when the time comes.....

Until then, I'm busy being a student again. I even have homework tonight, so I better wrap this up and get back to my textbook!

Oh, the ups and downs of the travel life....

Today is Thursday, October 16, 2008, and I am happy to say that I am officially off of the island of Koh Phangan and have moved up to the smaller, more "chilled out" Koh Tao. It will be a nice, relaxing change from the craziness that was Koh Phangan...but here's a quick summary of the recent week....

Arriving on the island on Friday (10/10/08) was nearly like coming back to college after a long summer break away from your friends...dozens, it seemed, of travelers I had met in the previous 2 1/2 months all seemed to congregate on one island for one reason: the Full Moon. And with each passing day leading up to the big day (10/14/08), it was surreal to see the mounting familiar faces keep adding up...

The island was larger than any I've been on--apparently it is nearly 200 square kilometers in area. However, the majority of the "action" happens in and around Haad Rin, a small peninsula on the island's southeastern corner. That's where the backpackers gather, that's where the reunions happen, and that's where the Full Moon party is held each month.

Other than meeting up with old friends, I managed a day of exploration with an Englishman I had met in Halong Bay, Vietnam, some 30+ days ago. The two of us set off on motorbikes and crusied the hilly roads that lined the coast. I was on the edge of my seat as I gripped the brakes down every hill....this definitely was no flat island.....

We made our way to our destination in the middle of the island, a path that would ascend to the island's highest point some 650 meters above the rest of the island. After about 15 minutes of gentle path climbing, we came to a sign which "seemed" to point us up a running creek lined with massive boulders. So, like a bunch of little boys in a dirt pile, we rolled up our sleeves and were ready to get our hands dirty exploring. Soon enough, we were an hour and a half into a one-way adventure, navigating our way up a creek, climbing rocks, sliding on mossy surfaces, and even seeing numerous scorpions. Now realizing we were nowhere near the "path" anymore that was to be our guiding light, we swallowed our pride and began to make our way back down the path we had just come, rather than find ourselves lost in the thickness of the jungle. It was mid-afternoon when the two of us returned to our starting point, the origin of our 3-hour journey that left us nowhere close to the top as planned.

But there was hope. We soon discovered the sign we had missed the first time through, managed to get back on path, and eventually made the steep one-hour ascent to the top of the mountain. The view from the top made it all the worthwhile, but we didn't stay too long to enjoy it as sunset was soon approaching, thanks to our earlier detour that consumed most of our day. Oh, to be a watching creature and to see us blow right past that sign the first time around... It had to be like an old Looney Tunes cartoon when the road runner turns the arrow around and sends the coyote down to a rough descent. Nonetheless, we made an adventure out of the day and got to know the jungle quite well!

And then there was this little gathering on the beach that evening, when some 10,000+ foreigners come to have a few drinks and celebrate life...errr...or something like that. Or maybe its when mobs of local Thai theives perfect their skills on young, careless travelers? Well, this trip is about exploring new places and meeting new people, but it's also about working your way through the tough times when everything doesn't go as planned.

I wasn't the only one who fell victim to theft this particular evening. Actually, I don't know too many people I spoke with that weren't in someway victim to some sort of theft. The bummer of it all was that just 12 hours before the big gathering, I had bought a new, small digital camera to serve as my memory-keeper for the rest of the trip in those times when I didn't want to risk taking out my bigger, more expensive camera. Nonetheless, my new purchase was still a very nice little camera! Well, a few hours into the evening, I was camera-less and cash-less...all in all, the evening probably cost me around $300 between the two. Not the preferred way to end my stay on the island, but that's the way it ended. But if there is one quality that I have and that I will forever hold on to, it's to make the most of a crappy situation. It's never fun to use the cliche "It could've been worse...", but in a time like this, it's the one and only way to shake it off and move on. And I have.

So here I am in Koh Tao, moving onto my next adventure quickly and forgetting about my last. I've signed up for a 4-day SCUBA diving course and, come this time Sunday, I will be officially certified to go diving in depths up to about 60 feet. Koh Tao is one of the most popular places in the world to get certification, second only to a spot off the coast of Australia. I'm looking forward to seeing what the world has to offer deep in the ocean....

Yes, there's definitely some ups and downs of travel. But I've realized that once you shake off the short term effects of those down-in-the-dumps moments, you can get back to enjoying those things that this place really has to offer.

Only a few pics down below.... The few pictures I did have from the island and the big party went away when my camera was snagged. So until next time, enjoy what I have below and I'll work to put together some memories in the days to come. Wish me luck in the water tomorrow!

Maya Bay in Ko Phi Phi, last days in Ko Phi Phi














My little bungalow on Railey Beach, last stay before heading to the east coast and Ko Phangan














Approaching storm in Koh Phangan. This was from the beach, about 40 ft from my bungalow....


















View from the top of our hike on Koh Phangan!