The Kinabatangan River

Sea Eagle, Kinabatangan River, Sabah
Originally uploaded by .JT

As we travelled upstream, it seemed the wildlife knew to introduce itself one rare species at a time. First a Sea Eagle, then the Proboscis Monkeys, a Rhinoceros Hornbill, an Alligator...

Into the Heart of Borneo - Mulu Caves

Sheets of rain continue to fall and it looks unlikely that any bats will be feeding this evening (3,000,000 of them usually fly out at dusk as regular as clockwork; we seem to have picked the wrong day).

So what a treat when, just as our hopes looked dashed, and the majority of the group shrug shoulders and traipse back through the jungle, the rain stops, and the remaining dozen or so of us look up to see the start of the bats evening feed. Three million of them...

In Sheets of Rain and Mist

We took the easy option and photographed the "Garden of Eden" from inside Deer Cave, otherwise we'd have to take another 2 hour trek through cockroach-infested guano to get to paradise... From where we stood, a hanging waterfall of cool water drenched the lush green tropical life in this magical place. Sunlight refracted through droplets of mineral rich water.

Illuminated webs weaved by giant spiders scatter ever rock face. Streams of water 300 feet high hang from the rocks ahead. The echo of cool, clear refreshing water filling pools at the base of the cave, rivers formed, salt water rich in guano that attracted the deer in prehistoric times. In sheets of rain and mist, limestone mountains rear up outside, framed by forest at the entrance to this spectacular cave.

test blog post

Mist covered rainforest

Descents

The descent into Singapore: above the thickest eiderdown of continuous cloud, bright white-tipped in the morning sun; a pristine sky above, of an iridescent blue.

Penetrating the protecting veil, we brake through in the most spectacular way, Singapore the city-country-island-state appears in its globally strategic position. A clean, ambitious, economic miracle bursts forth into the 21st Century from its humble beginnings.

Glimpsing Borneo

This is the way I expected to first glimpse Borneo. As a dark shadow covered by clouds, the odd hint of what was once quite literally shrouded in mystery. A tantalising taste of what might follow.

Mama Betty

Fast boat to Manukan Island with the enigmatic 70 year young Betty, owner of KK Tours. Self-styled ‘Mama Betty’, the most well-connected Tourist agent in Sabah (her past life in the Bornean police special branch no doubt extending her sphere of influence), was to become a recurring motif during our journey around Borneo, usually appearing just in time to thwart chaos and disaster, with a beaming smile and infectious positivity.