Monkey Time - Zach's in Asia: August 2008

We're just about done here!

Hello faithful readers... if any of you are still reading after my lazy spell of posting NOTHING.

Hopefully these few posts will quench your thirst for worldly travels. It seems like ages ago since Jennie and I embarked on this long journey across southeast Asia. We've had some amazing times, seen incredible things, and met great people along the way. Some of the best times came from the completely unexpected and unplanned for; let that be a lesson about trying to plan too hard! Can you believe I'm saying that Madame?

Anyways, we're back in exactly one week! Hope you enjoy these posts about Malaysia: the Perhentian Islands, KL, Mulu National Park in Borneo, and the Orangutan sanctuary near Kuching, again in Borneo.

Miss you all and can't wait to share our stories and pictures with you in person. Hope you've enjoyed reading the little posts I put down here. Maybe I'll have one or two more posts in HK before we go home. Stay tuned...

Cheers from Borneo,
ZA

PS: BTW, that's a blurry, but cool pic of me on the canopy walk, in Mulu. 30 meters high, chilling in the jungle!

Orangutan Sanctuary - Kuching, Malaysia

These primates rock! And the babies are the cutest little things. And this is coming from someone who generally loves all primates, right Jennie?

Sorry, Gibbons and Macaques: Orangutans are cooler than you! Chimps: you are still freaking awesome though!

A mama and her baby, chilling before the feeding time. They are amazing!

Chilling with some bananas and sugar canes. A simple, sweet life!

The big alpha male, Archie. He can rip your arms out of your socket, without even trying. Don't mess with Archie!

We also learned that Archie is a glutton, and isn't into sharing his food. He was pretty much alone while on the feeding platform, except for his woman and little baby, and even they kept their distance.

Archie, a.k.a. Sasquatch, making his get away into the jungle. The tree went on to bend about half way under his weight, allowing his to grab the next tree effortlessly. Smart guy!

Mama number 2 and her baby. They chilled right above us for a good 20 minutes looking at us, kissing each other, and generally having a good time. We later learned from a guide, that this particular mama has taken a liking to grabbing people's belongings, looking for food. One woman got her pack, and her shirt, ripped right off her. Yikes!

Seriously, how cute?

Mulu National Park: The Lost World!

This has been by far one of THE highlights of this entire trip. While in Mulu, Jennie and I explored the world's largest cave passage in the Deer Cave (big enough for a 747 to fly through it and home to over 3 million bats, including the ones in the opening pic!), one of the world's longest cave systems in the Clearwater Cave (over 100 km explored thus far... and counting!) and climbed one of the world's 7 natural wonders: The Pinnacles, a grouping of 50 meter high, razor sharp limestone pinnacles formed by the devastating effects of water of a few million years. The climb usually takes people between 8-10 hours to get up and down the 2.4 KM long trail, which reaches a height of 1,200 meters, with an average slope between 45 and 90 degrees. Trust us it's steep! Jennie and I proudly accomplished the round trip in 7h40mins, including a 40 minute stint at the summit. The wake up call from Base Camp 5 was 4 AM, departure 5:40 AM in the dark with our head-lamps, return to camp 1:20 PM. One of the coolest things I've ever done!

Hope you enjoy the pics!

Jennie in front of our twin engine plan, on the Mulu Park airstrip.

On the back of our jeep, on route to the Park headquarters, with the mountains in the background.

The Deer Cave mouth just above the trees, in the giant limestone cliff.

Jennie and me after having tried, unsuccessfully, to sneak into the shee-shee poo-poo Royal Mulu Resort (the alternative to staying in the national park lodging) to use their pool on a crazy hot day. We made it into the pool with our travel buds Pat and Jessica, for about all of 15 seconds before asking us to either pay the $30 pool usage fee, or leave. We left, already refreshed anyway. HA!

That's one big tree trunk. Nuff said!

Jennie, 4 hours after departing from base camp 5, in front of The Pinnacles.

Me, looking very adventurer-like, in front of The Pinnacles. So manly, yes?

See that green rectangle, off in the horizon? That's the airstrip. Yeah, we're hardcore!

That's one sweaty and tired Zach after the 7h40mins mark.

KL: Capital City of Malaysia

Here are a few shots from Kuala Lumpur, one of our favourite cities by far on this trip. Malaysia has turned out to be such an amazing place, considering we weren't even supposed to be here. Who needs China anyways?!?!?!?

Two sexy towers, and two sexy travellers in KL.

Amazing diversity in the architecture; just ONE more reason to visit KL!

Malaysia's national mosque. Trust us, this was big.

Perhentians: Paradise!!!!!!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I offer you a few thousand words on the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia, along with 151 words for the captions. Beat that Howard Hughes!

This was the view, as we arrived by high speed boat to the Perhentians, on our first morning around 7 AM. Wow!

My friend, Sea Master, eating a rat he just caught on the beach. Sounds really gross, but it's a REALLY funny story for those who want to ask me about it. I love this EAGLE!

Seriously, this place was so relaxing, so beautiful, and so much fun. This was our view every evening, as the sun set, and the tide went out... minus me kneeling down. That was only for the picture.