08.10.2004

Kuching, Borneo

The Kuala Lumpur international airport is definitely a sight to behold - an architectural feat. A massive roof that seems to weave in multiple Opera House sails to cover the buildings below. Flying with Air Asia cost us something like AUD $30 for a two-hour flight - though the no-seat allocation policy instantly creates a 100-metre sprint.

Kuching is another fusion of colonial heritage, Chinese hawker shops and street markets mixed with very modern, westernised shopping centres. The occassional whiff of raw sewage comes out for a stroll every now and then to remind you you're still in Asia though.

Apparently the history goes that an Englishman by the name of Brooke helped the Sultan of Brunei (which is 14 hours north-east of Kuching) in a war against inland tribes. For his assistance he was awarded this southern state of Sarawak, of which Kuching is the capital - and he appointed himself Raja Brooke - his descendants ruling this place for many a generation.

Anyway - we managed to get out to a rehabilitation reserve to catch see some Orang-utans during morning feeding time. It was a half-hour wait as the park staff called out into the jungle, but eventually they came crashing through the tree tops. It was an amazing sight to see the two-hundred kilo dominant male effortlessly fly through the trees and down to the feeding area.

We also managed to get out to Bako national park on the coast for couple of nights. Within a few kilometres we crossed through mangroves, ancient jungle and rainforest with root systems so dense they covered every part of the trail, and scrub straight out of the Royal National Park in Sydney. It was all an amazing mix of flora and fauna so different from the Malaysian mainland. Macaque monkeys kept everyone on their toes at the park centre - apparently the most fearless breed of monkeys on the planet, and we also managed to catch a glimpse of the rare Proboscis monkey - with its white tail, pot belly, and odd nose.

Now we're back in Kuching and booked to fly out to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning. We're itching to get over to India, and Dan and Niki are off to New Zealand and Australia - so a few more days exploring Malaysia and Singapore and then it's goodbye to Asia.