Day 38 - On the bus - Border Crossing and near death (twice)

We nearly died twice today, possibly more. We all set off from Matang and headed to the bus station where we had breakfast, loaded bags onto the coach and headed off about 10.30. Everything was fine for a few hours, I slept on and off. 

After a few random stops for the driver to have a smoke we arrived at the border, where Malaysian Borneo meets the Indonesian part. We were stamped out of Malaysia, then walked through no mans  land and were checked into Indonesia. It was quite an odd and slightly stressful experience, people bustling about trying to help you and infact just getting in the way. We were herded like sheep back onto the coach and then we hit dirt roads. It couldnt have been more of a contrast to where we had come from. 

I am not talking dirt on Tarmac, I am talking bloody great boulders and holes. We think our roads are bad in the UK, welcome to Indonesia. A 4x4 would struggle on this terrain. Instead we were in a massive coach that was rocking like a ship on choppy waters. Luckily I had taken some travel pills so the sickness was subdued. I even managed to read a whole book on the journey something I haven't been able to do in a moving vehicle for a few years. 

The scenery was completely different, less jungle, dryer and hotter. It was if we had teleported at the border to a different planet. The houses/shacks were basic but colourful, the odd fancy one dotted in amongst them. They didn't have the high fences that Malaysian ones had. Yet most if not all of them had satellite dishes. A real mix of east meets west. There were farms of peppercorns and palm oil on the hills where a presume jungle once was and I saw my first cow! 

Everything up to this point was going well, then drivers were flagging us down. We had a flat tyre. We stopped on the road next to this small village, while we waited for them to pump it up. Locals and people on the coach were photographing the weird white people they thought it was so funny :) 

They worked with expert efficiently considering the circumstances,  a generator appeared from nowhere and before long we were on our way. We briefly stopped at a conveniently placed tyre shop where they changed it over and we were off. Due to our small setback we were now running around an hour behind.

Therefore the driver took it upon himself to drive very fast, overtake everything and take last minute decisions to avoid dogs and bikes and turn corners like a racing driver. It was hair raising stuff. There were oh's and ah's from most of the passengers and nervous giggles from me. We nearly toppled over into a lake avoiding a motorcycle and nearly rear ended car slowing for pot holes. 

When we arrived it was nightfall and I was glad to step onto solid ground. A couple of cars picked us up and drove us to our hotel. This place is full of scooters, they come from everywhere and there are even dedicated bike parks for them all. Bangkok has just been beaten by the sheer quantity. 

The hotel was beautiful, luxury stuck in a maze of shanty buildings and scooters. Really odd. Pizza Hut was our location for dinner and it was delicious.

Day 37 - In Transit - Successful Visa Run and back to Matang

                                                 
This morning was an earlyish start to go to Semengogh. As I have been before me and Kristi dropped them off then headed to the embassy, correctly clothed this time. It was heaving, I thought we would never get seen. But being 'Beulah' or westerner, we got shoved to the front and were seen within minutes. The big boss came out to great us we felt like royalty. 

We left them with our passports and forms and went to retrieve the others. They all had a great time seeing the Orangs. We drove to the first supermarket we went to to when I came here and the look of horror and fascination on their faces mirrored mine when I first saw all the stores. After a short wander we headed to the roti shop. I think this will be something I miss upon my return. 

After a short drive we ended up back at Matang. We would be staying in the longhouse I stayed in when I came last year, but our rooms were not ready so we headed to Tasha and Leos and he took us on the tour of the centre. Although I had done this twice before I wanted to we Leo's take on it. Two and a half hours later we finished and I learnt so much. His knowledge and enthusiastic story telling voice is memorising. 

On ewe settled into our rooms and Kristie left to go back to the facilitators house I rallied the troops and took them to the shop to buy water. We came back to a beautiful dinner cooked by Morren (the lady who lived opposite us down the street). Kristie returned and proceeded to play bug tennis with her TJF (thing, jangle, flip flop) it was hilarious. Shortly after Leo came back to see how we all were. We spent the next few hours talking and again all sat there listening to him speak. 

By about 9, my brain was verso added with new information so I retired to bed, unfortunately for some reason I couldn't sleep and the last time I looked at the clock it was 1am :(

Day 36 - Basaga Kuching - Failed Visa attempt and newbies

Up bright and early this morning for breakfast. Ruth and Mel left early hours of this morning, and I know they didn't miss their flight as they checked in on FB at KL Airport. A few stragglers were left but I decided to have some me time, something I realised I hadn't really had in over a month. 

I chilled by the pool for a bit, re packed my bags, condensed used bottles of liquids into smaller ones etc.... As you will know this clean perked me up no end. 

At around 2pm I went to try and upload the blog photos with no success, I waited anyway for Kristie as we needed to do our visa run. Eventually Bron turned up with the truck after a few delayed flights from the airport run. We set off for the embassey. It was nice to be out and about and as usual me and Kristie spent the journey chatting away, generally be crude and giggling like small children. 

However, the laughter was short lived when we arrived at the embassey. Firstly she had failed to mention that singlets (strappy tops) were forbidden so were the short shorts I wore. Even so we entered to funny looks and then the security guy telling us afternoons were collection only. We turned round and went back to Basaga to return tomorrow. To cheer ourselves up and not waste a journey we headed to a shopping mall called 'The Springs' this place was posh! Like a western mall. We headed to the supermarket for some snacks for our upcoming journey. 

Upon our return I showered and changed and then went down to the welcome dinner. All the new arrivals looked tired and frightened, properly how I looked last year on my first time. The group for Ketapang is much smaller with 6 of us and another two who are already there having decided to stay another month. Three other English ladies, including one returner, an Ozzy and a Canadian man.

Day 35 - Basaga Kuching - Missed flights, hangovers and cashpoint

I was woken up this morning by Mel. Odd you may say she was due to be catching her flight. She had fallen asleep in reception and missed it altogether. I mumbled something and fell back to sleep where I stayed till around midday. I eventually peeled myself from bed, headed down to the restaurant and sat with Kristy and Kerrie for a few hours watching random YouTube videos. 

I returned to bed at 2pm. After a short nap Mel needed cash so we walked to cashpoint, well tried to. In our delicate states, Mel's total lack of sleep and the heat it was near impossible for normal brain function to exist. We wondered in the direction we had been pointed, gave up and walked another road without success. We returned to Basaga and ate.

So all in all a Complete waste of a day but I think I needed it, in preparation for the days that lied ahead.

Day 34 - Matang Borneo - D-Day

This morning was meant to be farm but due to the move that was taking place it was cancelled and I was put on gibbons. All husbandry had to be completed by 10am. Motivation was high this morning everyone wanting to get things completed so we could watch the move. Most of us were done by 9.45, the tension and excitement was palpable. 

Leo came just before 10am and we were all herded out to a safe distance. Sandy was first, she has been there for years. Leo already had them trained to have injections but every time the liquid was squeezed in she would pull away. After a few attempts and top ups she was out and then came the tricky bit of opening a door, which hadn't Been opened in as long as she was in there. Eventually they got it and carried her out to the back of quarantine where the vet was waiting with forestry to do a full check up, blood count and microchip. We got to watch over the fence. Then she started to wake up so the keepers launched her over their backs and ran past us to the new enclosures. And that's when it started, the tears. No sobbing or crying just full flow of tears, I couldn't stop them. What an amazing experience to watch.

Next up it was Shirley, the smoker. She has a history of anaesthesia, which produces a fatty build up in their throat pouch, they knew she was probably more resistant to the drugs but weren't quite banking on how much they eventually gave her. It took some time for her to be out fully. As she was a lot bigger than sandy it took six men and a stretcher to get her out. She was given the full medical check and then transferred to the new cage.

Imagine what they must have thought, just being in a clean cage which will be able to be cleaned everyday must be a relief, soon they will get to go outside once they are awake and settled. They will be able to see daylight, feel the rain, smell the jungle, things we all take for granted but that these girls have been deprived of for so many years, long before they came here. 

Maria will be moved over the coming days she won't take an injection so will need to be darted which is much more stressful. Kerry asked if we wouldn't mind cleaning the cages they had been in, I jumped at the opportunity, I have wanted to scrub them since I came 6months ago. I was surprised how easily the dirt came off, but the smell was horrific :( 

After lunch we were meant to see a civet cat released into its new cage, instead we saw it released into the jungle when it accidentally escaped from the transportation cage. Means another lucky animal can now be released from quarantine. 

We left for Basaga at about 3pm, chilled for a bit, had dinner then headed to Monkee bar again. Mel and I got in about 3am and she went off to go and wait for her taxi to the airport.

Day 33 - Matang Borneo - The Penultimate Day

Back to work today and it was my last Orangs. As we arrived we were given the news that the three Orangs in Quarantine were to be moved in the new enclosure tomorrow. We were all in shock, we didn't think this would happen while we were here, but I was hoping to go back after Ketapang and see them then. It really boosted moral and to know that we would be preparing those cages was amazing.

We set to work on the normal cages and powered through them, next we set to work on the new ones, they were much easier to clean as they were new, no holes in the concrete :) once we had completed this we had some painting to finish above them, which meant sitting on top of the cages. Michelle, Emma and I worked very well together and had the wall complete by lunchtime.

I made a lovely noodle dish for lunch with most of the food we had left, leaving tomorrow we wanted to have a feast. As we had finished the morning session quite early we started back after lunch at 1.30 not 2pm, we did the second coat on the wall then Dom set us all a task. Emma has to superglue the bolts on our hammocks we made, Michelle was chipping excess cement off the floors and I was bolting ropes inside the cages for them to swing on. We all joined Michelle after to finish of the cement and then clean the cages again.

I popped off to see Rosey and it hit me that it was the second to last day. I have taken it for granted seeing her everyday and now I wouldn't anymore, I didn't want her to see me get tearful as it may have unnerved her so I snuck off when I felt the tears coming.

We were all pretty excited that evening discussing our time there and how amazing tomorrow was going to be. I went to bed about 9pm but I was too excited to sleep, I think I eventually drifted off gone 1am.
                                            

Day 32 - Basaga Kuching - Tattoos and Wifi

I felt rough this morning, alcohol has clearly ruined my liver for a few days. We were sat at breakfast when someone did a walk of shame. Hahahaha

Mel and I showered and then headed to the tattoo place where I got mine last time. We have decided to have a matching tattoo of a tribal Slow Loris. She is having hers on her foot and I will have mine under my scorpion but when I return from Ketapang. Unless I have a mad brain wave in between, suggestions are most welcome, and no mum and dad not getting it done is not a suggestion.

We ordered a taxi for 9.45 but it didn't show until gone 10am meaning we were late for the appointment, but no one seemed to mind, Mel was particularly nervous on the way there. I watched for about 15minutes but the noise of the tapping made me feel a bit ill, surprising considering I had one done myself. Instead I got into updating the blog so I could upload it on my return. After about three hours the tattoo was complete and it was beautiful. Can't wait to have mine done now :) 

We spent the rest of the day back at Basaga, eating and sitting on wifi. I downloaded a few books, updated the blog and had FaceTime with my mum, dad and aunty. After last nights drinking I was pretty tired. Bron came to pick us up at about 6.30, the ride home was quiet everyone was shattered. It didn't take long once we got in to go to bed.