Day 11: Sepilok to Kinabalangtan by Matt

After a full day yesterday at the orangutan and sun bear sanctuaries, we'd all slept well in our chalet and rose around 9am for our complimentary breakfast. Not the worst, but certainly not Shangri-la standards, the highlight was the cook your own parathas, similar to the frozen ones we buy at home. We filled out boots, Millen 3 times over, and followed the very specific instructions for our next place to pack a separate bag for the 2 nights there as we'll be climbing 600 steps to get there.

With an hour or so to kill before being picked up, we headed to the pool for a final dip and lounge in the sun and to use the quirky outdoor tree shower.

The Last Frontier, on Kinabalangtan river, was about 1.5 hours drive. We had to split up between the 2 cars, so I went with a Swiss family of 3, and the driver Jason, who we think co-owns it, and chatted to us the whole way. He started off giving us a detailed itenary, what to expect, what to wear, which I listened to attentively being the family rep. Then he started telling us about deforestation caused by planting for palm oil, then he talked about the corruption amongst authorities in the country, which seems to exist at all levels and increases the cost of legal requirements, such as business permits, by 10-20 times more. Even worse, he told us off the discrimination that the majority Muslim population had against the non-Muslim when it comes to jobs and even University acceptance. This was obviously very sad to hear but was also starting to feel a bit negative so I changed the topic, whilst he took a phone call, to the Swiss family's background, who seemed well travelled and fond of Asia.

We reunited at the bottom of the lodge and met Girt, the Belgian chap we'd liaised with, who like Jason had been working here for 20 years. They were younger than me and Simi so must have started it in their 20s and kept it going, which is very impressive for such a s small operation.

We left our excess luggage in the storage locker, and began the infamous stair climb. Halfway up we came across what we thought was a snake skin, but turned it to be a live, and very poisonous, pit viper!! Fortunately we didn't try and pick it up.

After 10 minutes or so, we reached the lodge, perched on a ridge with a view across the rainforest in one direction and the river in the other. With only 4 rooms and space for 12 (us, the Swiss family and an English family of 4) it felt very private and serene.

We checked into our rooms, enjoyed a simple pasta lunch and got ready for our first river cruise, led by the guide Ryan. This meant a trip back down the stairs, though lighter on luggage, carefully avoiding the viper on the way. We passed through the outskirts of the local village, Bilit, and passed a building playing bird noises through a speaker. Ryan stopped to explain that this was to attract swifts into a hatch and build nests inside, using their saliva. These were then sold at a premium to make birds nest soup, a Chinese delicacy said to improve youthful skin and strengthen immunity.

We donned lifejackets and boarded the long narrow river boat, in rows of 2, and were soon heading out into the wide, brown Kinabalangtan river. Once past the riverside lodges, Ryan opened the throttle and began skillfully steering the boat between the floating logs, the skies darkening around us. A white-bellied eagle swooped overhead.
As we sped along, we felt the first drops of rain and quickly donned our wet weather gear, which in the case of Arushi was an attractive pink poncho they'd given her and Simi's was her first outing in the second hand mac we'd bought in Kuching for 10RM. Sadly, it turned out, any waterproof qualities it might have once had were long gone.

We stopped by the riverbank for our first sighting of a family of pig-tailed macaques, jumping and playing in the branches. We then came across some silvered langurs, even more acrobatic and daring in their leaps. An oriental pied hornbill flew over the boat, landing in a nearby tree, shortly joined by it's mate. This medium sized frugivore (animal that survives mainly on fruits) grows to a heat-to-tail length of 60cm and wingspan of 35cm and is the most common of its species. The rain got heavier and our waterproof choices were put to the test! Simi lost on permeability and Arushi won on style.

We left the main river and travelled up a smaller one, passing under a rope put there by a WWF associated charity to help the orangutans cross over. We continued up the tributary, everyone keeping their eyes peeled for wildlife, until we found a group of proboscis females. Bigger and heavier than the macaques and langurs, they aren't so acrobatic, though webbing in their feet gives them swimming abilities making them the most aquatic of all primates. They can even dive underwater, cross rivers and escape crocodiles.

Even though the rain had eased off, everyone was starting to feel a bit cold and damp so we didn't mind when Ryan announced it would soon be dark so we were heading back. For a final but fabulous spot, we came across a rhinoceros hornbill, the national bird of Malaysia and found on the 5 ringgit note. It has a prominent golden-yellow horn, called a casque, on the top of its beak. The casque is a hollow structure made up of keratin (the same material as human fingernails) and acts as a resonating chamber, amplifying the bird’s calls. The largest of the 8 hornbills found in Borneo, it has a wingspan of 1.5m. Due to the loss of the tall trees it relies upon for breeding, it has a vulnerable status and is in decline.

We trudged back up the stairs, keeping a wary eye out for the pit viper, and took a welcome hot shower. Dinner was a delicious corn soup followed by nasi lemak, with beef rendang for the carnivores and a veggie curry for the veggies, then a seemingly endless supply of watermelon to finish.

An early morning cruise was an optional extra the following day, which Arushi, Millen and Simi seemed to quickly decline. Eashan and I were keen though, despite the doubts of everyone else as to our waking abilities. Jason then explained that no reservation was necessary we just needed to turn up at 530am, so the challenge was on!Read more