Borneo

Lesson 2. 

Bako National Park. 

And then we met Alvin, our accompanying guide for the rest of our trip. More like drill sergeant, A khaki favouring man we were warned of his lack of typical Malaysian characteristics instead punctual, efficient and blunt, and probably exactly what we needed. We first met on the bus to Bako, which was very intense as he sussed out the group and brought out the reality of what we were in for without hesitation, His safety announcement went something along the lines of 'do not to complain to me and be prepared to die in various ways, look alive and watch your step - I don't want to have to pull your carcass out of the jungle'.

Although Alvin became one of my favourite characters on the trip. Quick witted, the tough skinned teddy bear fatherly type. He even played along with the groups drunken game of chinese whispers one night, and yes the group played silent whispers. 

Taking boats to the national park, skimming the water in the sunlight as the coastal landscape passed us by, the water splashing alongside the rhythms of the boat as it swayed from side to side, sometimes requiring us to hang on for dear life. Our view changed from one jetty to lush tree covered mountains, to mangroves and water trees sticking out of the sandbeds to marble sandstone cliffs to another beach front jetty.

The animals walk alongside us here at Bako, wildboars pottering along the beach, long-tailed macaques, proboscis monkeys and silver languors frequently looking on at what the humans are up to.

And here I mention how I got rolled by a gang of monkeys. At the time enjoying an ice cream in one hand, a can of coke at my feet, they gathered closer and in no time one swooped in and stole my ice cream right out of my hand, whilst distracted at the display another went for my coke. Those devilish macaques got the better of me that time, but only the once thank fully. A good couple of Ringgits worth of a funny story to be told. 

A flying lemur was spotted one morning, with the hopes it would leap/fly that night, the guides told us it would probably be at sunset, later that day we gathered underneath the tree awaiting this majestic move from tree to tree, this wait was long - hours long, looking upwards into the trees my neck began to ache, not looking back down at the fear I would miss the moment, and in a pickle some of us found ourselves, you get to a point where you've been waiting so long you're not entirely sure if sticking it out or leaving is the better option? In the end some of us may have given up and headed for dinner instead? Thankfully the others stayed getting video footage and photos, its as though we were there the entire time.

At Bako Alvin shared the things to be learnt from the fauna surviving on the completely sandstone island, with no real nutrients they have created a sustainable ecosystem adaptable to the islands circumstances, where trees are growing within salt and rock. Sustainability is the capacity to endure, here we saw the plants and trees feed of each other in coexistence, to sustain one another. Alike to our larger ecosystems, humans rely on the proper working of these environmental structures for our own survival and continued long-term maintenance of well being.

Along the beach we would see the odd piece of rubbish be swept up onto the shore by the sea, it was a reminder of how our actions elsewhere in the world still has a mighty affect on someone somewhere, it might not be your home but it someone else's and in the end it is all our home, our fates are linked and our homes all the same. 

Sitting in the beach hut writing, reading and taking it all in with some time to spare. Watching the waves of south china sea lap onto the beach in front of me the branches of the trees framing my view, the breeze sweeps through and matt corby playing the background it is all quite peaceful, enjoying the slower moments of life, until one of the pesky macaques strolls past and I grab onto my monkey deterring stick for protection.