COUNTRY: Borneo & Cambodia
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Natalie Saar
It was a gruelling 11 hour bus ride from Tinangol before we made it to the second camp on our Borneo itinerary: Batu Puteh. But the beauty of the jungle, the excitement of the wildlife, and the generosity of the people here meant it was worth the ride ten times over.
The setup here is very different to our first camp. Instead of a big shared longhouse, we were split into pairs to live with various families in the nearby communities in a 'homestay' arrangement. The people here are strong Muslims so we had to be careful about dressing conservatively. That is, wearing pants that went below the knee and no singlets or shirts that exposed our chest and shoulders.
The focus here was environmental conservation in the jungle. During the day, we worked in a tree nursery, planting seeds or wheelbarrowing soil, or made a small trek into the jungle to plant the 10 cm seedlings, grown at the nursery, in the wild earth. Although clearing the area first of the forest's thick undergrowth to make room for the seedlings was hard work, it was probably the only chance I'll ever get to wield a machete!
Our nights we spent with our homestay families. Experiences varied, depending on how much English was spoken in the household. Some families, like mine, had very young children, who never stopped wanting to play and sing, while some people were invited to karaoke parties, or chatted with the older children in the house, comparing cultures and learning new words in Malay. It's safe to say most people came to work the next day clutching at their stomachs, still overwhelmed by how much rice they had been encouraged to consume in one meal, after their host mums eagerly heaped spoonful after spoonful onto their plates. Even despite loud protests of "Abis! Abis!" (Finished! Full!).
Their generosity was very touching. Even though they lived simply, in homes where the only running water came from a rain tank out the back. In Malaysia, houses are often modelled with one big communal room, which functions as children's play and nap area, dining room, living space, clothes drying area and visiting room where mothers and grandmothers greet friends and family, who seem to drop in at all hours of the day to gossip and nurse their babies together. I liked this always-open door policy, which seems to have faded in the busy Western world where people prefer their privacy. However, I was most impressed by the multi-speaker stereo system my host family had installed to accompany their TV - obviously a more valuable investment than a flushing toilet!
Our most challenging night in Batu Puteh was the one we spent in the jungle, sleeping in a hammock and simple tarpaulin we had tied up ourselves. I for one loved the experience of being in the wild like that, getting back to basics. However, any excursion into the forest for a late night loo stop ('nature-call' as the guides refer to it) becomes a daring mission where you are armed with only a headtorch and a box of baby wipes against the clicking, rustling sounds of the forest in darkness. Pee at your own risk!
With that being the most frightening, definitely one of the most thrilling things about this camp was the wildlife we got to see! A highlight was our sighting of wild pygmy elephants! Through the criss-cross of bamboo trees, we glimpsed three of these majestic creatures, including a mother and her baby trailing along behind her. I was so rooted to the spot in silent awe that I didn't even grab my camera to catch them on film! The boys were eager to pursue them, but our guide was very cautious. He urged us to be quiet and still in case we scared them and they became aggressive.
We were fortunate to also go on two jungle cruises along the river Kinabatangan. From our huddled perch on a long narrow wooden boat weaving its way upstream, we each scrutinised the wilderness on either side, hoping to catch some movement - anything but a crocodile in the river really! Whenever our guide gave a subtle flick of his hand to the boat driver, signalling him to silence the engine and slowly approach the river bank, we rapidly passed around Beth's binoculars amongst us to get a closer look. We were lucky to see plenty of birds, especially oriental-pied hornbills, and one rare rhinoceros hornbill, the largest bird found here, with a huge prehistoric-looking red horn protruding from its forehead. We saw otters in small groups scamper along the muddy river bank, as if racing each other to the next tree, and spotted probiscus monkeys swinging high from branch to branch. One tree we passed was studded with at least twenty of these monkeys with their strange drooping noses. When our guide noticed that all of them were male, he suggested this was a 'bachelor pad'' - jungle style! At the sighting of an orangutang nest, we gasped, hoping to see its owner nearby, but I guess we will have to wait until our visit to Sepilok Orangutang Rehabilitation Sanctuary later in the trip before we see a real life orangutang.
Our last night in Batu Puteh, our host families gave us traditional outfits to wear - long skirts and knee-length shirts on top, with brightly coloured floral patterns, sometimes even a little bling on the collar. We gathered together by the river for a night of traditional dance and sweet iced tea to celebrate a wonderful stay.
Thank you for your hospitality and goodbye Batu Puteh!
Next stop, the tropical island of Mantanani - apparently a favourite for previous volunteers! I can't wait!
Till then, thanks for reading,
Natalie
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