Tropical delights of Mantanani

COUNTRY: Borneo & Cambodia
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Building & Conservation
WRITTEN BY: Natalie Saar

All sun-kissed and glowing with a fresh tan (or with fresh freckles in my case!), the Antipodeans have now returned to KK from the beautiful island of Mantanani, where we have spent a glorious week soaking up the lifestyle of its seaside community.

With the entrance to the camp less than 20 metres from the shoreline, we could literally roll out of bed and into the sea. Especially if you decided to haul out your mattress and pillow at night, cram it into one of the hammocks hung right on the beach, and let the rhythm of the waves lull you into sleep. Usually we went for a swim three or four times a day, including a refreshing dip before breakfast. Nothing wakes you up in the morning quite like that! Ashlee from Streaky Bay in South Australia said at last she felt right at home!

The project on the island is a Community Learning Centre. Compared to the Kindergarten at Tinangol, which didn't yet have a fully formed scaffolding, the construction here is practically complete. Only refining and detail-work is left. The rows of panels of woven coconut leaves, screwed into wooden beams, which make up the walls of the building, needed to be tidied and weatherproofed. While some people lacquered and dried these panels, or laboured with shovels on landscaping work, others devoted time to carefully painting new letters on the sign for the local school, because the children had peeled off the sticker letters on the last sign. On our last day the headmaster came out to inspect the completed new sign and gave a quick approving nod, "Bagus." ("Good.") which made us glow with pride. Hopefully the building will be opened officially before the year is out!

We also had the opportunity to plan a couple lessons to give to the children of the island. Aside from teaching them English, our mission was to impart to our students the importance of conserving the beautiful marine environment that surrounds them. Especially the precious coral reefs,  which are currently being destroyed by bomb fishing and pollution. We made up a short story with pictures about 'Timmy the Sea Turtle' to illustrate the major threats to these vulnerable sea creatures. The story also focused on ways that the villagers can help not hinder their continued existence. Like not eating turtle eggs when the females leave them on the beach to hatch, or not being careless with rubbish, especially because turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and choke on them. 

After attempts at teaching this, with what little English the children understood, eventually our lessons always dissolved into big laughing games of soccer or duck-duck-goose, or mass sticker-giving sessions. However we hope at least some of our messages got through to the kids! 

In our free time on the island we snorkelled off the jetty, or lazed in the sun like lizards, reading and catching up on journal writing. Aida, the camp manager on Mantanani, was fantastic about organising small activities for us, like an early morning walk to the tip of the island to see the sunrise. One afternoon some of the ladies from the village even came to the camp to demonstrate how to weave the coconut leaves into large mats, and then how they make colourful purses from recycled food wrappers - a modern day, eco-friendly application of their weaving skills! 

Coconut trees, which thrive in this coastal environment, are probably more abundant here than people! The villagers are adept at scaling the tall trunks to fetch the still green young coconuts and drink the sweet refreshing coconut juice inside. We all had a go climbing a tree ourselves, but few of us could get our feet off the base!

There was also plenty of time to explore. I loved finding paths leading towards the other side of the island, where the land acts as a wind barrier so the water is still as glass. There, when it approaches dusk you can't tell where the sea starts and the sky ends. The nights were perfect for stargazing, or building fires on the sand to roast marshmallows or barbeque chicken wings. 

What a truly incredible place! Special thank you to Aida for making our stay so unique and absolutely unforgettable.  You made everyone want to get dreadlocks so they could be cool as you! 

Well, time to sign out and go out shopping for high-energy snacks in KK in preparation for our imminent ascent of Mount Kinabalu!  Next time you hear from me I will (hopefully) have survived a mountain climb! 

Till then, thanks for reading,
Natalie