Kuching -- Bako National Park

Since we've been on Borneo, we've been saying to each other gosh, it doesn't seem like Borneo. Kuching is a lovely little city, kind of booming, a nice clash of cultures, good food, but not full of the Borneo-ness we anticipated. Today, we went to Bako National Park and finally felt like we were in Borneo. We took a cab out to the Bako center, then a boat out to the park itself. It was so humid I wasn't sure I was going to be able to breathe enough air to survive, which was not much fun for me, but it's one of Marc's favorite types of geography so I enjoyed him enjoying it. We saw proboscis monkeys, a strange hairy boar, a sleeping flying lemur, and some naughty macaques, one of whom stole Marc's drink. But mainly it was just so very beautiful.

the morning boat ride out to the park

enlarge this one -- it's gorgeous, the beach

just so beautiful

taking a little rest at the top of a trailhead

it was mainly like this -- climbing up trails that were defined by webs of roots. it was lots of fun, figuring out where to place our feet for the next step.

giant rocks, giant plants, lots of vegetation and wildlife

this giant boulder was perched atop a smaller rock

sometimes there were stairs, but they seemed less safe and more scary than just the webs of tree roots

check out the schnozz on that proboscis monkey; they're only found on Borneo

they crack me up when they walk on the ground; they kind of wave their little arms in the air

but usually they're in the trees

hanging around

mother and baby macaque

Bornean bearded pig

this guy ran up, quick as lightning, and grabbed Marc's drink off the table and took off with it. he turned it up and drained the last of the drink, then ran off with the can.

there's the can, tucked under his arm. he ran off into the grass and we heard him eating the can.

so gorgeous, i'll always remember it

on the boat ride back to the park headquarters, tired us

Tomorrow we fly back to Kuala Lumpur, then get to Melaka somehow -- a bus, a cab, not sure yet. Next stop, then, peninsular Malaysia.