Discovering Orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Sanctuary and Bako National Park in Kuching

Posted on March 11, 2017

March 4-10 Previous post: Mulu: Gunung National Park, Borneo

KUCHING

The 1.5 hour flight with Air Asia was wonderful as they gave us a sandwich and a glass of juice. Yes, that IS a big thrill.

We didn’t do much the first day besides settle in and figure out our neighbourhood. The next day we were slow and missed the first bus so got an uber to the Semenggoh wild life sanctuary. We got there just in time for the first feeding and were rewarded with lots of orang utans. This place is very different from Sepilok and it’s definitely worth it to visit both. Here they have as much territory so they feed the orang utans more. They’re completely wild but are named and the feeders “call” them. When the trees are full of fruit they don’t always come as food is plentiful.

We thought we could stay in the park for the afternoon feeding but were told we had to leave after the bus had already gone so we tried to walk to town. The road is busy and it was really hot so we turned around and decided to just wait. Later a young couple joined us and we passed the time chatting about our various travels. That’s always fun.

Semenggoh Wildlife and RICHIE!

The afternoon feeding was MUCH more exciting. There were police present (weird) and then a procession of vehicles appeared, one black with a South Korean flag on the the front. No, I didn’t know that. Hugo pointed it out. The path was opened for some security police and a man in a suit and we were told to wait. Interesting. The man apologised to us for the disruption and carried. on. Turns out he was the ambassador from South Korea. A little while later we were all allowed to enter. A lot of people left after seeing a few orang utans but we stayed. The ambassador was asking one of the keepers lots of questions so I got closer to listen. Soon I was asking questions too and learned a lot more about these fascinating creatures.

Most of the people had left when one of the rangers told us that an old female had been spotted elsewhere so we followed him and watched her for a while. Then the REAL excitement. The biggest male had been spotted! We asked the ranger if the bus would wait as a bunch of us had to catch the 3:45 as it’s the last bus of the day. He said he’d radio and ask. There were 5 of us that got together and decided we’d uber together or something but we weren’t missing this. The big guy came crashing out of the trees and we were told to back up slowly if he came our way as they couldn’t predict what path he’d take. It was worth it. What an incredible animal!

We walked the 1.5 km back to the gate, assuming we’d have to find our way back but found the public bus WAITING for us! He held it a full half hour! The people on it didn’t even complain. Apparently a sighting of Richie, the big orang utan is worth holding a bus in Kuching.

The bus stopped at the station and Sue and I realised we had no idea how to get to our hostel. You’d think we’d learn. Luckily Frankie and Hugo knew where it is as theirs is close so we walked with them. Nice! They also told us about maps.me, a great app for navigating your way around when you don’t have cell service. We all treated ourselves to ice cream at the 7/11. We deserved it.

Bako National Park

Our host’s son David showed us where to catch the 8 am bus to Bako along with a couple from the Czech Republic. That took us to a dock and office area where we checked into the park and paid for a boat transfer to the Island park. We ran into Frankie and Hugo so decided to spend the day together. Once at the park we dropped off our bag (we didn’t take much) and headed for the trails. Trail #3 is supposed to be easy. It’s only 1.5 km but took us 2 hours as it involves climbing over roots and rocks and up and down ladder like steps and several stops to watch monkeys. At the beach we saw a boat so got together and hired him to take us on a bit of a tour. It was a great way to see some of the park!

After the day trippers departed we saw even more monkeys including the silver leaf monkeys and got lots of good photos while watching their antics. After dinner we joined the night hike where we saw a flying lemur, snakes, spiders and lots of other critters.

Our hostel bed wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be for $4.50 each. The room wasn’t the cleanest and the the shared bathroom not terribly pleasant either but it was just one night. The food wasn’t as bad as the reviews said it was either. The park is worth a bit of “suffering”.

In the morning we did some more hikes then spent some time near the beach just reading in a gazebo. The day before, while we were sweating like crazy trekking and looking for monkeys, others had seen silver leaf monkeys while drinking coffee in the cafe. So we thought we’d try that. It didn’t work. No silver leaf monkeys for us. Oh well. We did see LOTS the night before.

A boat ride back and we boarded the public bus, not at all sure where to get off. Frankie had told me about an ap maps.me for the phone that doesn’t use data so I tried it. Excellent! When we got within 200 metres we pushed the button for the next stop and were dropped off pretty much right in front of our hostel! Our feet will appreciate us getting lost a little less.

DSCF1782_pe_pe — Sunset from Bako National Park

DSCF1777_pe_pe — Beautiful rock formations at Bako National Park

DSCF1728_pe_pe — The water is orange because of the iron ore in the rocks

DSCF1719_pe_pe — Nice view along one of the trails in Bako National Park

One day we were sick of the heat so looked for an activity that involved water. Kayaking it is. Sue was hesitant as we’ve been on kayaking trips before that were a little more “adventure” than we’d bargained for. Kayaking down the Semadang River turned out to be an awesome day! The 12 km paddle was great. One stop involved a bit of a hike to a small water fall. The next was at a village for a local lunch of bamboo chicken, ferns and broad beans with fruit for dessert. A stop for a swim and at our drop off point around 3 pm. We spent the day wet again but at least it wasn’t sweat!

IMG_3298_pe_pe — Beautiful Semadang Riverr

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Cooling off in a water fall

We thoroughly enjoyed Kuching and were there for 6 days. You could easily find lots to do and stay longer. I highly recommend Marco Polo’s Guesthouse. ( https://marcopolo-hostel.business.site/ ) Sam and Jan are amazing hosts and David keeps the place spotless!

The trip continues with CEBU. Capitol of the Visayas & the Philippines second city.

Mulu: Gunung National Park, Borneo

Posted on March 8, 2017

February 28 – March 4

Gulung National Park, Mulu, Borneo

An Air Asia flight to Kota Kanabalu, then a MasWings flight with less than 10 people in the plane later and we arrived in Mulu. A lady dropped us off at the park and asked when we needed transport back. I ended up giving her completely wrong information as we’ve lost complete track of which flight is when and on which air line. Oh well. That’s why we print paper work 😉

After settling into the lodge room and changing back into shorts we set off exploring before deciding on which tours we wanted to do. It was hot and humid so when it rained, we didn’t bother to cover up as it just felt good. We ended up at the deer cave where every evening bats are supposed to exit all at once. We waited….and waited along with about 30 others but the bats never showed. We finally headed back in the pouring rain and dark, realizing we had no light with us. The path was lit in spots but not others so we were very thankful to follow a guy with a light as the jungle is VERY dark when it rains. By the time we got back we were soaked but my camera stayed dry so all was good. We didn’t even bother to change for dinner. Wet feels good when it’s hot.

We had a remarkably good night’s sleep considering there are 20 beds in the lodge and most were full. People were very considerate and I was asleep by 10 pm. By 6:30 am we were on the way to the tree top tower as we were told we could see animals there between 6:30 and 7:30 am. We didn’t so headed back for breakfast and to book some tours. You’re not allowed into the caves without a guide.

Since you’re required to write your names on a white board at security before doing some of the hikes, we did so and set off to see the Paku water fall. It’s an 8 km hike and many sections were ankle deep in mud. We were thankful to have teva sandals as they just wash off. Most who hike in Gunung have hiking shoes. That would be a pain! We spent some time at the water fall swimming and taking photos and then continued through more mud, beautiful trails and spectacular scenery. After informing security we’d returned we crossed the bouncy swing bridge to exit the park and tried the Good Luck cafe for lunch. Since we’d already logged close to 15 km today we decided we deserved to relax for a bit.

Like the night before, a thunderstorm came and the bats decided not to go out. Apparently they come out every night and it’s rare they don’t. Lucky us. 2 nights in a row. The 3 km walk back in the pouring rain wasn’t pleasant but seeing a couple of giant spiny stick bugs mating made it better. We’re getting used to eating our dinner while soaking wet.

One morning we joined a tour to see some caves. 5 people got in each of the long, skinny motor boats that sit low in the water but are very stable. First stop was a tribal village selling handicrafts. Next stop was the cave of winds which is pretty spectacular. Some got in a boat to the next cave but we opted to walk. That was a good choice as the path was pretty. 200 steps up took us to the entrance of the Clear water cave which was even more spectacular. A river still runs through it and was really high due to the major amount of rain lately. This cave involved lots of steps and a couple almost like ladders so by the time we were done, the sweat was dripping off us. Sue and I opted for a swim in the cold water which, after the initial shock, was incredibly refreshing.

Spiny stick insects mating

Refreshing swim!

We took the long way to the deer cave this evening. The Kayangan loop adds 1.5 km but it’s really pretty and a nice hike. We arrived shortly after 5 pm and settled in to watch the bats. The sky got darker and we thought “Not again!” Sure enough, it started thundering and then pouring. It didn’t let up. We waited until shortly after 6, and were one of the last to leave when we gave up and again, walked the 3 km back in the pouring rain. The hood on my poncho had ripped off the day before and Sue’s had a rip so neither of us stayed very dry. Again, we went straight to the cafe and ordered dinner. Wet people must show up for dinner all the time as nobody seemed to find us strange. While eating, a big bat kept flying through the open cafe. How’s that for IRONY?

The rainy season is supposed to be over but it doesn’t want to leave. All the rain had saturated the ground and everything was flooded. We tried walking the botany trail but large parts of it were under water. So we tried part of the Paku falls trail. It too was flooded. So we decided to head to the deer cave again. Why not? It’s a nice walk. On the way we did a couple trails we hadn’t yet, including one to the storm horse cave which was 193 steps up, then back down again.

After lunch we joined with a group and guide to see inside the Lang and Deer caves (you’re not allowed without a guide) which meant doing the 3 km trail again. Both caves are completely different again from the ones we’d seen the day before. The deer cave is massive and is supposed to be part of the largest cave system in the world. After 5 pm and it wasn’t raining!! Wow! So we sat to wait for the bat exodus. I guess 4^th time’s the charm as it finally happened and it really was amazing.

We actually got to eat our dinner while DRY and enjoyed it with a nice young couple we met on the tour.

Bat exodus

Deer cave. Abe Lincoln silhouete

Lang Cave

Kayanban loop

Clear water cave

Water fall loop

pill millipede

Borneo! Jungle and wildlife in Sabah

Posted on March 4, 2017

Previous post: The island of Cebu. Whale sharks!

BORNEO!

February 23 – 28, 2017

For me, the worst part about travelling are the travel days. I know. That sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? I really do hate the airport security, hurry up and wait, pack unpack, crap I forgot to drink the water, anxiety over whether my carry on will pass, line up to sit and wait for air planes game.

Puerto Princesa is supposed to be getting an international airport but in the meantime, getting anywhere from there is a pain. Everything goes through Manila so…..we flew to Manila, waited 4 hours and flew to Kota Kinabalu. Arrival there was complicated by a huge line up at passport control at 1:30 am. We tried to stretch out on the hard chairs and catch a nap but that’s impossible. At 6 am we boarded our flight to Sandakan. Before 8 am we arrived at our hostel, Sandakan backpackers. We were going to leave our bags and find food but they offered us breakfast! VERY kind! The rest of the day was spent getting to know the town and trying to stay awake. I love a place where calamari is the cheapest thing on the menu.

Our hosts said we didn’t need to spend the money on a city tour. He made us a map, told us what highlights to see and sent us on our way. He even lent us his umbrella. Our first stop was Sim Sim, a village on the water just outside Sandakan. It was great fun wandering the “streets” that stretch out over the ocean. People were incredibly friendly and we ended up with an entourage of children whose only English was “HELLO” and “SELFIE”. So of course we took pictures and video and showed it to them. Adults nearby laughed at their antics. A peak inside some of the homes revealed clean, spacious, living areas and many had cats or chickens in cages and lots of plants.

We walked to the old Mosque. They didn’t let us in and it didn’t look very interesting anyway. Next was Agnes Keith house. She was an American whose husband was stationed here as a conservationist in the 30’s. During her time in Borneo she wrote some books that sound really good. “Land Below the Wind” was her first The house was nothing special but the history very interesting. There’s an English tea house there too.

Next we found the Chinese temple but it too was closed. Oh well. We walked a lot. Saw a lot and talked to many people. Everyone was friendly. A few times we were asked where we’re from and welcomed to Malaysia.

Market

Sim Sim village

Our fan club

That’s a lot of different kinds of bananas!

Phone at Agnes Keith House

Monitor lizard

Feb 24-27 – Jungle adventure! Uncle Tan’s Wildlife Adventure

After being warmly welcomed at Uncle Tan’s Wildlife adventure base camp we set out to visit the orang utan sanctuary in Sepilok. It was kind of disappointing in that it felt more like a zoo than a natural habitat but good work IS being done there. We watched the orphaned babies playing on the jungle gym (through glass) for a while then went to watch the feeding. The adults are fed only bananas. The idea being that they get tired of the diet and try harder to fend for themselves, and therefore end up rehabilitated into the wild.

After a delicious lunch we boarded the van and rode about an hour to river where we boarded a small motor boat. The ride up the Kinabatangan river to Uncle Tan’s adventure camp took about an hour and we saw lots of wild life along the way, especially long tailed macaques.

The camp is very basic. Sleeping huts accommodate four to six people and are very open, as in no doors or windows. You get a mattress and a mosquito net. A light blanket is issued but there are no pillows. There are wooden walk ways every where as a lot of it is swampy. It’s nice as it keeps the mosquitoes to a minimum. Toilets are flushed with a bucket and “showering” is done with buckets as well. There’s electricity from 6 pm to midnight. It’s certainly authentic! The food was really good with lots of choice in vegetables and very tasty meat dishes. Our group was really great as well. We started with six of us. Alex and Andrew (British) left after the first night so the last day it was just Russel (Canadian), Bert (Swedish), Sue and I.

After settling in we set off on a jungle walk. As it got darker there were more and more things to see. Em taught us to look for reflective eyes with our flash lights (head torches) and we trudged around through mud and brush. Thankfully they rent rubber boots.

After dinner we got in the boat and headed up the Kinabatangan river and one of it’s tributaries to look for nocturnal animals. We saw too many to list them and thoroughly enjoyed a lot of monkey antics.

The next morning we were in the boat again by 6:30 am for more animal viewing. Back to the camp for breakfast then in the boat again to the protected area for a hike. That trail was MUDDY! We slipped and slid a lot and at times were ankle deep in mud. We returned to camp, hot, sweaty and mosquito bitten but altogether pleased with all we’d seen.

After lunch is siesta time. Not that we had one. I explored the grounds for a while and then some of us played cards until it was time for our evening hike. Another boat ride with more animal sightings, then a hike on a little less muddy path that was a little trickier in the dark.

On the way back it started to rain but that felt good as it’s otherwise so hot. That night it poured rain most of the night which makes a lot of noise on a tin roof. By morning the river had risen a couple of feet. Sue, Russ and I opted to go fishing so Em dug up some worms, supplied poles and off we went. I caught a rat head catfish which is the strangest fish I’ve seen. It even made weird noises.

After breakfast we packed up. Good thing we brought plastic bags as everything was wet. The damp jungle just permeates everything. Em reviewed everything we’d seen over the last three days and we came up with 65 creatures!

Back in the boat for the trip down river to meet the van that took us back to base camp where we had lunch before heading back to Sandakan. At Sandakan backpackers we were greeted like old friends. When I asked to print boarding passes, Sharif just let me use their computer. VERY nice!

Proboscis monkey

Local living

Sleeping fly catcher

Flying fox

Proboscis monkey

Macaque

Accommodations at Uncle Tan’s Wildlife Adventure

Uncle Tan’s wildlife camp

Our accommodation

Mating millipedes.

River clinic

Proboscis monkeys look like they’re wearing underwear

King fisher sleeping

Hellooo!

10 days in Palawan; Coron, El Nido and Buhay Isla

Posted on February 22, 2017

Previously: Banaue & Batad; Trekking and hiking paradise!

Feb 11 – 22, 2017

It was raining when we left so our guesthouse kindly provided a tricycle to take us to the bus. The driver even stowed our bags in the bus “basement” for us. The ride wasn’t bad, as far as buses go and we even managed to get some sleep. Upon arrival in Manila at 4:30 am, the uber app didn’t want to work so we settled on a cab. We likely paid too much but got to the airport in one piece where we waited for our 2:30 flight to Palawan. A man pointed us to a van and other travellers joined us. He drove all over town dropping everyone off and we were last. He pointed “go that way over the bridge”. Interesting. The “bridge” is a rickety wooden path on stilts that winds through a swamp. There are houses and stores on stilts along the way and our hostel was at the end. The room turned out to be nice and clean and our hostess very friendly. We went to town with our laundry, found a place that we hoped we could find it back again and went for dinner. By the time we got back it was dark and it was a REAL treat finding our “home” back again.

Wandering around the villages in the area is interesting and apparently bizarre to the locals as we were constantly offered rides. We happened upon a group of kids who had created their own pool table. A piece of thin wood with holes cut out of the corners and moulding around the edge. The pool “balls” were coloured plastic pieces and they had a nice round stick for a cue. They were doing great!

The “bridge” leading to RB Transient house

Coron Island, Lake Barracuda on the other side. Boats all preparing lunch

Steps going down to Barracuda Lake on Coron Island

February 12-16 Buhay Isla

The next 4 days were spent with a great crew visiting various islands on the way from Coron to El Nido in the South China Sea on a bangka with 8 guests and 5 crew members. Rom, our cook was amazing and prepared a feast for every meal on her two burner stove in the back of the boat, often while rocking like crazy.

We set out early on the first day to battle the wind and waves on the open sea. The captain was obviously struggling and did a great job but most of us ended up soaked anyway. At one point the motor overheated and the crew scrambled to pour water in various orifices. It took three men to pull start the engine.

Our first stop was Barracuda Lake which involved swimming to shore, and scrambling up makeshift ladders and steps and down the other side. I jumped in and was shocked at the warmth! There wasn’t much to see but a few shrimp but it was a nice swim.

A few snorkeling stops and a deserted island, coffee, fried bananas and lots of magnificent views and we stopped for the night. The wind was raging so no fire but we played a game called Mollky that one of the guests brought. Tents were set up inside huts to get away from the wind.

We set out early the next day but after 20 minutes of battling the sea, the captain decided to turn around. It ended up being very smart as even the ferry from Coron to El Nido had been cancelled and they learned that 3 fishermen had been lost.

The current was strong but I decided to snorkel anyway. I started at the top of the island and floated down stream, over and over. At one point I realised Barak had been watching me and didn’t know where I was so I hollered at him from the boat, which is where I ended up at one point. I reassured him that I was doing my best to stay safe 😉 The crew spent the day making various repairs to the boat

A family living on the island invited us to join them singing karaoke. Apparently that’s a Pilippina thing. The family is used to hosting stranded travellers as it happens often there. It was great fun being in their home where there was something cooking in the kitchen, they had a small store, a chicken ran around and kids did what they want. We took turns singing very loudly with a machine with terrible sound. FUN!

The wind died in the night so we tried to set off at 6 am and recover some lost time. Nope. One of the anchor lines had been cut by choral so that required attention. When we finally set off the seas were MUCH nicer, with just rolling waves.

Day 3 involved a cliff diving stop and several snorkelling stops, each one better than the last. We basically spent the day wet. Our stop for the night at Buhay Isla base camp was a delightful surprise. We each got our own hut with a mattress and mosquito net. The grounds were nicely raked. The “shower” had lots of fresh water and the semi squat toilet clean. We enjoyed another evening in paradise with a magnificent meal, socialising and playing games.

After all the adventures of the previous days, the last day was uneventful. More snorkeling. More beautiful scenery. More delicious meals. I could get used to this but all things must come to an end.

If you ever visit Palawan, make sure to look up Buhay Isla. They’re absolutely fantastic!

Typical deserted island on the way

Hermit the crab

Base camp bungalow

My bungalow

Our boat

Starfish are different everywhere

We found NEMO!

Pretty fish everywhere

The next day we explored El Nido then took a tricycle to Los Cabanos beach where we walked a lot. Lunch was ridiculously expensive and not very good. We got the tricycle to drop us off at the beach in El Nido where we found the street lined with an assortment of fish and a couple of barbecues. You choose your fish, they cook it for you and bring it to a table set up on the sand with some veggies and rice. YUM! Dinner while watching the sunset over the bay. Nice!

We also found a place that refills water bottles (on the walking street next to the beach) which makes me VERY happy as I HATE all this plastic being discarded.

Buhay Isla offered us a free day tour as they felt badly that we couldn’t see all the places they wanted to take us on our four day trip so one day we took them up on it and did the “lagoon tour”. There were more than 20 people on a boat smaller than the one that took the 8 of us from Coron. We saw lots but it felt SO touristy after our experience with Buhay Isla. There were several other boats at each of the 5 stops too. So, if you’re going to Palawan and really want to see it and not just like a tourist, do the multi day boat trip between El Nido and Coron.

Big Lagoodn from El Nido

Barbecue on the street

Los Cabanos beach

Sunset over El Nido

Angel fish and a giant clam

Small lagoon

Mushroom jelly fish

Small lagoon

It’s a 5-6 hour trip via van to Puerto Princesa and we opted to do it in daylight to enjoy the views. It was a good choice. The scenery is beautiful with rice paddies becoming coconut groves and banana plantations along the way. We passed through several villages, saw people enjoying Sunday activities and some with carabao plowing fields. I couldn’t look out the front windshield though. It was like the amazing race or something. I know he does the trip every day but the speed…..NUTS for this “stick to the speed limit (that doesn’t exist here) Canadian. The hair pin turns, honking at people and animals to get out of the way, dodging rock piles, construction zones, narrowly missing oncoming traffic along the way drove me to an anxiety attack if I watched so side window viewing only for me.

We arrived in Puerto Princesa safely after a couple of stops and our driver kindly left us at the Teofila Pension. Him relaxed and ready to be done for the day and us, glad to be here in one piece. 🙂

We took a city tour that visited all the highlights, walked all over the place and one night had dinner on the Bay walk. We ordered dinner for two and the lady spread banana leaves on the table, then put all our food on it. Definitely an interesting way to eat and it was really good!

Puerto Princesa has a really good vibe. People are incredibly friendly and helpful. Children often stopped us and asked our names, told us theirs and asked where we were going. Once a couple of teen aged boys on the street asked our names, shook our hands and welcomed us. Policemen took the time to chat and one told us a few things we should see while we’re here. A lady was singing outside her home and when we acknowledged her and danced by, she invited us to join them for karaoke. IT’s not just a rumour. Pilippinas love their karaoke!

gecko

Palawan tribal village

Our dinner on the baywalk. A little bit of everything!

Baywalk bike path. Lots of kids enjoying bikes rented by parents

View along the baywalk

Banaue & Batad; Trekking and hiking paradise!

Posted on February 10, 2017

Getting to Banaue is an adventure. Jeepneys are scheduled to leave every half hour however, they don’t leave until they’re full. It was 9:10 so we assumed we’d missed the 9 am but there was one sitting there. It looked full. Apparently looks can be deceiving so the man threw our bags on top and we climbed in. Down the road a bit we even picked up 3 more people. One woman was half hanging out the back but we didn’t lose her so all was good.

Upon arrival in Bontoc the man passed our bags back down to us and in seconds, another man was there asking if we were going to Banaue. He then directed us to his van, told us it was leaving in 1.5 hours and was 200 pesos. So we headed off to find a bank machine. On the way back we found someone who’d take us there for less and considered it but our guy was ready to go, a half hour early and our bags were tied down. The difference was negligible so we hopped. in. The van wouldn’t start so the front seat passengers got out, he flipped the seat back, fiddled with something and it started. At one point he stopped, got a tool out from the back and tightened the nuts on one front tire. Interesting. Another time he stopped and a couple of guys looked inside and then opted to ride on top.

The road to Banaue winds up, up and around the mountains with amazing views all along the way. Once in Banaue, random folks pointed us in the right direction and we headed to our guest house. After settling in we headed to the tourist office to pay the eco fee and get the scoop on things to see. The weather looked good so we headed to the view point. Half way there it started to pour. Of course the poncho I’d had in my back pack for the last week was now in my suitcase. Not smart. Sue had hers but the mountain was socked in with fog, not much good for viewing so we went back, picking up a jug of water on the way and spent the rest of the day chatting with other travellers. That’s always fun.

The view point. Cleaning the rice paddy

View from Hiwang village

Home in the village

Skulls of Japanese soldiers from WW2. Trophies.

London Bridge is a universal game

One way to get dirt from one place to another.

One day we went to the tourism office and asked for a tour to Batad. We hopped into a tricycle with our guide Lolita and drove the scenic road to Batad. At one point we had to get out as it was too steep for that many passengers. Then we happened upon a landslide that had happened moments before. Luckily no one was hurt!

The rest of the day was spent traversing the rocky paths, steep steps and rice terrace walls. After a couple of hours of this, Sue had had enough and waited at a cafe while I went the rest of the way to the Tappia waterfall. Down, down, down and then across then up and down and around and finally I reached the falls. Then came the trek back up. By the time I reached the top where Sue was waiting, I was DRIPPING with sweat, but then, so was Lolita so I guess I’m not THAT out of shape. 😉

We headed back to the village where we had some lunch and walked back to the road. Some men had cleared one lane so we could drive past the landslide. They claimed this happens when it rains a lot so…. I guess they get a lot of landslides! We had to get out and walk for the steep part again but this time Uphill. Fun.

While eating lunch, I had my back pack on the floor, right beside my feet. There were kids playing everywhere so I hadn’t really paid attention. I happened to look down and there was a little girl, right beside me. I asked her what she was doing and she scampered away. The zipper on my bag was half open. Gotta watch out for those cute little pig tailed pick pockets!!

Our last day we spent wandering around the village of Banaue, Bocos, Tan Am and tried to get to Poitan but Sue didn’t like the looks of the treacherous path. It’s a good thing it rains a lot here to clean off the streets. People spit red gunk all over the place. Emaciated dogs poop everywhere. They try to keep the town clean but there’s an overall impression of dirtiness. Our luck with the weather ran out so we headed back to our guesthouse to relax with a coffee until the night bus back to Manila.

Tappia waterfall

No such thing as an easy hike here

2,000 year old rice terraces at Batad

View along the road to Batad

Cleaning the weeds off the terrace wall preserves the wall and adds organic fertiliser to the rice paddy.

Just another day in Banaue

Sagada, a small town with a LOT of character

Posted on February 6, 2017

Kiltepan view of the rice terraces

Sagada. February 2 – 7, 2017

The night bus stopped a lot more than the once they claimed it would so there wasn’t much sleep happening. We arrived at Bontoc around 6:30 am and waited close to an hour for a shuttle to take us the rest of the way. The bus couldn’t go as the bridge and roads are still not up to par after the last typhoon. Here’s where we got to experience the jeepney, apparently so named because it’s a jeep and you ride in the back and your knees knock. It’s actually a nice way to travel as it’s an opportunity to converse with strangers and fellow travellers, which we did.

After finding the tourist office, paying our eco tax, we found our hostel. The room wasn’t ready so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. We settled in and discovered much of Sue’s clothes and some of mine were pretty wet (apparently the bus was NOT waterproof) so we strung up a line and hung them all over the place.

We set off to wander and stumbled on a festival, then off to the hanging coffins which involved a good hike over some interesting paths.

Our guide had mentioned a few good walks so we decided to try Kiltepan. We’d gone a fair bit up the dirt road part when a car pulled up, asked if we were going to Kiltepan and offered us a ride. My first thought was how many times I’d told my kids not to get in a car with strangers but said yes anyway and we climbed in. After enjoying the fantastic view we drove back to town with Anusha and Vivek and all went out for coffee. Sometimes getting a ride with strangers is a great idea!

Sue and I decided after all that hiking on no sleep, we deserved a good dinner so treated ourselves to the Yogurt House. I even had a mango lassi which was amazingly delicious!

A wise man builds his house upon a rock?

Kids blowing bubbles while playing in a jeepney

Hanging coffins

Festival high school competition

A lot of the paths in the area have been damaged by the typhoon in November. There are still landslides on some of the roads too. The walk to the Bokong waterfall was treacherous in spots but really pretty. We continued across a bridge and down a questionable ladder and along some rice fields. The path led up so we followed it and passed some local homes, men cutting wood, and ended up pretty close to town.

The sun came out so we headed out in the other direction to Danum lake. That was a good 3 km straight up hill. The lake is more like a pond but the view was pretty and lots of views along the way.

Dinner at the Strawberry hut was pork adobo. We gobbled it down as by that time, we were starving and it was good.

Typical homes

View of Sagada from the road to Lake Dunam

Still some landslides left from the typhoon

View from Lake Dunam

Sketchy bridge with an even sketchier ladder.

More festival fun

Another day we headed to the caves. The Sumaging cave is the biggest so we walked down into it until it got small and scary. Spelunking is not our thing and we’ve decided we’ve been in plenty of caves and don’t HAVE to go in all of them. 😉 At our age, we have nothing to prove.

When the sun was out, it was ridiculously hot, especially for the steep, uphill walk back from trying to find waterfalls. There were lots of rice terraces, beautiful views and more hanging coffins but no waterfall. Lunch at the Gaia was really nice. We shared a veggie tray and each had the most delicious carrot juice. On the way back we split a chocolate crepe which Paul made for us while we chatted.

The locals here in Sagada are very friendly. One lady asked where we were from and when we told her she said “oh, you like Sagada because it is mountainous like your country!” Yep 😀

Sumaging cave

More rice terraces

Can you find the hanging coffins?

There they are!

Love how they build homes right into the rock

Bags made by Indigenous people of Sagada

One day we hired a driver and a guide to take us to the Pongas waterfalls. We’d tried walking there but decided it was too far, even for us. 5 km is not bad but it is Uphill all the way back and I mean UP hill. There ended up being enough climbing and walking even after getting a ride there. We crossed a hanging bridge, passed through the village.of Brgy Suyo, walked along cemented rice terraces and up about a thousand steps. Russel told us all about the local agriculture, how he guides on weekends and goes to college in Bontoc during the week and helped us over the scary parts. The twin waterfalls are magnificent and I wandered about taking pictures for a while. A group of young men came up carrying buckets and a live chicken. Apparently they were clearing some of the irrigation troughs and stopping for a picnic lunch. Hence the chicken. At least they know it’s fresh. They ran up and down the rocks like it was nothing. This wimpy Canadian found it pretty scary.

Sketchy swing bridge.

Can you find the carabao? It’s a kind of water buffalo used for plowing and other farm work

Pongos waterfall

If Sagada is on your list of places to see, I’d go soon. There’s a LOT of building going on. I saw one luxury type place almost finished. However, the road to get there is still pretty sketchy. I can’t see that kind of client walking across the swing bridge and along a terrace wall. Soon enough though, it won’t be so unique.

The last day was spent visiting St Mary’s church which is one of the most unique churches I’ve ever seen. Jesus is carved out of wood from the area in great detail and surrounded by local rocks. The church is simple with beautiful wooden pews, plain stone floors and plain wood trusses and ceiling. There’s just one simple stained glass and the doors are metal. To me it really represents the essence of Segada.

The rest of the day we spent wandering the back streets, getting chased out by dogs, chatting with locals and we even found a waterfall that was apparently not pretty enough to be a location on the tourist map.

Even dogs get to go to church in Sagada

Chatting with kids

Under rated water fall

Houses built in the rocks

Statue of Jesus in St Mary’s church

5 days in Manila

Posted on February 1, 2017

January 28- February 1, 2017

By the time we reached our hostel it was 3 am and we’d been up for more than 30 hours. By then I was overtired so sleep was elusive. The best thing to do is get out and do something so after breakfast we did just that. The Makati area in Manila doesn’t have a lot of sights so we just wandered and got lost a few times. People offered us directions and one nice fellow took the time to go over the map with us and point out places we should see and areas we should avoid.

We tried arranging tours but the hostel wasn’t very helpful and everything was closed for Lunar new year. Surprisingly, one fellow got back to us via email so we got up early the next day, ate breakfast (mistake) and arranged an Uber ride to China Town, called Bonondi in Manila.

The walking food tour was good with 5 stops at different establishments to try traditional foods. Our guide was great at explaining what each food was and the origins. Afterwards, I asked about visiting Intramuros and he offered us a ride there. Bonus. We visited the old city and saw the fortified walls, explored Fort Santiago, a garden where we chatted with a fellow who created bonsai trees, a couple of churches where watched a bunch of weddings and learned a lot about a guy named Jose Rizal who was martyred when he was executed by the Spanish for inciting rebellion and is a Philippine hero.

Feeding the lion for prosperity

Making dumplings in Bonondi

China town. Typical traffic. You don’t move much.

Fort Santiago

Basilica in Intramuros

One of many weddings

Smelly orchid in the garden in Intramuros

Manila is a massive city. The greater area has a population of 21 million and it’s the most population dense city in the world. That makes getting around difficult and traffic insane. It’s actually quite clean considering and the pollution is bearable and not nearly as bad as some cities I’ve visited.

Taxis are everywhere but we used uber since we were told it’s safer.

We asked people for directions many times but once a guy suggested a taxi as it’s “far”. When I asked him how long to walk, he said at least 25 minutes. We said “oh, that’s not so far” and he replied “OH, you foreigners DO like to walk!” haha

The malls in Manila are huge and I’m sure you can buy just about anything there. We checked out the Landmark mall as we needed a couple of things and were overwhelmed at the size of the place. You could easily get lost in there and we would have if not for the great signage.

One day we had a driver pick us up at 7 am and drive us to Taal Lake where we boarded a boat for the island Taal Volcano. The village of 5,000 people has electricity powered by generator or solar and live simply, harvesting cassava and living off the tourists who visit. We had the option to ride a horse but preferred the walk the 3.7 km to the rim. Taal is active and there are a few steam vents along the way. The lake in the middle of the crater also has several hot spots. The views were beautiful but the terrain a little treacherous. Sue slipped and fell, spraining her ankle and wrist. Van, our guide, quickly found medical help and the girl massaged Sue’s foot and took good care of her while I wandered around taking photos.

Sue got a ride on a horse back down and I walked while trying not to fall down myself. Back on the boat, we just covered our packs and plastic and got wet ourselves. It felt good as we were dirty and sweaty from the dusty walk.

Lunch was fresh tilapia from Lake Taal with really nice local vegetables. On the way back to the city we stopped for a fresh pineapple which the lady cut up and bagged for me. Next was a bakery famous for buka (coconut) pie. Jesse bought a couple and gave us a piece. The pastry was wonderful and the filling sliced, fresh coconut wit a wonderful naturally sweet taste.

The ride back to the city was awful. Toronto traffic is nothing after experiencing Manila.

Going up

View of the crater lake

Crater lake

View of Taal lake, going down

Our last day in the city we spent wandering and found a pretty little oasis in the middle of the Greenbelt Mall. It’s got an organic spice garden, house cat sanctuary, Catholic church and koi ponds. The mall’s got all those ridiculously expensive stores in one section and plenty of normal stores in others. We enjoyed a gelato for lunch and headed back. While waiting out a thunderstorm under an office building awning we watched the traffic, people and water building on the road. In no time there were massive puddles which makes you understand how a typhoon could cause such damage. Drainage seems to be a big problem.

A couple of hours to chill was nice before a long night on the bus to Sagada which starts with an uber trip to the bus station. It’s only 10 km away and could take up to 1.5 hours. We could walk it in that time but Sue’s got a bum foot, it’s stinking hot and we’ve got to carry everything. Gotta love Manila traffic! We won’t miss it.

A comfortable cat in the Greenbelt garden, downtown Makati, Manila

Back to Marrakesh

Posted on November 19, 2016

October 28th we visited Marrakesh before meeting our tour group in Casablanca. That post can be found here: Morocco here we come!

Nov 10 – 15 Back to Marrakesh

Hassan had promised we’d get to see goats climbing argan trees and he wasn’t lying. What a hoot! Of course we all jumped out of the bus, crossed the highway and madly took photos. The farmer was a great opportunist and of course we paid him for the privilege of photographing his goats. This smart entrepreneur likely made just as much money off the tourists as he did farming.

Goat tree? Argan almond tree

I think he’s stuck

The next couple of days were spent rediscovering Marrakesh, first with a guided tour of the Bahai Palace, Saadian tombs and the medina. Some have said you can see it in a couple of hours. Well. After 4 days there were still streets we hadn’t seen and we still constantly got lost.
We left our group and went back to the Ben Saleh Riad in the medina which felt like coming home. It’s just so much nicer than a hotel. The next few days were spent getting lost….and lost again in the medina.

I lost a lot of dead skin. Then she coats you with mud and it’s back in the steam room. After that is a shower and you’re given a bath robe and you relax and drink green tea. That’s the traditional part. We opted for the message with argan oil after. Why not?
We felt so clean and incredibly relaxed after so went for along walk to find gelato. Isn’t that what everyone does after an incredible hammam experience?
I’d read posts that said you can see the Medina in a couple of hours. They’re lying. You could spend weeks here and still not really see it. Many of the souks harass you to buy their products but you can just say thank you, smile and pass by. Most are just friendly. In the end, we just went back to the souks who were nice to us. The products are mostly the same. It comes down to personality.

All good things must come to an end and this visit to Morocco was no exception. After my bag went through x-ray, the official patted it and asked if there were medicines in there. A little concerned about Morocco’s tight laws on drugs, I said yes. He asked “like for headaches?” Again I agreed. “I have a headache” he said. “Could I have some?” So I dug out the advil and, when he asked, explained how many to take and told him “Make sure you drink LOTS of water”. He thanked me and we were on our way.

The first flight was delayed due to the busyness caused by COP22 and the fact the king was in town. That fellow seems to cause a bit of pandemonium everywhere. After a sleepless night in Amsterdam, that flight was delayed also. Apparently some folks didn’t have visas in order so their bags had to be offloaded. I’d hate to be them. Not fun at all!

Tajine anyone?

Nuts anyone?

Chameleons are thrown in a fire to ward off evil spirits. 😦

Buy a pillow, get a free cat.

Products made of recycled tires.

Sunset over the mosque at Jemaa el-Fnaa

View from above of theJemaa el-Fnaa, the central square of Marrakesh

Bahai Palace

Meaningful painting for cop 22 climate change conference

Essouira; Beautiful beach town

Posted on November 18, 2016

November 9

Our hotel in Essouria was right in the Medina which borders the Atlantic ocean. 4 of us left first thing in the morning to explore the harbour where fishermen sell their wares and blue boats filled the area. Next we set off on a nice, long walk on the endless beach. Having worked up an appetite, we checked out the stalls selling sea food. One offered us a tray full of assorted sea food for a set price so we sat down to wait. He barbecued it over hot coals and served us as it was ready. We enjoyed sardines, snapper, bream, sole, calamari, octopus and shrimp along with salad and bread. What a feast!

We wandered the medina for a few hours and incurred the anger of a few souks when we didn’t even want to bargain, just look. Some of them even curses and said “what kind of tourists are you?!” It certainly wouldn’t have inspired us to go back into their shop should we decide to buy something. There are plenty of other souks selling the same products so there’s no need to buy from nasty people.

Dinner was a bowl of soup from one merchant who was really friendly and then a crepe at another.

The High Atlas Mountains and a gite in Aroumd

Posted on November 15, 2016

November 7 and 8^th , 2016 Our G Adventures tour continues from Land of a thousand Kasbahs

Today’s drive induced motion sickness in a few travellers as we followed windy roads that switched back and forth higher into the High Atlas mountains. Views would likely have been magnificent if it hadn’t been raining. None of us complained as we considered ourselves incredibly lucky with the weather thus far.

The bus left us at the village on the bottom of the mountain and most of us donned rain ponchos. There were two mules to carry our luggage and we walked up the donkey path. Despite the drizzly rain, it was a beautiful walk over a small river, past homes and through orchards. At the Azizi auberge we were treated to popcorn and tea in front of a fireplace and we sat and chatted. It was early and I was antsy so suggested a hike. Hassan offered to go along and a few of us set off. We walked through the village which smelled of apples, crossed the river a couple of times and I managed to sink one foot deep in a pile of donkey poo. Lovely. No, my hikers are NOT water proof.

Back at the auberge I put my shoes by the fire, hoping it would dry by morning. Our hosts treated us to a delicious cous cous, bread, olives and pomegranate for desert. It was early so we played a silly group game something like charades. Throw a bunch of people who don’t know each other in a room and play charades. You can’t help but laugh!

We had lots of heavy blankets and I slept so well in the fresh, crisp mountain air. The rain had cleared and the weather was gorgeous for the walk back down the mountain.

On we travelled to the sea side town of Essouria. One stop included a visit to a woman’s cooperative that makes products with argan oil. This area of Morocco is the only place in the world the argan almond grows. The process of extracting the oils and making products is very labour intensive.

Can you get more stuff in this van?

Ait Ben Haddou

Don’t know where to park your donkey?

View on our walk

Our view in the morning

Interesting tree

High Atlas Mountains. The red you see on the building are Moroccan flags

If the rock won’t move, build around it

Our guide, Hassan and our luggage carrier

Cracking open the almond nuts for argan

The village in the dusk as we returned after a walk.

Land of a thousand Kasbahs

Posted on November 13, 2016

Sunday, November 6, 2016
We’re on a G Adventures tour of Morocco and have just come out of a stay in the Sahara Desert. That post can be found here: Into the Sahara Desert

We enjoyed a leisurely start this morning after a really good night’s sleep. It was nice and cool and the bed had super thick, heavy wool blankets.

Stops along the way included scenic views of the valley of a thousand kasbahs (fortresses). It being Berber country, thank you is now saha, rather than the Arabic shokrun or French merci. We passed the largest solar power station in the world. With 323 days a year of sunshine, this is the perfect place for it. In Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, is the gateway to the Sahara as there’s desert on one side and the High Atlas mountains on the other. They call it the Hollywood of Morocco as several movies were filmed here including Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones. It’s kind of ironic that it rained while we visited.

Our final destination was the Todra Gorge where, after checking into our hotel we set off on a walk. It’s a great place for climbers with it’s sheer cliffs of the red rock that’s found everywhere in Morocco rising a couple of kilometres in the air. The valley is full of fertile farmland where villagers share plots of land growing barley, wheat, corn, alfalfa and other vegetables.

Some of us visited a woman’s cooperative where they weave carpets out of lamb, sheep, goat and camel hair as well as cotton and agave silk.

The donkey knows were to go. His owner caught me taking a photo and wanted money.

The donkey knows where to go. His owner caught me taking a photo and wanted money.

Walking through the village

One of many kasbahs along the way. All the buildings are this colour of red.

Nice little camel

Woman’s cooperative

Located in the foothills on the southern slopes of the High Atlas in the Province of Ouarzazate, the site of Ait-Ben-Haddou is the most famous ksar in the Ounila Valley. The Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. The ksar is a mainly collective grouping of dwellings. Inside the defensive walls which are reinforced by angle towers and pierced with a baffle gate, houses crowd together – some modest, others resembling small urban castles with their high angle towers and upper sections decorated with motifs in clay brick – but there are also buildings and community areas. It is an extraordinary ensemble of buildings offering a complete panorama of pre-Saharan earthen construction techniques.

Next we head to the Atlas mountains! The High Atlas Mountains and a gite in Aroumd

Into the Sahara Desert

Posted on November 10, 2016

Previous post: Chefchaouen, the blue city

Thursday, November 3. Travel day into the Sahara Desert

It was a long day of driving but there were many stops along the way and the scenery changed constantly. We drove through the middle Atlas mountains, the low Atlas mountains, villages, apple orchards and desert. We saw many different views, homes, mosques, a military outpost near the border to Algeria and even close ups of barbary apes. After a stop at a grocery store for supplies we enjoyed a picnic on the side of the road for lunch.

The final destination was the Auberge Yasmine on the edge of the Sahara desert. THAT was a surprise! We certainly weren’t expecting the luxurious room with a walk in shower, 2 queen sized beds and a terrace on the roof. We had planned to do the 4×4 excursion into the desert in the morning but decided we HAD to take advantage of this beautiful place as we only had one night.

November 4 and 5

An early morning walk in the dunes was pretty much the extent of our exertions for the day and the rest was spent reading, relaxing by the pool and swimming in the very REFRESHING water.

We packed a small bag and mounted our trusty steeds for the journey to the Bedouin camp in the Sahara desert. Another surprise! A camel’s not exactly a comfortable ride but just over an hour is not too bad. The camp had solar power lights, a mattress on the floor of the tent and a real toilet!

Our hosts served us Berber whisky, olives and nuts for a snack as we sat around and chatted. Dinner was a beef tajine with pomegranate and grapes for desert. They entertained us with drumming and songs before we turned in for the night.

By 6 am we were back on the camels and heading back to the auberge where we had breakfast, showers and headed off for the Todra Gorge. We had a couple of stops on the way and the scenery changed again. Rocky desert with tiny tufts of green, buildings all made of the reddish sand, and the odd green valley fully used for crops and fruit trees like dates, figs and almonds. The Gorge is a huge contrast to the desert with it’s crystal clear water and lush crops.

Sunday, November 6 A thousand Kasbahs

We enjoyed a leisurely start this morning after a really good night’s sleep. It was nice and cool and the bed had super thick, heavy wool blankets.

Stops along the way included scenic views of the valley of a thousand kasbahs (fortresses). It being Berber country, thank you is now saha, rather than the Arabic shokrun or French merci. We passed the largest solar power station in the world. With 323 days a year of sunshine, this is the perfect place for it. In Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, is the gateway to the Sahara as there’s desert on one side and the High Atlas mountains on the other. They call it the Hollywood of Morocco as several movies were filmed here including Lawrence of Arabia and Indian Jones. It’s funny that it rained while we visited.

Some of us visited a woman’s cooperative where they weave carpets out of lamb, sheep, goat and camel hair as well as cotton and agave silk.

I think he’s sulking because I didn’t have anything to feed him

Please feed me?

Barbary ape

One of many spectacular views along the way

Typical scene in the Sahara Desert

Our shadows 😀

Accommodation in the Sahara, Berber style

Camels chilling just outside of camp

Pouring Berber whisky in the deser

Someone’s homestead. They planted trees and everything

There’s life even in the desert

IN a few moments they disappear

Preparing the wool to make yarn for carpets

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Where in the world is Jodi?

Adventure travel for the young at heart. I haven't been everywhere but it's on my list!

Author Archives: Jodi

Discovering Orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Sanctuary and Bako National Park in Kuching

KUCHING

Semenggoh Wildlife and RICHIE!

Bako National Park

Mulu: Gunung National Park, Borneo

Borneo! Jungle and wildlife in Sabah

10 days in Palawan; Coron, El Nido and Buhay Isla

Banaue & Batad; Trekking and hiking paradise!

Sagada, a small town with a LOT of character

5 days in Manila

Back to Marrakesh

Essouira; Beautiful beach town

The High Atlas Mountains and a gite in Aroumd

Land of a thousand Kasbahs

Into the Sahara Desert

KUCHING

Semenggoh Wildlife and RICHIE!

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