Orang Utans
Wednesday 08 November, 2006 – 21:23
We got picked up on a boat resembling the African queen; we had a driver, a cook and a guide. Everything was done for us, we had our meals prepared, our beds made and it was great to be waited on. We were advised to only take the one day trip to see the orang utans by all the rally boats that went before us. Instead, our friends off ‘Alexes’, David and Jenny, also wanted to do the overnighter so we all went together up the Kumai river, deep into the jungles of Borneo. There was still a blanket of smoke at 8am when we left but by the time we went up the estuary, it had cleared. It was the most amazing experience. It was fantastic to see the orangutans in their natural habitat. We were able to get quite close to some at ground level but most were swinging in the trees or just hangin’ around! We had torrential down pour and all the orangutans headed for the trees where they made umbrellas out of leaves. At night we ate dinner and played cards by candle light, then slept on the deck of the boat under mosquito netting.Not only did we see the famous orangutans but we saw proboscis (long-nosed) monkeys (which looked hilarious), crocodiles and brightly colored birds and butterflies.
Currently heading to Nongsa Point, Batam Island (just out of Singapore) to sign out of Indonesia. We have been sailing for 27hours with another 62hours left. Technically, Innforapenny is not sailing, there is no wind and the Indian Ocean is like a pond and still in a blanket of smoke. Even tempted to go for a swim…..
JJJJ 4/5 for the orangutan trip!
