Working with Pongo
Last day of trekking!! I'm quite grateful actually, as I have felt totally exhausted most days! Barely any leeches today though.
After work we had a local culinary evening. Amoy cooked a variety of dishes, including ladyfingers with a spicy sauce, mackerel, and these amazing deep fried buns filled with egg, onion, veggies and other spices. Victor had brought us three bottles of rice wine, which is made by a local villager and was literally just poured in big water, reused bottles. It is a milky white colour and I actually rather enjoyed it. It is not as strong as I expected, but I only had a few small glasses in case it caught up with me later! We sat with Boney and a few of the new rangers who have been employed especially to take Ceria, Rosa, Wilma and a few other orangutans deeper into the forest – they are getting too familiar with the centre and need to be forced to integrate into the wild. They are capable, but are just being lazy. Their job will be to take them out and stay with them until they make nests for the night. Then they return early the next day before they wake and monitor their movements, encouraging them away from the centre. They will do this for several months.
Got to chat with ranger Gabili. He has had such an amazing life. His grandfather lived till 105 and taught him everything he knows about the jungle – which is a lot! He has an incredible knowledge about medicinal plants, how to search for food and water and ensure you don't get lost – knowledge he is trying to pass on to the next generation. He also makes his own machetes – he purchases an
rlunicomb
53 chapters
15 Apr 2020
Day 29 - Farewell Trekking!
October 02, 2017
|
Sepilok, Borneo
Last day of trekking!! I'm quite grateful actually, as I have felt totally exhausted most days! Barely any leeches today though.
After work we had a local culinary evening. Amoy cooked a variety of dishes, including ladyfingers with a spicy sauce, mackerel, and these amazing deep fried buns filled with egg, onion, veggies and other spices. Victor had brought us three bottles of rice wine, which is made by a local villager and was literally just poured in big water, reused bottles. It is a milky white colour and I actually rather enjoyed it. It is not as strong as I expected, but I only had a few small glasses in case it caught up with me later! We sat with Boney and a few of the new rangers who have been employed especially to take Ceria, Rosa, Wilma and a few other orangutans deeper into the forest – they are getting too familiar with the centre and need to be forced to integrate into the wild. They are capable, but are just being lazy. Their job will be to take them out and stay with them until they make nests for the night. Then they return early the next day before they wake and monitor their movements, encouraging them away from the centre. They will do this for several months.
Got to chat with ranger Gabili. He has had such an amazing life. His grandfather lived till 105 and taught him everything he knows about the jungle – which is a lot! He has an incredible knowledge about medicinal plants, how to search for food and water and ensure you don't get lost – knowledge he is trying to pass on to the next generation. He also makes his own machetes – he purchases an
existing blade (the one he brought as an example was from the 70s) and crafts a wooden handle and a case, which he then engraves with a personal message, an orangutan face and the words 'hati hati' which means 'be careful'. The blade is super sharp, which he demonstrated by shaving some of his leg hair off with it! I would probably sever a main artery if I did that. Think I will order one from him, as they're such a unique souvenir.
1.
Day One - Arrival
2.
Day Two - Quarantine Week
3.
Day Three - Sightseeing Begins
4.
Day Four - Sandakan
5.
Day Five - Nosey Monkeys
6.
Day Six - Induction Day
7.
Day Seven - Last Free Day!!
8.
Day Eight - First Work Day
9.
Day Nine - Outdoor Nursery
10.
Day Ten
11.
Day 11 - A New Visitor
12.
Day 12
13.
Day 13- Night Out in Sandakan
14.
Day 14 - The Tea House
15.
Day 15 - Working with Babies
16.
Day 16
17.
Day 17
18.
Day 18
19.
Day 19
20.
Day 20 - Last Day of Rotation
21.
Day 21 - Visiting Lankayan
22.
Day 22
23.
Day 23 - Heading Home
24.
Day 24 - Trekking Rotation
25.
Day 25
26.
Day 26
27.
Day 27
28.
Day 28
29.
Day 29 - Farewell Trekking!
30.
Day 30 - Turtle Island
31.
Day 31
32.
Day 32 - Back in Juvie
33.
Day 33
34.
Day 34
35.
Day 35 - Sweat it real good!
36.
Day 36
37.
Day 37 - Last Day of Juvie
38.
Day 38 - A Visit to Kota Kinabalu
39.
Day 39 - KK Continued
40.
Day 40 - Caves, Caves and More Caves
41.
Day 41 - Back with the Babies
42.
Day 42
43.
Day 43
44.
Day 44 - Awkward Poses
45.
Day 45
46.
Day 46
47.
Day 47 - The Kinabatangan
48.
Day 48
49.
Day 51 - Team Awesomeness gets Super Productive
50.
Day 52 - The Machete's Get Used
51.
Day 53 - More Tough Goodbyes
52.
Day 54 - Last Day of Work
53.
Day 55 - Tomorrow I Fly
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