Naughty Monkeys and Leaving Borneo

Day 13-14, July 29-30, 2008 – No Malaria

I just landed in Penang which is an Island on the northern west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Though it is dark out, I am immediately struck by the modernity of the island. The guidebooks make it sound like some small, backwater place (maybe where I am going it is… as it is an hour taxi ride from the airport) but all I have seen so far is condos, shopping centers, and hotels. I also think that my driver is none to happy to have me due to the distance he has to cover to haul me to Batu Feringghi (the city where I am staying) and back. More about Penang later though since I just showed up.

Yesterday, I took a daytrip to Bako National Park which is located about an hour from Kuching. That hour is divided into about a half-hour in a car and about a half-hour in a boat as the park is inaccessible by road.

The park is famous for its diverse wildlife including the proboscis monkey, the bearded pig, snakes, and monkeys. I was fortunate to see all of these up close both on the rainforest trek that I took and also just hanging out around the park lodge. I also received what I have been calling the “No Feed Monkey” speech. Everyplace that there are primates of any kind, one gets the “No Feed Monkey” speech. The monkeys are cute but apparently, they can also be rabid and aggressive. Feeding them only makes them more so. I got the impression that, if they were not protected, the park staff would like to do away with the macaques particularly. While on the island, I also got to swim in the South China Sea. The park is beautiful as you can see in the pictures (though they never really do the real sight justice).

Last night, I met my new friends Disney and David out for food and drinks and we eventually met up with several other of Disney’s buddies. One of Disney’s friends was an Iban guy whose family left the long-house lifestyle for the city and he was very interested in my own experience.

These guys also wouldn’t let me pay for a thing. In return, although we did not get to play, I introduced them to the concepts of Cups which I am sure will be making its Malay debut in the very near future.

Today I just walked around to say goodbye to Kuching. I am sad to leave the city. It was a very friendly, welcoming place where I made some good friends and had some incredible were really great. Not only did they invite me out and show me the town, they experiences. If my lifetime travels ever take me back there, I will not be upset by it.