South-East Asia

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Clearwater & Wind Showcaves

The park hostel had no bed for me tonight. Rather than move into the more expensive options there, I thought I’d move out and give some business to the locals. So I stored my luggage at the guardhouse before going on my Clearwater cave trip. We set off by boat to Batu Bungan village, which […]

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Adventure caving at Lagang Cave

As I had given up hope for the Pinnacles, I arranged to try the easiest adventure caving trip at Lagang departing at 1330. This gave me the whole morning free so I got the internet at MYR5 per day (expiring 0800 tomorrow when they change the password). Charlotte (whom I was hanging out with, travelling […]

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Deer & Lang Showcaves

I have five nights in Mulu, kinda two too many compared to the typical tourist. The extra time was for the Pinnacles trip which I can’t get enough people for. There is a trip departing a day later than my preferred date but it was a bit risky as I may not arrive back in […]

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Until recently, the world’s largest caves

Today I head back to Mulu National Park, home of the world’s largest caves after 21 years. There are many ways of measuring “largest” (eg. volume, length etc) and Mulu still has the crown by some measures but has lost it in perhaps one way to a newer discovery in Vietnam. Mum and stepdad dropped […]

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Family time again

Above:  Kuching is a bit hazy this visit with the slash-and-burn of forests in preparation for agriculture in Indonesia.  The transit “hassles” in Colombo made the 2h10 transit go really quickly. We boarded the Malaysia Airlines B737-800 for the 3h40 flight to Kuala Lumpur departing at 0055 and arriving at 0705 due to the time […]

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Around old town

Today we took the boat (tambang) across the river into old town Kuching for a walk.  I do this often enough in order to get errands done but Kim doesn’t get here so much. So it was somewhat of an experience on the boat, and a walk down memory lane in old town.  

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Dentist for peanuts

Last trip back in April, I had been to the government polyclinic for a dental check-up which cost me a MYR1 (USD0.26) registration fee.  They were ultra-comprehensive in marking down the condition of all teeth and the work required.  They booked me an apppointment three months later which timed well with this visit. Today I […]

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Orangutans

It’s only an hour from my apartment to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre where they rehabilitate rescued orangutans.  As Kim doesn’t get to Kuching often, I took him there.  As the apes roam the forest, sightings are not guaranteed especially during the fruiting season when they do not turn up for supplementary feeding.  

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Moving on to the beach

We had a leisurely morning before checking out around 1130 and walking to the bus terminal. It was a breeze taking the bus to Batu Ferringhi for our one night at the Holiday Inn Resort. On the bus I chatted to this woman who had an El Nido bag. As it turns out, she (and […]

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Kek Lok Si temple

We took the bus to Kek Lok Si temple today at Ayer Itam. The walk up was lined with stalls selling commercial and religious items. Strangely, for a Buddhist place, the traders were selling pictures of the Last Supper and Catholic icons too. Whatever makes money! Partway up was a pond full of tortoises. I […]

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