I caught the bus from the main bus station in KK to Inanam bus terminal and then hopped onto the next, more comfortable, bus for a 6 hour journey through Borneo’s mountains, destination…Sepilok.
The cost was RM38 using Tung Ma Express and i was kept entertained throughout the bus journey, albeit inadvertently through very dodgy Asian singing to Avril Lavigne, and movies on the bus which included ‘Hidden Dragon’ a Chinese drunken martial arts film which was watched through subtitles, ‘Universal Soldier: Redemption or Regeneration’ (i’m sure they’re all the same) which was in English but also had subtitles which didn’t quite match what was being said and ‘The Tooth Fairy’ with the Rock…nothing needs to be said about this film. Apart from the cultural movie experience the bus journey was good, safe and there was lots of beautiful scenery to pass the time.
The bus dropped me off at the main road intersection for Uncle Tan’s Lodge where i’m staying.
The lodge is large, homely and friendly. There’s a pool table, lounge area, garden and large dining area where they serve dinner and breakfast.
It’s pretty quiet with only a few other people staying here and who will likely be coming with me for my jungle trip tomorrow.
The dorms are a little walk away from the main part of the lodge and there’s electricity in the dorms and rooms via a generator so when it gets dark, it’s dark.
I met a German couple (Michael and Matilda) who have provided me with some great company and will be joining me on the tour tomorrow.
Before we head into the jungle though we are going to visit the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre which is just down the road from where we are staying! I am so excited!
Today was probably the best day i’ve had travelling since being on my own.
After a very good breakfast buffet the lodge very kindly drove us down the road to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.
A RM30 entrance fee plus a RM10 fee for having a camera and we were in.
The centre which has been running since 1964 is home to between 40 -80 Orang Utans who live in the 43 sq km forest reserve on the edge of the Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve.
The centre has different stages of rehabilitation with a nursery section where young or injured Orang Utans first live before progressing to lively freely in the rest of the reserve.
The rehab centre has two feeding times and i ventured to the morning feeding time at 10am.
A crowd of visitors had already gathered at the viewing area where in front of us was a platform high up on a tree with ropes leading to it from either side from trees in the forest.
Several long-tailed and pig-tailed macacks were already running around wise to the fact that feeding time was about to begin.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Into The Wild: Sepilok, Borneo - Monkey business!!!
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