Day in the wilds of Brunei

Today we went on a two hour boat tour of the water village - houses on stilts - and then down the river to see the Sultan's palaces and the wildlife.

Heard all about the Sultan & his three wives and about Brunei in general but it's too much information to put here!

The river tours was really interesting - we saw atleast eight crocodiles who rushed into the water as soon as the boat neared, a few monitor lizards up in the trees and on the banks, monkeys and a lot of probiscus monkeys (only forund in the wild in Brunei). Our guide told us we were very luck to see so many. It was pretty amazing to see so much wild llife so close to a city.

After the wild life we visited the house the 'boat driver' lives in. He has a house in the water village. You walk along wooden boardwalks - no railings! - to his house. we got such a suprise when we walked inside - gilt chairs, huge chandelier ( sorry can't spell), huge TV & karaoke equipment plus bedrooms for 13 people - basically better 'mod cons' than we have!

This afternoon had a great massage. Now having G & T before dinner.

Long bus trip tomorrow into Sabah.

Now in Brunei

Our last few days have basically been in a city so not much happening there!


Today we caught a bus to Brunei. Passport was checked as we boarded the bus & we were asked why we had no visa! I'd google & it said that we didn't need a visa if only staying for 72 hours! The bus left and about 30 mins later we were leaving Borneo - all well passport stamped. 5 mins later we were at the border to enter Brunei. Out of bus to immigration, bus driver calls us out & takes us to an official to explain that we have no visa. The official tells us that we need a visa for multiple entries as to get to Sabah we leave Brunei, enter Borneo, leave Borneo, enter Brunei & finally enter Borneo. Sound complicated?!


All was well because they could do the visa for us. Meanwhile everyone on the bus was through immigration except us - we were told to sit & wait. We felt like naughty school girls! The crunch came when we were told to pay $30 Brunei. We don't have Brunei dollars we said but we do have American (official snorted), Autralian & Malaysian. No we only take Brunei or Singapore dollars!Is there an ATM? No! What to do? The bus driver paid for us & eventually we recieved our passports.


Arrived safely in the capital, went to ATM & were able to pay the driver. Got to Hotel and all was well.
Went for a walk to look around and went into a large Mosque. We had to don some sort of garment and were able to walk inside. Both outside & inside covered with gold. We walked along a purple carpet which ended abruptly half way up the Mosque. Valda and I debated about whether we were allowed to step off it when she took the plunge - within seconds we were being yelled at & told to get back on the purple carpet!


So that's been our first day in Brunei!

Happy New Year

Well the last two days have been uneventful. we spent close to 5 hours on a boat travelling from Kuching to Sibu. We had 2 James Bond movies to keep us occupied! Are in a hotel which is far below the Hilton standard but that's the way it goes in the 'back waters'!

We celebrated NZ & Australia's New Years with an Aussie red in the room. Decided that we weren't going to celebrate midnight in Malaysia - wrong! Hundreds of fireworks were let off in front of our hotel so we stood at the window & watched!

Today we went for a walk & found a place to have a facial so started the New Year off in the way we should continue! Now sitting in lobby waiting for taxi to airport for 55 minute flight to Miri - north Sarawak.

Picture is of Valda & I with Head Hunters!

survived the headhunters!

Trip to Longhouse also had a side trip to try to see the Orangutans in their natural habitat so we arrived for the 9am feeding. We were in the forest & guides were telling us that we had to be very quiet while they tried to call the Orangutans down & to remember that they were wild animals so we may not see any as they were able to rely on the fruits in the forest. After about 20 minutes we suddenly saw trees moving and swaying so we were hopeful

 of seeing an Orangutan – all we wanted was to see one! The moments were magical as 6 Orangutans came down to feed – one was a baby. I cannot describe how it felt to see them in the wild! One took a coconut and proceeded to ‘bash’ it against a tree until it was open. The use both hands, feet and mouth to move in the trees and carry the fruit at the same time. It was a magical.

Another 3 hours and a lunch stop later we arrived at the river where we were to pick up a long boat which was to take us to the long house. By now the monsoon weather had returned & we had to ‘don’ our plastic ponchos & life jackets before getting into the boat. It was rather surreal as we didn’t know where we were or where we were going but we were headed down the river & you’ve heard the tale of the ‘wild men of Borneo’!

We did survive the ordeal even after seeing skulls of possible previous tourists, joining in with the dancing, partaking of rice wine and rice whisky (to ward off evil spirits), stumbling down the notched tree trunk steps to ground level, partaking of a bottle of Aussie red under our mosquito net boudoir ( yes Valda & I had to share the double mattress hence a large intake of alcohol!), and to round it off we tried to slaughter a papaya with a metre long blow pipe – both of us scoring a bullseye to the joy of the entire tribe – thus we still have our heads! A walk through the jungle and a return trip in the longboat means that we are now Iban tribeswomen. Yet we are now enjoying a G & T in the Hilton Hotel!

borneo gay 2

Set off at 8.30 for the drive to the river before getting a boat over to Bako National Park. Arrived at the river where we were told that we had to wait for the boatmen to decide whether it was safe for us to travel to Bako. We hadn’t realized that it meant a trip on the ocean. Most boatmen were sitting around waiting to hear about the condition of the sea but some took tourists out. The word came back that there was a 3 metre swell!! After waiting for some time & knowing that the boatmen were refusing to go out we pulled the plug on the whole excursion! It would have been great to see the wildlife but not in a tiny boat (as shown in picture).

We came back to Kuching and were refunded our money so we had a massage, swim and relaxed around the pool. Hope we will have better luck with the ‘head hunters’ tomorrow!

Borneo day 2

Set off at 8.30 for the drive to the river before getting a boat over to Bako National Park. Arrived at the river where we were told that we had to wait for the boatmen to decide whether it was safe for us to travel to Bako. We hadn’t realized that it meant a trip on the ocean. Most boatmen were sitting around waiting to hear about the condition of the sea but some took tourists out. The word came back that there was a 3 metre swell!! After waiting for some time & knowing that the boatmen were refusing to go out we pulled the plug on the whole excursion! It would have been great to see the wildlife but not in a tiny boat (as shown in picture).

We came back to Kuching and were refunded our money so we had a massage, swim and relaxed around the pool. Hope we will have better luck with the ‘head hunters’ tomorrow!

Arrived Borneo

It's hot and sticky here but we arrived after good flights. Have wandered around the town & booked a few trips.
Tonght we are on a sunset cruise.
Tomorrow Bako National Park - bus and boat trip. We will be guided around the area & spotting wildlife.
29/12 Orangutans & a sleepover with the Head Hunters!

Picture, if I can attached it, was taken today when needing refreshments after a monsoonal downpour!

Love Les x
Love