My Borneo (395 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.41 on 30 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Beano (View user info) at 2006-09-18 11:49:29 EDT
I have just learnt the fascinating fact that Orang-utans have a 96.4% gene match to us humans. What makes this fact even more special for me is that this statistic was presented to me after I had managed to observe five different examples of this wonderful ape, wild and free in the vibrant jungle of Borneo.
My connecting flight to India was via Kuala Lumpur. Being the opportunist that I am, I delayed my connection by Nine days, and then flew to Borneo. With some good advice from friends and a little reading, I found myself in Uncle Tans Jungle Camp a full 30 hours after leaving New Zealand.
My head was spinning a bit, and this wasn't just from thirteen hours of flying, the sleepless night in KL International, or the bottle of Jim B consumed whilst passing that time with a random like minded person I met in the terminal. No, I was in the jungle, and my name wasn't Tarzan - oh fuck.
Mr Tan's tried and trusted formula of entertaining tourists over the bog standard three day/ two night package is to send them on four guided boat trips up the raw Kinabatagan River, and two tramps through the jungle. There were thirteen people in my group, I was hoping that this wasn't a bad sign as there is no guarantee that you will actually bump into one of our not so distant brothers.
They make up for the fairly relaxed first days program by having you running around at full pace on the second. This Primary growth forest is absolutely teaming with life. We had been lucky enough to have seen langur monkeys, flying squirrels, frogs, scorpions, monitor lizards, proboscis monkeys, pigs, crocodiles, macaque monkeys, birds and butterflies galore, a couple of otters and even a malay civit, which is kind of a wild cat, but not the all important hairy one.
Despite this the mood was positive. Our final excursion as a group was a cruise up the river early on the third day. I had brought along my lucky cap but had forgotten my camera, a dead cert for seeing something special. Suddenly there she was, an adolescent female busy feeding herself in the early morning light. Twelve people left the jungle very happy later that morning, but not me; it wasn't my time to leave just yet........
Later that day I was swinging in the camp hammock reflecting on an excellent couple of days. My peace was then disturbed by the fantastic news that another Orang-utan had been spotted just ten minutes away. No second invite was required; I quickly grabbed my Kodak and sprinted down to the river. My luck was in; as promised just off the main hiking track there was indeed a mother with her baby. Unlike the morning sighting I had the freedom to use my legs in order to gain a decent vantage point just ten meters below this majestic creature.
Despite a storm brewing and another orang-utan sighting about a hundred meters away, I was surprised to find myself alone with mother and baby after about an hour. Mummy was on the move so I took the quick decision to move on up ahead and begin to climb a welcoming tree. The idea was stealth; in reality my natural ladder began to lean against her home and alert all of my obvious intentions.
Suddenly five meters up ahead of me this orange head poked through the dense green. My mistake quickly dawned on me; mother/baby combo, unidentified hairless thing intruding. How could I have been so stupid? Options quickly flashed through my mind, whilst I fought simultaneously to keep my heart in its cage.
In reality it wasn't really much of a decision. Recent study had taught me that an orang-utan will do almost anything to avoid being on the jungle floor, the safety of which was about five meters below me. It didn't take me long to make the decision.
I don't know why I was so scared at that moment. I think I had visions of gorillas charging through the bush messing with my logic. Once back in the safety of my own environment, and more importantly OUT of someone else's, I looked back up and instantly locked eyes with mum. It was probably a minute before the connection was broken, but it felt like an eternity. She looked sad, but I knew that it wasn't that. Curious yes, but there was something else, something special. I couldn't put my finger on it.
The storm soon forced me into an unwelcome retreat. Being in dense forest, two hundred meters from a recognized path, alone as the world begins to flood and free electricity is forced upon the earth is another experience in itself.
It took until around the same time the following day for me to finally understand what had captivated me so much; I was looking directly into the soul of intelligence. There was wonder behind both our eyes in that moment. An instinctive need to understand something different. Curiosity, but with the power of being able to process the evidence laid before you. It is a gift that nature presented to so few of us. You can never be the same again after an experience like that.
User Reviews
Submitted by Linus (user info) at 2008-11-29 15:43:40 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Congratulations.
Submitted by Judgement (user info) at 2008-11-22 16:32:50 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by redskieslookfake (user info) at 2008-07-26 12:58:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by maf54 (user info) at 2008-05-14 05:14:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Just to counter what that idiot Director did to you.
Submitted by Director (user info) at 2008-05-13 17:41:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-20 05:20:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 20:49:57 (#)
Ranking: 2
I hate reasonable responses.
Were you going to keep going on with these if nobody called you out, or do you not care or think people would care?
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It was in the air. I was maybe going to do another couple and I probably will because it's quite good fun. I loose interest in things too easily though.
I certainly don't care if people thought they were real or not,... I mean... come on what is on this site?
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 20:49:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I hate reasonable responses.
Were you going to keep going on with these if nobody called you out, or do you not care or think people would care?
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 13:30:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:28:43 (#)
Ranking: 0
Taken by itself this post didn't make sense (at least the traveling portion).
You didn't claim they were either, but I think the rating might be a little lower if people knew you were writing fiction. I am sure half of the positive ratings were because people thought the trip was cool.
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Yes, point taken on both parts. Cheers.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:28:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:12:24 (#)
Ranking: 0
And I never claimed that either of these stories were fiction or non fiction.
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Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:06:35 (#)
Ranking: 0
A appretiate that you took the time to look at some further details. (the India post)
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Taken by itself this post didn't make sense (at least the traveling portion).
You didn't claim they were either, but I think the rating might be a little lower if people knew you were writing fiction. I am sure half of the positive ratings were because people thought the trip was cool.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:12:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
And I never claimed that either of these stories were fiction or non fiction.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 08:06:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
A appretiate that you took the time to look at some further details. (the India post)
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 07:27:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Actually I just looked at your last post about india, the plane trip makes a little more sense but you might want to explain that better.
To be honest I still don't buy this, there are a lot of things that first time visitor to Borneo will be amazed at and probably comment on, also this post is lacking in pictures for someone who went on a guided tour.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-19 07:03:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 04:34:40 (#)
Ranking: 0
You going to point out where I state all this?
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"My connecting flight to India was via Kuala Lumpur. Being the opportunist that I am, I delayed my connection by Nine days, and then flew to Borneo."
-Why the fuck would you fly to india via KL if you were going to Borneo? Borneo is part of Maylasia, Brunei and Indonesia.
"I have just learnt the fascinating fact that Orang-utans have a 96.4% gene match to us humans."
-You weren't really wrong here it just isn't that fascinating considering we are closer to the Chimp.
This story is complete fucking BS. If you actually went to Borneo I am sure you would have posted a picture you had actually taken. And since you are pointing out neat little facts about them I am sure you would have brought up what orangutang means in Bahasa (or malay depending on which part of the island you are on).
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 05:02:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2006-09-19 04:50:08 (#)
Ranking: 0
you don't, he apparently was making some inferences from your piece.
It was apparently too vague for him to understand, I mean, the complex grammar was a bit confusing at first.
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Cool, thanks for the feedback.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2006-09-19 04:50:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
you don't, he apparently was making some inferences from your piece.
It was apparently too vague for him to understand, I mean, the complex grammar was a bit confusing at first.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-19 04:34:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:27:07 (#)
Ranking: -2
We are closer genetically to the chimpanzee.
Jesus man if you are going to make up some BS stories about apes do some fucking research.
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Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:22:59 (#)
Ranking: -2
Borneo isn't in India, dumbass.
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You going to point out where I state all this?
Submitted by moneyshotforyou (user info) at 2006-09-18 23:37:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I fixed my laptop.
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2006-09-18 22:55:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
butt sniffers + Kinabatangan River
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:37:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Wasn't this a song by The Knack?
It blew.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:32:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Is this one BS too?
http://www.ubersite.com/m/93094
bodoh dusta
Submitted by Uberjunkie (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:29:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"It was probably a minute before the connection was broken, but it felt like an eternity."
________
Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity.
-Albert Einstein
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:27:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
We are closer genetically to the chimpanzee.
Jesus man if you are going to make up some BS stories about apes do some fucking research.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-09-18 18:22:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Borneo isn't in India, dumbass.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-09-18 17:20:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 Borneo
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-18 14:25:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by ballsonurchin (user info) at 2006-09-18 13:38:53 (#)
Ranking: -2
why are you such a fag skidmark?
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Ha welcome to my post.
I know you love me and it wouldn't be a proper relationship if you didn't show your stupid head.
Submitted by ballsonurchin (user info) at 2006-09-18 13:38:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
why are you such a fag skidmark?
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2006-09-18 13:19:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Auto +2 monkey business.
Submitted by Allyson (user info) at 2006-09-18 12:08:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by FilthyAssistant (user info) at 2006-09-18 12:05:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds awesome.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2006-09-18 11:59:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking A right.