Borneo

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Back to Balikpapan

Due to the previous days’ early starts I woke up naturally early as well. I didn’t want to eat too early, so walked down to the waterfront and tried to take a shared boat service across the river. The boatman said there wasn’t any as it was too early. He said he would take me […]

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Borneo’s largest city

I had time for breakfast at the hotel before taking a taxi at 0700 to Banjarmasin’s airport 45 minutes away. Checkin for my 0925 departure to Balikpapan on Wings Air was swift. Once airside I noticed that yesterday 1555 flight had been delayed till around 0900. And this morning’s ~0615 flight delayed till around 0920. […]

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Floating market

I had set the alarm for 0430 (which is 0330 Pontianak time where I had come from). I met the Simon & Karen at reception with their lovely guide Nurul Hidayah. We soon boarded a kelotok (boat) from the hotel’s back gate. In the darkness we navigated upriver and saw the sky turn pink. About […]

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Covering new territory

Above:  Dayak tail on Kalstar ATR (pronounced Ah Teh Eerrr, here). I woke at 0330 even though my alarm was for 0415. Flight departure to somewhere new and exciting, (Banjarmasin, was 0630 so I left the hotel by taxi booked for 0445. It was five minutes late but I still got to the new airport […]

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Borneo’s Killing Fields

My full day in Pontianak was allocated to a visit to Mandor, Borneo’s Killing Fields. I had been over three years ago but due to weather, I made it only to the memorial. I didn’t make it to the actual mass graves behind. I woke early and was at breakfast at 0630. The one hour […]

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South of the border

I had an ordered a taxi for 0600 as it seemed like the time in consideration of the travel time to, and check-in Kuching Sentral station at the far end of town. I remember from last time that the taxi rate drops from night to day at 0600. The driver didn’t use the meter but […]

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Back to civilisation

Above:  Goodbye Mulu, hope it won’t be 21 years before I come back. Today I head back to civilisation (and internet again) in Kuching. I relaxed in the morning before going to the airport at 1145 for my 1315 flight. I based my timing on walking there but the owner was available to take me […]

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Adventure caving at Stonehorse Cave

I had breakfast at my hostel outside of the park with Gwen (male) and Denis, both from France. Denis is originally from Madagascar. As it was Sunday, the family owning the place was getting ready for church at St Philip’s. They all wore “Askar Allah” t-shirts, meaning Soldier of God, I guess as in the […]

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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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