Saturday 10 July, and it's during our final morning souvenir shop that Pauline starts to feel unwell. Heading back to the lodge we lay her down on a sofa in the foyer while a migraine starts to set in. I rush out to find a doctor - unfortunately he closed ten minutes earlier. But there's a clinic on the way to the airport - expensive, but the best in town. We pile our gear into the taxi, and with Pauline as white as a sheet and about to throw up at any moment, it's a nailbiting ride.
Scenarios of missing our flight flash through my mind. Rebooking, insurance claims, letting people know, missing my first day in a new job. It's not worth thinking about.
Pauline's feeling a bit better as we limp into the clinic. After an anxious half hour of filling in forms and waiting around, she gets to see a doctor. She's a lot perkier now, and the doctor prescribes some pills for headache and nausea similar to the ones we're already carrying and sends us on our way. And no payment for the consultation - amazing! I'm anxiously looking at my watch, but we get to the airport in plenty of time to make our connecting flight to KL.
And apart from a slight panicky moment when Pauline loses her passport down a deep pocket in her handbag, it's smooth sailing all the way back home. Pauline's feeling a box of birds by the time we get to KL and is wondering what all the fuss was about.
Fiona's there to meet us as we step out of the plane into the Auckland chill. It's been a great holiday, but as always when you've been away it's good to get back to family, friends, familiar surroundings and a bit of a routine.
I didn't score my slippers while I was away, but I did find a couple of very nice paper knives in Java and Borneo to add to my collection.
Now it's time to start planning my next tramp abroad. My contract at Vodafone finishes at the end of March 2011. Where in the world should I go in April?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Jungle kayaking
We had the choice of a six hour trek through the jungle where we probably would see proboscis monkeys, or a four hour kayak down a jungle river where we probably wouldn't see crocodiles, snakes or leeches. Pretty easy decision really!
In no time at all we're heading past the Orangutan sanctuary up into the hills. But first we pull over and stop at a roadside cutting. What's the problem? Our guides direct us to the bank.
We'd seen carnivorous plants in the botanic gardens before, but it was amazing seeing them growing so densely out in the wild. I thanked my lucky stars I wasn't a fly on the edge of exhaustion.
There was more exotic wildlife to see on arrival. This guy is to a bumble bee what a 747 is to a Cessna!
The intrepid kayakers pose for the obligatory shot before heading off into the unknown. Will we all make it? With all our limbs?
We navigate raging rapids.
But through skill and good fortune come through unscathed.
We stop at remote villages on the riverbank and chat with the locals.
And enjoy dragonfruit for lunch. A real treat. Perhaps one of the benefits of global warming will be to grow one of these in my back yard.
It's the hottest part of the day, so a swim to cool off is in order. No crocodiles to be seen, and I reassure Nik that the swiftness of the current will prevent any leeches from latching on.
I didn't mention the snakes, nor tell her how her granddad had been bitten by a water snake when cleaning down his tank in the Solomon Islands in WW2. The snakes passed us by on this occasion.
Soon we were back into it, marvelling at how the river had undercut the sandstone cliffs.
So all in all a sublime paddle. Lots of fun, plenty of excitement through the rapids, more than enough jungle to look at, and the three of us arrived with all our bits. Good thing the crocs were all down at Jong's farm enjoying the chooks.
A bit sad coming to the end of the trip. Our last full day in Borneo, but certainly a memorable one. Now it's time to start thinking about packing up, heading home, going to work/school, and swapping 30 degrees for 10 degrees. Can't we stay just a bit longer? I'd do the jungle trek even if I didn't see a proboscis monkey!
In no time at all we're heading past the Orangutan sanctuary up into the hills. But first we pull over and stop at a roadside cutting. What's the problem? Our guides direct us to the bank.
We'd seen carnivorous plants in the botanic gardens before, but it was amazing seeing them growing so densely out in the wild. I thanked my lucky stars I wasn't a fly on the edge of exhaustion.
There was more exotic wildlife to see on arrival. This guy is to a bumble bee what a 747 is to a Cessna!
The intrepid kayakers pose for the obligatory shot before heading off into the unknown. Will we all make it? With all our limbs?
We navigate raging rapids.
But through skill and good fortune come through unscathed.
We stop at remote villages on the riverbank and chat with the locals.
And enjoy dragonfruit for lunch. A real treat. Perhaps one of the benefits of global warming will be to grow one of these in my back yard.
It's the hottest part of the day, so a swim to cool off is in order. No crocodiles to be seen, and I reassure Nik that the swiftness of the current will prevent any leeches from latching on.
I didn't mention the snakes, nor tell her how her granddad had been bitten by a water snake when cleaning down his tank in the Solomon Islands in WW2. The snakes passed us by on this occasion.
Soon we were back into it, marvelling at how the river had undercut the sandstone cliffs.
So all in all a sublime paddle. Lots of fun, plenty of excitement through the rapids, more than enough jungle to look at, and the three of us arrived with all our bits. Good thing the crocs were all down at Jong's farm enjoying the chooks.
A bit sad coming to the end of the trip. Our last full day in Borneo, but certainly a memorable one. Now it's time to start thinking about packing up, heading home, going to work/school, and swapping 30 degrees for 10 degrees. Can't we stay just a bit longer? I'd do the jungle trek even if I didn't see a proboscis monkey!
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