Sarah's Journey

Giraffe

2007-03-16T03:09:00.000+08:00

Giraffe on my horse back safari

Lions at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe

2007-03-12T17:42:00.000+08:00

Hi all, just to let you know I have arrived safely in Zimbabwe and have met my first few lions!!!

The ones above are the newest arrivals born on January 19th so not yet 2 months old.. have missed the bottle feeding by a couple of weeks :-( but already trained on preparing their 4 meals a day of mince and warm milk.

My typical day involves an alarm at 5.50!! which if you know me well is a BIG challenge!

At 6.15 we are allocated are first walk of the day .. in my first 6 days I have pretty much walked all the cubs who are old enough to walk and done cub sitting with the others.

Its back for breakfast at 8.30 before the longest shift of the day 9.30 to 12.30 .. today was meat prep for the older cubs .. involving parts of a cow (skin, bones and all), enclosure cleaning and then feeding the cubs, and collecting data on their feeding behaviour. I finished early so was at the poolside by 11.45 :-) before heading into lunch

Started early this afternoon too at 2 instead of 2.30 to prep the babies lunch and then feed them.. spent a couple of hours playing with them before heading back for a final walk with the 10 month old cubs (the oldest we currently walk) and then dinner.

Its not all hard work though .. yesterday I had a full day of horse induction which included an afternoon in the park amongst zebra, wilderbeast, giraffe, and impala to mention a few!

Having a great time.

Sarah

Kuranda with Katrin

2005-12-01T16:33:00.000+08:00

The Train and Station
Katrin and I in the Cable Car ...............................
Rainforest from the air
Arriving back in Cairns from the Tablelands I bumped into Katrin .. last seen in Broome on the easy rider tour, and so we headed for the really tourist trip up to Kuranda by Cable Car and then back by Scenic Railway! Apart from the 75 minute bus journey around Cairns to pick up everyone else and wait for them to pay the balances on their trips (Weird Oz way of just paying a deposit when you book a trip????) The actual journeys were the best part of the day as the scenery was stunning. Kuranda itself is unworthy of any photos .. even a digital one as it is purely a shopping centre for tourists .. we managed to avoid the mass of tacky shops although I did get very close to buying a $350!!! opal necklace .. maybe next time!

Attempting Wooffing!

2005-12-01T15:57:00.000+08:00

The resident Kangaroo at Springmount
I intended to stay up in the Table lands above Cairns for a weeks wooffing(working in exchange for accomodation, food and horse riding) at Springmount Ranch however only lasted 48 hours! The Farm in itself is a great place if your a guest however as a helper I think I am too old to be told how to cut up a caspian, shut the cutlery draw quitely and prewash every item that went in the dishwasher ... apparently I also cut up vegetables too quickly .. I think there is a difference between being a naive 21 year old doing this and me!!! So I made my excuses and headed back down to cairns.

2005-11-28T15:27:00.000+08:00

The mini bungles (couldnt afford the helicopter flight to see the real ones!)

2005-11-28T15:26:00.001+08:00

A Wallaby

2005-11-28T15:26:00.000+08:00

Apparently the freshies (fresh water crocs) are more scared of us .. so we went for a swim!

2005-11-28T15:25:00.001+08:00

I though Freshies didnt grow very big!!

2005-11-28T15:25:00.000+08:00

Proof I slept in a tent .. even if it was only one night and very civilised!

2005-11-28T15:24:00.000+08:00

Entering the Northern Territory! First time zone change since April!!

2005-11-28T15:23:00.001+08:00

Morning swim at Edith Falls in Nitmiluk National Park

2005-11-28T15:23:00.000+08:00

Inside a Tree .. somewhere between Broome and Darwin????

2005-11-28T15:22:00.001+08:00

Boat Trip in Geikie Gorge National Park

2005-11-28T15:22:00.000+08:00

No caves for these Bats in Geike Gorge

2005-11-28T15:20:00.001+08:00

The last night in Broome

2005-11-28T15:20:00.000+08:00

And we walked all the way to the lighthouse to see ... manmade Dinosaur prints .. only in Oz!!!!

2005-11-28T15:19:00.001+08:00

With hostel standards like this who needs a hotel!

2005-11-28T15:19:00.000+08:00

Afternoon on Cable Beach

2005-11-28T15:18:00.001+08:00

Another Sunset from Cable Beach Broome

2005-11-28T15:18:00.000+08:00

The Irish, Scottish, and English Contingent in Broome!

The Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T12:42:00.000+08:00

Views from the 50 minute Flight up to Lizard Island to join the Dive Boat

2005-11-28T11:19:00.000+08:00

Preparing for another dive!!

2005-11-28T11:18:00.002+08:00

Yellow Trumpet Fish, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:18:00.001+08:00

More nice coral! Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:18:00.000+08:00

Titan Trigger Fish, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:17:00.003+08:00

Sweet Lips, Cod Hole, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:17:00.002+08:00

Another Not sure .. taken at Steves Bommie, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:17:00.001+08:00

Sea slug

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Shrimp

2005-11-28T11:16:00.001+08:00

Another scorpion fish (facing towards back left)

2005-11-28T11:16:00.000+08:00

More Nudi's

2005-11-28T11:15:00.001+08:00

Scorpion Fish (eye at bottom of photo)

2005-11-28T11:15:00.000+08:00

Nice coral, Great barrier reef

2005-11-28T11:14:00.003+08:00

Potato Cod, Cod Hole, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:14:00.002+08:00

Best ever shot of a parrot fish .. at last considering them so common!

2005-11-28T11:14:00.001+08:00

Ornate Ghost pipe fish

2005-11-28T11:14:00.000+08:00

Old and Fat Puffer Fish

2005-11-28T11:13:00.001+08:00

Orange Spotted Ghost pipe fish

2005-11-28T11:13:00.000+08:00

Another Nudi Branch, but this one won the photo contest on the boat!

2005-11-28T11:12:00.002+08:00

Another not sure, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:12:00.001+08:00

Nudibranch, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:12:00.000+08:00

Not sure what it is? reat Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:11:00.002+08:00

Nemo amongst nice coral

2005-11-28T11:11:00.001+08:00

More nice coral

2005-11-28T11:11:00.000+08:00

Big Puffer Fish, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:10:00.001+08:00

Lacey Scorpion Fish, Great Barrier Reef
(quite rare!)

2005-11-28T11:10:00.000+08:00

Parking the Boat next to the Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:09:00.003+08:00

Flat Worm, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:09:00.002+08:00

Junior Flame File Shell

2005-11-28T11:09:00.001+08:00

Cuttle Fish at night, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:09:00.000+08:00

Flame File Shell

2005-11-28T11:08:00.000+08:00

The Bump Heads eat the coral and out of the other end comes sand!

2005-11-28T11:07:00.001+08:00

Side view of Bump Head Parrot Fish, Cod Hole, Great Barrier Reef

2005-11-28T11:07:00.000+08:00

Bump Head Parrot Fish

2005-11-28T09:01:00.001+08:00

Sunset at Cable Beach, Broome

2005-11-28T09:01:00.000+08:00

A little bit of diving at ningaloo reef near Exmouth.. but poor visiblity meant this was the only photo worth putting on the blogg

2005-11-28T09:00:00.001+08:00

Turtles mating near Exmouth

2005-11-28T09:00:00.000+08:00

Tiger Shark

2005-11-28T08:59:00.001+08:00

Circular Pool, Karijini National Park

2005-11-28T08:58:00.000+08:00

Hamelin Pool Stromatolites - ultimately responsible for us being here typing today!

2005-11-28T08:56:00.001+08:00

Resident Emu at the Caravan Park in Exmouth

2005-11-28T08:56:00.000+08:00

Its a Kangaroo!!!

2005-11-28T08:55:00.001+08:00

Lizard gorge walk 2?

2005-11-28T08:55:00.000+08:00

Pelican and Dolphin at Monkey Mia

2005-11-28T08:48:00.000+08:00

Easy Rider bus at Shell beach

2005-11-28T08:46:00.001+08:00

Dolphin at Monkey Mia

2005-11-28T08:46:00.000+08:00

Think this was the loop Gorge?????

2005-11-28T08:44:00.000+08:00

Malygan Tree? or is it the snappy gum?

2005-11-28T08:40:00.000+08:00

More Pinnacles

2005-11-28T08:38:00.000+08:00

In front of the z bend (more gorges!)

2005-11-28T08:37:00.000+08:00

Natures Window, West Australia

2005-11-28T08:33:00.000+08:00

I dont like Heights .. but still managed the gorge walking near Kalbarri .. although declined the opportunity to absail!

2005-11-28T08:32:00.000+08:00

Seaside! Freemantle near Perth

Gorge 1st

2005-11-18T11:28:00.000+08:00

Me nearly at the bottom of the gorge near Kalbarri.

And some other picturesque gorge scenes (quite a lot of them up the west coast)

Pinnacles

2005-11-18T11:23:00.000+08:00

I decided to join a hop on hop off tour up the West coast from Perth to Darwin called Easy Riders.

We headed out of Perth at 7am on our first day to the first stop, one of Western Australia’s unique natural attractions - the Pinnacles Desert.

We had some time here to wander around the desert in the Nambung National Park. We all got our first taste of one of Oz's wildlife wonders ... the Flies!!!!

Perth

2005-11-18T09:11:00.000+08:00

From Singapore I flew into Perth.

Having cleared customs (which included having to get out my walking boots to prove they were clean enough to pass the quarantine standards!) I walked out on to Australian soil! except that it was so cold I thought I was back in England!

Ok so 17 degrees is not that bad .. but with wind chill and after nearly 6 months in Asia it felt freezing!

Travel Updates from Borneo

2005-10-05T15:24:00.000+08:00

Where do I start?? I love borneo! or at least the Malaysian side .. Indonesia will hopefully be soon! The areas I visited are known as Sarawak and Sabah ... never thought I would be jungle trekking and enjoying it!

I left Singapore for Johor Bahru and a very early flight .. Unfortunately no cheap accomodation near the airport so booked into the posh hotel instead .. still less than a travel lodge and a little bit plusher!!! ... refer to photo and warning card!

Anyway landed in Kutching in South West Sarawak and spent a few days there in a really miserable hostel wandering about the town visiting museums and planning my trip .. Didn't meet anyone until the last day when I was visiting Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to see the Orangutans where I met Izzy and a slimy Muslim who (after 1 hour of talking to him) wanted us to be his fifth and sixth wives! (Muslims are allowed 4!) After I rescued her from him I agreed to meet Izzy in Miri later in the week and go off to Mulu.

Arrived in Miri to one of the best hostels in Borneo .."The Highlands" .. owned by a Kiwi called "Captain David" who flys Twin Otters for Malaysian Airlines. Pretty much used this as a base for all my travel around Sabah and Sarawak.

Kicked around Miri for a couple of days doing a bit of diving and taking a day trip up the Baram River to Marudi to visit the town and a long house ... pretty eventful day with my first and only! taste of Terrapin (my guide Willie told me it was Tarpin ... a fresh water fish!!!!!!) This was followed by a little rice wine at the long house we visited .. they wanted us to stay the night, but as some of the women had obviously been at the rice wine for a while (it was only 4pm) we made our excuses and caught the last boat back with the longhouse chiefs catch of the day - huge fresh water prawns ... great in a Tom Yam .. but I have since found out that Prawns grow this big when there is a lot of pollution in the river from up stream (work it out!) .. Oh well still alive and kicking!

It wasn't the only pollution in the river either .. logging has had a devastating effect on the environment in terms of river pollution, scaring the rainforest, reducing the wildlife population and consequently the food sources for the local tribes people. Whether you take a river trip or fly across the Baram River you can see the effects .. and with Brunei within eyesight with its virgin untouched rainforest it is even more stark.

Speaking of flying .. the 16 seater twin otter is the local bus around Northern Sarawak .. no flight attendant or toilets on this plane .. but much more fun than any other flying i've done. Took my first flight with "Captain David" and 8 others from the hostel to Mulu after he came in one night to the bar and said that he would fly us around and over the pinnacles if we wanted to fly up with him in the morning .. (Emptying his hostel at the same time??? but at least he got to fly!)

Flying past the pinnacles was the big draw for me as the vertigo thing meant that this trip was a definite NO for me .. so instead I visited the 4 big caves, took a river trip and very slowly with the aid of a very patient park guide managed the sky canopy walk .. just finished this July it is now the longest in the world! .. and what did I see ?????? ...... a wasp!! although I am reliably told that 2 stings of this wasp could kill a Water Buffalo!

After Mulu it was more flying! I have avoided flying for most of my trips, but with a an infrastructure still in its infancy it is really the best way to get around and relatively cheap .. I even managed one business class flight for the huge sum of 20 pounds!

Anyway a couple of flights a bus trip and boat trip helped me to arrive in Kapali. This is the beautiful Stilt Water Bungalow Village that I stayed on for the sole purpose of diving Sipadan! What can I say amazing!!! Had the best diving in terms of fish. The coral has been largely damaged unfortunately, although the malaysian government have closed the resorts on sipadan in January 2005, this is too little too late ... Still the pictures are great and I met great people and had loads of fun on Kapali. Even though I begged to stay the resort was fully booked and so after 5 days I was on my way again .. this time to Uncle Tans Jungle Camp.

In a remote part of Sabah this camp was really good fun and has a really high concentration of wildlife .. managed to see loads including proboscis monkeys, macaque, fresh water crocs, Hornbills, numerous types of frogs (including the smallest in the world) and a tarantula!!!

A final visit to the Orangutans at Sepilok and I flew back to Kota Kinabalo to prepare for to ascend Mount Kinabalo!! Yep unlikely as it may seem off I went to climb a mountain .. actually the highest peak in South East Asia at just over 4000 metres. I climbed the mountain with Micol from Italy (really cool and great fun!) and Jessica of chinese origin but from Penang in Malaysia (completely mad and totally irriating!) ... and our guides .. and porters (of course!) I so need to spend more time at the gym!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but after a long 7.5 hour day of climbing I did make it to Laban Rata where we stayed the night before attempting the final 700 metres to the summit. I would love to say that I made it to the top .. but when the trail changed from trail to bear rock with ropes to cling on to I managed to do about 200 metres until vertigo set in and I sat down and refused to move until the sun came up! This however did not make things better because then I could really see how high we were .. when the clouds were well below us!

Obviously I did make it down with the help of very patient guides .. and my bottom! Really pleased I did it but will be looking at mountains from the comfort of aeroplanes in future!
Arriving back in Kota Kinabalo my legs decided to cease up (not enough stretching I fear!) and it took a good 3 days before stairs and even kerbs did not cause me considerable pain!

So onwards to Labuan (duty free island off brunei) for a couple of days before I headed back to Miri again. From here I went back off up to Marudi for a 3 day Regatta! Not quite Henley .. but started by an Englishman who was looking for a way to get the tribes to stop fighting each other! This time I travelled up with Chris Bell (head of CBFT in brunei) and James (traveller) in Chris's Landrover up the "new" road ... very glad to be in a 4x4 when the road is a logging road .. basically mud! Ok in the dry but a potential nightmare in the wet! We were really lucky but the trip was obviously quite bumpy and also involved two car ferries too! (as I said before flying is easier!) Had a great time up in Marudi .. Chris had been a teacher there for 3 years in the 1970's so we couldn't walk more than a few steps without some ex pupil coming up to say hi ... so tended to wander off with James and Willie to see the sights .. lots of great food, alcohol and met really lovely people not only from Marudi but from the surrounding areas .. some had travelled for days to come to compete in the races or just to watch.

After Marudi took a day or two to recover in Miri and then for my final trip in Borneo I flew up to Bario with Willie, Sam and Adrian for more trekking, longhouse visits and boat trips .. Bario is near the border with Indonesia and you really feel that you are getting off the beaten track .. I was advised that I was not fit enough to so the Bario Loop so will be visiting the gym when i get home ready for a future visit .. but had a great time on the trip we did anyway.

So back to Singapore I flew to arrange my visit to Oz .. more of that later!

2005-10-04T14:10:00.001+08:00

Bridge made out of metal left by the british army .. not particularly stable! but I am now so used to them I can walk without gripping on as if my life depended upon it!

2005-10-04T14:10:00.000+08:00

And this guy even offered to carry my pack! Seemed rude to say no!

2005-10-04T14:08:00.000+08:00

Oh the joys of mud

2005-10-04T11:59:00.001+08:00

Trekking to the boat in Bario

2005-10-04T11:59:00.000+08:00

Adrian, Willie and Sam .. this was a couple of beers and some rice wine .. not a heavy drinking night!

2005-10-04T11:57:00.001+08:00

Some jar lids .. they were used for second burial .. lots of good clay in bario

2005-10-04T11:57:00.000+08:00

Adrian and Sam in Pa Lungan

2005-10-04T11:56:00.000+08:00

Locals in Pa Lungan chopping wood

2005-10-04T11:55:00.000+08:00

Megalith in Pa Lungan

2005-10-04T11:54:00.000+08:00

Another sunset

2005-10-04T11:53:00.000+08:00

View from the Batuh Ritung Lodge, in Pa Lungan near Bario

2005-10-04T11:50:00.001+08:00

Bario again

2005-10-04T11:50:00.000+08:00

And a bit more of the trail .. am learning to balance on logs and havent fallen in ... yet!

2005-10-04T11:49:00.001+08:00

Some of the trail in Bario

2005-10-04T11:49:00.000+08:00

More jungle

2005-10-04T11:48:00.000+08:00

The twin otter .. notice the kids playing underneath .. this is whilst it is unloaded and reloaded for the return flight! No chickens this time!

2005-10-04T11:46:00.001+08:00

Bario from the air

2005-10-04T11:46:00.000+08:00

The devastation of logging in Sarawak

2005-10-04T11:44:00.000+08:00

And a rainbow from the air :-)

2005-10-04T11:43:00.000+08:00

Nice jungle scene from the air

2005-10-04T11:42:00.000+08:00

Another sunset in Bario

2005-10-04T11:41:00.001+08:00

More jungle scenery .. ive seen quite a bit!

2005-10-04T11:41:00.000+08:00

Cooking facilities in the longhouse