Bintulu

Sarawak

Malaysia 

January 23, 2013 

First, the obligatory stroll along the Kemana River.  Then, my patented visit to the Night Market. The highlight in Bintulu (pop 120,000), the Similajau National Park.   

The trek through the mangrove jungle foliage begins at the warning sign for crocodiles and, following the red dots, continues up and down hills of various steep grades along root-encrusted paths, across streams spanned by nothing more than a wooden plank or two.  

Destination: the appropriately named View Point.  The view from the wooden pavilion: the expanse of the South China Sea, and the rocky boisterous shore below. 

In the jungle I am alone.  At the View Point I am alone.  Until a cheerful, curious troop of university students arrive.  They study agriculture and forestry.   They are so sweet. 

Along the challenging (a bit treacherous?) path once again I am alone.  Just the silent sounds of the jungle.   

BTW, the “trek” is only 2.6km.  Mile and a half.  Couple of hours. The uni kids were fine.  This big kid?  Balance and leverage? Good job I remembered my hiking stick.