The boat took us past the legendary Cobra, a rock sticking out of the ocean^15
resembling said snake and dropped us at an idyllic beach. From the beach, a path
meandered to the park entrance. The scenery was spectacular, and we also
encountered strange-looking monkeys and even a few bush pigs. The boat picked
us up at 16h00; all in all, a fantastic day. Starving, the easiest was returning to
the food fair to grab a bite.
Kuching
Realising one needed a visa to Brunei, I popped into the Brunei Consulate. The
consulate informed a visa took three days but travellers could obtain a transit visa
at the border. Armed with this information, I hopped on a bus to Semenggoh
Nature Reserve, approximately a forty-five-minute bus ride out of town.
The park was home to orangutans. Twenty years ago, eleven orangutans were
rescued after being orphaned or held in captivity. The programme was hugely
successful, and the surrounding forest now has a thriving population of healthy
adolescents and young adults, breeding in the wild. Watching these immensely
human-like creatures was highly intriguing and I could watch them for hours on
end.
At the hostel, typical hostel life prevailed – some watched TV, and others prepared
food or lazed about. I chatted with fellow travellers before retreating to my tiny
abode. (At least the aircon was icy cold).