6. Malaysian Borneo 

7. Thailand 

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8. Tanzania 

9. South Africa

South Africa is not only beautiful, it is an adventure traveller’s playground to the nth degree.

10. Mexico 

Sure it’s probably the number 1 vacation destination for North Americans to go and chill out on the beach, but there is so much more to Mexico than Margaritas and laying in the sun.

Mexico has some of the most pristine scuba diving on the planet.

The Palancar Reef was made famous by Jaques Cousteau and has never lost speed. Diving in the Cenotes near Tulum will give you a memory to last a lifetime. But there’s more to Mexico than diving. Paragliding and Hang Gliding can be experienced all over the country including Tapalpa and Oaxaca. Mexico is known for its rock climbing too, there are sites all over the country most notably  El Potrero Chico. There is surfing all along the Pacific Coast and mountain biking in Copper Canyon. Of course there is hiking too. Mexico is such a giant country that it is impossible to pin down where to choose to do your vacation.

When people think of adventure travel they don’t really think of Wildlife photography. But being a big fan of any type of photography I like to push my limits. Photographing wildlife is a challenge as anyone can tell you. From birds in your back yard to the Big 5 in Africa they all require different skills.

Here are some of the wildlife photo’s I have taken during our travels. It is a mixed bag of animals but they all have their own personality which I think comes out in these photo’s.

The Hippo watches us carefully

The Penguins of Simonstown, South Africa

The Hornbill of Malaysia

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Throughout our many adventures around the globe we have had the privilege of participating in some amazing treks. These are some of our favorites.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Mount Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Athabasca Glacier, Alberta, Canada

Sapa, Vietnam

Adams Peak, Sri Lanka

The Pinnacles, Malaysian Borneo

Gunung Batur, Indonesia

For more on Mount Kinabalu read our post Mount Kinabalu, 2 Tough Days in Borneo

Read more about our Kilimanjaro adventure at Mount Kilimanjaro, How Hard is it to Climb

Read more about our trek at Everest Base Camp Adventure Day 7

For more on Alberta check out Trekking the Athabasca Glacier on our Rocky Mountain Adventure Drive

For more on Sapa, check out our Top Sites in Vietnam

For more on Adams Peak check out Adams Peak Pilrimage

Read more about our Pinnacles adventure at The Pinnacles of Borneo, an Adventure in Sarawak

Read more at Climbing Gunung Batur, Bali’s Volcano

]]> http://theplanetd.com/our-favourite-treks-of-the-world-a-photo-story/feed/ 5 http://theplanetd.com/my-3-best-kept-travel-adventure-secrets/ http://theplanetd.com/my-3-best-kept-travel-adventure-secrets/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:00:38 +0000 debndave http://theplanetd.com/?p=6005 My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets

We were recently nominated to participate in Tripbase’s “My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets” game by our great Twitter friend, Isabelle of @IsabellesTravel. You can read Isabelles best kept travel secret here.

“The aim of this game is to unite travel bloggers in a joint endeavor – to create an amazing list of top travel recommendations across the globe to share with the entire online travel community.” – Katie from Tripbase.com.

So here are our Travel Adventure Secrets.

1. Pinnacles of Borneo

Everyone seems to know about climbing Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo, but one of our favorite adventures of our life was trekking to the Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu in Sarawak.  A stone forest of white and grey limestone, jutting 45 metres out of the earth in razor sharp formations.

It is an adventure just getting there. It takes two days to trek to the pinnacles.  After flying into Gunung Mulu National Park on a twin-engine airplane, you take a 2-hour boat ride to the start of an 8km trail.  After your long trek through the jungle it is a beautiful overnight at Camp 5 where you prepare for your summit push the following morning.  The steep climb is exhilarating and to finally reach the summit and witness this rare and awe-inspiring site is an incredible life experience. It is our little secret for when you make your way to Borneo, enjoy!

2. The White Desert of Egypt

Egypts white desert, not a secret for long.

Everyone thinks of the great Pyramids, the Sphinx, Abu Simble and the Luxor Temple.  But make your way out to Egypt’s interior and you will witness a true natural wonder.

Book an overnight safari where you will camp Bedouin style among giant monoliths scattered throughout the barren landscape.  Centuries of erosion have shaped these chalk formations into gigantic mushrooms, camels, hawks and mountains.

It is one of the most unique and thrilling opportunities a person can have in their life.

3. Huacachina Peru

Peru's Giant Sand dunes

Peru has many famous sites that have intrigued and fascinated the world.  It houses Macchu Pichu, Lake Titicaca and the Andes Mountains. However for us, one of the most exciting and adventurous destinations was in Huacachina.   Located in Ica Province, you will find some of the largest sand dunes in the world as you enjoy yourself at this beautiful Oasis.

Relaxing is nice, but all the fun starts when you take a dune buggy ride out to ride the giant dunes.  It is more exciting than a roller coaster as the skilled drivers climb steep hills only to fly down near vertical drops.

Sand boarding is a must and it can be done out in the middle of the desert on your excursion or grab a board from a guesthouse in Huacachina and make the hike on your own to the top of one of the surrounding dunes.  There isn’t a more beautiful site than to stand atop a giant peak during sunset while looking out over the endless desert sands.

And that my friends are our three best kept travel secrets with a little adventure team twist.

The object of the game is to tag other Blogs to take part.

Here are our 5 tags for you to check out their sites!

• Ottsworld
• TheTravelExpert(a)
• TheQFamilyAdventures
• ApproachGuides
• TheProfessionalHobo

While I love movies like that, I often think about movies that I have seen on the road in our travels. Many times in a conversation, someone will mention a movie and it will trigger a memory.  Just the other day we were talking about Rambo at work and I said “hey, I saw that in Botswana” It happens all of the time and I will remember where I saw it and then relive that time in a country in my brain. It brings a smile to my face.

We have seen a lot of movies during our travels.  Most of the time, it is exactly the same as being in Canada, but there are a few memories of movies that stand out and will be remembered for the rest of our lives.

Top 5 Travel Movie Memories

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1- Starship Troopers.  We saw this movie on a loop on a bus from Chang Mai to Bangkok.  It played over and over dubbed in Thai.  We were both extremely hung over from running into Canadians that owned a bar the night before.  They kept our glass filled with Thai Wiskey all night long.  We managed to wake up in time for our 7:00 am departure, but it was not a happy ride.  The air-conditioning wasn’t working, the windows wouldn’t go down, I was dizzy and dehydrated and all I had to distract me for the next 12 hours was Denise Richards speaking in Thai.

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2 – Return of the King.  We were in Laos when the third installment of Lord of the Rings came out.  We were really looking forward to seeing it and a restaurant was playing a bootleg copy that evening. Of course we went to check it out.  The sound was terrible and it was cut to shreds.

There are bootleg copies of movies all over South East Asia, so this was nothing new. But the reason I remember this so well is that I tried to adjust the sound because they had the reverb on high and the volume on low. Nobody was around to ask to fix it, so I decided to give it a try.  Boy, was I told off for touching the knob.  I don’t know where she came from, but a lady came running out of the back with rage in her eyes and scolded me to the point where we decided that we had better leave.   I never have seen the entire Return of the King.

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3 – Kill Bill. We love seeing movies in Bangkok.  The theatres are modern and state of the art. What we love the most though  is the montage of the King at the beginning of each movie. The King is revered in Thailand and before each movie, everyone stands to pay their respects as a slide show plays depicting his life. This was in 2004 that we were there, but I am sure that their respect and love has not subsided and I am sure that this slide show must still play.

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4 – Mona Lisa Smile - Kutching Sarawak, Borneo.  Borneo is not exactly a place that you would think to go and see a movie. It is a place for adventure, wildlife and trekking.  But we found ourselves relaxing in Kutching for a night and saw that a Julia Roberts movie was playing at the local theatre.

The movie was terrible, but what we remember is a cockroach climbing up Dave’s leg.  We watched the rest of the show cross legged. And we remember the delicious caramel corn.  No buttered popcorn, only caramel on the menu.

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5 – Tracks of a Killer – Nobody has heard of this movie and even less have seen it.  But it was one of the first movies that Dave ever worked on.  It starred Lance Henrickson of Aliens Fame and Kelly LeBrock AKA Steven Segal’s ex wife.  It went straight to video, but we just so happened to see it while we were sitting in a small bar downtown Paris.  We thought that was pretty cool, and then a man walked in wearing a Panavision Jacket.

For some reason we were feeling pretty bold so we asked him if he worked in the film business. It turns out he did and then we told him that Dave worked on the movie that was playing on the T.V.  We were all best of friends instantly and we ended up drinking closing the bar.  We actually stayed until way passed closing time and the owner bought all of our rounds of drinks as we drank wine and beer until the wee hours of the morning.

The next day at Les Invalides was not a pleasant experience.

Honorable Mention

The Italian Job. It was 2004, we were traveling around South East Asia for several months and it never failed, every time we stepped onto a bus, The Italian Job was playing. We got to the point where we hated that movie.  We also got to the point where we knew every line and moment.

For some reason now though, I now really like The Italian Job.  I was even laughing the other day when we were talking about the timing of Toronto’s traffic lights and how because our city is amalgamated with other city’s, all of our traffic lights are on separate systems.  Dave said, “hey if they had the guy from the Italian Job that was the Real Napster inventor, he could fix all of our problems.”

Hands down one of our favorite adventure destinations on the planet is Malasyian Borneo.  Sabah and Sarawak are exciting provinces filled with beautiful scenery and exciting wildlife.

We had never even considered venturing to Borneo during our Asian Adventure, but when a fellow traveler told us of a great deal on flights from Air Asia, well we just had to go.

I remember seeing Julia Roberts on the Rosie O’Donnell show years earlier talking about an Orangutan Sanctuary that she had filmed a documentary about and that had always been something that I had wanted to see.  So our first stop upon Landing in Kota Kinabalu was to take a bus to Sepilok.  One of two Orangutan Rehabilitation Centres that we had the privilege to visit.

$20 per person goes towards the sanctuary and gives you access to the park and of course viewing the Orangutans during their feeding.  These incredible primates don’t have to come to the feeding if they don’t want to.  They have been rehabilitated and released back in to the wild. The feedings are for newly reintroduced Orangutans to come back to a familiar place.  They need to re-learn how to live on their own, and this helps them to make the transition easier.

To See Borneo’s Wildlife in Action, check out our featured video to the right of the page

The Viewing is absolutely breathtaking.  As the crowd sits on the boardwalk and waits, Orangutans slowly come swinging into view. One at a time they make their way to the platform where workers feed them banana’s and fresh fruit and for an expectant mother and her baby, bottles of formula and vitamins. Astounding.

We went to another Centre in Sarawak called Semenggoh.  This one is not as popular on the tourist track, but we found it to be even more rewarding. There were only 5 of us watching the Orangutans eat and luckily 3 showed up that day for some fresh banana’s and milk.  It is far more rustic and the feeding area is much farther away from the viewing platform than Sepilok, but that is what makes this Centre so special. The Orangutans are hardly exposed to humans at all making their transition that much easier for them.

The Orangutan sanctuary’s were some of the most memorable experiences of our life.  To see the work being done there is a testimate to the human spirit. With the clear cutting of jungle happening at astounding rates in Borneo due to Palm Oil Plantations, the habitat of the Orangutan is running out.  There needs to be more reserves like this if they are to survive.

Early Morning

After moving on from Sepilok, we caught a boat to Uncle Tans Jungle Safari. This rustic lodge is smack dab in the middle of the Jungle. Your days are jammed packed with wildlife viewing.  A morning river cruise to see Proboscis Monkeys, Orangutans and Macaques.  Daytime takes you on a trek through the jungle where you hunt for more wildlife. Wild Pigs hang around the camp and you will also learn all about medicinal plants of the rainforest.

Our Guide Shows us a Bat found in a Leave

Nights are exciting as well.  Take an evening boat ride to look for crocodiles and after dinner take a walk with your guide to see scorpions, spiders and other creepy crawly’s that come out in the dark.

scorpion

Sarawak has its fill of Wildlife too.

A trip to Bako National Park is a treat to walk through the trails and see the highest concentration of Proboscis Monkeys on the planet.  Stop and listen and you will be sure to see the leap and play in the trees above.  The park is filled with monkeys and wild pigs and we saw our fair share of snakes as well.

Wild Pig

If you make it to Gunung Mulu a must see is the 2 million bats that come out of deer cave every evening.  You will be in awe as the bats circle above feeding on insects. Their chain growing larger and larger with each pass.

Borneo is truly a wildlife and bird watchers paradise. There are so many places to view wildlife. We didn’t even talk about the underwater paradise of Sipidan and unfortunately we didn’t make it to the turtle sanctuary.  But that just give us many reasons to go back soon!

Well, Dave and I aren’t most people and when we go away, we always seem to wind up doing trips that are the exact opposite of romance.  Sure, we have been to resorts and 5 star hotels, but it is always the suffering that stands out in our minds when we reminisce. When we truly test our relationship and survive the insane and ridiculous, that is when we know that we are meant to be together forever.

Here is a list of some of our least romantic situations we have encountered during our travels of the world so far.

1. Slathering butt butter, Chamois Cream, Bag Balm…whatever you want to call it on our bums every morning for the first 2 months of cycling Africa. In our little 2 man North Face Tent, we would lay in the dark and cool mornings dressing and getting ready for a 100+ km day of riding. It wasn’t a good morning. There was never any romance or snuggling under the sleeping back. Instead we would get up, lather up and pack our tent and see each other in a few hours at the next camp.  How is that for romance?

Dave and Deb Camping in Africa

2. Relieving ourselves in tandem on both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kinabalu.

I don’t know what it is, but Dave and I always seem to be in sync with our bowel movements when we are at altitude.  We both walk side by side for hours on end, and then we both have the need to go to the bathroom at the same time.  Thank God we always summit in the dark, I couldn’t imagine trying to squat on a sheer face in broad day light.  It’s not romantic, but it is definitely a bonding moment.

You try finding some privacy here at Mount Kinabalu Summit

3. Having roaches crawl all over us during a trek to the pinnacles.

We thought that we were staying in pretty good digs when we saw our vynal matts lined up along a raised wooden platform.  We settled in for the night with 7 other people and thought that we would be well rested for our climb the next day. That is until the creepy crawlies came out.  I didn’t turn on my flashlight to see what it was, I thought it better that I don’t know.  But in the morning everyone was talking about the cockroaches crawling all over.  I thought, well, it could have been worse, it could have been something poisonous.

3b Being eaten alive by bed bugs on more than one occasion.

4. Getting in a motorcycle accident together in Ko Samui and laying side by side in the hospital as they cleaned our wounds.  Dave’s was worse than mine and he had it scraped with a razor blade as he bit on a towel. I watched on as he bit down on the towel and could do nothing as the doctors scraped away his burnt and dead infected skin. Nice. We then spent what should have been a romantic ending tour our time in Thailand limping around paradise and getting our dressings changed daily.

motorcycle accident as a couple, so romantic

4. Sharing a single bed in a room with another couple that was in the other single bed. In Kuala Lumpur, we were too cheap and tired to find a place in our budget after returning from the Cameron Highlands.  We had to leave early for  Borneo the next morning anyway, so 4 of us crammed into a tiny room with 2 single beds and set our alarms for 5 am. We didn’t get a lot of sleep that night.

5. Anytime we stayed in a dorm room. As a couple, we don’t often stay in dorms or hostels. But every once in a while be it during a trek, a climb or an excursion, that is the only option that there is.  I snore by the way, luckily Dave sleeps like a log, I feel bad for anyone else that is stuck in a room with me.

There is a pattern here that always has to do with sleeping arrangements.

Sleeping on the deck of a ferry, how romantic

6. Staying in a bungalow in Kao Sok National Park. It was a pristine setting with and pretty little huts.  It should have been a quiet and romantic little getaway from our trekking in Asia. Unfortunately every night, just as we were about to turn in, the cock fights began and we had to listen to the screaming and wailing chickens all night long. My heart broke.

7. Rubbing the bottom raw during a horse back ride

It was 1997 and Dave and I were on our honeymoon. We decided to take an excursion on the beach in the Dominican Republic. We decided to ride horses on the beach in sweat pants might I add.  Dave did not have a good time, and for the next 2 days he could not sit down or get in the water to get relief from the warm Caribbean air. We should have known that this was the start of a couple that likes to travel and rough it rather than take romantic vacations. We have both since learned how to ride.

Riding horses on the beach of the dominican republic

8. Our time in Mui Ne Vietnam should have been the most romantic part of our trip.

A cabana on the beach, beautiful scenery and perfect weather.  Well, I had terrible ulcers in my mouth and throat from my Doxycylin (malaria medication) and Dave had enjoyed too many Vietnamese Iced Teas in Saigon. On our way out of the city, we saw a man dragging a giant blog of ice on a burlap sack down the road, and right then, we knew that Dave was going to be in trouble.  Sure enough, we was sick for 3 days. Neither of us could eat. Dave couldn’t keep anything down, and I was way too sore to swallow. So we layed in our bed under the ceiling fan and prayed for relief to finally come.

Waiting to go to the airport, not well-very romantic

10. Our Last 2 Days in Lima before flying out, we wanted to have a pamper me time after all our treks and adventures.  We splurged on a nice hotel and even ate at Tony Roma’s overlooking the water for lunch. After lunch I didn’t even make it back to the hotel before I started vomiting. Diarrhea followed and we missed our last day of sightseeing as I puked and crapped all day and night. I can’t even look at Tony Roma’s ever again.

Mount Kinabalu, Sabah Borneo

The Legendary Rainforests of Borneo bring to mind images of towering trees, abundant wildlife and a wild foreboding rain forests filled with raging rivers.  Only great explorers would dare to go there, it was home to the Headhunter after all.

The Malaysian Borneo of today is a very different one of 50 years ago.  During the 70′s to 90′s the rain forest was cut down at an alarming rate becoming garden furniture and chopsticks.  Much of its jungle and habitat was wiped out. Sadly, forests are still being clear cut in Borneo to make room for Oil Palm Plantations and poaching of endangered species such as the Orangutan and the Clouded Leopard is on the rise; but there is a glimmer of hope.

The Endangered Orangutan

Conservation and reforestation methods are being introduced and 16% of Sabah’s forested area is protected.  And there are heavy penalties for poaching.  So, now is the time to get yourself to Borneo and see this magical land before it is too late.  Plus if there is one thing that I have learned in my travels, if people can make some money off of tourists coming to see their wildlife and nature, well, they will just work that much harder to protect it.

Our Picks for Top Things to do in Malaysian Borneo

Malaysian Borneo is broken up into two provinces. Sabah and Sarawak.

Each destination can be a trip in itself, but we want to share our top things for both provinces.

Sabah

1. Climbing Mount Kinabalu. South East Asia’s highest peak at 4095 meters in a magnificent climb over 2 days.  A two hour bus ride from Kota Kinabalu will take you to the parks gate where you can book the climb, your guide, accommodations and climb. It is recommended that you secure your permits in Kota Kinabalu before you go, but being Dave and Deb, we of course bought them on sight right after the bus let us off at the park. Not a problem though, we secured a climb for the next day with dorm accommodations at Laban Rata at 3500 meters.

• To read more about Mount Kinabalu, enjoy our post Mount Kinabalu, Two Tough Days in Borneo
  
• To see our climb click here to see our video of Cllimbing in Sabah

Dave and Deb at Mount Kinablu Borneo

By far one of the most heartwarming moments of my life was visiting our next destination in Borneo.

2. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Lodging right beside the park, we stayed at the Sepilok Jungle Resort. A lodge right in the middle of the jungle with boardwalks twisting through the grounds. It is a short walk to the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre where we were treated to a video explaining the centre and what it has accomplished. Very interesting indeed, but the piéce de resistance is definitely all about the Orangutans. After walking along the jungle path with monkeys playing in the trees, we come out to the feeding platform. Every day, the orangutans can choose to come back for a hearty meal of fruit and vitamin milk. They are orangutans that have either been injured, rescued or orphaned that have been nursed back to health and let back into the jungle.  To make their transition easier, they can come back any time they want for a feast.

Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sarawak

We loved it our time at Sepilok in Sabah province so much that when we went to Borneo’s other Province Sarawak to see the orangutans again. Semenggok Rehabilitation Centre is a far less visited rehab facility, but just as effective and more fulfilling I must say. It was just Dave, Myself and another couple watching the Orangutans munch on their banana’s.  A very touching experience.

Now it is time to see orangutans in the wild

Last Day at Uncle Tans, Sabah Borneo

3. Uncle Tans Jungle Safari

This lodge in Sabah was one of the coolest trips I have ever taken. Take a boat up the The Sungai (river) Kinabatangan right into the heart of the jungle of Borneo, and stay in this rustic camp for a few days.  Your meals and wildlife safaris are included, but if you want some alcohol, bring it with you.  It won’t be needed though because the days are packed.  You can get up at 6:00 am for a morning safari on the boat to check out the life on the river. Morning is a great time to see the Proboscis Monkey.  Another trek will take you into the jungle by foot where you will learn about plant life and smaller amphibians like, the smallest frog in the world.  There is another afternoon safari where you will see a ton of wildlife such as monitor lizards, wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys and civit cats. Then it is off again after dinner for a night safari where you will look for crocodiles.

Smallest Frog in the World

4. The Pinacles of Gunung Mulu National Park

There was so much to do at Gunung Mulu National park in Sarawak Borneo, that it must not be missed.  Fly into it on a twin engine plane and you already feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. We immediately booked out trek to the Pinnalces, the star attraction of the park and settled in for the night.  The next day started with a boat ride, stopping at various caves along the way until we reached the entrance to our trail. We were let off on the shore and proceeded to hike 8 km in the jungle, with two river crossing in the process. We eventually found our way to camp 5 in the middle of the jungle once again where we stayed overnight resting for our climb to the pinnacles.

Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu

First thing in the morning, our guide took us up a rigorous climb. At first we were climbing in slippery and steep jungle, but 3/4 of the way up, we came to the first of seventeen aluminum ladders. This is where it gets fun.  Climbing on ropes and ladders over crevasse’s and drops. It can be a little hair raising, but the payoff is worth it.  Once we emerge around a rock,we are treated to a view of  dozens of jagged limestone layers reaching forty metres high. Magnificent.

To see our climb to the Pinnacles of Borneo check out our video here

Dave at the Pinnacles Lookout

Once we were back at Gunung Mulu Park Headquarters, we made our way out to Deer Cave. It is the largest cave chamber in the world and here we were treated to a view of 2 million bats flying out at dusk to feed on the insects.  It was one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever seen in my life. A giant black cloud snaked through the sky performing and arial ballet in front of our eyes.

Bats at Deer Cave in Malaysian Borneo

And that takes us to the end of our Malaysian Borneo adventure, where we finally got to see the Proboscis Monkey up close and personal at Bako National Park

Proboscis Monkey, in Bako NP

5. Bako National Park, Sarawak Borneo.

Native only to the Island of Borneo, these peculiar monkeys are an intriguing sight.  A golden brown color with a pot belly and a snout nose, the Proboscis Monkey can be found all over Bako.  Walk quietly through the trails, stop to listen for a while and soon you will find yourself amongst a family playing and feeding above.  At first we couldn’t find a single one, that is until we realised that they were everywhere above us.  We just weren’t standing still long enough to notice.

Bako National Park Entrance in Sarawak

Getting to Bako is half of the fun. Permits and accomodation be arranged in Kutching, Sarawak’s Capital City and then you hop on a bus to catch a boat to Bako..  The boat is small and we enjoy the ride, but it is at the approach that it gets fun. Riding the tide in to the shore, we almost capsize in the waves, we make it fine though and spend the night chilling out at the headquarters.

Crossing another River in Borneo

There are so many amazing things to do in Borneo, that you need months to fit it all in.

There is diving in Sipadan, The Turtle Sanctuary at Turtle Island, Hiking the Headhunters trail, visiting a longhouse, and many more national parks. I truly is one of the great adventure destinations on the planet. Let’s just hope that the Malaysian government starts taking care of it so that Borneo will be there to enjoy for years to come.

We are enroute to Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Borneo.

Malaysian Borneo’s southern province.

Here is where that my husband and I will be climbing to the Pinnacles, a stone forest jutting 45 metres out of the earth, in  razor sharp formations.

Part of the fun and challenge is getting to the Pinnacles.

Gunung Mulu is a remote National park reached only by plane and a short truck ride will take you to the parks headquarters in the middle of the jungle.

It is here that we book our dorm for the night and then look for people to trek to the Pinnacles with.  It helps to share the costs of the boat and guide otherwise it can be quite expensive.

Pulling boat on Pinnacle Trek in Borneo

The Pinnacles is not an easy undertaking. You must carry your own food to last for 3 days and carry with you on your back.

The trek itself involves a 2 hour boat ride to the start of an 8.9 km trail which takes you to camp 5 situated at the base of the Pinnacles.

We boarded our small motor boat at 7:00 am and started our journey up the Melinau River, stopping at  Wind Cave and Clearwater Caves.  The longest cave passage in South-East Asia.

The water was low at this time of year and our driver and navigator had their hands full pulling our boat through the shallow river while avoiding rocks and logs.  We were let off at the entrance to the trail,where arrangements were made to be picked up in two days.

The Trek to the Pinnacles

River Crossing in Gunung Mulu, Sarawak Borneo

Within one km of our 8.8km hike we had our first of 2 river crossings.  It was pretty deep and a rope was attached across the river as a safety line to keep from falling over as the water rushed passed.  We all made it safely and managed to keep our packs dry, but nobody could escape the leaches.  They smuggled their way into our socks and even though we did a thorough check, we still entered camp 5 a bloody mess.

We kept up a steady pace and reached our second river crossing in 2 hours.  This one wasn’t quite as intimidating.  No rope was provided, but it was only about 2 feet deep and the water was moving at a leisurely speed.

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We all did our required leach assessment and were on our way.

Camp 5, Torrential Downpour in Borneo

We made it to the Pinnacles base camp by early afternoon and had time to enjoy the views and went for a walk along the headhunters trail.

It is a beautiful location, surrounded by large cliffs,  a quiet stream and lush jungle. We made our dinner of noodle soup and crackers, played some cards and enjoyed meeting new friends.

In the early evening the rain came with a vengeance and we worried that we would not be able to climb to the Pinnacles the following morning.  The park rangers are very strict about not letting people on the trail if it is too dangerous, and this was our one and only shot.

No refund, no Pinnacles.

Needless to say, nobody slept well  in our basic accommodation of vinyl mats placed in a raised wooden platform.  The rain was relentless all night, but it managed to stop in the morning and thankfully we were allowed to climb.

We joined our guide Micheal at 6:00 to begin our climb. For the first hour Micheal kept up a furious pace and it was exhilarating to be climbing with such determination.  After a while, he fell back to stay with the slower climbers and we were on our own until we reached the upper portion of the climb, the 17 aluminum ladders.

Many people who try to climb the Pinnacles do not make it to the lookout.  It is not a high climb, it is steep, exhausting and it is technically challenging with no safety ropes.

We crossed crevasses on metal beams, balanced on rocks while holding onto a rope over head and climbed up ladders attached to the side of the cliff.  We had a blast, but I can see how some people would be very uncomfortable.

An hour later we emerged to the Awesome sight of the Pinnacles.

Giant grey and white stones, jut out of the jungle like razor sharp sharks teeth.  They were  majestically poised for our viewing.

The sight of the Pinnacles were a magnificent payoff to a difficult  and exciting climb.

Dave at The Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu National Park, Borneo

Soon the clouds rolled in bringing an ominous feel to the pinnacles.  That was our cue to leave as we had to be down before the weather rolled in .

5 hours later and a slippery and exhausting climb down, we were back at camp showering and relaxing.

The Break didn’t last for long however.

The following day we had to hike back the 8 km to meet our ride back to Gunung Mulu park headquarters.

We only had a short break upon our return as we had to hike 3 more km  to Deer Cave, the worlds largest cave opening.

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Here we witnessed the phenomenon of 2 million bats emerging from the depths of darkness to perform a ballet in the twilight sky.

2 Million bats fly out of Deer Cave in Borneo

It was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other walking along the path, but once the bats appeared, it was worth the exertion.

A giant line of bats circled above becoming longer with each pass until an endless black spiral was formed overhead. It was a wonder of nature.

To explore everything in Gunung Mulu National park could take months. The Sarawak Chamber, the largest cave chamber in the world, rock climbing,  the head hunters trail, The summit of Gunung Mulu and tthe Bario and Kelabit Highlands.  We only scratched the surface with our 5 days doing the Pinnacle Trek, but I am eagerly looking forward to returning in the near future to explore its vastness in depth.

As I did his make-up, I talked to him about how much I enjoy his show and how I think that it is great what he has accomplished.  He was very nice.

What I really wanted to talk to him about was how I too am an adventurer and working on my own television concept and the reason I am such a fan is because he is doing exactly what I want to do with my life.  I never did get up the nerve.

First of all, that would be very unprofessional as a persons make-up artist.  My job is to make people feel relaxed before their interview, to put them at ease and to talk to them about… well, frankly; them.

Second of all, how could a make-up artist possibly be as  hard-core as he is?  He is Survivorman.  He has been all over the world surviving extreme situations.

Hey wait a minute, Dave and I have been all over the world Surviving extreme situations.

I survived cellulitus, a serious infection in Tanzania.  I had the same knee infection as the guy on “Survivor” the other night. He gave up a million dollars to go home because it was a serious risk to his life.  Now, if I would have known just how dangerous cellulitus can be, I would have gone home myself. Fortunately the fates were on my side and I recovered from my ordeal without harm.

I have been eaten by leaches on the Head Hunters Trail in Borneo, lost in the Desert of Sudan, suffered a pretty nasty burn on my leg from a motorcycle accident in Thailand and have carried home 3 different types of parasites in my stomach at one time.  All while at the side of my husband who has suffered more than I have in many situations.

His burn was far more severe than mine from the motorcycle accident. We won’t even go into detail about how they cleaned his burn with a razor blade while he bit on a wet towel for the pain.  He was swarmed by fire ants in Guatemala,  had a terrible illness on an island in Honduras with the closest hospital being a day away by boat.  While riding his bicycle in Ethiopia, he was chased by baboons for several km and narrowly out ran them.  We were both feasted upon by bed bugs in Malaysia and Thailand, and we  slept with cockroaches crawling all over him while seeing the Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu National Park only to wake up in the morning and our hiking boots and gear covered with swarms of bees.

So, I am worthy of Survivorman. We are definitely not as extreme as he is, but we want to be. Really!  And when you put down it on paper, it looks like we have suffered a bit or two ourselves.

I really should have picked his brain more.  I should have asked some advice. Maybe I could have given him a little advice myself:-)  Ha ha, now I am dreaming.

My lungs are burning as I gasp for breath in the thin mountain air.  I have been climbing for two hours in the darkness and I ask myself repeatedly, why am I doing this? My husband Dave has talked me into conquering Mount Kinabalu, in Borneo but I am having my doubts.

Am I actually capable of making it to the summit of South East Asia’s Highest Peak?

This 4095 metre mammoth is a 2-hour bus ride from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo’s northern province.

As we ride along the winding mountain road, its unmistakable figure comes into view.  The dark jagged rock of Mount Kinabalu is a sharp contrast to the lush surrounding jungle and it’s an intimidating sight rising out of the deep valley.  My heart races just a bit faster and a burning question creeps into my mind.  “Am really going to climb that tomorrow?”

Left alone on the side of the road, we haul our packs onto our backs and walk anxiously towards the Mount Kinabalu park headquarters to book our trek.
It is an easy task to secure a spot on tomorrows climb.  The parks staff takes care of everything.  Just tell them that you want to climb the mountain, and they supply the guide, sell you your permits and book your rooms.
After signing our waivers, we settle into our cozy dorm to organize our packs for the two days ahead.  Managing to piece together hats, gloves and jackets, by accepting handouts and frantically shopping in Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia’s mainland, we feel ready to face the near freezing temperatures of Kinabalu’s summit.

The Kinabalu Climb

The first day of our climb starts at 7:30 a.m., where we meet our guide and the other members of our group.  A mini van takes us to Timpohon Gate at the base of the mountain where our journey begins.

Our climb up to Mount Kinabalu’s Summit will be lasting for two days and within the first 5 minutes; I am already exhausted.  My small daypack weighs heavy on my back as porters whiz by carrying giant barrels and cumbersome loads to supply the rest house, Laban Rata at 3500 metres.  It makes me appreciate the high cost of bottled water. Mount Kinabalu’s face is a steep grade and climbing the high steps is a struggle, but the views make it all worthwhile.

Rolling mountains of dense jungle under a vibrant blue sky blanketed with fluffy white clouds is a wondrous site.

Upon reaching Laban Rata, our resting spot for the night, we gratefully relax until dinner at sunset. Mount Kinabalu stretches above the clouds and we bask in the heat as we laze on the warm granite rock.

Sunset on Mount Kinabalu

The sky is ablaze with fiery reds and pinks illuminating the clouds pillowed below. We are on the top of Malaysia and really all of South East Asia.

The mood is festive, but there is no staying up late, the summit push starts early and we need all the rest we can get.

The temperature plummets during the night and it is a fitful sleep with anticipation for early in the morning. Bundled in layers, our group meets at 3:00 am to set off in the frigid air.  It is a struggle and I find it difficult to catch my breath, but a bottleneck on the first set of wooden steps forces us to keep a slow pace climbing in single file.  Soon, I find my rhythm and as if in a trance, I steadily climb the mighty Mount Mountain for 2 1/ 2 hours.

Kinabalu’s sheer granite face becomes near vertical as we gain altitude.  I pull myself up with great effort using ropes tethered to the rock, thankful for the darkness concealing the long drop into oblivion.
It is cold and dark and I am exhausted.

It feels as though we will never reach the summit and every step is excruciating.  My legs ache and my heart races.  I look down and see a long line of lights winding below and I am thankful that at least I am farther along than they are..
Breathlessly, we stumble up the last obstacle of precarious jagged rocks and arrive at the top in darkness wondering “is this it?” It is too dark to be certain.

After verifying that yes we are at the summit, we jostle for a position on the small peak, careful not to take a wrong step and fall into the deep canyon.  We perch ourselves on the edge of a rock facing east, and I am overcome with emotion until I realize that I have to wait for another hour until sunrise.  Huddling together, we wrap anything that we can find around our legs and shoulders to protect us from the freezing air but, nothing helps and we shiver in the cold.

Finally, the sun breaks out from below the horizon, lighting up the sky and warming our chilled bones revealing a magnificent view.  Surrounded by the vast mountains of Borneo I look into the plunging valley, and I am amazed that I made it.

We snap the obligatory photo of us standing at the summit of Mount Kinabalu – 4895 meters.

We conquered the fabled peak of Malaysia’s Borneo and suddenly we realize there us nothing left to do but to walk back down.

I thought that the walk up was difficult, but the walk down is twice the pain.

I now understand why they say that going down is the hardest part.  My legs cramp tighter with each step, and the distance seems to be endless.  I no longer care about the stunning vistas and panoramic views.  All I want is to get off of this mountain and to have this ordeal behind me.

With the final cruelty of steep steps leading up Timpohan Gate, we finally come to the end.  The sight of our mini van waiting for us brings an overwhelming sense of relief to know that I will soon be sitting down and I plunge into the seat feeling proud of my accomplishment.
It is amazing how quickly the mind forgets pain.  The next day on the bus back to Kota Kinabalu, we are already planning our next climb.  Kilimanjaro, here we come!

And yes, we did Kilimanjaro 3 years later.  It seemed less painful than Mount Kinabalu.  I really think that Borneo’s climb, which was shorter and took less time, was still a far more difficult mountain to conquer.

So if you conquer Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo, you definitely have some bragging rights in our books.