I tried to figure out a way to tack on a short jaunt into the jungle after finishing up with the SealNet project. One trip which sounded amazing starts from Sandakan, on the eastern part of Borneo. From there you go south to the Karaching River. You ride down the river all day, stopping along the way for jungle treks, on which you can see orangutan, proboscis monkeys and midget Asian elephants in the wild. Unfortunately, there was no way I could synch back into my itinerary even with skipping Singapore and Bangkok. And there was no way I was going to leave Borneo without seeing an Orangutan.
There is a wildlife park about half an hour’s drive southeast of KK. I figured if it’s not a zoo and more like a safari, then that’ll save me the trouble of actually going to real nature to see it. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a zoo. The idea of watching bored animals lying around in a cage until feeding time just doesn't appeal to me. I don’t have any ethical issues with it, I just don’t see how it’s fun. Everyone said this was a natural preserve, not animals in a cage. It is animals in a cage.
Right near it is the Monsopiad village. The natives used to be headhunters. 300 years ago taking a head from a neighboring tribe was a required rite of passage into adulthood. Monsopiad had collected 48. One of his descendants opened a theme park on about an acre of land where he built a longhouse to house the alleged collection preserved from Monsopiad.
Arthur taught me how to drive a manual transmission. We rented a car to go to the Wildlife Park and just drive around the area to see what’s what. I drove back and forth down a small road near the airport, stalling often. Going from stopped into first gear was the trickiest part. With my newfound skill and an unwarranted confidence, I set off on the highway. I eventually getting the hang of it. In Malaysia they drive on the left for a little extra challenge. Even for walking or on escalators you stand to the left so people can pass on the right. I guess I will have to learn all over again on the other side of the road.
There is a wildlife park about half an hour’s drive southeast of KK. I figured if it’s not a zoo and more like a safari, then that’ll save me the trouble of actually going to real nature to see it. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a zoo. The idea of watching bored animals lying around in a cage until feeding time just doesn't appeal to me. I don’t have any ethical issues with it, I just don’t see how it’s fun. Everyone said this was a natural preserve, not animals in a cage. It is animals in a cage.
Right near it is the Monsopiad village. The natives used to be headhunters. 300 years ago taking a head from a neighboring tribe was a required rite of passage into adulthood. Monsopiad had collected 48. One of his descendants opened a theme park on about an acre of land where he built a longhouse to house the alleged collection preserved from Monsopiad.
Arthur taught me how to drive a manual transmission. We rented a car to go to the Wildlife Park and just drive around the area to see what’s what. I drove back and forth down a small road near the airport, stalling often. Going from stopped into first gear was the trickiest part. With my newfound skill and an unwarranted confidence, I set off on the highway. I eventually getting the hang of it. In Malaysia they drive on the left for a little extra challenge. Even for walking or on escalators you stand to the left so people can pass on the right. I guess I will have to learn all over again on the other side of the road.
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