Borneo. July 20th-27th 2016.

I live in the midst of tall buildings, shopping malls and a very few pocket size patches of green.
The most predominant sound is of car horns and there is no getting away
 from a large share of India s  1.3(?) billion  people
I work here . My friends and family live here. I am privileged because I am secure and cared for... and  happy.
 Nonetheless, I am always planning escapes.
I look for open spaces, nature, birds, animals in their natural habitat and that is how Borneo came onto my horizon. The catalyst was the  Orangutan...second in intelligence only to human beings and sharing  96.4% of our genetic make up.

We Were Eye Ball to Eye Ball in a Primary Forest ...I was mesmerized. 

The Orangutans are an endangered  species; practically wiped out in Sumatra but can  be spotted in the rain forests of Borneo due to the efforts of the Malaysian Government that has brought about laws to preserve the forests which are the  natural habitat of the Orangutans.

I enjoy the planning of all my 'escapes'...I research , read and in this case watched a delightful video called Dunstan Checks In ....I am not going to relate the story, because I recommend you see it.

The Kinabatangan River is 560 km long and I travelled 90km of this in an almost soundless motorboat to get to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge which was my home for 3 nights ...a base...while I went  to look for the pygmy elephants...so different from ours... the highly energetic probosics monkeys..I could not stop marvelling at their agility and confidence as they swung from tree to tree,at what I thought were impossible distances...and the long tailed macaque.

 The Kinabatangan River  is muddy in appearance 

It is mandatory to wear a Life Jacket...however if you capsize..there are crocodiles and the banded sea krait..one of the most poisonous snakes..that you may need to contend with. 
You are advised not to trail your fingers in the water.

This is not a log.

Its a Crocodile.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

     Lunch time is lunch time.  We were all above ground level. I by climbing a flight of stairs
     and "they" on trees.
     Our foods were  similar and  ....different.
     We all enjoyed fruit.
     Mine were washed and "presented".
     Theirs were fresher....plucked and eaten straightaway

    Baby  Orangutans 
    at a rehabilitation centre.

Probosics Monkey.

         Borneo has some wonderful Nature Parks with an amazing assemblage of  trees and plants.    
           Some of these are peculiar to  the country.

The Corkscrew Tree ....inspired our corkscrews

The parks are huge ... ( Mount Kinabalu State park is 750 kms ) easy to walk around .... easy to just rest and reflect .

 My only complaint is that it is here where my camera crashed.
Maybe everything was too exotic for it. I am especially sorry on losing a particular favourite  that of  the Pitcher Plant.









                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Gomantong Caves - Borneo

The Gomantong Caves in Borneo are not for the faint hearted.

There are two cave complexes ..... " The Black Cave "-  Simud  Hilam - This is easily accessible and the one that I went to - the other is the "White Cave" - Simud Putih visited only by those with a fittess  level  better than mine.

They are high 40-60  meters and in a limestone hill.

I had no idea that I would be walking into a black cavern infested with bats and cockroaches their droppings immense humidity and a stench. The bats inhabit the caves during the day and fly out at night which is when the birds come in to their nests. The cockroaches are always there.

The importance of the caves is because of the swiftlet nests which are edible -  the birds  nest soup commanding  a premium especially with the Chinese.

Recommended Dress Code for the Caves :
1) Long Pants and Long Sleeve Shirts
2) Calf Length Socks and Shoes
3) Rubber Gloves
4) Face Masks

Ayur Veda

Ayurveda- 

- I  like what it means "Life Knowledge"

 -I like that its roots are Indian and that our Sages discovered this Life Knowledge and practised what they discovered.

-I like the disciplines that they imposed on themselves , giving them prowess over their minds and bodies.

- They were willing to share this knowledge and took disciples; but only if they were convinced of a level of commitment.

I am not one of them . I do however look for opportunities where I can partake in some of the practices.

The sages spent a lifetime in pursuit of life knowledge.

A week was all I could afford of both time and money at Carnoustie - An Ayurveda and Wellness Spa Resort near Kochi.

“Spa” these days is a very loosely used word...there are no Beauty Parlours, no Hair Cutting salons.. they are all “spas” . 

Every hotel boasts of one... Carnoustie has fallen into the same trap.. ....and I wish they would remove that part from their name...and leave it as an Ayurveda Wellness Resort which it definitely is.

Staying here I discovered many things about myself.

Firstly I think I like luxury..no no scratch that I know I Love luxury.

Luxury means different things to different people.. opulence, extravagance,  or for some never having to get up to fetch a glass of water for themselves.

 For Calvin Klein and myself Space is the pre requisite

-30 cottages in 30 acres of land..with one side of the the 30 acres ending at the Arabian Sea.

          

             The Beach was exclusive to the residents  of  Carnoustie

-A cottage with an emperor sized bed, a seating area and a bath, in just under 2000sq ft  

-A deck with a lounger, overlooking an expanse of green. The odd bird would come and

 perch on the railing for a while, not find you of much interest and fly away.

A paddle  pool...to cool off... parts.

     The Birds were attracted to my Orange Shoelaces ....Briefly

- And yes Cleopatra bathed with Asses Milk, but my bath had rose petals.

The walk to the beach was past a Spice Garden.

A walk to any place...the dining area, the yoga centre, the swimming pool was through forests of varieties of palms,

   

birds of paradise and orchids in potted plants tied to the barks of trees. 

I was always able to find my way to my cottage. It was the only one with two champa trees growing side by side ..one with white flowers and the other with red.

Carnoustie has two full time Ayurveda doctors and an Allopathic medical practitioner..all of whom live on the premises.

I was examined by the Ayurveda one who analysed me as a combination of  ”Pitha’ and “Kapha”

The intrinsic composition of the”  Pitha”is : Bold, Aggressive (not true for me)Intelligent, Witty adventurous( yeah..could me)

Kapha: is  friendly, calm, dependable ,honest and joyful.

The doctor and I both agreed that I am  60 (Kapha) and 40 (Pitha) . 

The treatments... massages, and a vegetarian diet was prescribed accordingly.

Yoga was at 7.am and at 5.pm.

I was told to attend both sessions..and assigned to a level just above beginners. 

The breathing and the balance positions is what kept me above the beginners level. The stretching to clasp your feet with your head on your knees and the Surya Namaskar is what brought my grades down.

This was the life knowledge for me.

I lost  ½ Kg in weight and a few frown lines.

It was great...and I will put Carnoustie into my budget to go back.