INTO THE WILD, PART 1. SABAH

Selamat! I just completed half of my Passage to Malaysia in Sabah and had one of the BEST times ever. I have fallen deeply in love with the wildlife, and the local villagers I met on the way were simply wonderful and warm.I started my journey in Kota Kinabalu where we hired a chopper to fly into what is known as 'Sabah's Lost World', called the Maliau Basin. It's basically one big drop in the rainforest and looks like a volcanic caldera. People say it's insurmountable, even the local Murut people refrain from going down. This is no trek for the weak, especially if you're afraid of heights. But there is nothing more spectacular than an adrenaline pumping chopper flight over pristine virgin rainforest and the tranquility of peace down below.Of course I had one of the best guides to show me the ropes, an eco-junkie with zealous passion and fascination of Sabah, Tengku Adlin. He fronted the first expedition into the basin with a team in the 80's and has written several books about his discovery. He's even had a Rafflesia named after himI was trying my darndest not to chew on the intercom/mic because it got in the way every single time i looked out the window. Let's not talk about hair...my frizz became a mohawk at some point, but chopper-hair beats a bad hair day, any day.With a view like this, who cares what hair you've got on your head. This gave me the chills, tears and butterflies, all in one round. I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. That my dear friends, is Mount Kinabalu...one day, I will climb this baby...hopefully on my next passageJimmy (sound/2nd cam) and David (director), having a good twinkle at the shots. It was hard to get a bad shot anywhere in Sabah. We even trailed a pair of hornbills till one of us threw up outside the chopper. No barf bag in sight, but we managed to squeeze the head through the window. It was a human Tetris head struggle. ;)Isn't she a beauty? That's the Maliau Falls, a seven tiered waterfall near the basin. It was a special moment...aaawwwwwwww.Azam (1st cam) and Tengku. We got pretty cosy in the chopper with our weight combination of cables and equipment, and a lot of legs! Eventually, they all decided i was too fat and heavy and dropped me off in the basin by myself...But I made friends and got to know more about Rama Ramas on my own... and a little wander around did my circulation some good... Little shop of horror in the lost world...how cool is that!?! These fly traps RULED the basin; there were so many species and kinds, it was hard to not to be in awe of these lovely plants...Eventually they picked me up again and off we went. One last look and here is another Kodak moment: Some of my crew members like Giant Adam went a bit nutso, but all in good spirit. We're enroute to Sendakan, the gateway of eco-tourism...Not quite sure if the flytrap bit him in the arse or he was just super excited to see the next world..This is Agnes Keith's house on top of a hill in Sendakan. She's the late author of the 'Land Below the Wind' and many other titles; this is an amazingly well restored colonial house and is being used as Sabah's museum now. I sat there wondering what life would have been back in the idyllic times of North Borneo...Meanwhile, David was brewing his new magic potion for a shot...  I got to know the indigenous tribes of the land and used my sign language skills again. The older lady was checking out my ears-i think she wanted to lengthen them to make me more beautiful. Her ears were long and wise:)The great Kinabatangan River in Sukau, This was shot at the break of dawn; it simply took my breath away...and so did Skipper, the butterfly who wouldn't leave my hands alone. He trailed me for most of the boat ride. They don't usually stick around like this, but for some reason, the wildlife were curious to get to know me. Here's Jenny, the Orang Utan mummy in the wild. She and her little baby, Murutus were swinging on top of the rainforest canopy. Once you see them in the wild, you never, EVER want to see them in a zoo again. We are doing some horrible things to their natural habitat and they are severely diminishing in numbers. As people log away the rainforest in place of palm oil plantations, their homes are being destroyed forever.  Had a stare-down with an eagle. He won...Isabelle, a primatologist who set up a wildlife conservation program called Red Ape Encounters explains to me how it all began for her when she first arrived in Sukau and her vision in restoring and conserving areas for Orang Utans. She has done some amazing things, an inspiring soul and lovely heart for the people in Sukau.Here is Mincho, my local guide who taught me everything about the wildlife in Sukau-he introduced me to playful elephants, the hang-over hornbill (they come in pairs! and hurl at each other), storm storks (highly endangered birds), Orang Utans and the proboscis monkeys (did you know the alpha male can have a 24hr erection? That's got to hurt at some point).Mincho, I will never forget your kindness and sense of humor :)i have no idea what I was doing here, but i think this is the bit where i somersault into the river and wrestle a croc for the camera...yeah right...I got to know all the lovely kids in the village-they taught me a lot.and I even planted a tree in the forest restoration area-I called my tree 'Sayang Sayang'. This is part of the Orang Utan conservation program where local villagers grow the seedlings into tiny trees and sell them onwards for the tree restoration plan.Isn't  she lovely? it's a keruku tree (i have no idea how to spell it, or if i even got the name right!) But she is going to grow big and strong and produce lots of fruit for all the Orang Utans in Sukau.   These wonderful tree planters, the 3 ninjas who maintain the forest restoration area are some eco-heroes to be saluted! Next stop-Sarawak! Check back this space for more wild adventures in the heart of Borneo, with ME:)I want to thank all the lovely people in Sabah for showing me their light and kindness. I am so deeply touched and moved, I will never forget this wonderful passage. And promise to return soon! Thank you Sabah. You changed my world.love and light,dkxxxxxxxx