Japan Stories: November 1999

Taman Nagara Rainforest

No one in Malaysia has actually been to Taman Nagara—they all say it's full of leeches. (A bit of an exaggeration, but not entirely incorrect.)

jet boat is "kaput"

Kuala Tembeling

meet Terrance and Mei, actual Malaysians

canopy walk

Lata Berkoh

(boat operators with canoe)

(me during rain)

"There is no waterfall at the waterfall." Angela tries it, and gently sinks down under water. She stays down for a long time. Another tourist and I exchange glances as if to say, “Do you suppose she’s all right?” Eventually, she pops back up and explains that there’s enough air to breathe under the cascade. Three of us take turns ducking under the water.

(photo of me underwater)

Take boat trip to nearby Gua Telinga cave.

(me by "at risk" sign)

At entrance to cave, a group of people are waiting around. Most have just been through the cave, but one woman says she was too scared and had to turn back, which makes us a little apprehensive. One woman has a leech on her leg, and her husband won’t let her take it off until he can get out their video camera and capture it on film. Cave trip is short but very exciting. See one albino cave racer snake, one frog, several catfish, and zillions of bats. One bat whaps right into my face.

(bats)

(Ang looked scared by bats)

(albino cave racer)

Brochure had made cave sound more claustrophobic and guano-covered than it actually is. There are lots of places to stand up, and the guano is more of a slick covering on the rock than it is a deep mud. There is one final squeeze to get out of the cave that’s a little tight, but when Angela comes out, her white t-shirt is still white. We ask our guide, Ali, how often he does the 200 meter trip through the cave. He says he usually does it twice a day. “This cave is my office”, he says, and laughs.

(emerging from cave)

Back at Taman Negara resort, I take off my muddy shoes, and notice a small bleeding point on my foot. Think it’s a mosquito bite, but it doesn’t stop bleeding. Must have been a leech.

On way to lunch, see six monkeys around hotel. Angela watches one monkey closely, and the monkey apparently interprets this as aggressive staring behavior, and chases her off. In afternoon, sit in bungalow typing in journal on computer during a rainstorm, watching the monkeys run around outside.

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