MUNNAR HONEYMOON OR A CUPPA CHAR

Tea plantations in the hill station Munnar about 100 km from Cochin, Kerala.

Hill stations are popular in lndia & a place to be sought during the hotter months of lndia. Munnar sits 1600 m above sea level & offers cool respite from the 40 degree heat of Cochin. lt is also a popular honeymoon destination in Kerala & there are many packages. It's a huge contrast in every way from the lowlands. The scenery is lush & hilly and it is less crowded & congested. Definitely a more relaxed environment that can be gradually felt as the bus crawls for 3 hrs, up & around dangerously hairy bends, overlooking spectacular scenery, to the town of Munnar.

Once there it was easy to find accomodation with stunning views of the valley, cost about $25 pn. And for the first time l was searching for a jumper as the night temp drops down to a chilly 15 degrees. I palled up with a Swiss girl who just adored being up in the cooler altitudes again.  Me, being an Australian, is happier at sea level.
We hired a tuk tuk driver for the day who well looked after us around the well worn path. The tea plantations were really picturesque, rolling over hill after hill like a giant padded green eiderdown. There is nothing sweeter than sipping on a cup of tea, overlooking the plantation from whence it was grown.
We decided to trek down through the village & had a lovely time being greeted by the local tea-pickers who spoke no English but smiled & shook our hands or waved from a distance.
l had believed what l had been told at a plantation in Malaysia, that Sri Lanka was the only place left in the world that hand-picks tea, which was clearly & completely untrue. Life as a tea-picker is difficult & they earn about $3 a day. Snake bites are a regular problem which can cause severe illness for months without pay.
We caught an elephant back up the hill. It was one fabulous experience after the other. We tuk tuked around the massive Kundala dam which provides great boating & Kasahmiri style house-boats. We visited Echo-point, we ate fabulous morsels from road-side cafes with the best chai tea in the world.
Kerala is well known for its spices & l believe the best food in lndia. And up in Munnar, the cuisine was distinct to the area, perfect for the chilly climate.
The markets were very different from the lowlands as well. Food, produce & crafts unique to the area are sold in a more casual easy-going holiday environment. Obviously with holiday prices but still extremely reasonable & far more special than from many other markets anywhere.
An excellent museum about the history of Munnar, the tea plantations & the terrible destruction of the wildlife over the centuries, is really fascinating & well worth the time.
All round, Munnar is a really lovely break from the heat & hecticness of coastal Kerala. It felt like a little holiday from the intensity of an Indian holiday.

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SUNSETS IN BORNEO

On arriving at sunset in Kota Kinabalu ,Borneo, l was gob-smacked by the colour & spectacle. As l looked around, the local Malaysians barely gave it a sideway glance. At the time l was stuck in a taxi in traffic but fortunately the following evening there was again an equally stunning sunset scene that l captured on camera. After a week l realized that every evening produced similarly spectacular sunsets over the South China Sea. Night after night l positioned myself in a different spot to view & photograph the vivid colours & silhouettes. It was indescribably beautiful!
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Borneo has so much natural beauty. The diving is considered some of the best in the world. Apparently Jaques Cousteau's favourite dive sites were off Sipadan on the east coast of Sabah.

The Borneo rainforest is one of the oldest on the planet, about 130 millon years old. Unfortunately a large percentage of it has been destroyed by logging & planting of palm -oil plantations. But since the Heart Of Borneo aggreement was signed, the logging has been paused & the focus is directed at conserving the orangutans, Asian elephants, Asian rhinoceros & so many unique species to Borneo.

Then there is the challenge of Mt Kinabalu. Originally promoted as the tallest mountain in SE Asia, which is apparently incorrect. Never the less, thousands of people travel to Borneo every year purely to climb Kinabalu. It takes 2 days, requires no climbing equipment except for a pair of very strong legs.

Historically very interesting as well. Borneo was once an island of head-hunters. Then the British & the Dutch took control & the Sultan of Brunei handed over great parcels of land to them. In World War 2 it was occupied by the Japanese & the atrocities of the death march of Sandakan killed 2500 prisoners from Britain & Australia.

Borneo is made up from 3 countries, Malaysia, lndonesia & Brunei. It is a fabulous place to visit. There is almost too much to do & see and you cant do & see everything. lf for nothing else Borneo is worth the trip just for the fabulous fresh feasts of seafood while enjoying a cold beer & watching the best sunsets in the world.

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SEARCHING FOR TIGERS IN MOWGLI JUNGLE

Mowgli's jungle is in Kanha, central India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Being a childhood fan of  'Junglebook', as soon as l became aware that it was possible to visit the area that Rudyard Kiplong based his well loved story on, l was determined to see a real tiger in the wild. No one is exactly sure which exact area it is, but there is a definite possibility that it was Kanha.

It is by no means easy to get there & it's not on the regular backpacking track. The bulk of the tourists are lndians from all over lndia, hoping to get a glimpse of lndia's favourite feline.

Because Madhya Pradesh has a low literacy rate, there are very few people that are educated enough to speak English. Along with the searing 45 degrees heat, l arrived feeling frayed & frustrated at the gate of the national park. A well spoken local man walked over, he had been educated in Kolkata, & asked me to checkout the rooms at his guesthouse. After the exhausting 40 hr marathon to get there, l didnt care what his rooms were like, l was just relieved to find someone who spoke English & l just needed to lie down immediately.

A half day safari costs about $100 per jeep & can carry 6 people. Choice of morning or afternoon.
We set off at daybreak, very excited & hopeful. We drove for a couple of hours past magnificent scenery full of wildlife. We saw buffaloes, deer, monkeys, peacocks, but no sight of a tiger. lt was a splendid display, a fabulous experience, but l wanted to see a tiger. Our tour ranger took us to a wildlife museum in the outer park & we were told that we had a better chance of sighting a tiger if we went by elephant. So for an extra 20 bucks we boarded an elephant & explored the jungle & grasslands in search. lt was awesome! Then suddenly the mahout spotted a tiger sleeping under a tree. OMG it was so exciting & we squealed in silent whispers. l could barely see it as the tiger was so well camouflaged in the shadowy grass. l felt very safe knowing that elephants are unafraid of tigers & tigers unafraid of elephants. We sat in respectful silence watching the tiger breathing just a few metres away. So my suggestion to try & wake up the tiger was refused with a quick wag of the mahout's head. Then we quietly elephant-walked away, the huge mass barely making a sound.

Some people never see a tiger on a safari so we were very fortunate. The tigers are endangered & their habitat is limited to national parks but the parks are well maintaining the tiger numbers that are left. There was some surprisingly positive work being done. And it was well worth the time & experience to get there.

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BATHING WITH ELEPHANTS

Laos was once known as the land of a million elephants.

My highlight, along with many backpackers to Laos, was the opportunity to bathe with elephants in the Mekong River.

The best fun is to do a mahout course or a long elephant trek over several days. There are  many opportunities for short elephant rides throughout Asia. But the chance to spend some real time with elephants, trekking through the country-side,  is extraordinary. At first they seem gigantic & a bit frightening but after a couple of days you get accustomed to the height & appreciate their slow gentle nature.

The elephant l was allocated the last time l was in Luang Prabang was a 35yo female named Nong. She was powerfully strong & knocked over a papaya tree with one swing of her trunk. Being vegetarian they seem to be constantly eating, about 200 kg a day! Anyway Nong obviously needed a snack & even though l was commanding her to go forward as the mahout had taught me, there's no way a peckish elephant weighing about 5 ton can be deterred by a pint-size Aussie.  So with just one swing, the papaya tree came down and the other elephants on the trek also turned back & joined in on the mid morning munch.. While we were forced to sit there patiently, the locals in the village seized the day & sold us bananas to feed the elephants & shots of the local lao-lao whiskey for us to drink.. lt's quite acceptable to be in charge of an elephant whilst under the influence. And it was proof that the elephants were actually the ones in charge.

The best part of the 2 day trek was definitely swimming with the elephants. They love the water & are great swimmers. Nong went deep into the river & disappeared under the water with me sitting on her neck. Then up she would come, showering me with water.  On the command of the mahouts the elephants would buck & throw off their riders. They are so massively strong & then they gently swim up under their riders & allowed us back on. lt was truly one of the best days of my life.

After a couple of days, you get to know the personalities of the elephants as well. One of the elephants had a 1 yr old calf. l was interested to see how baby elephants suckle with the trunk in the way. So l climb down to have a look.  The baby lifts its trunk up & to the side & suckles at its mothers teat. As l  walked away, satisfied in what l'd seen, the mahouts yelled "Run!" The baby elephant had taken offense to me scrutinizing & was charging at me. Weighing twice my body weight l had to bolt, but he turned back once he'd chased me out of his space.

There's also several conservation parks in Thailand & some beautiful river walks down the river by elephant in Chiang Mai. Most of these elephants have been saved from logging & are now employed in the tourist trade. Some are still being mistreated. lt is advisable to so some homework & search for recommendations. Prices range from $20 per hour to $100 for 2 days.
Luang Prabang in Laos is by far one of the best places to experience jungle treking by elephant.

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BEST SIGHTINGS OF ORANGUTANS

Orangutan means 'man of the forest' & they are great apes with 97% similar DNA to us.

Only places now left to see the orangutans in their dwindling numbers is in Sumatra & Borneo.

Bukit Lawang in Sumatra would have to be the best place to have a real orangutan experience & possibly interaction. lt's not easy to get to & the trek can be difficult sometimes so it's for serious wildlife lovers looking for that unique experience.

Bukit Lawang is about 85 km from the Sumatran capital Medan, possibly one of the ugliest cities in lndonesia.  But it takes at least 3 hrs to travel! The roads are crowded & in poor condition. There is a choice of mini-van, big bus or private car. The mini-van is an experience in itself. Costs a few dollars, maybe 20-40,000 rupiah, leaving from the Pinang bus station. Big bus is slightly slower but it's not as crowded. And a private car is about $35 if you organize in advance.

There is a variety of tours, but the most popular & best is a 2day trek, spending 1 night in the jungle. Costs about $35 or $40 dollars depending on your guide. Best to book a guide & a tour at Bukit Lawang. Then you can meet & talk, discuss a price & ask questions. There are 70 registered tour guides in the area & not enough tourists to go round. Dont be surprised if you just happen to meet one in the city of Medan or on the way in the bus. You will definitely be greeted by many at the bus station in Bukit Lawang. From the bus station you need to get a becak (tuk tuk) to the river, about 50c. Large range of accommodation, my favourite is Bukit Lawang Indah, great family run guesthouse on the other side of the river, about 50,000 rupiah pn.

The guides explain as you enter the Gunung Leuser National Park, that it is not a zoo and there are no guarantees that you will see orangutans. But now that the guides all have hand phones & are all in contact with each other, it is usual that they share information & it's extremely likely that you will have a close encounter. Along with several other species of primates.

There is an old female orangutan called Mena that all the guides are afraid of. She has been known to attack. But she only attacks lndonesians. Apparently her baby was poached many years ago by an lndonesian & she became a little crazy with the grief. She has never forgotten & she attacks when she sees them. She is very strong & the guides usually carry fruit to throw at her & run.

The Gunung Leuser National Park is in very rugged & mountainous terrain which requires a good standard of heath & fitness. lt's no walk in the park. But the guides are very experienced & knowledgeable and will know where to take you, it's not a competition. Meals are supplied on the way & overnight is on a rubber mat under a plastic tarp. Songs are sung around a camp-fire, there's lots of games & laughs and all is good with the world.

It's a fabulous & memorable couple of days with lots of photo opportunities. The guides are on a first name basis with some of the orangutans & there is occasionally close interaction. The return is by tube-raft down the river & over small rapids, it's roller-coaster exciting.

Orangutans are great apes as opposed to monkeys and have 97% DNA in common with us. Due to the logging & planting of palm-oil plantations, their habitat is diminishing & are expected to be extinct within 10 years if there is not a major turn around. l travelled for 9 hours one day through northern Borneo & the scenery was continuous palm oil plantations. The only place l saw orangutans there were in rehabilitation centres.
So one of the last places to get up close & personal is Bukit Lawang. Longer treks deeper into the jungle in search of elephants & tigers can also be arranged.

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ANGKOR WAT??

                                 Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure on the planet.

Built about a thousand years ago, it is Cambodia's greatest tourist attraction. And for good reason.
Also one of the highlights of SE Asia.

The Angkor Empire ruled over a large area of Asia from about 700 AD to 1400 AD & then for some reason, still not completely understood yet, the empire disappeared.  And the temple city some how became abandoned & forgotten, hidden in the jungle for about 400 years. Not until French occupation during rhe 1800's, did it become popularised. Henri Mouhot claimed that Angkor Wat was still in such perfect preservation, that it felt like the inhabitants had just left the building. He stated that the
temple , "Was a rival to Solomon, erected by an ancient Michelangelo.

Unlike Ta Prohm, commonly refered to as the Angelina Jullie temple, as it was the location of the filming of the Tomb Raider movie. Ta Prohm is spectacular in its destruction, as the strangler fig &  other jungle creepers are slowly overtaking & almost crushing the temple. Archeologists from all over the world are working to conserve, prop up & support the magnificent structure. But it is photogenically stunning.

The ancient ruins were declared a UNESCO site in 1992 & lie a few miles outside of the town of Siem Reap. A day trip costs about $15 by tuk tuk with a $20 entrance fee. But one day is not enough & a $40/ 3 day pass is better value. The outter temples are just as spectacular & well worth the extra time & expense. Every temple is unique in its beauty. It can be hot & sweaty work climbing up & down & over the ruins. But it is breath takingly beautiful. And some of the temples have a didtinct lndiana jones feel about them. Some penny pinching backpackers choose to view the temples by bicycle. Not recommended, it is exhausting in the relentless heat & humidity.

Angkor Wat is beyond words, whether you are into archeology, architecture or art. It is the pride of Cambodia & is represented on everything from its beer to its national flag. And walking up the long, wide, stone path towards the entrance, it's impossible not to be gob smacked.

Best hostel in Siem Reap is Australian owned & managed , SIEM REAP HOSTEL.  Staff are friendly   & knowledgeable, great pool for cooling off after the temples & 50c beers at happy hour.


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