We got up early again and left Camp 5 by 6:40. On the way to the boat we found an otter on the riverbank – it was checking out something that died there recently but was mostly eaten by now, with flies feasting on the remains. When it saw us, it dived into the water and that was it.
By 10am we were back in the HQ. It seems so busy now! After two days of just four of us with guides in the jungle, with no one for at least 3h trek each way, this place feels like a booming city centre.
With a few of hours to kill before my 2pm Canopy Walk, I finished my book, washed my clothes (everything retched!), and had delicious lunch. And enjoyed the heat. I do a lot of enjoying the heat in here. Just stop for a bit to breathe the delicious hot and humid air, take a moment to feel the sweat running down my back, enjoy the cooler moments and breeze. I absolutely love the concept of using showers to cool down, not to warm up!
The Canopy Walk almost didn’t happen, due to rain and wind – but our guide decided to risk it, telling us to be super careful. Because the walk is on a series of rope bridges with two planks to walk on, suspended between trees thirty metres above ground. Windy and slippery are not your friends there. But this time luck was on our side and soon it cleared up. And what a shame it would be to miss it! I loved every bit of it. It had the amazing quality of showing you something you’ve always seen from one perspective, from another perspective, as if changing a 2D view of the forest into 3D. It was particularly awesome to see various vines and how the fig trees grow on other trees. And, of course, there is the amazing quality of walking on a very narrow rope bridge suspended 30m above ground, bouncing with your every step. Eugenia joined for this walk, too, it was nice to see her again.
Back down on the ground, I split from the group and went straight to the Deer Cave which is just a bit further down the same path, hoping I’ll get to see the bat exodus this time. I took the longer path there, taking some nice pictures of the forest in the way. There were no noisy Italians at the lookout this time, but the Chinese more than made up for it. The guides here say that Chinese tourists are the worst, being noisy and having no respect for the place, touching everything and wanting to steal stuff home.
Soon after arriving, I saw a couple monkeys fighting in the treetops. Well, I mostly saw lots of branches moving and some vague monkey shapes, but the noises indicated a monkey battle all right. I sat there reading my book and people started gathering, though not as many as last time. Again, I was lying on the reclining bench looking at birds flying above hunting insects, time kept passing, the jungle came alive with more and more nighttime noises, and the bats… well, it started raining, so the bats didn’t show up. Why, rain! Why do you hate me so much! Isn’t Scotland enough?!
Anyway, no point cursing natural phenomena, I set on the 3km walk back to the park HQ, in print tropical rain. Completely drenched, I found that the Night Walk I had booked is cancelled as well, but that’s all good with me – I did one yesterday and now is much rather just rest. Dinner and lots of reading were a perfect end to the day.
Tonight is my last night in Mulu, tomorrow at noon I’m flying to Kota Kinambalu. I just realised, on this journey I saw three of the 160 places on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Not bad!
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