Visiting the orang utans

One reason to visit Sarawak is to view orang utans, our evolutionary cousins. From Kuching the nearest access is the Semenggoh Nature Reserve, which is a rehabilitation centre. This was my only full day in Kuching so it was today or never. There are two feeding sessions and I picked the afternoon one, from 1400 to 1600.

So I could have a relaxing breakfast. The hotel offered both Asian and Western cuisine. There were some Sarawak specialties as well.

To pass the time until lunch, then the trip out to Semenggoh, I looked in on Upside Down House, mentioned in online guides. It has rooms with furniture stuck to the ceiling which looks like a floor, and the floor looks like a ceiling, so in pictures you look like you are hanging upside down. It took me a while to locate it, it was inside a rundown block of shops accessed from the courtyard. Aside from the attractive artwork, it seemed like a poor show and a waste of money so I declined to enter.

I hailed online a hire car and arrived at the Nature Reserve about ½ hour later. I paid for both entrance and a transporter ride since Malaysian prices were cheap converted to home currency.

There was still time before the start of feeding so we cooled our heels at the entrance to the walk.

Finally we were allowed to walk to the viewing area where people settled themselves to watch the feeding platform, separated from the people by a ravine.

But about 10 minutes later, they announced that we should go back to the starting point and alternate viewing area, where the orang utans had chosen to show up.

These shots were taken with the extreme telephoto setting of my prosumer camera. With the orang utans swinging here and there, I somehow managed to get a few good shots.

I think they were mother and child.

An interesting note is that signs requested that we do not use selfie sticks or flash because they might be mistaken for blowpipes and guns by the primates. How sad.

Hmm, I just noticed that perhaps the mother was also cradling a young infant.

On the way back to the transporter pickup point I looked in on the small visitor centre.

To get back to the city I took advantage of the free shuttle service which is a regular bus route of Kuching. I was worried that the transporter wouldn't get us back to the entrance in time, but as it turned out, the bus waited past the departure time to cater for the stragglers at closing time.

On the way, the skies opened up with a torrential tropical shower. Fortunately by the time it reached the vicinity of my hotel it had almost petered out.

And this is my last picture in Kuching, a themed rubbish bin. The evening was passed uneventfully and I got plenty of rest for the flight out the next morning.