The orangutan family of Kalimantan
11 December 2012
Categories : Hiking, Trekking, and Eco - Adventure
For the first seven or eight years of his life, Fred Galdikas had a best friend called Apollo Bob. Like most friends at that age, they would play together outside. And like most children at that age, their differences seemed immaterial. Kids have an ability to look beyond race, religion, or language and just see a friend for who they are. That was probably lucky for Fred. You see, Apollo Bob was an orangutan. Thirty years ago, when Fred was born, his mother was...
Tag : Tanjung Puting National Park : Re-introducing Orang Utans to the Wild
Lesson Learned from the Klotok - Travel Makes Us Humble
11 December 2012
Categories : Hiking, Trekking, and Eco - Adventure
Have you ever felt that travel makes you humble? As a part of #Travel2Indonesia trip, I spent the first two days in Borneo jungle (Kalimantan). We slept, ate, worked on the klotok – wooden boat, and the weather was scorching hot and humid. You can imagine how dirty and sweaty we all were.Because the orangutan camp can be visited only by a river-boat, we had to maintain our lives on the boat. I loved the experience. The simple life - it's not easy to get...
An Orangutan Experience in Tanjung Putting, Indonesia
11 December 2012
Categories : Hiking, Trekking, and Eco - Adventure
When I received the schedule for my trip to Indonesia one of the first places it said we would visit was Tanjung Putting, which was on the island of Kalimantan. I had never heard of these places before but knew we were going to see wild Orangutans and was excited to visit. Once in Indonesia I heard a couple people say “Borneo”. Previous to this I wasn’t sure where I thought Borneo was and I kind of thought it was its own country and then I found...
Tag : Tanjung Puting National Park : Re-introducing Orang Utans to the Wild
Experiencing Bali, Four Years Later
11 December 2012
Categories : Culture and Heritage - Adventure
Dig far enough back through the archives on Go Backpacking, and you’ll find Bali was the first place in Asia I visited on my trip around the world. It was my first time in Asia, too, so the culture shock hit me hard and fast. Walking around Kuta my first day, I quickly learned to stop making eye contact with vendors and touts, and focus on going about my business. My hotel the first few nights had a beautiful swimming pool, complete with Swedish girls. I...
Tag : Kuta Beach, Bali Spirit Festival
Komodo Dragons in the Wild
10 December 2012
Categories : Adventure - Hiking, Trekking, and Eco
The stories began on Rinca Island. A park ranger ambushed in his office when the door was accidentally left open. An elderly villager attacked. A local child killed. Our guides seemed to take it all in stride, having grown up amongst endangered Komodo monitors, the world’s largest living lizard, all their lives. As a visitor, I was both fascinated, and increasingly worried. The only tool guides carry to fend off aggressive Komodo dragons, as they are...
Tag : Komodo National Park
