Back in Kuching, we holed up in a cheap motel for the night. By now a habit, we returned to the Kopi Tiam for dark coffee and dim sum for breakfast while we planned the next phase.

We decided to take it easy and get our mangrove soaked laundry done in town before we made for Mulu Caves.

It was nice that we had the break and made use of it by going to Semenngoh Forest reserve for a chance to peak at some of the last Orang Utan enduring on Earth. Some scientists predict that Orang Utans will be extinct within the next 20 years. Their habitat is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate as it’s cut down for timber. With no habitat, extinction is the only viable option.

Even though Semmengoh is a wildlife rehab center, the animals roam free. It’s designed in such a way that you feel like you’re seeing the Orang Utans in the wild. As we approached the viewing platform, we became silent and scanned the treetops for any sign of movement. Nothing. We waited. Still nothing. A few minutes more. Nothing. Then I spotted some movement a little ways off. A quick peak through the binoculars revealed it was orange. An Orang Utan! YEP! It moved some more. Definitely an Orang Utan!

Suddenly, a center employee came through and began whistling and making all kinds of noise. CRAP! He was gonna ruin it! He’d scare off the Orang Utans! Then I realized what he was doing. It was feeding time! He took a big bucket of bread and fruit and laid it out. A troupe of tourists was not far behind. Then suddenly, the trees came alive and began to shake violently with Orang Utans of all sizes!

The juvenile males and females with babies hit the food first. They grabbed up all they could carry and the clambered back up into the trees. A few minutes wait revealed why. A humongous male waddled down and made his way to the food. Once he was there, nothing was getting between him and the precious fruit. He ate his fill while the rest waited on the edge in respectful silence. He was a glorious sight to behold. We estimated that he weighed several hundred kilos easily. But he did leave plenty behind for the females to get seconds, which they promptly did as he lumbered back to his treetop roost.

We checked our watches and realized it was time to get back if we wanted to catch the last bus back to Kuching at 4.p.m

Mike, Geetha and I (Dave had stayed back in Kuching) arrived at the stop by 3:30 and true to form the bus never showed!

We waited at the bus stop for 45 minutes hoping it might come late. No bus.

Shortly though, again in true South East Asian fashion, a guy with a van pulled over and asked us if we needed a ride to the nearest town. We gladly accepted, hopped in and paid this requested 1 ringgit fee (US 25 cents).

Serendipity is by far one of my favorite words in English. Since I’ve lived abroad for about 3 years I’ve learned to give in to the whims of fate and let serendipity guide me. Somehow if I manage to stay calm and not get upset something I never thought of or intended will happen and set me on my merry way. Funny thing I think. The driver’s friendly smile and happy go lucky attitude reminded me why I love this country and this region of the world so much. We clamored along and shortly he dropped us off at the nearest town with a bus stop for Kuching. We waited for over an hour for the next bus to Kuching. Hunger selected an unlikely combination of tapioca crackers and chocolate washed down with a bottled of water.

We finally caught the bus back into town and made our way back to The Top Spot for some well deserved Stella!