Treemendous Tawau

Tawau is a port on the Indonesian border and it holds a festival of regional cultures each year so we decided to visit.

We arrived a little late in the afternoon but some of the stalls were still showing the various tribal costumes and handicrafts.  Here are a few pictures for the beaders, perhaps you want to incorporate some of these flowers into your next projects!

The main event was the evening procession of the wedding ceremonial regalia, music and dance.  

It was amazing to see so many tribes from all over Borneo and surrounding areas.  It was magnificent but we didn't manage to see them all as I  was growing faint from lack of food

The next day I decided to head off to the hills, Tawau Hills reserve is home to the tallest tropical tree although I couldn't see the top.

This is one for the bashers and hashers: this area is home to many hashers, and I thought I had stumbled upon a trail, perhaps they do use fungi here, still wouldn’t work in the snow though. 

I then went in search of waterfalls and hot springs, this is secondary forest, i.e. logged out and with marked trails, some even cemented and others gravelled, so pretty tame jungle I thought. It didn't take long for me to slip and slide my way and stopping to clean my feet in a stream, I remembered too late about the leeches, they were so happy to drop in for a snack. I was wearing sandals, shorts and sleeveless top so really hospitable! 
I continued and made it to the somewhat lukewarm springs and couldn't wait to get in as I assumed the little critters didn't like sulphurous fumes.  I was right and it was a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch, when I was buzzed by a particularly hungry butterfly.  






Then the rains started and I had to stumble back through the dripping foliage, always wondering when the next leech would fall. 
 I eventually made it to the waterfalls to find another four on my feet and as I had slipped into the mud so many times I stopped to wash all my clothes and make sure there were no more passengers in any hidden places. Back to the 'trail' I was using my brolly as protection against falling suckers only to have it attacked by vicious although stunningly architectural foliage, I guess the 'trails' are not designed for brolly carrying woosies.

I made it back to the gravel path when I had to stop to answer the phone, tip always keep moving in the jungle to avoid stingers and suckers. I then realised I was looking like I had survived some head hunting massacre, my shorts, top and shoes were turning red. I had to return through the park full of locals relaxing by the river, to the toilets in order to strip off yet again to wash all my clothes. I couldn't get dressed as the anti coagulant injected by the leeches meant the bleeding just continued; I managed not to pass out as I normally do in such circumstances, I had a few plasters with me and managed to stem the flow to get a taxi back to town although I didn't really stop bleeding until after I went to bed. I think I have satisfied my jungle thing now, If that was tame I don't really need anything more hard core.