Trip to Batu Layuk

"Batu Layuk, from where I sit it seems like all of Borneo is laid out underneath."

- These are the lyrics to a new song which I am working on, inspired by my trip to the top of mountain Batu Layuk.  This trip normally takes a Penan person one day to achieve.  For me, it was two days and I stayed up there for another two days.  While there, I saw the night sky from the top, many insects and birds, beautiful big old trees.  Here are some pictures of the trip. :)

This is the team: Myself, My fellow traveller Finn and our guide, Parry.

Making a face

 On the way up, we got drenched with rain.  Another Penan man who had been helping as a porter made us a rain shelter, but then he left Finn and I alone and went back down!!!

 When we stopped for the night, Parry was always super quick to set up camp and start cooking.

Sago for breakfast!

As always, the jungle on the way up was beautiful.

Sorry for the blur - my photographer said he got the shakes.

 The Penan leave messages for each other in the jungle.  I enjoy spotting them while trekking.  Here are a few that we saw.:)

Warning! Do not cross!

The marks mean that 6 people cut the trail through the jungle

Ok, the best part of the trip - the view from Batu Layuk

Parry has one finger up to say that I'm the first white woman to go to Batu Layuk.  I wasn't as impressed by that as he was. After all, many Penan women have been there!

A very posed photo - not my idea

Parry up a tree

Me copying awkwardly

To see a video clip which I took at the top of Batu Layuk, go to www.vimeo.com/17076507 and use the password, 'penan'.

We descended to base camp about an hour after we got to the top (the flies were unbearable), but at night we went back up to see the stars.  It was cold but worth it, because the skies were quite clear and there were many stars.  Also, looking out over the mountains, we could see the flash of torches from Penan people who were out at night, hunting.  Parry signalled to them from the top and they signalled back.

The next day, we went to an area with many big trees, still untouched (for now) by logging.

After 3 day of awesome trekking, but also dirt and leeches, Long Kerong village seemed like a luxury town to me.  I was ready to go back, so we descended.  What took two days climb, took less than one day to descend! :)  The view on the way down was pretty too.

Now a shout-out to all my female friends!  Who's gonna come visit and be #2 White Woman to the top? :)