Indonesia days 6 to 8 - Jakarta, Pangkalan Bun & Tanjung Puting NP

We walked into Jakarta Old town, after a leisurely breakfast, neither of us wanted to do very much, so the previous blog is being posted and I'm writing this one.

Fatahilla Square in old town Jakarta. In Dutch colonial times it was known as Batavia. The building beyond is the second oldest and is now Cafe Batavia

We walked to Fatahilla Square which has many 17th century Colonial Dutch buildings. Also many cats, all of whom seemed happy to be spoken to and be fussed. With rain on and off we popped into the Magic Art 3D museum, which wasn't really a museum, and quite like the Quirky House in Liverpool. 

In Magic Art 3D museum. We have many similar photos, here's just a few

Lots of places to stand to get daft photos, a hall of mirrors and the same optical illusion rooms, though these last were difficult as there really needed to be three of you to pose and photograph. All very silly but good fun.

We walked a little more and made it into the Jakarta History Museum with the next bit of rain. A lovely building, but too much to read and then the more recent history we seemed to get slightly out of order. Interesting though.

Lunch in the lovely old colonial Cafe Batavia

The plan was then to have a big lunch which we failed at, though the rendang at the cafe Batavia was very tasty, it was also quite expensive. It said to share, so we assumed it would be big! We need to get another something now though, early, as we are being collected for the airport tomorrow at 03.00!!!

Our Klotok boat for two nights. We had the top deck, a table with 4 chairs, two single beds converted to a double with mosquito net at night, two reclining sun loungers on the front and two wicker chairs at the back. The shared toilet and cold shower was downstairs at the back

Day 7

Started for me, about midnight when I woke up after about 3 hours sleep. It's just not enough. Brian managed a bit more, but was also awake when there was a bang and our electricity tripped, yes, just ours, and for no reason. A man was sent by reception very quickly, looked in the wardrobe, and where the fridge plugged in (think he was trying to find out what we'd done -nothing!) and then wandered off down the corridor to reset the trip. That was obviously it, although we weren't being collected till 03.30. We needed to check in, having failed on the website and decided it wasn't really a problem, we had seats allocated anyway.

The layout from the back. The two single beds were pushed together at night

Short drive to the airport, Brian found a grumpy man to check us in, so off we went. I got pulled at security, as I had at Gatwick. There it was the mosquito spray they were interested in, here it was scissors. I denied this completely, until he rescanned and wafted 'here' . That'll be where the first aid kit is, I guess I am carrying some scissors after all, albeit with nicely rounded tips, they've gone. Opened our continental breakfast box to 4 pastries and some bread, yuck.

The night time set up with the beds pushed together and a mosquito net added. The front and sides were open to allow the cooler night air to circulate

Easy flight, another pastry, which I didn't eat, straight out, no waiting for luggage to be met by lovely smiley Mita. I think she's going to be good, though she does talk more to me than Brian, which makes a change. Off to our klotok boat, home for the next 2 nights. We both feel like death. Oh good, the chef has cooked breakfast. It's only 08.15 and this is number 3!

Dinner one night. We had a fish each, some green vegetables, rice, prawn fritters and vegetable fritters. There was mango slices for dessert

There are two single beds on the top deck of the boat, this is where Brian and I will be sleeping, surrounded by a mosquito net, and I suspect with the heavy plastic sides down as otherwise, when it rains (not if) we'll be soaked. I couldn't help myself, I had to lie down when we set off, though I did have to keep swapping sides to get out of the sun, till Brian decided he was going to lie on the other bed and also try to doze.

Although we sailed along the Sekonyer River more or less alone, stopping en route at the various feeding stations was another matter. Boats would moor alongside one another and people would have to walk through multiple boats to get ashore. And this is low season, we could only imagine what it must be like in July/August high season

We arrived at our stop, Tanjung Puting, about 11.30, had a little wander about, met a cute kitten, had a fabulous lunch, shrimp , squid, vegetable, tempeh and rice followed by watermelon, and are now surrounded by other boats as we all wait for orangutan feeding time at 15.00. Joy, we have a fan, which is making all the difference BUT only until it gets dark and the solar panel stops powering it. Perhaps I'll try for another doze now!

Even before feeding started orangutans had started to gather in the surrounding trees hoping for the best spot. This is Erwin, the non-dominant male who wanted to get in early before Roger turned up

We set off about 14.00 on the short walk to the orangutan feeding station and got some good seats at the front. The squirrels did their best to entertain us, clearing the table but we were waiting for the main event, while listening to the very ominous thunder. This feeding is for released and rehabilitated orangutan, giving them some bananas and sweet potato that they don't usually get. As we get further into rainy season, this extra fruit becomes less important and less animals show up. 

Bananas arrived Erwin came in, sat down in front of the majority and started to eat. Others had to reach in carefully for their share

The rangers arrived with baskets of fruit though and feeding began and Erwin a big male came in along with some females, all with young who stay with the mother until they are about 7 years old. They have to make you smile, they may be babies but they look like little old men. With a bit of a noise Erwin left, to be replaced by Roger, the dominant male, he obviously knows he doesn't have to show up at the beginning as they then brought him some fresh bananas. I think I counted 14 in total, including the two males who we obviously didn't see at the same time. Mita was having a very intense conversation, apparently about her bad husband so she said when we finally got away. 

That is until Roger arrived whereupon Erwin made a swift exit as more bananas were delivered for Roger

He was huge but did allow others in as long as they showed respect and withdrew after they had made their selection

Back to the boat where we have a couple of hours before our night walk, so some fried plantain and cassava, just in case we are hungry! We weren't, but cat was, he walked along the pier, shouting, so I miowed back and he came running. Had some fuss, didn't want cassava. Came onboard for a look around which captain obviously wasn't that happy about. He went off and found a fish head, which cat gladly left the boat for. They do seem to like their cats here!

Jackie finds a cat!

Very dubious about night walks, but I have to say our local guide knew the woods like the back of his hand and could spot all sorts, from tarantula, and the largest ants you have ever seen, to dragonflies and stick insects to fireflies sleeping birds. I'd have liked a slow loris, but he did do very well.

Our night walk was interesting. This little frog expanded his throat to a balloon on order to make his call. See below for a short video of his call

Dinner was ready when we got back, as was our sleeping area. The day beds had been pushed together and enclosed in a mosquito net, and that was it! Dinner was delicious, not as huge as lunch thank goodness, but still soup, chicken, eggs, sweetcorn fritters, vegetable and rice followed by rambutan. 

A sleeping bird, we think a Garnet Pitta. He had his eye on us as we shone our torches on him, but he didn't move

We'll now move down river a short distance to moor up for the night. The boat screens were brought down the side next to the reeds, to stop unwanted visitors, while on my side they were just lowered a bit and propped out in case of rain. Front and back were just open for the breeze. Cold shower and straight into bed, and amazingly some sleep.

A little yellow bird fast asleep under a leaf in case it rains in the night. We think it's a spiderhunter

Huge ants. They don't look that big but they were probably between 20 and 25mm long. I didn't manage to get a photo of the tarantula, it was next to its hole and as I took one step closer to get a better shot, it was gone in a flash

Day 8

 We've both got headaches, and had to get up in the night for a wee. I heard some movement downstairs about 02.00 which was Mita being bitten by mosquitos so lighting a smoke coil, at 04.00 the call to prayer was very loud, and about 05.30 it was light!

Coffee, fried rice, banana pancake and dragon fruit, and we are underway by 07.00, to Pondok Tanggui where feeding time starts at 09.00. 

6:00am, just after sunrise. How special is this? The quiet lapping of water, forest noises and the cool of the dawn

We arrived and walked in about 08.30, and oh my goodness, it's hot. On the boardwalk, just before the ranger station, we met Doyok, who used to be the alpha male, but no longer, so now doesn't get to go to the feeding station as his replacement won't let him. Some lovely photos with him, which was very special, before the ranger came and sent him into the woods, we were very lucky. 

A stork billed kingfisher. I'd been wanting to get of photo of one of these, they are fabulous!

Again, managed to get front row seats at the smaller, and closer viewing area. They were late with the fruit, and the trees were getting busy, as soon as they arrived so did Silen. Plonked himself down in front of the best pile of fruit and started eating! The first to join him was a female who had a small baby, but also appeared to have a larger child too. That must be hard work, like for all single mothers. 

Jackie with Mita on the boardwalk at the entrance to Pondock Tanggui park

Mothers and babies came and went but Silen stayed where he was. Some more kerfuffle in the trees announced the arrival of some macaques who thought it all too good to miss. As long as they were good they seemed to be tolerated, until the last mother arrived, again with little baby, and stroppy teenager. He didn't seem very happy to be sharing and was really quite funny chasing some of them off.

Doyok the previous alpha male, sitting on the boardwalk as he's unable to go to the feeding ground now as Silen is in charge

After a chat with our neighbours, from Cardiff, but here working while living and working, with his family, in Cambodia, we beat a retreat, back to the breeze and my fan. Before Brian lost WiFi he did have an alert for extreme weather, 40° in your area.....

Carnivorous pitcher plants in the jungle alongside our path

We motored off to Camp Leakey, I guess founded by the famous naturalist, Louis Leakey, looking all along the way. (Well I was trying to write, but writing about yesterday rather than living today didn't seem right.) Our looking was rewarded, a wild orangutan, just hanging about, and then proboscis monkeys which was what we wanted to see. They do look very silly. The only thing left to see is a crocodile, we'll keep looking.

Silen, the alpha male takes his place in front of the bananas

Lunch en route, a fish each, vegetable fritters, shrimp fritters, a spinach like vegetable, and rice followed by mango. Unless you lose weight by sweating I'm not going to fit into the limited amount of clothes I brought with me.

But he's quite happy for females and their babies to join him

Half an hour, and we are off to our final feeding area.

This had a different dynamic, there were orangutan waiting in the trees, along with a very funny gibbon. When the bananas turned up a male, Noba, was first on the deck. He is not the dominant male though and his being there seemed to upset the whole system. 

Jackie's right, the babies do look like little old men

Eventually Jacob the dominant male appeared, Noba vanished and a few more ladies came to the deck, but he just sat there, not eating, but with nothing much happening. This did mean that we'd had more time to watch them all move through the trees which was fascinating, such grace as they stretched out to pull the next branch to them, no frantic leaping about, just calm movements. 

The Macaques try their luck and they seem to be tolerated

We are now returning, almost to the harbour, for our last night. It has clouded over, but so far no rain.

And then it started, so a bit of a clammy night!

If one can get away with it a few more come in to try their luck

A little baby one swings from the tree nearby

After we reembarked and headed off upriver our captain stopped as he'd seen these Proboscis monkeys in a tree. There were a whole group of them flinging themselves from tree to tree including a baby one, but photographing them was difficult. This was my best shot. Great fun to watch

Some shacks along the river. In the green hut, almost out of shot was a convenience store with a woman selling basic essentials to passing boats. Cigarettes, it seems, are an essential item

Camp Leakey, the furthest point we reached. As Jackie has said, it's a research station for orangutans that also has another feeding station, 2:00 to 4:00pm so, of course, many boats were there. It was a Saturday when many locals come for a day trip (the boats hurtle up and down the river and they probably see little or nothing!). We were quite happy to sit near the back as we'd seen a lot and day trippers would be anxious to see. We'd also got a long sail back afterwards, almost back to the start for our second night on the boat, ready for disembarking for our 9:45am flight tomorrow 

As usual some were waiting in the surrounding trees. Watching them move through the trees is very relaxing, nothing is rushed, they reach out for the next tree branch, pull it in, step on it and let it swing them away

This time a gibbon was present too. His name was Boy and he is also a rescue. Watching him fling himself through the trees was very impressive. I tried to get a video but my reactions weren't really up to his speed

Obviously the waiting in trees can get tedious so why not a bit of yoga?

Jacob, the alpha male turns up but just sits there with his back to us. Females and babies came and went, but most of the action was in the surrounding trees. Here's a few short videos:

Time to head back and, as the sun had gone in we decided to sit right at the front on the sun loungers and let the strengthening breeze cool us down. The strengthening breeze was bringing the rain clouds in and soon it was pouring down so all covers had to come out

Not before we saw another group of proboscis monkeys, who were just as difficult to photograph

The little adorable baby was just flinging himself about playing in the trees. This was my best attempt

I took no more photographs as it just rained, but here we are with our evening meal with our bed already made up for the night. We've left Central Kalimantan now and flown from Pangkalan Bun to Surabaya on Java, but tomorrow we're back to Borneo again on a flight to Samarinda in East Kalimantan for another three day boat trip. We're on a houseboat but sleeping in simple Loseman lodges for two nights. No Aircon, only a fan and one of them doesn't have a shower! I think I might be in trouble with Jackie!