Penang, zoo work and off to Kuching!

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  Taiping, Malaysia, Malaysia
Friday, January 18, 2008

Well, I've just moved computer and bow I can get on with this blog - the last one was not being at all cooperative -aaargh! Mond you this one appears to have a silent t so if they are missing thruout this blog you'll know why!
For those of you that may not have revisited my last blog , after I posted it I put up 10 photos so do please have another look if you can be bothered. You'll find the start of lots of photos of Wasabi -yep, there's plenty more to come!
Ok so last Saturday we set off for our 4 days hols on Penang Island -a 100km journey took an hour on that whilst they'd spent money on air con they'd clearly saved a huge amount by having no suspension or shock absorbers -mind you it was horrendously expensive as it cost 5.90 ringitts -that's nearly a pound I'll have you know! A ferry ride across the Malacca Straits (I think) cost a hideous 1.20r and then a taxi to the hotel 2.50r
We turned up a some accomm that the Rough Guide had recommeded which was ironic as it was indeed rough. Instead we wandered across the road to the Banana someting or other hotel  and 7 of us shared 2 rooms (but it had air con so that was the main thing-more important than a bed actually!)
Sunday involved a trip up Penang Hill up possibly the longest funicular I've ever seen! The journey took 45 minutes and even involved a change halfway and was really quite precipitous! (don't look down!)
At the top we looked at the temple (pictured on the previous blog) and also undertook a canopy walk across narrow wobbly planks (with netting either side  I hasten to add ) about 200 or so feet up in the tree canopies -an experience as I'm not that great with heights (dad would have hated it!)
The following day Barbara and I went off without the others (as 7 people trying to make decisions and reach a consensus was turning out to be very wearing!) and took a bus ride of about 45 mins out to a place called Temput Bahang and had a lovely walk in part of the National Forest there

Barbara on our bit of beach

. A huge Monitor Lizard crossed our path a one point, must have been abouit 3ft long - exciting or wot? After a couple of hours there we found a spot of beach to ourselves and relaxed fo r a little while having paddled in lukewarm seas. We'd been advised agains swimming as the state of the sea is a bit grim and smelly in places although 
  where we were there were little fishes and crabs that seemed to roll like wheels at high speed across the sand. However as we departed our idyllic spot some  small whole dead fish started to wash in with the tide. Nice.
A spice garden was our next destination and we picked up a bus for the journey at no cost! The gardens were beautiful  even if neither of us proved competent at following the signs directing us around the various walks!
Monday was travelling back day and the wait for the bus under a tent cum tarpaulin thing was a killer for me -SO hot!
Back in lovely Taiping, it was back to work at the zoo on Weds and I can hardly believe its Friday already and we only have one day proper remaining a the zoo. I spent my lunch break today putting togeher guidance notes for future volunteers on how we clean and feed the animals in our area as we to a degree suffered from language difficulties and clarity of instruction wasn't good.Wasabi continues to be a daily delight and I try and spend time with her every day outside our chores . She just has the sweetest face and looks cuter still when she bites her bottom lip in a crooked way that is very comical

Enjoying fruit ice block with me!

. In terms of enrichment work this week we've frozen lumps of fruit in mild cordial  -we gave them to he orangs and the chimps this afternoon and they were a great hit. I went in with Wasabi and she came and sat next to me to suck her ice block and hen kindly wiped her wet sticky hands all over my light coloured trousers! Mind you I think I'd forgive her anything! She particularly likes to show you what she's eating so I have been treated to mouthfuls of masticated carrot and leaves which she shows me by protruding her bottom lip -she sometimes licks ants from the bars of her cage and then shows me them which I pick off her lip and chuck away reprimanding her mildly! (We did other enrichment work too but I'm flagging now and need some tea!)
As we walked into town this afternoon Barbara and I had a close encounter with a large stroppy Macaque monkey who bared his teeth and frightened B so much she gave it her bottle of water. I came after me too but I faced it down and it went away but then followed us and I shouted at it and bared my teeth -it was pretty scary tho even tho I got used to stroppy vervets in S Africa.
On the monkey theme I don't think I mentioned las time tha amongst the primates in our care we have 2 gibbons, Andrea who will grab your hair, knock your glasses off etc whenever you're not looking (this is all thru the bars of the cage but they have the longest arms!)  but like you to hold her long spidery hand. And there's Simon too, who always makes a mess and like to throw his food and water plates around the cage but who also likes to have his tummy tickled

Garland stall in Penang

. And their voices! When they call it is absolutley deafening, and somtimes Hassan will join in with grunting and the noise that emits from Amy the lemur defies description! 
The marmosets are really sweet and some have really funky hairstyles -they're hard to photograph tho as they move so quickly! Cleaning their cages is a bit challenging a times as there's plenty to walk into and unless you're under 5ft 5 and /or a contortionist its a bit of a squash especially as you have to shut all the door direcly behind you to prevent them absconding!
Sunday we're invited to a zoo memeber of staff's daughter's wedding so that should be fun.
Monday, at 7.45am we're off back to KL and then fly to Kuching for the next part of our adventure -the rehbilitation centres for Orangs and then our 7 days in the jungle -should be amazing and hot and knackering and full of scary animals and insects..... I'll let you know...
Signing off for now
Asia Sal
xxxx

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Me chating with Wasabi	Me doing mermaid impression - Penang	Me n Barb on the beach self portrait	On the jety at Bahang -like my hat?
One of the 5month old lion cubs	Wasabi checking my pockets for food	Wasabi enjoying enrichment

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