Andrew Gaskell

Gunung Mulu... A Memorable Experience

23/11/2016

Sarawak, Malaysia

What is it that drives a man to attempt something ridiculously crazy? Is it the possibility of failure that causes the enchantment of success to be that much more alluring? Is it the adrenaline rush that one might experience when pushing the boundaries physically and legally? Is it the prospect of losing oneself completely to the challenge, such that anything that happens outside the confines of one's immediate sensory perception becomes completely irrelevant? Does one need to lose oneself in order to find oneself?

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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it an excessively large whale?

13/10/2016

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Sarawak, Malaysia

The ferry trip from Kapit to Belaga has a reputation. And not a good one. A particularly fierce section of river, known as the Pelagus Rapids, has claimed several lives in the history of the express ferry route.

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Uvat Uncovered

28/9/2016

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Sarawak, Malaysia

Thursday 15th September 2016

It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.*

I've been using Kuching as a base for a month and a half now. Brian and Rosemary have been the perfect hosts (despite the fact that I neglected Rosemary's beloved pot plants). They've taken me to numerous eateries around the place and I've been entertained by several wilderness experiences from orangutans at Semmengoh, waterfalls everywhere from Kubah National Park to Gunung Gading National Park, strangling trees at Matang Wildlife Centre, to a crazy mountain bike race at Batang Ai.

Strangling tree (photo courtesy of Rosemary Giles)

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Becoming Bidayuh

12/9/2016

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Sarawak, Malaysia

Saturday 27th August 2016

Hello, it's me. 1

Today I travel to Bengoh Dam to rendezvous with a young man from a nearby Bidayuh village. The meeting has been arranged through a mutual friend, who, knowing my penchant for adventure, has suggested the area as an appropriate place to satisfy my curious nature. Brian and Rosemary happily accompany me for the day, despite having little idea of what to expect.

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Bako National Park... A Wild Adventure

22/8/2016

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Sarawak, Malaysia

Thursday 18th August 2016

I now walk into the wild 1

The proposition of trekking through the jungle to explore the numerous capes/bays/beaches/sea cliffs of Bako National Park is an enticing one. Thus, I am in high spirits as I await the local public transport at an unmarked bus stop in Kuching City. Just now, a minivan pulls over and I am assured by the unofficial driver that he is much quicker than the bus for only a fraction extra cost. Thanks to a classic Malaysian opportunistic business scheme, I (along with a van load of tourists) race along the highway and arrive at Kampung Bako well before the official bus crawls in.

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Please lah... I'm a Sarawakian

15/8/2016

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Sarawak, Malaysia

A whirlwind first two days in and around Kuching saw me spend a morning cycling through the city, crossing the river on a timber sampan (water taxi) before stopping for a traditional Sarawak Laksa (noodle soup). A low-key afternoon was spent wandering through Kuching Chinatown, sitting by the river, visiting one of the museums, checking out a Chinese temple and generally familiarising myself with the carefree vibe of the place.

Local transport

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Confessions of an Imminent Traveller

18/6/2016

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(In August 2016 I will be embarking on a journey beginning somewhere in Asia and heading in a generally westward direction for an indefinite period of time)