A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine mentioned that they wanted to go to Borneo, and I was quite interested in going to Mongolia (which I have been for what seems like ages now!). Anyway, another friend of mine just came back from the Galapagos and we had a chat last week about places to go and after making the necessary arrangements I’m now going to Borneo in March 2008.
The Borneo trip is on the Malaysian side and is actually in support of the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. There are a number of activities planned and I plan to do every single one of those including cycling, jungle treks, rafting, canopy walking, etc
There’s a lot that has gone wrong and is going wrong in Borneo. From the forest fires, palm oil plantations, logging, etc. Some of these are illegal activities but some are not such as the disastrous initiative when farmers were encouraged into the area by the Indonesian government. The forests and their biodiversity are being devastated. I fully understand the economic pressures faced by the locals. It’s not going to be something that will be easy to fix.
I decided that I wanted to help as well as satisfy my need to travel. So the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre got my vote with the Borneo Orangutan Adventure Appeal. I hope to raise some awareness with my friends and colleagues and perhaps reach out to a larger audience through the Internet. As you may know I am a keen hobbyist photographer (see my Antarctica photos from last month) and I intend to produce photos that highlight the richness of Borneo but also, at the same time, bring to people’s attention the situation regarding the plight of the orangutans and the forests.
I just hope my other friend doesn’t get upset that I’m off to Borneo! It’s something that just happened and I couldn’t pass it up. I’m still planning to do Mongolia later on this year…the year is still young so still lots to do!
People. Let’s be careful out there. The planet needs us.
Copyright © 2008 Kulvinder Singh Matharu – All Rights Reserved
