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Images of strange, dangerous, exotic and undiscovered animals, birds and insects. Thats always beenhow I imagined Borneo to be. Throw in the odd headhunter, shaman ritual and an imposing rainforest canopy and that about raps up the image. The reality, alas, is somewhat different.
The sleepy tribal villages are in fact now shabby little towns. Far from quaint, having had any charm blown out of them by the allies during the Japanese occupation in double-ya double-ya two. In fact, the most charming place in any town in Sabah (North Borneo) is ironically an English tea room, straight from the 1920s. The Empire is alive and well.
There is a good side, of course. The wildlife is abundant. Where else could you see wild Orangutans, Green Turtlkes, Probiscus monkeys, Asian otters, hornbills and the like? Well, lets hope there is somewhere, as they may not be here for much longer.
It has been many years now since the threat to rainforest was brought into the public conscious, and we all understand the importance to preserve it. It is only now, however, upon seeing the distruction personally that the scary reality of the impact of logging, slash and burn and plantations has on an environment. Where there once stood lush, millenia-old rainforest is now mile upon mile of tea and rubber tree plantations. A uniform palm-like tree, almost as if standing in line like the military preparing to break into a crowd. There is only one saving grace for the natural vegetation - tourism. For as long as people want to see the nature, the money they bring will keep it alive. An unlikely but thankful state of affairs.
It doesn't even rain all that much anymore.
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