Bruneian night walk

Is he smiling for the camera??

I am becoming a huge fan of night walks in the jungle, and tonight was no disappointment. After a delicious dinner of local food, I set off with no less than THREE guides (Rudy, Ricky and one whose name I have forgotten). Like a good night dive, we didn't venture too far but instead concentrated on looking in a small area for critters. They showed me lizards, insects, and frogs. Lucky for me and the frogs it rained all afternoon, which means that unlike everywhere else in the world, the frogs go to ground. My guide found one but that's all - this is lucky because otherwise they were going to cook them for me!! I would have tried it but I wasn't too disappointed and happy that Kermit got to live after all. Halfway along the walk we visited the Iban longhouse. It's an interesting concept, kind of like single-storey terrace houses on stilts but with a common verandah (this one was closed in) and it's an actual community. The longhouse looks fairly basic but inside the houses are normal with modern conveniences. We visited Ricky's house, and his sister has just finished school and hoping to be accepted into a nursing course next year.

Kingfisher

Part 2 of the walk was just as good, with a beautiful kingfisher posing as though he was plastic, and some more frogs in a little pool in the top of a broken piece of bamboo.

There were lots of noisy crickets and grasshoppers and the guides actually spotted several of them. They were all shapes and sizes, some were green, some brown, some yellow and black. We also saw a lizard that bears a striking resemblance to Burong's "25K" - perhaps it's the same one and I could have made a fortune! The tour came full circle and we emerged out by my room (scaring a poor bird half to death on the way). After a few more cups of tea it was time for a well-deserved sleep.