Farm work. The big: Should I, shouldn’t I of 2016/17. As you may or may not know, the Australia working holiday visa works as follows: in order to get a second year (before the age of 31 where most countries deem you too old and senile to get a working visa), you must have completed … More Rumination Station: The Back and Forth of an Anxious Mind
Back in clinic with the babies! My favourite rotation. This was another full on week! Whoever said never work with children or animals forgot the most manic option of all: infant animals…. the definition of a handful! The week was crazy! Poor little Archie (my favourite little fuzzball) was sick all week and Goman and … More Rotation 5: Clinic #2
The second rotation of Husbandry. That means the FINAL rotation with my troublesome teens! Chiquita, Beryl, Kolapis, Kala, Gellison… time to say goodbye. The week was carnage! In the 2 weeks since we had last worked with them Kala had gone from gentle and cute to the devil incarnate! He was so naughty; stealing food, … More Rotation 4: Husbandry #2
On my first three day break away from being an orangutan mother, I stole away for a slice of island life and a chance to take a day’s taster course in scuba diving. Discovery Scuba is an opportunity to see how comfortable you feel diving before committing to a full PADI qualification. After a five … More Diving, Disaster and not doing Rotation 3: Jungle Trek
Rotation two! This means I am in with the babies!!!! Beautiful little balls of fur, cuddles, playtime and their little eyes looking up at me from those milk bottle feeds…. yeah right. In reality it was no cuddles (apart from carrying them to and from the play zone) for the same reason as the outdoor … More Rotation 2: Clinic
Week one; hands on with the orangutans, was a very exciting time. We had been cooped up in our guesthouse under “quarantine” for seven days and we’re starting to go stir crazy. Although we had gone into Sandakan to buy some groceries and wellies that we will need for work, as well as tour the … More Rotation 1: Husbandry
And suddenly it’s real. Lush greenery everywhere (Including the palm oil forestation surrounding me whilst landing which was not such a welcome sight). I had landed in Borneo. After 18 months of waiting, I was here. This bucket list item was about to be ticked off. And I was petrified. I hadn’t given it much … More First Day Jitters
I don’t want to have regrets but I can’t stop thinking about how I didn’t go to Lopburi. My bucket list item, Lopburi. My listed in ‘Thailand, Regrets and Returning’, Lopburi. It seems that after nearly six months, my lethargy and apathy towards exploration has well and truly struck me and even bucket list items … More Craving Routine
I’ve been so careful whilst in South East Asia to be aware of animal rights; not to give money to a cause I disagree with, to spread the word about the mistreatment of elephants, monkeys, snakes*, tigers**. Animals caught from the wild and kept in captivity for humans amusement and gain. “Don’t ride on elephants. … More The Elephant’s Plight
I have always known that during my time away, I plan to volunteer with animals. Upon researching what I wanted to do and where, I stumbled across this beauty: volunteering for 8 weeks in the Bornean jungle rehabilitating injured and orphaned orang-utans and releasing them back into the wild. Incredible. Awe-inspiring. Perfect. Spending time in South-East … More Orang-utan Rehabilitation Mission
Jet-setter Jones 