fast boat up river Tembeling
tense negotiating cheap price to National Park
29.01.1985
30 °C
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1985
on 1985 trip's travel map.
Tuesday 29th January
Catch local bus, after a lie in, up to Tembeling. Walk to the jetty in the countryside were we were expected. However no other tourists to fill the seats so its 20 dollars each. We say we will come back tomorrow and hope for more travellers. Bad vibes. Hang around in case things resolve. Several Malays are going, and at the last minute they take us for less than 8.60 dollars. Main difficulty was the efficient parks management who will expect the money, but they find some way to fudge the books. Three hour 60 km journey in a long thin boat up the fast muddy river Tembeling. Walls of dense greenery on either side. Occasional flight of muddy steps, or a grove of bananas are evidence of a small village. See families out for a wash in the river, lounging buffaloes, and fishermen with throw nets, also monkeys (?long tailed macaque) and kingfishers.
Arrive to find well laid out park quarters, lawns end suddenly in jungle, neat rows of white washed wooden bungalows in colonial style. At dusk boar and sambar deer come snuffling around the camp.
Teman Negara national park