"...and did you get from this life what you wanted, even so?"

Mid- February, 2007

Kota Kinabalu is an enchanted mountain on the island of Indoneasia, the largest as it were, between the Himlayas and Australia, nearly hitting 14000 feet! It was a great pleasure and honor to climb the mountain and to venture through the Borneo rainforests of Tawan Kinabalu with the trabal people of the region. The people are progressive and aware of the the ecological significance of this park, both for the world's bio-diversity, and for the sustainability of their ability to live traditionally in the future with the support of the tourist industry. Kinabalu is the center of the Malaysian identity in the east, and the source of 8 major watersheds on the island.

The mountain is a definitive reference point from anywhere in Sarawak, and the source of their most important resources: drinking water, fishing, and irrigation for their farms. It is curious that Kinabalu's name is a mystery. David, the good caretaker of the Bed & Breakfast where I am satying, claims that "Aki Kinabalu" in the tribal language of Kandzuan, means "most revered place of the dead." But what is in a name? (even in a really cool name like "Kinabalu"). The place is incredible. Popularly thought to be a volcano, the mountain is actually spit in half to comprise 12 separate peaks, and is the world's youngest "pluton." A range bearing east-west 35 million years ago was beneath this single range and a pluton developed (only 1 million years ago) creating the spectacular 4101 meter mountain that more than doubles the size of every other mountain on the Indoneasian island. Glaciers only 35,000 years ago were responsible for shaping this granite-peaked mountain (joined by the forces of wind and rain and weathering). The birds and reptiles are truly incredible. It is a curious mystery why all the mammals are gone except the human.

And on this climb there was no shortage of humans. The only parallel experience I can draw from is Mt. Everst and the Khumbu Valley. The flora and fauna, since 3000 years ago and Kinabalu's last ice age, has presented a unique climate for speciation (furthermore because its on an island on the equator!). Islands in particular have a narrowing effect that advances evolution and speciation who face stronger forces to adapt. Darwin's finches, for example. There are 30 Million Choleoptera species (beetles) here!

The hike from the base of the mountain has presented this diversity and landscape in full. First the Liwagu river and then the rainforest approaching our mountain hut Laban-Rata. I enjoyed this stretch the most because of the rise in altitude. They have a Climbathon on this mountain in August that I am considering - its much more difficult than the Pikes Peak Ascent, however. I saw a few of the Nepenthes species (Pitcher Plants in the family Orchidae, which means "testicle" in latin because of the shape of the flowers). Nothing about this place reminds me of anything I have found at home or in other ecosystems.

Say your prayers for the poor Urangutaan. Sadly his numbers have been on the decline for decades. With the escalation of the deforestation and industrial efforts on the island things are not looking good. Something needs to be done. I had the pleasure of meeting a few in the wild and the chance to learn some of their ecology at a restoration center. Truly magnificent place, this Borneo. I hope that everyone knows its value and comes to love it. Maybe if we can come to love the world we will force ourselves to find means of protecting it... which I don't believe is at odds with the economic sustainability we all require. We are trying to find this balance and connection to the earth again. I feel this more and more out here. And yes, it is the dawn of a new day from the peak of Kinabalu and everywhere in the world. We have a new opportunity today to achieve our purpose here, both on and for the earth. "Did you get from this life what you wanted even so? I did. And what did you want? (what does eveyone want?) To call myself beloved. To feel myself beloved on the earth."

"...and if it be sublime, publish it to the world" HDT

Thursday February 22, 2007

Yesterday was exhausting and at the same time exhilarating. I am taking an Advanced Diver Course off the eastern coast of Malaysia and have truly been enjoying my time. Yesterday I dove off the south point of Sipidan Island on the famed island for sealife. The "Turtle Cave" surprised me. It goes under the entire island. That's right, you can swim under an entire island! Saw lots of Baracuda and sharks. I could not find the energy to write in my journal yesterday. When you go to 38 meters and stay down there for a while you get a lot of nitrogen in your system and it makes you hungry and tired. After diving nothing can beat a big bowl of rice noodles followed by an ice cream. I have this insatiable need for junk food right now. On my trip so far I have logged 15 dives and I am beginning to really feel the impact of this on my body. You can't tell, but it gradually eats your energy and immunity. Last night I went out for a night dive, making the total for that day a full 4 dives (each one hour). each dive in the course has pushed me further, deeper, longer, and in more strange environments and conditions. I have noticed that the more I dive the hared it is to keep my core body temperature up. Most dive instructors start with a t-shirt, and through the course of their instruction (diving 4-5 times everyday), they require more clothing and protection. The master diver who has been leading our course is in a semi-dry suit - the equivalent of something I would use in Maine! We are in equatorial low-shelf, crystal clear Malaysian waters! Nevertheless it makes him comfortable. he was able to show us three wrecks today and a variety of wild an interesting species: Moorish idols, Scoripionfish, Stonefish, Lionfish, Ramorey eels, Green turtles (were in such numbers you had to push them out of the way), Wrasse, and dozens more that I am still learning about! I am diving with a motley crew of people plankton. "Plankton" is latin for "wanderer," and is an apt description for the types of people who show up in East Borneo for diving in mid-February. Though it should be known, "not all who wander are lost."








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Dreaming about writing; writing about dreams... Africa Rising...

Wednesday February 28, 2007 (Dark O'clock)



Well here I am, dreaming about writing, writing about my dreams, and the pursuit of them in real terms...continues. The silence of a solo taxi, driving a solo mission to get me to the airport, down solo streets is terrifying. The only restraint on the taxi drivers speed in Southeast Asia, and ironically the only source of their safety (and occasional peril), is the jostling and jockeying for traffic positions at the snail pace of an urban rush-hour (that is all hours). The conguestion of the patient keeps it alive, and away from speed and certain death. Asia, in broad terms and every sense, seems so ready to slam the accelerator, were it not for the risk of losing their ventures and the opportunity to just simply be a participant on the road. The reader should gather that I am exhausted, "immunocompromised," and ready to be in Africa (?)

Get outside

"Now I know the secret of making
the best persons;
It is to grow in the open air
and to eat and sleep with the earth."

- Good ol' Walt Whitman

Tonsai! Tonsai!

"Long Live The King!"

Saturday January 13, 2007
Well here I am in Bangkok, Thailand on the second full day of my emerging journey in Southeast Asia. Perry is taking a few days to teach with a school in Rayong, Thailand, and I have been tending to a few errands with my new home, Mahindol University and their Faculty of Public Health. I have been living beside a Buddhist Temple near Khaosan Road, but movement around the city is so easy!

I am absolutely exhausted and there is nothing about hasty urban movement that I like...in fact, I'm mildly allergic to cities, (so why am I in Bangkok?) In fact there are many good things to begin to appreciate and admire. First and foremost is the kindness I see exchanged between the Thai people. The landscape and lifestyle of the people here is so varied and yet uniform. On Monday's everyone wear's the King's color, yellow, to start the week. The food, for the most part, has been great. My new favorite dish is a Papaya Salad - Som Tham - very spicy, but so so good.


(Fried Grasshoppers, or Crickets anyone?)

At every intersection, in every classroom, restaurant, place of business, and perhaps in every Wat (Buddhist temple) there is a photo comemorating their King. Widely proclaimed on Armstorng-esche bracelets and on banners throughout the city is their uniting statement: "Long Live The King!" Politically things are not so clear-cut. In September of 2006 the government was ousted and taken over, without violence incredibly, by a military coup. The non-violence of this considerable change in governance has not gone unresponded. The military watched as 12 bombs were exploded around the city over New Year's Eve.

My brother Perry (below) has been traveling around the world this year (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Kenya, England, USA), and has accumulated some pretty unbelievable stories. He was in Bangkok at the time and was forced to flee the city in the first few morning hours of 2007, an experience you should ask him about sometime. I missed my bro so much while he was away. It was so great to meet up with him while he was traveling through this country. Needless to say, things here are pretty tense. The military police are on constant surveillance for bombs and suspicious activity. Newspapers constantly tell of threats and offer specific information about where one should be and not be at certain points in time. Very interesting. The newspapers are able to predict bombings? (Apparently they predicted the New Year's bombs very accurately). Could, maybe, someone at the Newspaper be involved? Humm.