KALAWEIT , Indonesia, 3rd January 2011

I cannot believe I only have two days left. I would love to be able to stay longer....next time.

I have to add also, that, after four nights of interrupted sleep, I finally slept like a baby! I woke at 4am to the sound of the rain, which seemed to stop, just as day broke, perfect timing.

I didn't realise the extent of the rain until the 7am feeding. The puddles came up to my bottom!

Apparently, when the floods were here, the guys had to use their boats to feed the gibbons on the other side of camp.

So, we handed out the bananas, papayas and timun (courgettes) and returned to camp.

I had my brekky (yummy veggies, fish and rice) and then it was time to go again and give treats to the gibbons. Everyday is something different. Today was strawberry milk (susu). Other days have been vitamins, chicken, boiled eggs....these guys are well looked after!

But, when we got to cage 55, we had to pay good attention as they were aggressive gibbons. Nanto, the vet, suddenly let out a shriek, he had spotted that the gibbons in the next cage had escaped. How he spotted I don't know, but he has sharp eyes, and could even see at a distance.

As he turned around to tell us, the gibbon in cage 55 grabbed his t-shirt and pulled him back towards the cage with such a force, that even he was shocked and could barely pull away. It took him a minute or two to escape the gibbon's grip.

We needed a plan of action. Pauline and I were told to go to camp, Nanto led the way; it wasnt sade for us, perhaps as girls we weren't strong enough. The boys and him and to go hunt the escapee.

Pauline and I got to have a good girly chat while we did the laundry, but when the boys did return, there was a sombre air about them. They didn't catch the gibbon..he is still on the loose. They closed the escape route, and made an opening for him to return to.

Nanto didn't seem too concerned. That is why they are on a island, they can never go too far!! They hate water, so we can hope that the gibbon will go home when he is hungry.

8pm feeding time, Tongki was conked out. He was holding his towel, lying on his tummy. When I went in, he reached out his hand to hold mine as he carried on sleeping. he whimpered as I pulled away to get ready to feed him. His eyes were so sleepy. 

Oh boy, I am going to miss him when I leave.

He had three syringes of milk but only one banana.

Bed time now. big day tomorrow - My last full day!!!!