The driver that took us to Bako National Park picked us up again to take us on our next series of adventures -- to the Semenggoh Orangutan Area and to the Fairy and Wind Caves.
I’ve posted pictures of the Semenggoh Orangutan Area separately, with captions. I won’t add more here.
Our second stop was the Fairy Cave. I have no idea of where the cave was, other than outside of Kuching, and about half an hour from Semenggoh. It was in farmland, which in that neck of the woods, means in a light industrial area. I think we passed a lot of cemeteries, but I can’t remember if they were nearer the cave or the orangutans.
Kuching cemeteries came in many styles. Some were like those in Dili -- tiled memorials above the ground. These, unlike Dili, often had a broad wall, rather like a mantle clock, that would tie graves of family members together. We also saw some Western Christian cemeteries, with crosses marking graves.
The Fairy Cave was delightful, and required a certain level of fitness that we both possessed. The entrance was atop a tower of 200 steps. Then, inside the cave, there were more steps, windy climbing pathways and various places to discover. It has a wide mouth, so there was plenty of plant life. And there were wonderful formations of stalagmites and stalactites.
At some point, someone planted a three-foot plaster fairy to help cement the name of the cave.
Please take some time to look at the pictures below.
The Wind Cave was entirely different. It had several openings, so it had greater opportunity for air circulation. It was considerably smaller, and therefore much darker. It was also bat habitat, so it had its own smell. Bat equals guano equals smell.
We met no other visitors in the Wind Cave, making our journey more of an adventure.
Even though the cave itself was smaller, it was still large. Never was there an opportunity to feel the cave ceiling or walls. The walkways never felt like they were a highway down the centre of the cave, nor did it feel like they were hugging walls. The sense of space is difficult to describe. The Wind Cave was more comfortable than cavernous, whereas cavernous barely describes the enormity of the Fairy Cave.
Time for photos.
The new stairs, also known as the entrance to the Fairy Cave
On the way to the cave entrance, there were a few trees that seemed like they were growing out of the rock.
The old stairs. I'm really glad they have been replaced.
So happy to see more blog posts and to hear of your adventures!
ReplyDeleteBig hug to you, my friend.