A date with the orang utans proved to be the most idyllic Saturday afternoon ever. Maneuvering through acres of lush greenery, breathtaking landscapes and a tar road amidst tropical rainforests was a sight to behold. Of course it helps when the person on the wheel is a "close relative" of Michael Schumacker. My lil bro scared the wits out of me with his so called "defensive" driving.

The Sarawak British Alumni Association (SBAA) organised a trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre yesterday. Here, orang utans (man of the forest) are rehabilitated and released in the wild. Visitors are given an opportunity to see them living the ways just as their forefathers would have.

We arrived at the wildlife centre at approximately 3.10pm, just in time to see these gentle creatures feed on a feast of bananas and tapioca. Due to weather conditions we did not venture further into the forests, where the star of the wildlife centre, Ritchie, resides. We were however amused by the many poses and faces of Delima, a female orang utan and another two orang utans.

Watching the slow, slightly exaggerating moves of the gentle creatures, I could not help but marvel at their agility on the tree tops. Like a skilled acrobat, they balanced themselves on the ropes and walked on a trapeze from one tree to another. It was truly amazing.

Our brief encounter with the orang utans came to an abrupt end when the big guy up there decided to take an afternoon piss. Fortunately we all managed to get a group picture taken before dashing for shelter.

Here are some pictures I managed to capture during my brief visit to Semenggoh. Enjoy!

A mother and her child.

Deep in thoughts...

Delima showing us her backside..

"Hey guys, have a piece of my tit!"

Delima's in a dilemma... to eat or not to eat? To swing or not to swing?

A close up of the orchids grown in abundance in the wildlife centre.

My lil bro, who is a wonder with the gentle creatures has a much more exciting array of pictures capturing the innocence of the orang utans. I shall let him do the honours of blogging about it at a later date. :)

Information for visitors:

Entrance fee: RM3.00 for adults, RM1.50 children

Parking: Free of Charge.

Best times to visit: 0900 hours and 1500 hours (feeding time)

Do not walk behind the orang utans when they are eating as they will think that you are going to snatch their food from them.

Do not take pictures using flash. Edit your pictures using photoshop later.

Keep a safe distance from the orang utans.

Don't carry your umbrella with you. Some of the orang utans were caged before and may think that you are carrying a cane in your hand and thereby get agitated. (Thanks to bro for the info)