11th March - Rebak nature walk - drongo sighting

Tuesday 11^th March

Oh frustrations…I spent many jolly hours battling in cyberspace trying to book tickets from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur.  The battle came to a halt when Malindo Air asked me a tricky question (my mother’s maiden name – YES I DO KNOW IT!!!) and then cancelled my visacard was cancelled.  Someone is Cyberspace didn’t agree with my answer… There ensued a series of phone calls to Westpac…they were very kind and helpful and reinstated my card.  Or so I hope…

We still don’t have tickets.  I have a lovely itinerary and email from Firefly Air, saying BOOKING UNCONFIRMED.  What does that mean???*

The day, however, started very well.  I went on a nature trail walk through the jungle, with delightful Misty and Peter, Scottish people who spend a lot of time in Rebak.  They have taken on what would for most people be a very daunting project – clearing a track, the origins of which are a bit hazy, and keeping it clear so that the beautiful avenues of trees can grow unencumbered by strangling undergrowth, and so that humans can do a gentle hour stroll, admiring the beauty.  (The viewty…)

They had lots of good stories, and I am very impressed that it has only taken them four months to clear what is actually a very dense bit of jungle.  Their only wounds have been the odd slash from their own tools, the odd deep and nasty thorn, and…red ants.  Misty said she had quite a lot of sympathy for the red ants, who must have been highly offended by them slashing their way through their home.  Angry ants would find their way into socks, underwear, and once, agonisingly, into Peter’s eye.

Drongo from afar

They are both very knowledgeable about the wildlife, having spent three hours out and amongst the plants, birds, animals.   Peter, like 2XS Pete, is very good at spotting wildlife.  I was thrilled to bits when he showed me this lovely bird, dangling long blue-tufted tail feathers.  It should be called beautiful dreambird but no…it is called…drongo…

Zooming in on drongo

Last night at happy hour at the beach bar there were THREE hornbills, sitting on the edge of the beach, hopping around totally unafraid and looking VERY photogenic.  Alas…I didn’t have my camera, or my iPhone…

* Yes we do have a CONFIRMED email now so we will be flying off to KL at 12.25 tomorrow.