Tonight on ITV 9pm - Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans - he is in Borneo with the orangutans!

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Hils

I've recorded it and hope to watch it this evening, should give us a flavour of what we have in store!

Cheers,

Bob

i too have recorded it as the football was on last night as i support Liverpool and nlike bob plan to watch it later this evening prob around the nine o'clock time

regards

Dave

Cindy

Katy

> I loved his opening comment about the heat!!!!!!!

> Yes it was a great programme but I don't envy you the heat and humidity!!

I too have recorded the programme and will watch it with interest.

"Hot" and "heat" are pretty vague terms, and rather subjective, so I checked the "Selective Asia" and  Audley websites to see what they had to say about the weather in Borneo in May, and they both seem to agree that it is generally in the 28-32 degC range:

http://www.selectiveasia.com/borneo-holidays/weather/may 

https://www.audleytravel.com/borneo/best-time-to-visit#tab_panel-may 

So, to put it into perspective, it is about the same as Singapore most of the year, India/Thailand in winter (February/March) and Sri Lanka in August: all "hot" but none of which seemed excessively hot (or humid) - and nowhere near the unbearable 40s which can occur in some of these countries in summer (I am sure that others have had a similar experience). Of course, if the jungle lodges don't have air-conditioning, then sleep may be a problem.

The humidity is quoted as 80% which may also be a problem (I hope not, I don't do 'humid') - but at least it doesn't seem to approach 100% as it can elsewhere, presumably because we have chosen an inter-monsoon period for our visit.

One encouraging comment from the Audley website: "Orangutans are out in full force, making jungle treks extremely rewarding."  Something to take our minds off the leeches!

Jim

I reckoned that'd be the case.  At least by visiting Sepilok we will be guaranteed to see some orang utans; whereas in the wild of the rain forest we mightn't be so lucky - fingers crossed!

All the best,

Bob

Humans could introduce diseases. You can walk along a walkway and see some orangutans come to a feeding platform at feeding time. They are ones that have been released into a protected bit of jungle.

I've been looking at those websites too!  Humidity at 80% is still very high!  I'm imagining it will be similar to Jaco in Costa Rica which was both hot and extremely humid and I just about survived!  The lodges do not have air con - they have fans instead.  I've bought a Boots mossie plug in to use there - hopefully it will do the job!  You can't use them with air con so they should be fine.  Pardon my ignorance, but I know you've been to Singapore numerous times - is it not very humid there also?

Cheers,

Bob

Visiting Borneo in May

During May, Borneo should have good weather all round, making it a perfect time to visit before high season prices set in. Orangutans are out in full force, making jungle treks extremely rewarding. This is also a good time to visit the beaches as their white sands are basked in sunshine.

sounds exciting

an even more excited abbadave

Yes Singapore too can be very humid. My friend Jenny called me yesterday and said it was very hot there at the moment. It seems there is no way for us to escape the heat and humidity. I can just about bear the heat, but not a fan of humidity. We will just have to keep on finding a cool spot (air conditioned shop or similar) to cool down for a few minutes before venturing out again! We will have to plan the sightseeing in Singapore well so we are not out in the hot sun too much.

Jaya

Yes that sounds like the best plan.  We will have to be patient with each other if any of us is struggling in the humidity.  I am sure that Erica our TM will try to plan the jungle walks so that we are not out in the hottest/most humid parts of the day and we can organize ourselves for Singapore.  Very excited by this stage, I'm thinking about this tour morning, noon and night at this stage!!

Cheers,

Bob

Yes I saw that too but I am trying not to get too excited about the prospects of seeing orangutans in the wild, just in case we don't!  I've gone on a few holidays expecting to see lots of wildlife and have been disappointed when the animals have not co-operated!  Sally visited Borneo some years ago and said she was very lucky to have had one sighting of orangs in the jungle.  At least we will be guaranteed to see them at Sepilok, which is why I'm sure JY have included it in the itinerary.  We have a very good chance at seeing proboscis monkeys and a slim chance of seeing the pygmy elephants - fingers crossed!  When I was on the JY tour to India we did three game drives in Ranthambore and saw one tiger - some time after I came home I discovered that the chances of seeing a tiger there are one in three!!  It really is the luck of the draw, so I'm hopeful but not expectant!!

Cheers,

Bob

Hi Jim,

I've been looking at those websites too!  Humidity at 80% is still very high!  I'm imagining it will be similar to Jaco in Costa Rica which was both hot and extremely humid and I just about survived!  The lodges do not have air con - they have fans instead.  I've bought a Boots mossie plug in to use there - hopefully it will do the job!  You can't use them with air con so they should be fine.  Pardon my ignorance, but I know you've been to Singapore numerous times - is it not very humid there also?

Cheers,

Bob

Hello again Bob

It can be very humid in Singapore (I believe it can  approach 100% in wet weather), but I did not have any problems when I was there - but then I deliberately chose an inter-monsoon period in October, when it was about 29-30degC (which I don't regard as particularly hot for that part of the world) and completely dry wherever I was (despite alarming weather forecasts which indicated thunderstorms every day!).

To be honest, I have not found excessive humidity to be a real problem wherever I have been in Asia - but, again, I have always deliberately selected the local winter and/or inter-monsoon period, and I have never been to a rainforest (Costa Rica is high on my list now that BA has introduced direct flights to San José) apart from artificial ones like the wonderful Gondwanaland in Leipzig Zoo (http://www.zoo-leipzig.de/en/theme-worlds/gondwanaland/), or to "wet" areas like the Mekong delta, so perhaps I have just been lucky.

Strangely enough, the only place where I have had real humidity problems was in Berlin during a summer heatwave (it can often be over 30 in midsummer in Germany - last July it was hotter in Munich at 32degC than in Bangalore): fortunately it only lasted a few days before the thunderstorms arrived, but it was really unpleasant and I  don't want  to repeat the experience.

So, fingers crossed for Borneo and Singapore, as May should also be an inter-monsoon period, I believe.

Jim

PS - I watched the Borneo TV programme last night: I think the presenter said that it was 35degC while he was there, so let's hope it wasn't in May!

Hi Bob

Yes Singapore too can be very humid.  My friend Jenny called me yesterday and said it was very hot there at the moment.  It seems there is no way for us to escape the heat and humidity.  I can just about bear the heat, but not a fan of humidity.  We will just have to keep on finding a cool spot (air conditioned shop or similar) to cool down for a few minutes before venturing out again!  We will have to plan the sightseeing in Singapore well so we are not out in the hot sun too much.

Jaya

Hello Jaya & Bob

I think there are plenty of "cooling" opportunities in Singapore  as the shops, buses and trains are all air-conditioned, and the temples and shrines are cool(er) - although there is not much shade in the Zoo or Bird park, as I recall. No wonder the Night Safari is so popular!

I don't know about jungles, rain forests, cloud forests etc - but I get the impression that they can be quite shady down at ground level with all the trees over and around? I hope so!

But of course, if the ground is in shade, it won't be so easy to spot the leeches . . .

Jim