Mon Aug 28, 2006 3:58 pm

Recently (July) had my annual visit to Bukit Lawang. This time travelling with 10 adults and my 2 year old grand daughter! Only managed 3 days due to other travel commitments and fellow travellers limited time. However, after being there many times prior to the flood of Nov 03 and every year since I can say that the people still there are slowly coming to terms with the disaster. The spirit of the place and the friendly atmosphere remain enchanting. Although it can never be the same as pre Nov 03 it remains a happy place, calm yet bubbly. I still love it. Orang Utans were a treat as usual - for contact time this was probably my best trip - I was totally awe struck as usual. Regrettably all my sightings were on video but I have about 40 minutes of totally transfixing footage of Orang Utans enjoying themselves in and around the river by the Jungle Inn. This trip I stayed, for the first time, at the Garden Inn and it was superb. The rebuild of the village is progressing slowly, and that is probably the saddest feature at the moment as the new homes appear to be very regimented and limited in size - but for people who lost everything no doubt they will be welcome and once folk start to live there then the community will be able to form a new future. Great time, great place, wonderful people.