Sad goodbyes

So the time has finally come to leave the Eco camp! After a wonderful last couple of days, where Bro and I floated around on a massive post-engagement high, whilst trying our best to motivate ourselves into doing some work, and squeezing in some last nature walks when we could, the time finally came to say goodbye to the lovely folk of Batu Puteh.

We’ve had such an incredible, fulfilling and in many ways, life-changing time here in this beautiful, beautiful region. We’ve seen incredible animals, eaten exotic fruits, walked exciting paths, hacked at vines until our hands are raw, been to a local wedding, sweated like our lives depended on it, made friends for life, scarpered from a scorpion, learnt how to use a perang (machete), learnt how to drive a boat (badly), crowd-funded, scooped weed until it came out of our ears, learnt some yoga, got pooed on by bats, got bitten by fire ants, got rained on, got sunburnt, fell in love with the Kinabatangan over and over again….

A special special shout out to two incredible young people…the very awesome Bobby and TJ. These two are such amazing little human beings…they are so full of energy, fun and wisdom and have made our stay at the Lake so much fun. We have collectively become addicted to playing ‘Loserhead’ and ‘Cheat’ and Bro and I have become accustomed to hearing “can we have a game of cheeeeaaaat?!” the second there is a break in any conversation. TJ blows our mind with his cunning Cheat tactics and uncanny ability to beat us all which what appears to be very little effort. He is a constant stream of bubbly banter, and his jungle savviness never fails to impress us. This is the boy who came running when we found a giant scorpion, can drive a boat like a pro and can now reach a grand-total of 94 keepy-uppies, which I think you’ll agree is no small feat.

Bobby is an absolute little beauty, who has an incredible poise and maturity for a 10 year old. She has a very disarming charm which will lure you into thinking she couldn’t cheat if she tried, and then WHAM she’s out-smarted us all and cheated her way out of all her cards without any of us even noticing! She has an incredibly infectious laugh, and a smile that is going to break a lot of hearts one day, and it has already broken mine, when I had to say goodbye to this wonderful mini lady.

On our last evening, Janet made us a wonderful dinner which we had down on the decking overlooking the lake, and just spent some time enjoying each other’s company one last time. It was an emotional morning the next day. Martin, Janet, TJ and Bobby, hopped on the boat with us back to the village, and we said our sad goodbyes to all of our new friends from the village.

We have grown so fond of Tungog Lake, and all of the wonderful people who live on or around it, and we cannot express the gratitude we have towards these wonderful people who have taken us into their community and made us feel so welcome. It has been an honour and a pleasure to get to know so many beautiful people, and to spend even a pinch of time with this wonderful community who are working towards such great things.

Walking down the jetty one last time

Our final boat trip (looks like I'm the only one who cares about my safety!)

The crazy and wonderful Vogel family

Assia and the wonderful kitchen staff who fed us for 7 weeks!

The wonderful Team Kopel...

...being silly

Bro and TJ squeezing in a last game of keepy uppy before the bus arrived 

Sporting our new KOPEL t-shirts (complete with names stitched in like proper members of the team!)

One last hug with this awesome little lady. Bobby I will miss you so much

A last piccie with the camp staff before leaving the lake

Tungog Lake Foster Family photo (minus Martin who was fetching the boat)

My boys xxx

So...Janet, Martin, TJ, Bobby, Asman, Kitchy, Kamsa, Ali, Kamsa, Rudi, Norsalleh, Jeff, Jai, Zaza, Attai, Chulai, Assia, Etam, Hasri, Nasri, Atteh, Along, Suhannah, Jumah, and everyone else at KOPEL, thank you thank you thank you, it's been a pleasure. And of course....PYJAMA LAGI!