The mighty emergent that towers higher than the rest, the tualang, the mengaris, Kompassia exelsa, that harbours the hanging nests of the wild bees, that supports itself with buttresses taller than a man standing on the shoulders of another man.

Found in Peninsula Malaysia and in Borneo.

So huge, so smooth, no photo does it justice.

Besides, these trees support the wonderful canopy walkway of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

On the very same project I am now working on, we were once offered free rooms in the staff quarters of a tourist site*. The only rooms available (for my two male colleagues and me) were ones no one wanted.

And no wonder no one wanted them. Shared bathroom facilities with no hot water (and we were at 5,000m asl –— oops, that should have read 5,000ft, as has been pointed out to me: 1,560m). The shower head was missing. Bathroom was basic cement in tones of grey, with no working light. No bed sheets, no curtains, no towels, no nothing…

Someone had bashed a hole in the bedroom wall. Someone – perhaps the same person – had written in lettering half a metre high above my bed: FUCK OFF. I shared the sentiment. (Mind you, the view out of the window was stunning.)

And then there’s Borneo Rainforest Lodge, where I have just spent a couple of glorious days:

View from the verandah dining area

My balcony jacuzzi…

One of the chalets

River view from my balcony

Another view from my balcony

The main lodge building overlooking the river

The Borneo gibbons woke me every morning, followed by the Rhinoceros Hornbills flying in to the trees opposite my room, on the other side of the river.

Sipping my early morning coffee, I drink it all in… Yep, it’s all worth it.

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*Not, I hasten to add, the same site as the one pictured above!