Selamat Pagi apa kabar? During my assignment on Borneo I shot a few images in and around the town of Pankalang Bun where we stayed. Images that I have very kindly been allowed to also use myself. So I am very happy to be able to present to you this fascinating glimpse of life in Pankalang Bun and my visit to the Orang Utans in the the Tanjung Puting National Park. The Borneo gallery can be viewed here and don’t forget the couple of videos I have online at vimeo.
I have a tendency to overuse words like mind-blowing and amazing, something I discovered when running out of words to describe Borneo. It is a completely different life and deeply fascinating. A River Runs Through It and is everything to everyone. Food, shower, laundry, swimming pool. A hot humid tropical heat and the smell of teak tree bombard your senses. The people are some of the most friendly, smiling and polite I have ever met. Mobile phones and scooters are everywhere. Fuel for your car or scooter is sold in a Coke Bottle. All the colours in the world seem to have gathered in Pankalang Bun as every house, boat, sign and all clothing are vibrant and saturated off the scale. And had we landed in a spaceship, had 8 arms and green skin, we would not have created any more attention than we already did. It is mind-blowing…and I really like blowing my mind. Have a look at a few samples here and then head to the gallery for more, although my travel photography does this experience no justice at all.
Pankalang Bun – Laundry day
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography
Pankalang Bun – street life
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography
A most fascinating visit to see the Orang Utans was arranged for us by our fantastic hosts. About 415,000 hectares have finally been set aside as a National Park, presently home to about 5,000 orang utans. Many of them rescued from other areas of the island and relocated here to survive. The things we do to our planet and fellow inhabitants. To think we came close to wiping out these incredible animals. To meet these gracious creatures in their environment and study their behaviour is so fascinating you never want to leave. I guess we see ourselves in them, they are so human-like it is spellbinding.
Orang Utan in Tanjung Putin
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography
Borneo – I look very much forward to another mind-blowing visit! And I must find the time to tell some more stories like: sailing on the river in what can only by described as 3 wooden boards and a two-stroke engine, drinking Pocari Sweat, the airport where boarding passes are hand written, best food in the world, learning Indonesian language and how not to be eaten by the cannibals!
14 Comments on “Borneo gallery online”
Hi Flemming,
Great story its good to see that our awareness of animals like the Orang Utan is rising. We as humans should learn to share the planet a little better than we do as its not solely our planet.
Thanks,
Jamie Paterson
Hi Jamie and thanks very much! We as humans need to stop wrecking the planet and killing everyone else. The orang utans are still very much an endangered species and could be extinct soon. We're killing them through habitat destruction. As you say, we need to learn fast how to co-exist and protect the planet. Some days I feel there's hope, some days I feel we're unable to learn from mistakes.
I prefer to think there is still hope. I feel very strongly about whales and dolphins and wish there was a way I could use my photography skills to help them out. Its interesting that the very same people who worked in whaling stations in Western Australia are now some of the most ardent whale advocates in the country.
Jamie
I prefer to hope you're right 😀 As my view on humanity can be rather grim at times. Btw, check out this amazing project from an aquaintance of mine:
http://www.thewildimageproject.com/
Geez I am lucky living in Australia, makes me appreciate the luxuries we have.
Yeah there's an awful amount in things we take for granted that we really should not! Food, water, electricity, money etc!
I love the mother and baby shot Bo on your web..that's a cracker!!
Thanks Mark! The baby is only two days old but understands the essential concept for baby orang utans – hold on as Mother goes swinging through the trees!
The wild images site is also cook Bo..gotta love that shot of the seal on the front page!!
Yeah he's a great guy Daniel Fox and a big inspiration.
Cool mate…you get around don't you!!
I try to 😀 Like you say, getting out there is the best medicine. And I haven't even started yet. Watch me, leaf in the wind, as I take off soon on a nomadic photography adventure around the world!
Way to go mate! I will watch with interest!
Cheers 😀 Should hopefully be quite interesting, a multi-year photography expedition to capture nature's wide open desolate untouched spaces in our world!