I never scanned this entire sketchbook, so I am doing it now, years after I returned from the trip. Sometimes, I find it difficult to immediately delve into emotionally charged diaries. However, this is a remarkable sketchbook, so I will proceed. 

That trip to Borneo in 2017 was truly life-changing for me, mainly because it was where I first experienced a primary rainforest. Prior to that, I had only caught glimpses of dense jungles on BBC documentaries, and I could never truly fathom what it would be like to stand under towering 30m tall trees, peering through thick fog at sambar deer grazing. Danum Valley biological station is located in the heart of a remote primary rainforest. We stayed there for three nights, and ever since then, I have found myself frequently reminiscing about that place. 

Additionally, I had the opportunity to explore other ecosystems during my trip. I visited the mountainous region of Kinabalu, where I observed white-eyes and other endemic species. On Selingan Island, I witnessed the incredible sight of four different species of sea turtles laying their protected eggs, which would later hatch and see the tiny turtles racing towards the ocean. I embarked on a cruise along the yellow waters of the Kinabatangan River, eagerly searching for proboscis monkeys, hornbills, pygmy elephants, and orangutans. I also sailed to Mabul Island to observe the vibrant birdlife and marine creatures. Finally, on my way back home, I visited the botanical gardens in Singapore, where I aimed to sketch some of the flowers that I had adored in the rainforest, but whose names eluded me. It turns out, one of them was a wild ginger.