Mysterious Journey: Off The Grid

Combination of boredom, curiosity, and impulsive action could take you anywhere. Sometimes far away, sometimes about 3 km off your camp. In my case, that combination made me go to place that I only found from GPS before. Places outside of the mapped research trail.
So, one morning, I decide to pack water and some lunch, put on my field clothes, and go on adventure alone.

Why alone? Because I'm not sure whether others that spend their working time at the forest will spend their off day hiking said forest. In my mind, it takes too much just to persuade. But by this post, I hope someday others will join me on my next hike.

All set, I depart at 8 am, following Mas Rendy trail. This trail was named after foreign researcher Randall Kyes, one of the earliest researcher at Tangkoko Reserve. about 300 m into the trail, I met a Sulawesi Bear Cuscus (Ailurops ursinus) that just started to climb from the ground. Even when it avoiding me, I still can see it up close. This animals is an endemic spesies of Sulawesi and nearby islands.

Wait, who are you?

Oh, hai. I thought you were someone else. Wanna join me up there?

Then I continue my hike up up and away, until I finally get off the grid. The mapped area only covers up to 1300 m distance from beach. Then, 600 m off-grid, I saw my first wild Macaca nigra. Because they were wild ones and not habituated to human researchers like the study groups we had, they ran away and takes position not less than 80 m and up on big trees there. This part of forest had numerous big trees, seeing one with more than 20 m height is not uncommon here. From the trees, those group observe me while making cautious vocalization. I continue following the trail.

The forest fire were eating up a good portion of forest, even on this area. Higher trees survive and green, but smaller one withered because the fire.

Withered area around the trails. The firefighters were working so hard they succeed minimizing the damage

After a while following the trail, I found man-made structure. It was a sign for permanent transect for carbon count (whatever that is, I don't know yet). The sign said that I was 278 m above sea level. At this point, I didn't know how far I had stray from the research area.

The signboard

I continue walk the trail until I hit a point that was marked as [1ig fig] on the GPS. The thing that I found there was an enormous Ficus tree. That was the largest Ficus tree I had seen so far.

Look at that thick trunk

Up close. I never succeed to take a picture that shows how enormous it was

The hike continues. Next place that marked on the GPS was labeled [Ficus minahassae]. Little did I know that it was a species name, not a place. So it was Ficus minahassae. This plant is the mascot  fauna of North Sulawesi, bearing the local name Langusei. And this tree was way taller than the previous [1ig fig].

So tall

An obligatory selfie. I'm not even sorry

I continue going up the trail. There is still point marked [Big Tetrameles] and [Bigbolang]. Up there the microclimate start to gradually changed to mountain climate. The forest also start to resemble rainforest with mountain accent (go visit Mount Pangrango at West Java, you will know what I mean).

A more forest-like trail further off the grid

My hike leads me to [Big Tetrameles] point. What I found there was shocking, but also sad. The point marks a giant tree, Tetrameles nudiflora, a plant from family Tetrameleceae. Sadly, the enormous tree was the victim of last forest fire. It was so sad to see a giant trunk lay down on it own ash...

Trunk opening near the root. I could actually walk there straight up

Root size compared with my backpack. Biggest tree I've ever seen here so far

Actually there is still marked area that I not yet visited, which is [woka] and [Big Fig]. But as the time clock past 11 am, I decide to go back to get a rest at lower area. I can't rest for long up there because I didn't bring my chair and the forest there was full of Gonone, a local name for some kind of louse that had nasty bite and left a lingering itch for days.

Next time, I'll go further and visit the [woka] and [Big Fig] points, also pass until get to flat area that can oversee all the Tangkoko reserve. For my next trip, I'll be delighted if anybody want to join. It was good to go alone, but it will be better if we had others to chat with on the way to relieve the tiredness...

Pos 3 Tangkoko, 7 November 2015

14 Shades of Clients

This is a pseudo-scientific classification of type of veterinary clients that you thought didn't exist, but they are. Each of them were handpicked from real experience at real veterinarian clinic. Proceed at your own risk.

1. LIAR
This type of client usually lied about their pets to cover up their negligence.
Favorite quote: "oh, Mr. Fluffy was not eating this morning", while clearly he was not eating for days

2. RELATED(?) PROFESSIONAL
This client is like some kind of activist that always state that their profession before talk about anything, as it will add weight to their argument. They often tried to correct you or outsmart you.
Favorite quote: "so I am a [insert profession here], and I think my pet is having [insert self-diagnosis here]". Dude, you come to my place to hear my professional opinion, not to let me hear you blabbering. If you want to pay people to hear you, try psychiatric next time.

While all evidence points to food allergic, duh

 3. DR. GOOGLE
This type come to your clinic armed with diagnosis from internet. They are like a well-rounded scholar, but instead citing scientific journal, they cite a blog or website that often misleading or at least annoy you.
Favorite quote: "so I think my dog got distemper. I read on [insert something from google here] that distemper will cause rash on the skin". Do you think every rash is distemper?

Equals to search WebMD for your cough and end up with cancer

 4. DRUG TESTER
They are like dr. Google, but instead of finding diagnosis, they go one step ahead to treatment. Some of them use herbal, other use common spices, and some might use something that clearly dangerous for their pets.
Favorite quote: "my cat's eyes is getting worse after I drop honey on it". Have you test it on your eyes first and see how it feels, you hippie.

5. PRETENDERS
They will spend everything on anything, except their pet.
Favorite quote: "I'm sorry I can't afford the cost of spaying my cats", while walk away to their brand new Mercedes Benz.

*drives away on Mercedes McLaren*

 

6. "SAINT"
This type of client will preach after they see the bill or informed about the cost of a treatment, stating that all vets is a money grubbing creature. Even if it was their own fault that they didn't get the animal to the vet while it was not severe or whet their pet get a disease that easily preventable, but they didn't bother to do the preventative treatment.
Favorite quote: "A [insert reasonable cost here] only for that? You are money grubber, blood sucker vet". It's a miracle that your unvaccinated cat can survive from late stage of panleukopenia, and no, it was not an 'only that'. It was a 24 hour observation, continuous fluid therapy, numerous medication, bloodwork and test, not to mention feeding, forced or not.

7. LOVER
This client think that because we (vet) love animals, we will do the treatment for a very cheap or even free. The forget that while we love animals, we need to make a living, and some of us has debt to paid, that won't accept 'love' as currency.
Favorite quote: "Why did you charge me, do you not love animals?". Well, next time I will hire you to repair my car, then I will tell you, "why did you charge me, don't you love cars?" and see how it feels, you motherfreaking lipsmacking fools.

8. ECONOMIST
This one use economy principle for their pets. They will never do anything that cost more than their pet's price when they get it. They often state that because their pet just a mongrel/domestic they should get lower cost for treatment. Often they refuse the treatment plan, or refuse to pay.
Favorite quote: "My cat is just a stray cat, why did it get so expensive?". There is no difference between intravenous fluid for breed and stray. The medication for breed and stray is essentially same.

9. GHOST
A client type that make you doubt everybody and do a thorough paperwork for every treatment. They come to your clinic, act like a nice person, agreed with the treatment plan, and then gone, leaving their pet at the clinic.
Favorite quote: "The number your calling is not active or out of coverage area". You will never see them again forever, you start doubting whether they do really exist or not.

*fades away*

10. TWO FACE
A client that seems nice and obedient, but later make a blunder themselves and tell everybody but you that it was your fault.
Favorite quote: "the vet was not informing about anything," and write about it on social media. While clearly when I explain to you, you babysitting your cat, playing with them and ignoring me, then said that you understand what I had said.

11. COMPLAINER
This one come to your clinic, accept your treatment plan, including a visit after a week, but never come. Several weeks later come and said that their pet was not getting better, while also that they fail to follow the given instruction for home medication. Usually they pet is on a disease that need long term medication, like skin disease.
Favorite quote: "my dog's skin is getting worse after I visit the vet". It might not happen if you obey your control appointment the week after your visit, and also inform that you can't get your dog to take the pills we got you. Why should I be responsible for your laziness?

12. PRIORITY CHECK
So one day, a client come with his dog, dog diagnosed with skin disease, vet comes up with treatment plan and cost estimation, then client straight up reject the plan, said it will be better if they spend it on other things rather than his dog.
Favorite quote: "woah, so expensive. I'd rather spend it on a vacation instead". Dear arsehole, if you can't afford both your hobby and your pet at once, pick one.

13. NEWBIE
They are not essentially a jerk, but just inadequately informed about pet care, and picking a wrong start, biting more than they can chew.
Favorite quote: "so this is my first cat, and I don't know what happens with his eyes", and with them an exotic with severe tear stain. You are a new pet owner and this is your first cat, yet you pick an exotic cat with negative nose that need extra attention. Way too advance to learn.

14. UNICORN

They are too rare that you think they didn't exist until you meet one. They come, bring their animals in, and after examination agreed with every treatment plan and actually follows your medical advice. They are not necessarily rich, as there is still rich people that sucks (see no. 8), but they do everything they can to ensure their animals treated. Sometimes when they are in tight budget, they not hesitant to discuss about payment plan (but not haggling) and yes, we'd love it if you talk openly with us and look for a way to make everybody happy. They are the reason of your existence and passion.

Favorite quote: "do what you need to treat my pet, I believe in your judgement". This is the greatest admiration of our profession, also the things that will lift our morale after all the long days.

ALL HAIL THE UNICORN

DISCLAIMER: Any similarities with real person or event were unintentional. Or not.