30 May 2012 - Pathfinders to Kuching
Late flight out from Singapore to Kuching.
Boat was on the same plane.
Ripken picked us up at the airport.
First part of the mission, get cars.
No cars at ALL the rental agencies. All cars rented out... wait WHAT?
Mission status SNAFU
Headed to Ripken's to drop luggage.
Dinner at Lok Lok in town.
Plan B, get bus tickets.
Mission status SUSFU
Night buses available, but only one way. Leave Kuching 9.30pm, arrive Saratok 3am, and they drop you by the side of the road.
crap.
Mission status FUBAR
While at the bus terminal, Joyce called. She managed to get us 2 vans from Saratok.
800RM total, one way. I had to smile, I knew the Iban gods were looking out for me, and weren't going to let me down.
zzz at Ripkens.
Boat was on the same plane.
Ripken picked us up at the airport.
First part of the mission, get cars.
No cars at ALL the rental agencies. All cars rented out... wait WHAT?
Mission status SNAFU
Headed to Ripken's to drop luggage.
Dinner at Lok Lok in town.
Plan B, get bus tickets.
Mission status SUSFU
Night buses available, but only one way. Leave Kuching 9.30pm, arrive Saratok 3am, and they drop you by the side of the road.
crap.
Mission status FUBAR
While at the bus terminal, Joyce called. She managed to get us 2 vans from Saratok.
800RM total, one way. I had to smile, I knew the Iban gods were looking out for me, and weren't going to let me down.
zzz at Ripkens.
 |
| Ever see a traffic jam at the airport? |
31 May 2012 - Main body: Boots on the ground
Boat abandoned ship, Ripken had work thing at another Kampong.
I made arrangements for sleep in Kuching.
Breakfast of Champions, Kolo Mee
4 hours to kill before check-in.
Roamed the old chinatown. Went back to that mega-crowded food place I had seen on previous trips. Decided to wait for a table. Finally got a table and ordered a bowl of noodles with the works. Good stuff.
2 hours to kill before check-in.
Went to the cinema next door. They had MIB3 at 12, but get this... They would not sell me a ticket. "Not showing, no enough people, need 4". Crap. The only other show at 12 was 'Snow White and the Huntsman'. In hindsight, sitting out in the sun by the river getting eaten alive by mosquitoes would have been less painful.
Checked-in, waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.
Dinner over at Benson Seafood Restaurant. I've never been here before. It was pretty good, and cheaper than Top Spot.
I made arrangements for sleep in Kuching.
Breakfast of Champions, Kolo Mee
4 hours to kill before check-in.
Roamed the old chinatown. Went back to that mega-crowded food place I had seen on previous trips. Decided to wait for a table. Finally got a table and ordered a bowl of noodles with the works. Good stuff.
2 hours to kill before check-in.
Went to the cinema next door. They had MIB3 at 12, but get this... They would not sell me a ticket. "Not showing, no enough people, need 4". Crap. The only other show at 12 was 'Snow White and the Huntsman'. In hindsight, sitting out in the sun by the river getting eaten alive by mosquitoes would have been less painful.
Checked-in, waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.
Dinner over at Benson Seafood Restaurant. I've never been here before. It was pretty good, and cheaper than Top Spot.
 |
| Kolo Mee, Breakfast of Champions |
 |
| Ripken's car |
 |
| Picture says it all. |
 |
| Various Pig parts, intestines, kidney, heart, liver, minced pork, sliced pork, and oddly enough, fishballs. Yum |
 |
| Gaptastic |
 |
| Lil Jack learning technology |
 | |
| Dinner |
1 June 2012 - Mission to Saratok
Early morning Kolo Mee before the long journey
5 hour drive from Kuching to Saratok.
The longhouse we would be staying in is Sg. Klampai Saratok
The lovely people at the longhouse pulled out all the stops this time to welcome us. The women put on traditional costumes, the men pulled out the traditional instruments, and they even prepared a pig sacrifice for our arrival. A higher honour could not have been bestowed on us.
The ceremonial spear was offered to our party to perform the pig sacrifice, but we felt that it would be better if the village elder performed it on our behalf.
The spearhead was insanely sharp. There was no slashing or stabbing or poking. The elder simply placed the spear upon the pig's neck and gently pressed down. The pig did not suffer, did not squirm, did not squeal. In fact, the pig's body only went into convulsions post-mortem.
First time I ever saw the mick so uncomfortable. He looked unwell.
After the sacrifice, we were welcomed into the longhouse
We walked from door to door, with each family offering us a drink and a little something to eat. When I say drink, I mean tuak, whiskey, vodka, gin...etc, neat, in large shot glasses. At this time, I should mention that our host longhouse has 24 families. Yes, dear reader, your math is correct. 24 shots of booze.
After we made our rounds, we were invited to sit and snack on traditional titbits while our hosts made a few speeches welcoming us. There were also several traditional dances put up to welcome us.
All this time, there would be Iban men walking around with their bottles of Tuak or whiskey and offering you a drink.
After the welcoming ceremony, we were invited into Dato Edmund's home for lunch.
After lunch, more drinking.
Dinner was at another nearby longhouse. Luckily, this longhouse only had 8 families
I was pretty much done for the day.
5 hour drive from Kuching to Saratok.
The longhouse we would be staying in is Sg. Klampai Saratok
The lovely people at the longhouse pulled out all the stops this time to welcome us. The women put on traditional costumes, the men pulled out the traditional instruments, and they even prepared a pig sacrifice for our arrival. A higher honour could not have been bestowed on us.
The ceremonial spear was offered to our party to perform the pig sacrifice, but we felt that it would be better if the village elder performed it on our behalf.
The spearhead was insanely sharp. There was no slashing or stabbing or poking. The elder simply placed the spear upon the pig's neck and gently pressed down. The pig did not suffer, did not squirm, did not squeal. In fact, the pig's body only went into convulsions post-mortem.
First time I ever saw the mick so uncomfortable. He looked unwell.
After the sacrifice, we were welcomed into the longhouse
We walked from door to door, with each family offering us a drink and a little something to eat. When I say drink, I mean tuak, whiskey, vodka, gin...etc, neat, in large shot glasses. At this time, I should mention that our host longhouse has 24 families. Yes, dear reader, your math is correct. 24 shots of booze.
After we made our rounds, we were invited to sit and snack on traditional titbits while our hosts made a few speeches welcoming us. There were also several traditional dances put up to welcome us.
All this time, there would be Iban men walking around with their bottles of Tuak or whiskey and offering you a drink.
After the welcoming ceremony, we were invited into Dato Edmund's home for lunch.
After lunch, more drinking.
Dinner was at another nearby longhouse. Luckily, this longhouse only had 8 families
I was pretty much done for the day.
 |
| I love Kolo Mee, can't you tell? |
 |
| The welcoming party, getting ready |
 |
| This guy gave up drinking after I introduced him to 'Singapore Tuak' during my last visit. |
 |
| The ceremonial spear |
 |
| Like a hot knife through butter |
 |
| They loved recording everything, using their cellphones, tablets...etc |
 |
| Yen, Joyce and lil Sulimir, our hosts. |
 |
| The last door of booze. |
 |
| Dato Sri Edmund Langgu, our wonderful host. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)