Peramatour: Lombok to Flores

Day 1:
As Rajah’s Bungalows turned out to be quite close to a mosque, there was no chance of oversleeping as we were woken up by the call to prayer. A refreshingly cold wake up shower later and we set off for the Perama office to join the tour. We loaded our gear on the bus and climbed on board for the short trip to Mataram (Lombok’s capital city), where we would pick up some more people and rather confusingly collect what sounded like ‘a nice dessert!’ The nice dessert turned out to be a nice T-shirt, which on seeing, we would rather it had been a nice desert! After about 30 minutes of hanging around the Mataram office we set off again, this time to visit a shopping mall. The purpose of visiting the shopping mall remained a mystery to us all, although I did manage to get an Indonesian sim card for my phone. Our first proper stop was to Masbagik pottery village, where were treated to a demonstration of traditional pottery by one of the local ladies. Apparently barring two men, all of the potters are women and while not from the village, our guide Effendi’s attempt at pottery gave a good demonstration of why this is true.
From the pottery village we made a brief stop to get some Bantal cakes (pillow cakes); a local snack made of rice and banana wrapped in a vine leaf. It is always good to try new things, but we can’t say that we would rush to have Bantal cakes again; it is not that they are horrid, just bland! Our next stop was at Perama docking, to see where the boats were built and to get a better idea of the route we would be taking. From the docking it was a short trip to Labuan Lombok harbour, where we got on board our boat.
Once everyone was on board we were taken to what turned out to be the world’s smallest cabin. We are so glad we had left our big bags behind; anyone claustrophobic would be better off sleeping on deck, or at the very least avoiding the very tight bottom bunk. With everyone’s gear stowed away we were served a cold buffet lunch and set sail for Perama Island (anyone noticing a pattern here?). Perama Island is tiny; you can walk around the outside in about 15 minutes. It is not actually owned by the Perama Company, but they have maintained it and have introduced a coral replanting program, so have been given care of it by the Indonesian government. Unfortunately when we arrived the currents surrounding the island were very strong, so we were only able to do a little snorkelling; nevertheless what we could see was stunning.
Later that evening we enjoyed a BBQ on the beach and we were then treated to a not always tuneful sing-along, led by the crew. It was when they played the company song that things started to take a turn for the strange. The song lyrics, conjured up images of Mr Perama as either a genius bond villain living in an island retreat or as some kind of evangelical figure. The company dance that followed, complete with a carefully choreographed dance routine just added to the strangeness. After a short demonstration, we were all invited to join in the dance, with hilarious results. In the end, the evening was great fun, but it would be better if the dance only lasted for a few verses instead of the overlong ten. Very few of us were still dancing by the end and even some of the crew had dropped out.
At about 9pm the dinghy carried us back to the boat and we all settled in for the night as the boat set sail for Satonda Island.

Day 2:
The plan was to visit a salt water lake on Satonda Island and then get back on the boat for breakfast before heading off to a small village for a visit. The sea had been quite rough during the night and the waves were still quite large as the small dinghy carried us six at a time to the island. Safely on the island we had a short walk to the salt lake and enjoyed a morning swim. It was on the return journey that things started to go wrong. Debs and I were on the first dinghy trip back to the boat and although we got very wet, we made it safely back to the boat and settled down to breakfast. Unfortunately the next group of people had to swim for the boat when the clearly overloaded dinghy started to sink in the rough water. Obviously not expecting the boat to capsize and not wanting to leave their gear unattended on the boat this ended up in a few destroyed cameras, mp3 players, phones etc. The dinghy was recovered, but the engine would not restart, leaving the rest of the passengers stranded on the beach. Using our dry bags, two of the people who made it to the boat on the first trip, swam back with some breakfast for the starving people on the beach. After a lengthy delay the engine finally started and everyone was slowly delivered back to the boat, so we could finally get underway. The sad thing is that the whole thing could have been avoided if they didn’t insist on overloading the boat; life jackets would be nice as well. The worst thing about the incident was that the crew really didn’t seem to have any idea what to do. It was the passengers who got food to the others and in one instance dived in to assist a struggling crew member.
The delay ended any further stops for the day, so the rest of the time was spent travelling towards Komodo in quite rough seas. Good job we had books with us!

Day 3:
Breakfast first today! Today was to be one of the highlights of the trip as we would hopefully get to see Komodo dragons in the wild. Getting to the island involved getting in the dinghy again, but mysteriously this time they only took four people at a time! The dinghy was then joined by a larger boat so we were all safely on the island in double quick time. Having been warned by our guides that we may not see any Komodo dragons, we kept our fingers crossed and went to meet the rangers who would do their best to find some for us. Starting in the main camp area, amazingly, we came face to face with two fully grown Komodo Dragons! Why park rangers feel the need to pretend that you may not see anything, when they know that there will always be at least two near the camp hoping to be fed, is completely beyond us. It doesn’t build up suspense; it just makes you feel cheated. Having seen the dragons asleep in the camp we hoped to see some more on the 5 km walk through the island. The trek set off at a breakneck pace with information given to the closest people only, by an incomprehensible guide. On route we came across some deer and wild boar but as yet no Komodo dragons. The trail eventually led us to a dried up river bed where Komodo Dragons used to be fed for the tourists. We were then informed that they don’t come here anymore, so the reason for going there escapes me, unless you want to read the sign telling you about what you aren’t going to see!
Back at the camp we were lucky enough to see a juvenile dragon running through the trees (while they are young, they resemble the smaller monitor lizards). After a few more photos of the sleeping dragons we got back on the boat headed for Red beach.
Red beach lived up to its name and was indeed red, and the waters surrounding it had some beautiful coral and fish. We spent an hour resting and snorkelling, glad to be off the boat after the epic journey yesterday.
The rough seas had delayed our journey by several hours, so instead of arriving in Flores at around 3:30pm we actually got there at about 7pm. It was time to say goodbye to the people leaving the trip and for those doing the return leg, we were told that we should be back on board by 7:30pm for dinner! With a bit of persuasion the crew agreed to pick us up at 9:00pm and a group of us got in the dinghy to be taken to Labuan Bajo. While we understand that the Perama Company has no permanent mooring in Flores, there has to be somewhere better to drop off their passengers than at the slippery rocked, poorly lit, garbage and cockroach infested bit of land that they use. Feeling completely like smugglers, we set off to find a restaurant in what is clearly not a particularly bustling town. Whether it was just the fact that the food was hot, or that the drinks were cold, the restaurant that we found, produced one of the nicest meals we have had for a while. Feeling better, we met the dinghy and got back on the boat to meet the new passengers who would join us on the return leg. Fortunately we were just in time to see the company dance again!
With no sailing tonight we settled in for the quietest night on the boat yet. Tomorrow was to be our second chance to see Komodo dragons; this time on Rinca Island.

Next: Peramatour, Flores to Lombok

Senggigi, Lombok

Our journey to Lombok began at 5:30am when we were picked up by the Peramatour bus, bound for the harbour. On arrival at the ferry port, our bags were taken by two people who we presumed to be Peramatour staff, but unfortunately turned out to be opportunistic porters. Debs managed to catch up with her porter and wrestle back her bag back, but mine was too fast. There then followed an altercation near the steps of the ferry, where I refused to pay the ridiculous price that the porters wanted, for a service we didn’t ask for! Following threats, shoving and the eventual acceptance of a small amount of rupiah, we were allowed to board. So far, the ferry was turning out to be a wonderful choice of transport! Four hours of loud, distorted, Indonesian karaoke music later and we arrived in Lombok, or at least we would have if the ferry didn’t have to wait for another hour to dock. By the time we eventually arrived in Senggigi, it was about 4pm and the hunt for somewhere to stay began. We eventually found the very nice Rajah’s Bungalows and checked into a lovely hut with attached outdoor bathroom. As we were off on a five day tour starting the next day, we packed smaller bags and arranged to leave our other luggage with the guesthouse for our return.
From what we saw of Senggigi on our one evening there, it seemed like a very nice little coastal resort. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and more than a few trinket salesmen; again the lack of tourists doesn’t help. We did buy a few cheap necklaces, which unfortunately had the effect of announcing our presence as people with money. A bit of a scramble ensued, but it was quite good-natured and the lads were quite happy to just have a chat. They even managed to get the hint that they should leave when we were trying to eat our dinner!

Next: Peramatour, Lombok to Flores

Bali

Arriving at Bali airport during the early evening, we joined the queues of people at immigration. As is often the case, we managed to join the slowest moving one and after watching Debs breeze through I was quite surprised to have the immigration official beckon me over and ask for money. To tell the truth, he then smiled and laughed afterwards, but in a country that carries the death penalty for drug smuggling, I failed to see the joke. Slightly annoyed and already thinking ‘welcome to Indonesia’, the rest of the security checks went without a hitch.
We had already arranged an airport pickup with the hotel, so the short journey to Kuta beach was pain free, right up to the moment when we were dropped at the wrong hotel! As it turned out, there was a problem with the room at the ‘Green Garden Hotel’, so they had upgraded us free of charge to one of there partner hotels. The ‘Febris’ hotel turned out to be beautiful, with one of the nicest rooms we have stayed in, a very nice pool, spa and massage facilities for Debs and a good restaurant.
After a very comfortable nights sleep, we headed out to have a look at the town and to find the Peramatour office so that we could pay for our Indonesian island tour. After the quiet of Malaysia the amount of touts and stall holders, trying to part us from our cash came as a bit of a shock. The situation certainly wasn’t helped by the lack of tourists staying on the island. From what we heard during our stay, the situation has barely improved since the Bali bombings and the locals feel largely abandoned by the Australian people. Finding the Peramatour office, we paid for our trip and booked the ferry that would take us to Lombok. With the next part of the journey sorted, we stopped for a look around the very modern ‘Discovery Mall’, bought some more very cheap copy DVDs and then went back to the hotel to relax.

During the remainder of our stay in Bali we booked on a one day island tour that took us first to a very entertaining Barong dance show. The show was performed in a beautiful open air theatre, with a small temple as its back drop. From the dance we visited a batik workshop (where we didn’t buy anything), an art gallery (where we did buy something), a silver workshop (yet another purchase) and a wood carving place (where, at the quoted prices we laughed, shook our heads sadly and walked out, pursued by the salesman). The next part of the tour involved a visit to a not very impressive waterfall, an interesting stop at Goa Gajah (elephant cave temple) and then to a Sribatu, a garden where we sampled some very nice tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
After an early start, we were both ready for lunch and it couldn’t have been served in a more pleasant location, overlooking the active volcano Mount Batur. From here we stopped at Sebatu (the spring water temple), before heading to GWK (the home of Bali’s highest statue). GWK (sorry, no idea what it stands for) is a tale of promising more than you can deliver. The original plan was to build an enormous statue, but unfortunately they ran out of money, so it was never finished. Nevertheless, what they did complete gives some idea of the truly staggering scale of the proposed statue.
With the light fading we rushed to Uluwatu, a temple perched high on a cliff top (with more than its fair share of thieving macaques) to watch the sunset on what had been an enjoyable but tiring day.
Apart from relaxing around the pool, we did a bit more shopping and spent a fun afternoon at the entertaining but expensive ‘WaterBom Park’. Before we knew it the week had passed and it was time to say goodbye to Bali and the Febris hotel. Bearing in mind that neither of us had previously shown any interest in coming to Bali, writing it off as the Ibiza of SE Asia, we have had a very nice time. Aside from the touts, who aren’t really worse than at any other holiday resort, the people are really friendly and the island is both interesting and beautiful. We hope that the tourist trade starts to pick up and that there are no further incidents like the ones of 2002, as that truly could spell ‘the end’ for Bali.

Next Senggigi, Lombok

A return to KL

Arriving back in KL we checked back in to the Haven Guesthouse. Our plan was to stay for another day while Debs got her foot checked out at the hospital and then head to Indonesia. The best laid plans unfortunately always seem to go wrong! Debs foot had swollen quite badly while we had been away, so the doctor decided to try and drain some fluid and then pump the wound full of alcohol to stop any infection. This was agony and she could barely walk afterwards! Naughty Dr. Nandy!! Her foot had not healed as he would have liked, so we were asked to come back the next day.
Unfortunately on our return the next day and with Debs still in pain, we were asked to come back after the weekend, which as it was a public holiday in Malaysia meant Tuesday. Our one day back in KL quickly turned into six days, so we had to try and find things to keep us occupied.
With no real plan for our time in Indonesia, our extended stay became the ideal opportunity to plan the next leg. With slightly less time than we had planned, we decided to miss out Sumatra and head straight for Bali. Over the internet we booked our flights and a nice hotel in Kuta beach. From Bali we would travel to Lombok on the ferry and then take the Peramatour boat to Flores. As our time was limited we decided it would be best to book the return journey on the boat and so in total we would spend five days touring the islands. From Lombok we hope to get to Java and then eventually fly to Singapore on around the 26/06, giving us 4 days before we left for New Zealand.
With the next leg planned we spent the rest of the time going to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3, shopping (again), sending parcels home and viewing the city from the KL tower (the fourth tallest in the world). We would have liked to go to the Petrosains museum, but due to the start of the Malaysian school holidays it was booked solid, so maybe next time. Our opinion of KL hasn’t changed; it is still a really nice city and ‘the Haven’ is still a great guesthouse. Maybe next time we will see it under different circumstances!

Next: We finally make it to Indonesia

Bako national park

Taking a bus and then a boat from Kuching we arrived at Bako, Sarawak’s oldest national park. The national park has been in existence since 1957 and occupies an area of only 27sq km. Due to its comparatively small size it is probably the best place to see wildlife in Sarawak.
After registering at the park’s main office, we checked into what turned out to be a very large bungalow carefully avoiding any incidents with the resident macaques. The macaques hang around the camp looking for food or anyone stupid enough to leave a door or window open. The park rangers seem to look upon them as a tourist attraction and enormous pain at the same time. As we arrived in good time, and having read that the early evening is a good time to see proboscis monkeys, we set off on a short trek to try and spot some wildlife. The trail that we initially followed rather came to an end as it disappeared into the mangrove forest, so turning around we headed back towards the camp, encountering a beautiful Rofous Backed Kingfisher on the way. It was on our return that we had our first encounter with the proboscis monkeys. Standing as quietly as possible on hearing the crash of vegetation, we caught the odd glimpse and heard the strange honking sound of male proboscis monkeys. After standing and watching for a while it became apparent that we weren’t going to get a better view, so happy with our brief encounter we returned to camp.
While walking on the beach to watch the sunset we bumped into a couple from the longhouse trip who were also staying in the park. Later that evening we joined them for dinner and then organised to go on a short night safari. The night safari started early for Debs when she came face to face with a Bornean bearded pig (Bako’s largest mammal) on the way to our room to get ready! During the safari our guide did his best to point things out, but the animals weren’t really playing along. We did see a large stick insect, several spiders and a rather frightening looking centipede hunting a gecko, but the nocturnal mammals remained elusive. As we headed back to the camp the guide took us to see the fireflies near the harbour and what appears to be the camp’s resident snake, a Wagler’s pit viper. I say ‘resident’, because in the next few days it was always to be found sitting on the same branch, in the same tree near the camp.

The next day we decided that we would attempt the ‘Big Loop’, a circuit made by linking many of the shorter trails. The loop was supposed to take about 7 hours, but we had been informed by several people that they had done it in 5-6 hours, without rushing. Loaded up with as much water as we could carry and some snacks for the journey we set off, our first destination being Tajor waterfall some 3km from the camp. The waterfall is not overly impressive but there is a nice, although somewhat murky, swimming area. However, the large amounts of pitcher plants hanging from the trees on either side of the main trail were far more impressive. Along the course of the trail we saw three different kinds of pitcher plant; Nepenthes Rafflesiana, Nepenthes Gracilis and Nepenthes Ampullaria.
It was from the waterfall that the walk became less fun. The trail started to climb steeply and the temperature and humidity rose dramatically. We would like to say that we enjoyed the remainder of the trail, but partly due to Debs’ foot not being fully recovered and an eventual lack of water, we would be lying. In all honesty there is nothing along the big loop that you can’t see on the other shorter trails (apart from one type of pitcher plant) and unless you are feeling particularly masochistic there is no real point. Incidentally it took us all of the 7 hours to complete with very few stops, so we can only assume that the people we spoke to either ran all the way or missed some off! When we eventually made it back we were too tired and hot to do anything else, so we had an early evening meal and a very early night.

Our third day at Bako was spent at a much more leisurely pace. I had a short trek up to a nearby viewpoint encountering a few, very well camouflaged, lizards along the trail. Debs meanwhile spent most of the day recovering from the excesses of the day before. Later that afternoon we walked to the mangrove forest to try and see some proboscis monkeys. Staying as quiet as possible (something that Asians don’t seem to understand) we were fortunate enough to see several as they came out of the jungle to feed. The monkeys remain very wary of humans and at the slightest noise will disappear. For the main part they stayed just out of camera range and it was more by luck, that we got any pictures at all. It was a great experience seeing these rare creatures in the wild and one that we will never forget.

True to his word, our boatman remembered to pick us up on the last day and ferried us back to the mainland. Our stay at Bako was great; the trails are well marked, the rain forest is beautiful and you have a very real chance of seeing animals. The only slight downers on the experience are that the restaurant while not expensive is terrible; they cook once a day and then expect it to stay hot for the remainder of the time and water is stupidly expensive.
The minibus took us back to Kuching where we got on another bus bound for the airport. Our time in Borneo had come to an end and it was time to return to Kuala Lumpur, before heading onwards to Indonesia.

Next: A return to KL

A return to kuching

Arriving back in Kuching and checking into Carpenters GH again, it was nice to have a hot shower, a comfy air conditioned room with proper beds and absolutely no cockerels! Following a quick meal in the nearby Chinese restaurant, it was time to return to the guesthouse to try and catch up on some sleep.
Through the guesthouse we had booked on ‘Bumbu’ cookery course for the next day. So after a lazy morning we met up with our instructors and set off for the local market to get supplies for the meal. It is always nice to do a market tour with people who know what everything is; our knowledge is certainly increasing, but we still encounter the odd thing that we are not sure of. With our baskets loaded with supplies we headed to the kitchen to begin our lesson. The meal cooked in the class changes everyday; we would be cooking chicken and potato curry Malaysian style and fern cooked with chilli and shrimp paste (Debs not being a fish lover gave the shrimp paste a miss). For dessert we were having fresh pineapple and a coconut jelly desert that tasted very similar to Blancmange. The class was very entertaining, especially as it took place within a traditional family home. Debs, who is not known for her cooking confidence, got well stuck in, with only one slight moment of panic during the frying stages and the meal we produced was really good. After countless hotels and restaurants it was really nice to be eating a meal that we had prepared ourselves, albeit under the watchful eye of our instructors. Feeling slightly over full, we said goodbye to our hosts and returned to the guesthouse.
Our last full day in Kuching was spent booking accommodation at Bako National Park, return flights to mainland Malaysia and visiting the large Sunday market (for some reason the Sunday market starts on Saturday). We have had a really good time in Kuching, but the promise of rainforest, pitcher plants and rare proboscis monkeys beckons, so our next stop is Bako National Park.

Next: Bako NP

Lalang Longhouse

Day 1

After an early breakfast we got picked up by our guide and met the rest of our companions on the trip. The first stop of the day was Semenggoh Nature Reserve to hopefully see some orang-utans. The reserve has been rehabilitating orphan orang-utans for the last 20 years and returning them to the wild, so the surrounding jungle now holds a thriving orang-utan population. On the day that we visited we were lucky enough to see a big male swing in from the jungle looking for a free lunch.
After visiting the nature reserve, we made a brief stop in the town of Serian to have a look around the local market and to sample some of the local foods. The meat satay with peanut sauce and rice, topped off with battered bananas was excellent and set us up nicely for the shopping trip to buy food and gifts for our Iban hosts. The gifts consisted of biscuits, hot chocolate mix and crisps that could be shared out amongst the inhabitants of the longhouse. With the shopping safely loaded in our now slightly squashed car, we continued on our way to the Skrang River to meet our Iban guide and transfer to a boat that would takes us to the longhouse. Despite being told repeatedly by our guide that we were now in the dry season and that we would be very unlucky to encounter rain, the heavens opened and the last part of our road journey was through heavy rain.
Arriving at the river we were introduced to Entalai, our host and interpreter for the next 3 days, unloaded the car and waited to get on board the very narrow and unstable looking boat. Mercifully the rain had stopped, but to say that we got slightly wet during the boat journey would be something of an understatement. Due to the lack of rain (it really is the dry season!) the river was very low, so we had to race towards area of shallow water at full speed and then the crew either paddled madly to get us over or had to get out and push. Nevertheless the boat was controlled with amazing skill by the boatmen and we arrived safely but damp at Lalang longhouse.

Iban longhouses were traditionally made of wood, but due to the shortage through commercial logging, many have been rebuilt using concrete. Fortunately (for us at least) Lalang still remains entirely made of wood. The longhouse itself is separated into about twenty apartments (approx 100 people live in Lalang) with the chief and his closest family living in the centre. All of the rooms then lead on to a communal area where people socialise and work. People who stay on the longhouse for longer than a few days are invited to stay in their host’s apartment, but as there were six of us our home was in the communal area (mattresses and mosquito nets provided). One of the surprises that we encountered on entering the house was that there were no children staying, apparently all of them were away at school; the 1-2hr boat journey being too far for them to travel every day.
As the Iban people were the original headhunting tribe of Borneo, it was interesting to see three human skulls hanging outside the chief’s apartment. Entalai informed us that although the chief wouldn’t say whether he had actually taken part in any headhunting himself, the skulls on display were from a much earlier time. The Malaysian government’s line is that headhunting ended many years ago, but Entalai informed us that it only really ended in about the mid 60s with the last of the Asian wars.

Our first meal on the longhouse was eaten in Entalai’s apartment and was accompanied by a tasting session of rice wines. Having already been warned about drinking too much rice wine by our guide we all took it relatively easy, knowing that we had an early morning jungle trek the next day. Finishing dinner and returning to the communal area, we were treated to a traditional dance performed by the residents. The two male dancers seemed relatively keen, but the two women looked like they would rather be anywhere than dancing in front of us! We were then invited to join in the dance. While my whoops and jumps got a smile out of my Iban dance instructor, we couldn’t help but think that the whole thing was put on because they believed that that was what we wanted to see. A brief display of local crafts followed the dancing where I bought a small blowpipe and we both bought some rattan mats. So far the legendary friendliness and hospitality was, other than Entalai, in short supply.
Oh well, early start tomorrow so time for bed!

Day 2
We quickly found out that sleeping late in a Longhouse is impossible. The many cockerels signalled morning at a ridiculous hour and the working day starts soon after. After a breakfast of banana pancakes and fruit we got ready for our jungle trek. First we were shown the pepper plantations (Sarawak is one of the world’s largest pepper exporters) and then, as we climbed higher up the surrounding hills, we passed many rubber trees and wild pineapple plants. As it was a very warm day and the climb was quite steep, it was with some relief when we headed down towards the river.
Following the river for a short distance we arrived at a swimming area, which was also to be our stop for lunch. Entalai and two others quickly had a fire going and set about wrapping fish, chicken, rice and edible ferns in palm leaves and then placing them in bamboo tubes that would be cooked on the fire. I had a go at folding the packets of rice, but it has to be noted that when I handed it to Entalai, he unfolded it and did it again. So far my chances of being welcomed into the tribe look slim! After failing at the rice folding I was given the task of filling all of the stuffed bamboo tubes with water and then handing them to the cook; this I did with great success!
Before too long we were dining on an extremely tasty meal cooked entirely in bamboo, with our plates made of folded leaves and our cutlery and cups from bamboo. They had even brewed tea and coffee in the tubes. The meal was one of the best experiences we have had, and our longhouse trip was definitely looking up! With no dishes to wash, we packed up quickly and followed the river back to the longhouse. The onset of rain put a slight damper on the journey, but by the time we arrived back it had dried up and blue skies were again visible.
The rest of the day was spent swimming in the river eating another very nice meal with Entalai and consuming quite a large amount of rice wine. The inhabitants of the longhouse did appear to be getting more used to our presence and we were able to watch pepper being sorted and dried, rattan mats being weaved and fishing nets being repaired. Obviously a lack of English makes communication difficult, but from the previous nights craft sale we had encountered more than a few people who did speak English reasonably well. Unfortunately those people never seemed to be around when you wanted them or interested in talking, and so many of the inhabitants remained either shy or disinterested in our being there. Perhaps it was too much to expect to be welcomed with open arms. It could be said that if the roles were reversed and six strangers turned up in most western homes they sadly might be sure of a lesser welcome. It is worth saying; however that Lalang longhouse and Entalai have been having visitors stay for over 10 years, so our being there could hardly be described as a shock. Perhaps six people is too many? People have been known to stay for a lot longer, in which case they would stay in the apartments and help the Iban work, therefore integrating more with the people.

Day 3
Another early start and our final day in the longhouse. We certainly will not be missing the cockerels! After breakfast we went another short jungle trek to have a better look at rubber being collected. Debs foot was still sore from our last hospital visit, so decided that she would give the trek a miss. The trek took us through the rubber plantations and up until we reached a viewpoint over the rolling hills of the Sarawak countryside. The climb served a double purpose, as Entalai had come up here to try and get reception on his mobile phone! Having to walk for an hour to be able to make a phone call, recalled the memories of my first mobile phone back home!
Returning to the longhouse we had some fun shooting my mini blowpipe and then having a go with Entalai’s real one. After a final swim in the river it was time to pack our gear, wave goodbye to our hosts and with a certain amount of trepidation get back in the boat for the journey down river. The boat was again piloted with consummate skill and the journey turned out to be something of an anticlimax. It would appear that travelling down river when the water is low is considerably easier than the other way round. Safely back on dry land we waved goodbye to Entalai, got back in the car and set off on the long return journey to Kuching.

We were really glad we stayed on a longhouse and overall the experience has been a good one, which we will always remember. Whether or not the stay should be longer would really be up to the individual; for us it was long enough and while we have no major travel plans, we do have at least some time constraints. What we can definitely say is that we got to stay on a real, living, breathing, working longhouse, which was after all our original hope.

Next: Back to Kuching

Kuching, Sarawak. Borneo

The second part of our travels around Borneo began in Sarawak (the largest Malaysian state) and its capital city Kuching (Cat in Malay). From first impressions Kuching is much older and more untouched than Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu.
From a recommendation from the guys at ‘The Haven’, we booked into a very nice guesthouse on Carpenter Street (the heart of the city’s Chinatown district) called ‘Carpenter Guesthouse’. The guesthouse has a really nice family feel to it and the owners Joseph and Paula were never short of any advice or information.
As we arrived on a Sunday afternoon we weren’t treated to the full city experience, as many of the shops were closed or closing. It must be said that Kuching couldn’t be described as the most vibrant of cities; instead it maintains a friendlier village like atmosphere, somewhat akin to Chiang Mai in Thailand. The old city is centred round the Sarawak River and most of its sights are within easy walking distance of Main Bazaar (the oldest street in the city). The existence of present day Sarawak and indeed Kuching is largely down to the influence of the Brooke family. James Brooke, a young wealthy Englishman, arrived in Sarawak in 1839 and immediately, at the request of the Sultan of Brunei’s uncle, assisted in the putting down of a violent rebellion with the help of his well armed Yacht ‘The Royalist’. As a reward for his service the Sultan made Brooke the Rajah of Sarawak in 1841. His successor and nephew Charles Brooke, while not the adventurer that his uncle was, proved to be an excellent politician and administrator who established a proper system of government and then set about extending his area of control, until it formed the Sarawak of today. On Charles Brooke’s death in 1917, control was handed to his son, Charles Vyner Brooke; he expanded on his father’s good work and in 1941 established a State Council to oversee the passing of new laws, thus bringing the first taste of democracy to Sarawak.

One of our main aims while in Sarawak was to stay in an Iban Longhouse; the Iban people are the original head hunter tribe of Borneo, who are renowned for their warmth and hospitality. Completely by chance, the opportunity arose as we headed down to breakfast on our first morning. We were lucky enough to bump into a guide who was organising the trip for one of our fellow hotel guests. On learning that it would be a small group (6 people) and that we would be going to a proper longhouse (not one set up for tourists), we quickly signed up for a 3 day trip starting the next day.
With the longhouse trip booked we headed out to have a look around the city, starting with the Sarawak museum. The museum was described by the ‘Rough Guide’ as being one of the finest in SE Asia, so we were expecting big things. After chuckling our way round the moth eaten collection of stuffed animals on the first floor it has to be said that it wasn’t looking good! However, the ethnology collection on the first floor more than made up for the shaky start. We found the museum to be both charming and interesting and would recommend a visit to anyone staying in the city; the fact that it is free only helps its appeal. From the museum we visited the aquarium which again had free entry, but did rather come across as a restaurant’s holding tank instead of an actual aquarium. You could practically see people smacking there lips with anticipation as they looked at the fish! From the aquarium we had a brief look at the national monument and then headed toward one of the main shopping streets for some lunch.
Truth be told, the hot weather rather ended our Kuching tour there, as we elected to spend the rest of the day back at the guesthouse sorting our bags and getting ready for our trip to the longhouse.

Next Lalang Longhouse