14th October 2003.... Pa' Lungan Adventure

The journey of adventure at Bario continue....

We woke up around 8.00 in the coolzy morning. It was extremely cold last night but there still got mosquitoes came and attacked. To make thing worst, the croakcroaches came to attack us too.... Oh... what a night....

We ate breakfast (fried rice, steam fish and tea). Around 9am, we began our adventure walk to BATU RITUNG, which is situated a few miles from the lodge. The journey took about 10 minutes. The Batu Ritung slanted and almost wanted to collapse. So, for those who interested to see it before it collapse, better go now :)

Then we went back to the lodge around 1030am. We sketched the map for Pa' Lungan and took some photos. The maps are available at www.ebario.com

Around 12noon, we ate lunch ( fried rice, honey CHICKEN!!! and steam fish)

Around 100pm, we hiked to the view point of Pa' Lungan guided by Mr. Chew. The journey to view point was terrible adventure!!! On the way to the view point, there were lots of LEECHES!!! The view point is located at the top of a mountain. It took one hour walk to reach the view point. At the beginning we did not notice that the trees around us become shorter and shorter because we had hiked higher and higher up the mountain. Out of a sudden, we noticed that there was no trees around that big enough for us to hold!!!! We began to nervous but no choice except to keep going.... so scarily!!!

Went back to lodge around 230pm and take bath. The leeches bite were terrible and our legs bleeding the whole day...

Such a long time ....

Seems like I am really busy these few months :)

Anyway, I will keep update about the Bario progress here :) Maybe will post something next week... hopefully.

I am going to Bangkok, Kasetsart University to present my first conference paper this October. Will be going with my wife and also honey moon around there before coming back and continue my Master Research :)

There can be Miracles... When you believe...

This song really mean something.... Coz God really bring me thru lots of miracle so far... God never let me down....

"WhenYouBelieve"

Many nights we've prayed
With no hope anyone could hear.
In our hearts a hopeful song we barely understood.

Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear.
We were moving mountains long before we knew we could.

There can be miracles when you believe.
Though hope is frail,it's hard to kill.
Who knows what miracles you can achieve

When you believe.
Somehow you will,You will when you believe.

In this time of fear,
When prayer so often proved in vain,
Hope seemed like the summer birdsso swiftly flown away.
But now I'm standing here(Now I'm standing here)
With heart so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words I never thought I'd say.

My third day at Bario...

I created an eBay account and now started to sell some Hand-made bracelets. You may have a look at these items thru these links.

100% hand-made colourful small beads bracelets from Borneo Island

On the 13/10/03, the third day I stayed at Bario.....

I wake up at 8am and when straight to eat my breakfast without brushing my teeth because the water was freezing cold!!! I ate corns and drink tea. The corns are sweet but a bit too hard to bite on it. Anyway is good for me as I did not brushed my teeth. Around 9am, me and Hoi started to track to Bala Palaba's farm to take some photos and to have a look of the farm.

On the way, we saw lots of pitcher plants. We passed by some paddy fields and pineapple farms too. The pineapples were so BIG and Yellowish. Around 10am, we reached Bala Palaba's farm. Bala Palaba taught us how to pluck the pineapples and without wasting any time, we went to pluck 2 pineapples and start eating it!!

Nearby the farm, there was a fish pond. We could see the fish swimming at the cyrstal clear water in the pond. Its such a wonderful place for fishing. Around 12 noon, we went back to Bala Palaba's house. We ate a simple lunch and around 2pm, we started our journey to Pa' Lungan. Pa' Lungan is the furthest village at Bario and the climate there is SUPER COOL!!! Day time is around 18 degree celsius and night time is around 10 degree clesius.

We went by boat using the river nearby Bala Palaba's house. Esther's brother was our guide and also the boat driver. The journey on the boat was adventureous!!! We passed by fallen trees and on the way there are lots of blue berries, which can be eaten!!! I ate lots of it. It is so sweet!!!

It took about an hour on the boat. Then we needed to track from the place the boat stopped to reach Pa' Lungan. We started walking to Pa' Lungan and the time was around 3.15pm. The road was wet and muddy. So MANY GOOD FRIENDS WAITING FOR US TOO!!!! THE LEECHES!!!! Esther told us to walk faster as a way to escape from our GOOD FRIENDS. The sceneries were nice.

We reached Pa' Lungan around 4.15pm, that was 1 hour walking. The weather was much colder than Pa' Umur. We stayed at Batu Ritung Lodge. The house is nice with lots of facilities. The owner of the lodge is a CHINESE!! Me and Hoi were amazed that we still can find Chinese people around besides 2 of us!!! At 5pm, it started to rain. We ate a snack made with tapioca flour called Diru'. It was nice and yummy!!!!

Then we had some rest and ate dinner around 8pm. WAH!!!!! We were amazed by the dishes for the dinner! We had HONEY CHICKEN, FRESH VEGETABLES, POTATOES, STEAM SWEET AND SOUR FISH and WILD MUSHROOM SOUP!!!! It was our first time we ate meat at Bario. We were at the most rural village at Bario but we the most luxury meal here !!!! The owner said there are plenty of foods around here and the peoples here are well blessed with the foods provided by the nature. I am AMAZED how GOD really BLESSED this place.

We chatted with a tourist called Helen from London, England. She had been around for a month!! We interviewed the logde's owner too, which is the Chinese guy. We slept at 10pm and it is SO COLD!!! At night, there are many BEST FRIENDS TOO, the Cockroaches!!!!

After back from Rumah King at Julau

What an exciting trip to Julau last week. I went to a long house name Rumah King. I learned something new, which the name of the long house actually related to the Tuai Rumah (the leader of the long house). So, King is the name of the Tuai Rumah !!! So, if we think deeper, how are we going to develop a good map? The name of the long houses keep changing!!!

So, I think I will write about my trip to Julau here. Its very exciting too, but not as advanterous as Bario. There is a telecenter too at Rumah King. So, I think I will be working with this field because of my experiences, which bringing ICT to Rural area for improving the lifestyle of the villages.

So, on the 22nd of March 2006, me, my supervisor (Dr. Alvin) and the Dean (Prof. Nara) flew to Sibu. We stayed at Hotel TanahMas. Just 2 years never been to the town of Sibu, so many changes.

The next morning, we started our journey to Julau ( located at the Pakan District). I am the driver and this was my first time driving a 4WD truck.

I think this is the most modern long house I had seen before so far. Its totally make of bricks and look like a row of houses sticked together. The peoples (Iban ethnic group) are so friendly and the hospitalities is perfect.

The enviroments around Rumah King is beautiful. There is a river behind the long house which all the children will go there and play water. For the adults, this is a good fishing place.

I will be going back in to Rumah King next month for quantitative survey. Its a nice place and you can go a good vacation there :)

My Second day at Bario... 12th Oct 2003

Hi,

Its been a long time I didn't update my blog. Quite busy last few weeks but still got time to go to Ranchan Pool waterfall at Serian for Brothers' camp. So, this was what I wrote on the second day at Bario...

12/10/2003

I woke up at 7am. The weather was freezing cool and the water was extremely cold too. I just simply brushed my teeth because of the freezing cold water. Then I ate breakfast (toasted bread with butter and tea). Around 8am, we walked to Gem’s Home Stay for an interview session with Jaman Riboh (the owner of the home stay and also a good tourist guide). The house is nice and it made me felt relax.

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This is the interview report with Jaman Riboh:

Owner of Gem’s Home Stay ( Pa’ Umur)
15 years of experiences in jungle tracking
RM20 a day per person for accommodation
RM5 for breakfast
RM8 for lunch
RM15 for dinner
Transport from Bario’s airport to Gem’s Home Stay – RM20
Email: gems_lodge@yahoo.com

Jungle tracking area covered at Bario:
Cultures and egotrekking
Bario loop (stay at long houses down South)
Trekking
Combination of adventurous – camping and living naturally

Egotrekking – tougher (need day and night trekking) area covered including swap forest, farm and primary jungles (to see eatable plants and herbs and also wildlife at different stages of jungles) RM65 per day not including boat transportation for river trekking.

Trekking around Bario and Bario loop, fishing, night walking to see wildlife at night and hunting – RM65 per day

Best time recommended for trekking (Jan – Aug) and more adventurous trekking at monsoon season (Sept – Oct).

Peak time to visit Bario – January (the paddies harvesting season)
Good for family vacation – joining the peoples for harvesting at paddy fields
Major problems – stay with family that do not speak English

Planting season (July – Aug)
Visitors can join in planting paddies

Flower Season (Feb – Sept)
Wild orchids and the biggest flower in the world – Rafflesia

Stay at long house for 2 days with Sina’ Ngeluun Pasan as she is a food caretaker for tourist at long house. Visitors can get a lively feel of staying at long house, see peoples make good handicrafts, beads, traditional music and dances. The long house is situated at Long Dano.

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After the interview, we walked back to our Pala Balaba’s house. Around 10am, we went to the church next door for morning prayer. 1230pm, we had our lunch ( Bario’s rice, curry pineapple, vegetables and soup).

Nuba Layak(soft rice) also served (refer photos). It is the Kelabits’ traditional food made of rice.

Around 2pm, we walked to Pa’ Umur salt spring. The journey took about 1 hour. We passed by paddy fields and a hanging bridge made of unused iron oil tanks left over from World War 2 (refer photos). When I walking on it, lots of sounds came out and it was so terrifyingly. The walking path was muddy and had leeches. The salt spring is a big hole with salt water (refer photos). It was a good experienced to know how to make salt at Bario. The salt is brownish in color!!! We went back to Bala Palaba’s house around 4pm and we ate fresh corn for tea break. On the way back, we passed by paddy fields and it was a very nice sceneries.The weather was cool and raining at night. We ate dinner around 7pm ( Bario’s rice, Kelabit’s soup and long beans). The Kelabit’s soup is made of husk and wild boar’s fats. It tastes weird!!! We slept at 9pm.

My first day at Bario... 11th Oct 2003

I found my diary. This was my experienced from my Bario trip.... and this was what I wrote in my diary....

11/10/2003
Fly again at 9.35am to Bario from Miri. The plane is very small, its a (refer photo)


twin otter (Malaysia Airlines) MAS aircraft. The scenery along the journey is nice and we can see lots of green trees and blue clouds. The plane is a little bit noisy and bumpy along the way but it’s a good experience. We reach Bario around 10.45am. Before landing, the paddy fields sceneries are very nice (refer photos).Get to know that Vision Air and Hornbill Skyway did not provide flight to bring passenger but more for cargo purposes. MAS has 2 planes coming to Bario per day. 1 plane from Miri and 1 plane from Marudi (refer photo for a sample schedule that paste on the airport wall). This is the schedule we taken on 2003, its better to check with Malaysia Airlines for the latest update. For the first time visitor to Bario, make sure double check the schedule before starting your adventure. There is no announcements or arrival/departure screen to refer. Just remember the schedule on the airport wall... EXCITING!!At the airport, there was a café. It can accommodate around 20 peoples. The Café sell maggi mee with egg, carbonate drinks, sweets, junk foods and biscuits. We ate 3 maggi and 3 cups of tea cost RM9.00!!
After finished our high cost instant maggi mee and tea, Esther Bala paid a man called Julfiues Raddish (the owner of Raddish Lodge at Bario) to use his big 4WD truck to carry our luggage and also to send us to Bala Palaba's Lodge at Pa’ Umur. The road is very bumpy and full of water blots. The weather was sunny but cooling wind. This is raining season at Bario. The weather is quite cold same like Cameroon Highlands. When we reached Bala Palaba's Lodge, we take a rest. Bala Palaba (refer photo below) is a very good host. When we stayed at his homestay Lodge, we hardly to get hungry because of the huge amount of foods provided by him. Because of the cold weather, hahaha....we eat and eat and eat non-stop.
Around 4.30pm, we walk to Batu Narit. We reach at Batu Narit at 5pm, 30 minutes walk from Bala Palaba's lodge (refer photo). Along the way, we saw lots of pitcher plants beside the road. The road is wet and in bad condition. We pass by paddy fields, pineapples farms and fruits farms. The noise of the natural blowing wind is so peaceful. The paddy fields is nice and green. The weather is cold.
Before going to Batu Narit, we ate pineapple. It is juicy and sweet. “VERY NICE”.
We came back around 5.30pm and take bath. Water is freezing cold and I did not took bath that day. Anyone can take bath in the morning at Bario, I salute you. Even the Kelabits do not dare. The condition of the toilet is terrible. We ate dinner around 7pm. We ate Bario's rice, curry pine apple, vegetables and fish soup. The food was super nice thats why not even got time to take photos we already finished the food.
Around 8pm, we go to Pa’ Umur SIB church, which located just next door. Its so nice and happy to be in the House of The Lord. All the Pa' Umur's villagers were here for prayer meeting. Around 8.30pm come back to Bala Palaba’s house. 9.30pm generator turned off and we sleep.