Six hours on the road on a leaky four-wheel drive, past scenic pepper and rice fields and quaint little towns bypassed by the passage of time. So far so good. Then it’s another six hours up a river so dry at times the water’s only ankle deep. There’s more jumping out of the boat to pull than time in the boat. For the boatmen, anyway. Seasoned traveler as I am, a townee is a townee and we have no sense of balance. The best help I can offer is to stay put in my seat. I’m so far upriver, I’m almost kissing Kalimantan.
Then it’s a 7-hour trek across the very heart of Borneo, across the water catchment to get to an entirely different river system. How cool is that? There’s not as much wildlife as I expected, but I see bearded pig, four species of hornbills, pygmy squirrels no longer than my index finger and a water monitor. I hear talk of a cobra up front but I’m not waiting to mingle with that particular reptile.
Down the other river, it’s beautiful. The sight of a fast-flowing river in the rain, wide as a four-lane freeway, flanked by riverine forest is pretty breath-taking. This is the Katibas, artery off the Rejang, longest river in Sarawak.
The journeying is almost over. The work to be done seems trivial beside the traveling. I’m so high absorbing the wildness the work is a breeze. Then downriver, down down down all the way to Song. Such a small town but bustling in my eyes. The density of human bodies affront me.
The express boat is so full I half expect it to be the floating coffin it is known to be. These floating pieces of welded metal are death traps should they ever overturn, God forbid. I clamber on top and sit with my face to the sun, reveling in the freedom of the moment.
Could Indiana Jones do any better? This is real life. No directors, no cameras. But here’s what they don’t tell you about Indie and his adventures:
- Bathing in the river in a sarong and figuring out how to do that without mooning the locals.
- Wet underwear and bikini rash.
- The feeling of wet socks and shoes first thing in the morning.
- Leeches. Sometimes in various cracks and crevices.
- Slogging uphill in the rainforest in torrential rain.
- Excruciating knee pain coming down treacherous hills.
- Pulling friends waist deep in rotting wood, sand and mud.
- Do you ever ever see Indie washing his mud-stained clothes? I rest my case.
But what’s a good adventure without all the works in it? I’ve done this for neigh on 13 years now, and I enjoy every bit of it. The views are always worth it. Being amidst such wildness is a constant reminder that we’re not really as big as we make ourselves out to be. There’s a lot more to life than what meets the eye. Get over the ego and move on. It’s a privilege to be alive. Live.
Hello Miss Chin,
I enjoyed reading your blog and can’t help but to provide my wiseass feedback from my one and only foray into the un-forgiving wilderness of what we call Borneo.
Do keep in mind that everthing in the jungle is edible, including yourself and your lovely companion(s), should you fell any hunger pangs.
Taking it from the bottom or was it ‘in the bottom’ ?
1. Bath naked-didn’t your momma tell you that ? Reduce the hassle of carrying a sarong (a wet one at that) and once you are in the water…what’s there for the local population to moon about.
Besides, unless you have some anatomical parts that out of ordinary, no reason you should not flaunt it. Do remember that you were born without a shred of clothing. If the Supreme Commander wishes for you to be cloth, you would have been born with a diaper and a frock…
2. Go commando, i.e. no reason to wear anything under your trekking clothes, rids bikini rashes and do keep in mind that mushrooms fester in dark and damp places…
3. You do make a fire to cook and brew coffee, don’t you ? Well, the heat from the fire (if you are capable to make a fire) can be utilised to dry wet socks and clothes. Should you utilise a ‘coleman’ burner…don’t burn your clothes….
4. Leeches….travel with a companion you are comfortable with..it helps when it comes time to check one another’s crevices and ‘cracks’ for wondering and offending leeches…against all conventional wisdom…yes, you can pull the damn leech off…just remember to grab them by the head…don’t waste precious salt & ciggies…
5. When it pours in the jungle honey, I take out my poncho to huddle under a big arse tree (oh, look skywards to ensure nothing will fall on your lovely melon) and my canteen to collect water. No reason getting my arse wet charging up a hill…this is not a reenactment of the movie Hamburger Hill.
6. Run downhill-knees are not ‘brakes’…trust me, your knees will thank me when you are in your golden years…or if you must walk downhill…waddle like a duck with a wedge up your arse….
7. Why bother pulling friends from mud and rot ? Tie a rope to a tree and throw it to them to pull themselves out….survival of the fittest.
8. Sorry hon, Indie has a wardrobe to change from….
P/S: Good call on the express boat, they have been known to function as submaries as well on occassions…
Yours truly,
Jerome aka Wiseass
Comment by Jerome — October 12, 2009 @ 10:02 am
Haha. Thank you Jerome. It’s good to know my old childhood friend is the same old wise ass since when we were kids.
Comment by The Wordsmith — October 12, 2009 @ 10:07 am