Something to remember…

I mentioned in an earlier post that my Singapore friends rented a car and drove on their own all the way to the longhouse in Kanowit…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…for a one-night stay. I wished I could go with them but unfortunately, the timing just wasn’t right.

They had a memorable and enjoyable experience and got to go jungle trekking…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…while they were there and they also had to pick stuff from the jungle…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…to cook for dinner including some midin…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…and tapioca leaves…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

They also cut some bamboo and the ingredients needed to cook ayam pansoh (chicken in bamboo).

However, I was rather disappointed to hear that they did not get to eat all that. It so happened that there was an Australian there already and  he was staying in the headman’s bilek (house) and my friends had to stay in another one under that same homestay programme. The wife in the one where they put up cooked dinner for them but they had none of all the aforementioned – they said they probably had that in the other bilek…but they were not too sure. Actually, I was expecting them to get together at the ruai (common corridor) to enjoy the food together…and luckily, they were very nice people and did not mind one bit and were quite happy with what they were served…and they said that the people they stayed with were very pleasant and hospitable and they really felt at home with them. Hmmm…they did not even know who had the ayam pansoh and all in the end but if I had been there, I probably would have kicked up a fuss and demanded for all that jungle produce. Tsk! Tsk!

They were supposed to go boating…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…but it rained heavily so they decided to put it off till the morning the next day.

When evening fell…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…they had some traditional dancing – the ngajat…

*Alfred’s photo n Facebook*

…to the music played with all their traditional instruments including the sape and the gongs and drums, big and small. I heard that the ladies joined in and had fun while my friend, Alfred, was shy and insisted he could not dance. They also tasted the tuak (traditional rice wine) but they said it was kind of sour. Maybe it was not the right time of year and they had run out of the good ones – usually, they would have new wine around May and June for the Gawai Dayak Festival which certainly would be a better time to visit to join in all the merry making.

The next morning, they decided to skip the boating as they could not wait to head into town for the Kanowit red kampua noodles. Unfortunately, they said the town was flooded with people, so very busy, the shops were so crowded and the roads were terribly jammed and they could not find a parking space so they just left and headed back to Sibu.

However, they were able to make a pit stop here for my favourite popiah…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

– the best I have had anywhere and yes, they really liked it too…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

They also had the kampua noodles…

*Alfred’s photo on Facebook*

…from a stall at the coffee shop there and they said it was good.

After having had their fill, they headed to the brand new hotel…

…just declared open earlier this month – another one in the same chain of hotels as the one where they stayed on their previous trip here. I had made prior reservations there for their stay in Sibu at only RM98.00 nett (around SGD38.00) per night for each BIG room with a king-sized bed, so they were able to check in as soon as they arrived…and return the rented car.

They said they enjoyed it all, very different and truly something to remember.