Wednesday 25th February 2009 – Kuching, Sarawak Borneo

Today was our first full day in Kuching. Flight from Langkawi to KL to Kuching yesterday was pretty uneventful. I did however spotted a group of 3 small coral islands in a triangular position joined by a crystal blue lake in between from the plane. Not sure what islands they were, but they are surely beautiful from the sky.

We visited a few State museums today. We saw many traditional artifacts including some old masks and wooden carvings. It was rather interesting, especially as it was all free.

Naomi finally decided to relieve herself from a self-imposed ban on shopping this afternoon. We walked around the souvenir shops for around 2 hours shopping for batiks and traditional scarves and sarongs. I think she bought a nice cheap table cloth when I was snoozing outside the shop from boredom.

[It was so NOT two hours. And I was suffering because my most exciting purchase in the last two weeks was a new travel size bottle of shampoo! Actually, that's not true. While in Langkawi I purchased the first of what I am sure will be many items which I will love while I am away and then think “What the?” when I get back. It is a very lovely batik kaftan which I thought was perfect as a beach cover up on Langkawi. It is so comfortable that now I wish that I had bought 3 (it was only RM25 (about AU$11).

Anyway, Kuching is well known as being a great place to shop for textiles including the “ikat” (woven material) that the indigenous people here produce. Traditionally they were handmade squares worn as shawls but now they are made as table cloths and bedspreads for tourists. True to form I went into one shop, admired a large piece hanging on the wall and asked whether it was for sale and for how much. The sales lady informed me that it was handwoven and over 80 years old and would cost me RM4800. She then directed me to the piles of machine made material in the corner where pieces were selling for between RM4 – 10. Ha ha! I picked up a table runner for RM4 (about AU$1.75). - N].

I nearly bought a native spear and a cheap machete for personal protection reasons for the next 18 months, but the sales lady told me that it would be confiscated if I take it back to Australia.... Am not sure whether because they are illegal themselves or because they are made out of wood.....I guess I will never know.

[I half wanted him to get one, just so I could feature in my own episode of “Border Security”! - N].

After nearly 2 and half weeks of traveling, we also decided to take it easy by going to the movies. It cost us RM5 each (AU$2) to see “New in Town”. I actually wanted to see “Punisher” but caved in to Naomi's strong insistence on a chick-flick.

[Whatever! He didn't take much convincing. Pretty sure he loves a chick flick more than me deep down – N].

It was weird as it felt like we were watching the movies just at Indro on any given Sunday afternoon, except with dodgy Malay and Chinese subtitles in the bottom of the screen. It was nice to just chill out a bit though.

I met a Seppo guy this evening who's been traveling for nearly 10 months and gave me a few inside tips on how to travel around in Laos and Cambodia. We actually have met a few backpackers who are on long term trips just like us. They don't seem to have got tired of traveling which is great to know. I hope that I wont be tired anytime too soon. Mind you, 3 weeks out of the country is a pretty long time for me.....

In Kuching we are staying at a hostel called Borneo B&B. It is run by an indigenous Iban lady who speaks four different languages. She gave me a brief insight on the culture, history and the origin of the Iban people here in Sarawak. She's been very friendly towards us and invited us to go and stay with her family in a traditional “longhouse” in the jungle. Normally she charges in-house guests RM380, since she got along really well with me, she decided to charge us RM300 each which covers transport, food and bribe to the chief of the long-house for 3 days 2 nights.

We ended up deciding to take her up on her offer because we thought it would provide us with an opportunity to grasp what it is like to live in the jungle and to understand the Iban culture and heritage a little bit. I am quite looking forward to the next few days. Hopefully they will teach me how to hunt wild pigs using blow-pipes. I should have brought a Steve Irwin picture book with me in exchange. Maybe they already have all his dodgy DVDs – who knows... - P.

[I certainly hope we will NOT have to kill wild pigs using blow pipes. Am currently worrying about being bitten by gigantic malarious moquitos and/or rabid dogs with the only hospital a 12 hour longboat ride away (and who knows if they will even have the correct rabies vaccination?)... - N].