Sarawak Trip

On 4th November until 9th November 2008, I went to Sarawak with my aunt. We landed at Miri on the night of 4th Nov, then we headed to our hotel to take a rest.

Miri Airport

On the 2nd day morning, we went to two secondary schools to collect my aunt's data for her research. During the rest time in between two schools, my aunt's student brought us went up to Canadian Hill to see our Malaysia's first inland oil drilling platform and was one of Sarawak's most important historical monuments - The Grand Old Lady.

The Grand Old Lady on Canadian Hill

After we finished, we headed to Bintulu for 2nd round of data collection. Along the way to Bintulu, the road was very bumpy. We felt like riding on the horse.

By the time we reached Bintulu, it already at 9 o'clock in the night. So, we went to find a hotel to settle down and took a rest.

On the 3rd day morning, we went to other two secondary schools to collect my aunt's data. By the time we finished, the sun was going to sleep. My aunt went to meet her former students who teach in the secondary school in Bintulu and went to have dinner together. Because there were too many people in the dinner, so I did not took the food photos. Very sorry about that. Then we stayed in Bintulu for another night.

On the 4th day morning, we checked out from the hotel and headed to Sibu. Along the way to Sibu, we saw a lots of Rumah Panjang. Some of them still built in traditional way - bamboo and tree log, but some of them were built in modern way - bricks.

Rumah Panjang

By the time we reached Sibu, it was almost 4 o'clock in the evening. We went to the hotel beside Rajang River to settle down, then my aunt met her former students who teach in Sibu secondary school and we went out to have dinner with them. Then they brought us to see the night view of Sibu. The night view of Sibu was very beautiful.

On the 5th day, we checkout from the hotel and went to Rajang River Port to see Rajang River and went to their market to buy some local foods as our souvenirs. At Rajang River Port, I saw some workers were loading rice in a boat which was the first real scene I saw in my life. Because in Kuala Lumpur, we only can see this type of scene in Hong Kong's old drama. Then, I saw some local people still using speedboat in Rajang River as their main transportation to some rural place in Sarawak. After that, we went to their local market which was beside the port.

Loading Port at Rajang River

View of Rajang River

In the market, I saw some ladies selling chicken in a special style. Their wrap the chicken with newspaper so that the chicken would not slap their wings when their were scared. (Note: the chicken still alive). In Kualau Lumpur's market, the chicken either just tied their both legs or kept them in a cage. After bought some local foods from the market, we headed back to Miri.

Chicken Selling at Sibu Market

In the evening, after we finished our dinner at Bintulu, we saw a very beautiful sunset along the road beside the sea, it was the first actual sunset I saw at Sarawak after few rushing days in Sarawak. We stopped at a park beside the sea to take photos. Then, we continued our journey back to Miri.

Sunset at Bintulu

On the 6th day, my aunt went out to met her old friends, and I stayed in the hotel to take some rest before go back to Kuala Lumpur in the night flight. Before that, I went to a Borneo Handicraft Shop beside the hotel to buy some souvenirs. At night, my aunt's student sent us to Miri Airport to take our flight. By the time I reached my house, it was around 1 o'clock in the midnight. Then it was the end of my Sarawak Trip, which was quite a rushing schedule. So, I not really see the real Sarawak. So next time, I am going to visit Sarawak again to see the real face of it.