I think I’d better complete the chronicles of kuching trip (hahaha) before any procrastination causes loss of memories and in the end, a hanging piece.
In fact, through this trip, I’ve learnt A LOT of things… and at the same time experience our ever-loving, miraculous God at work. I’ve learnt that it’s not easy to plan a trip, not mentioning being a tour guide. I’ve learnt that if I want to bring my friends to visit Kuching (for a long trip), I have to come back at least a few days earlier to make sure everything is in place: the transports, the accommodation, everything!
And I guess I took many things for granted. I was supposed to manage everything about the Bako trip coz I was the one suggesting it (kepo~), but by the time Lucas and Peter marinated the chicken and prepared to go to bed, I started to panic. Because I didn’t know how to get to the Kampong Bako, where we’re supposed to take speedboats to the national park. I’d been there, but that was like… 6 years ago!! And I called a friend (in KL!!) who’d been there in Feb, who promised to give me another girl’s number who seemed to know better, but in the end I didn’t get the contact. So I was imagining the worst scenario ever: us waiting for the bus at Electra House until evening and coming back subdued and sitting in the house looking at each other for 3 days and 2 nights (with the marinated chicken spoiled). It was midnight dy and all I could do was nothing but to pray.
So the next morning… (by faith) I asked Dad & Mum to fetch us to Electra House, and we had breakfast at the old market opposite EH, which was once very famous for its shio-bee (shio-bee is Sarawakian siu-mai).
Look at our loaves of bread… hahaha… like we’re going to a place hit by famine…
I felt that I’ve got tons to do! I had to settle the accommodation bills but didn’t know where to, if not I don’t think they’d ever let us be on the boats! So I called the number which was so often engaged, and it got through! Praise God! And I found the place, and the whole billing process was simple and smooth! Praise the Lord again! ^^
I got back to the place, and now it was time to settle the transport. So we asked around, and the friendly kolo-mee aunty told us we could take the bus, which was only RM3 per person. But it didn’t look like it’s very regular and punctual! *oh no!* I was praying in my heart, God, I don’t want to reach there in the evening!
So we waited… and waited… AND waited… aish, why waste time, take picture lah! *It was blaring hot!* And when the bus came, I really wanted to shout Hooray! Hallelujah!
Finally in the bus! A big load lifted from my shoulders instantly! Thank You Lord for providing!
After a long, long journey of stopping here and there, finally we reached the terminal!
Then there were more payments to make… and we’re ready to sail! That was when we saw the Buaya sign! *oh no!!*
Nvm.. we have our life jackets on! They’re supposed to save lives right? Right? Boat uncle didn’t even wear ok…
Some picturesque view on the way… My K770 not bad wad… :P comparable to DSLR… hahaha… and I could actually receive a call from my mom on the boat! DiGi coverage is not very bad after all! ^^
This is the swampy area… Paya Bakau that we learnt in Form 3 Geography.. hahaha
Reaching the park! On the way to the registration counter… excitement mounting! d^^b
We waited at the ‘lobby’ after registration. It so happened that we arrived too early by an hour plus and had to wait for the rooms to be cleared. God could be so humorous at times. I said I didn’t want to be late and this was what happened. Hahaha… It wasn’t too boring, i remember playing games and laughing too loudly that people hushed us down. Oops! :P
We stayed at Hostel C. Another thing to thank God for. Initially we planned to stay at Forest Lodge but it was fully-booked. So no choice lah, had to take Hostel, which was cheaper by half. I already expected the worst. Mana tau… the forest lodge and the hostel looked the same only… Forest lodge has got 2 rooms and the hostel has got 4! Hahahah….
Can you believe it? Our 3-day-2-night stay only cost us RM21 per person. Hahahaha… thank God!
The first pig that visited our hostel. When I told Priyatha back in KL that there’d be lotsa pigs, she thought I was kidding her…
Up close!
There was a time when we had 7 to 8 with us. They’re never choosy when it came to food.
After making sure our food would not be stolen by monkey thieves, we went for a stroll on the beach. Crazy, on a hot scorching afternoon. (See my footprints? ^^)
Then the BBQ ‘party’ started! Fire first! This was like the hardest fire-making attempt ever! I think we spent a good one and a half to two hours and still couldn’t get it up. Everyone was pitching in to help. Our cooperation and love (for the sake of food) was really touching ok!
Then halfway we got visitors… One of them ate up our Ben10 beach ball! Yes, I’m just exaggerating. He bit the plastic and we literally watched the balloon deflate!! >.<
The aunties who helped peel off the charred meat and potatoes. :)
But I tell you the truth (sounds familiar? hahah), the chicken really tasted oh-so-yummiscrumplicious! Very cooked ok! With some added foreign ingredient… towards the end Peter and Doreen complained, “Why so much sand??” Hahahah!
Sunset in Bako
And we did some tribal dance before going back.. Hahaha to kill Piggy… and BBQ-ed marshmallow!
And the thank-God part was, some manager came and asked us who allowed us to BBQ there. But anyhow our party was coming to an end too, so we’re not too disturbed. Imagine if he came halfway when we’re still cooking and some chicken was cooked and some not, it would have been very pek-chek rite? The weird thing was, we’d been there like for so long and he only noticed us at 7 when it was dark? I suppose God knows how much all these meant to us and helped us through it miraculously! Thank you Jesus!
To make up for the lack of Vitamin C sources, we had apples in mayo + raisins + corn flakes! Superb!! :9
And everyone fought took turns to use the bathrooms, talked talked talked, then zzz la… save some energy for tomorrow! :) Stay tuned for Day 3 lah~~! ^^
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