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Published: August 23rd 2008
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Twin Otter
Even smaller plane Hello, i have just returned from a week in a small place called Bario in the Kellabit highlands. Had the most amazing time there. Flew from Miri on a tiny twin otter plane with only 12 people. The flight there took about 35 minutes, however, when we got to Bario the pilot decided that he couldnt land the plane because it was too windy so we flew back to Miri again!! The locals were going nuts and i thought there was going to be a riot!! Back in Miri airport we waited half an hour and then set off again, this time we landed succesfully in Bario!! The runway and the airport there are very small and basic and half the village turn out to meet the plane. Although because they had seen our plane return to Miri they had given up and gone home!! Johanne the lady (slightly crazy) who runs the highlands hostel that we stayed in Miri had arranged for us to stay with Nancy and she was there to meet us at the airport. To arrnage this Johanne had sent a letter with a group that had gone to Bario the week before because in Bario there
Road!! To homestay
Bario this is a typical road! is only one phone and it very rarely works!! And there is no internet and no mobile phone reception. In fact there are not even proper roads making a tractor or a good 4x4 essential!! The only way to Bario is to fly or make a very precarious 12 hr drive along the logging tracks.
We went with Nancy to her homestay where she lives with her family and workers. Each homestay has their own guide which they use for their guests. Nancy has two, Petrus and Andrew, Petrus lives there with her as his home village of Pa langun is 5hrs away. The first day we just relaxed at nancy's, the view from her veranda was amzing, looking over the Paddy fields and the mountains. And the food was good too and it just kept coming!! Bario is well known for its pineapples and they were definately the best ive ever had, the local rice is also aparently very good. However, despite having eaten my own body weight in rice every day i couldnt tell the difference between it and any other rice!!
On the 2nd day we left with Petrus to go trekking. Joel was not
Pa Ukat village
The first village we past on the first day trekking content with the original plan and managed to talk us into a 3day trek with one night at Petrus' village and the other in a jungle shelter. The first day we walked for about 6hours to reach Pa lungan. It was so hot, and deep mud up to our knees at some points, with 4kg backpack and a million leaches! So glad Joel had talked us into this! Not to mention all the spiky plants and trees and insect bites. On the way to the village Petrus cut some bamboo and made us some straws so we could drink from it. The water is so clean and slightly sweet. He also made us bamboo cups and spoons from wood. Just before we arrived at the village it rained so hard! Petrus made me an umbrella from palm leaves but i couldnt carry it because i kept falling over too much.
Once at Petrus house we got changed and sat by the fire to warm up a bit. Petrus and his wife do not have any front teeth, it seems none of the locals do. All the workers from the paddy field came into the house too. Cooked wild boar
Spoon
This is the spoon that Petrus made for me as he forget to bring any for us over the open fire and listened to Vengaboys!! Petrus played his guitar and we sung badly along with him. Then had to eat fish with their heads on!! And local fern cooked with garlic which is so good. All the food at the village is collected from the jungle as they are self sufficient bacause there are no raods there. So it is a 5hour plus walk to Bario and all the things there are really expensive especially for the local people who are not making much money.
Day two we left Pa Lungan at 9.30am although we had been awake since 5am when the rest of the village wakes up!! We walked for 5 hours through the jungle to Camp Walter our jungle shelter. The walk was a bit flatter than the day before but still hard work and still loads of leaches. Petrus just said that no one ever died from a leach bite!! At camp we collected some fire wood and cooked our tea, petrus collected some local fern for tea and guess what ate some more rice!! That evening we did a night hunt, didnt catch anything but saw wild boar tracks
Pa Lungan
This is Petrus's village and the marks of the honey bear. It was quite scary because if anything happens to you it is at least 5 hours back to Bario and then need to fly back to Miri to get any proper medical treatment. That night it was so loud sleeping in the jungle, the little insects make the most noise, and i got bitten about 100 times whilst going to the toilet!!
In the morning we cooked breakfast and prepared lunch - guess what more rice!! We stored the lunch in a bamboo. For the walk back we had to go through a swamp forest and we could hear so many animals, Petrus kept running off with his gun!! But no luck. For the return journey we decided not to go through the jungle but to take the main road - ha ha this road was also deep mud and i dont think you could even have got through on a quad bike!! Took about 6hours to walk back and it was sooooo hot! Plus the water we had we had boiled from the river and it tasted of charcoal so didnt really want to drink any. Was so glad to get
Petrus
None of the locals have any front teeth! back to Nancy's and have a lovely hot shower - i wish it was actually a cold shower but at least it wasnt just a bucket of water which is what we have been used to.
The next day i went with the other guide, Andrew, to the waterfall. Joel didnt come as he was too tired or Co Pay as Petrus called him which means lazy boy!! It was a really nice walk with just a gentle climb and alot of walking in the strem which was refreshing. On the way back we went to Bario Asal longhouse which is the original longhouse of Bario. The longhouses are like a street on stilts. There is like a long hall with all the families front doors coming off it. After this we went on the motor bike to look for pitcher plants. That was fun because the tracks are so bad, thought i was going to die several times!!
Left to go back to Miri the next morning. Petrus has been trying to go to Miri for 2 months now to see his son and everytime he books it more guests turn up so he cant leave!! Once
again another group arrived on the morning plane so he wasnt able to go. Nancy's car broke down on the way to the airport so had to get another local to pick us up and take us in the back of his pick up! Nancy's son was the only other person on the plane as he has to go to school in Miri as there are no schools in Bario once the children are over 15. Nancy really nice and fascinated by my blonde hair - she didnt believe that it could be natural!! Bario has been one of my favorite places so far. Just very very tired now!!
Once back in Miri we returned to stay in the Highlands again as this is the only real backpackers place and the lady who runs it knows everything and is nice if slightly mad!! At the moment i am debating wether to go back to 'hide a bean'reflexology and get another massage. The first time i went i was expecting it to be a relaxing experience but i got a crazy chinese man who spoke no english and was determined my shoulders, which havent been level since i broke my
Dinner
I can barely eat chicken off the bone so imagine the trauma when i had to eat fish still wearing all their clothes!! Heads, eyes, everything!! collar bone at 16, could be straightened out!! The pain was intense at one point i think he was standing on me! The more i screamed the more he shouted in chinese, however, two days afterwards once the bruising went down my back felt amazing.
Tonight i am getting the night but to Sibu and from there the boat to Kuching, well that is the plan anyway!! Will keep you posted.
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Mumsy
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wow again!
Wonderfully interesting blog Lauren! Sounds so cool...really wish I was there too! You look good..and chilled! Love and miss you tho! xx