Priceless Paintings from W7

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Enjoy everything, and see us again online in the new year.

Thoughts Christmas, New Year's Day;

The last days on Sabah. We spent as much of day 9 on Manukan Island, and made sure to bring a sunburn home. Always a nice thing to have in early December. A quick return trip to Kota Kinabalu by boat, a restaurant meal and some farewell booze in the evening.

We had most of day 10 to spend in Kota Kinabalu, as the flight was scheduled for the early evening hours. The wife and I went to the Sabah Museum, a nice, large and modern place trying to show all aspects of past and modern life in Sabah in a bit of a hotchpotch collection, followed by the successful purchase of the new cleavers, lunch at the fish market (sea food noodle soup, RM 0.30), the purchase of many gifts and more spices for more Rendang.

Also fell into an uncovered manhole and cut my shin, but thanks to a very friendly and helpful crowd we managed to find a nearby ambulance, who could clean and dress the wound immediately, so no infections occurred.

For most of the trip we have been with the group almost all the time, so in a way, that last day of shopping in Kota Kinabalu was our best experience with the local people. As said before, we were absolutely delighted to see how very friendly people were. Helpful, friendly, but no pressure, no hard selling, no pestering. Most enjoyable.

What follows is the not quite so enjoyable 2 1/2 hours flight back to Kuala Lumpur, followed by a 13 hours flight to London, but you know what? I’ll be happy to sit through this very long flight once more, especially when travelling with the superb Malaysian Airways, in order to visit Malaysia once more.

Out and About Kuala Lumpur, london, Malaysia, Malaysian Airways, Manukan Island, sunburn;

I went into the local post office yesterday.

"Twenty self-adhesive first class stamps, please," I said.

Turns out they had run out of the self-adhesive ones, so I made a reference to my fully functioning tongue and asked for twenty gum glued ones instead.

"We have those," he said, and offered me twenty first class stamps from the Royal Mail’s British Army Uniforms collection, showing three of the six British Army Uniform stamps: NCO Royal Military Police 1999, Tank Commander 5th Royal Tank Regiment 1944, Observer Royal Field Artillery 1917.

"No thank you," I said, "I don’t think soldiers should be sent anywhere, not even as a stamp. Don’t you have some other non-seasonal first-class stamp?"

From the way he looked at me, I must have been the first person in living memory to refuse the purchase of the militaristic stamps. But, in fairness, he went off and after a while returned with a sheet of colourful marine stamps, shown here. Much better, aye?

Thoughts Post Office;, Royal Field Artillery;

Reporting the latest addition to the household: a new Panasonic SD255 bread maker. Our old no-name model was worn out from too much seeded dough over several years, and was no longer able to provide a good mix. With the Teflon coating severely scratched, it also got increasingly hard to get the loaf out once finished.

So, I got myself a new one.

Very nice. First, it makes almost no noise (you could hear the old one through the house when it was kneading). Second, it is much better insolated (good for the electricity bill). It has timer operation (great for fresh bread for breakfast), automatic seed dispenser (no more hanging around and waiting for the seed alarm 40 to 60 minutes into the program) and takes much more time for making the dough.

Stop by and sample. It’s great!

Food and Drink bread maker, Panasonic;

Back in October, I decided on a new bread maker, because the old one was worn out from too much seeded dough. The mix was no longer good, and it was increasingly difficult to get the bread out once finished.

So, I followed a friend’s advice, subscribed to Ealing’s Freecycle mailing list, advertised the used and work out (but still working) tool, and got almost twenty "Please can I have it" replies within a few hours until I figured out how to stop the flood.

Excellent. I am always glad if someone still makes use of what we no longer want to use.

To join Ealing Freecycle, simply go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ealingfreecycle/, or send an email to ealingfreecycle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (recommend use of "subscribe" in the message subject).

Note "OFFERED: Breadmaker (W7, Hanwell)" is now gone.
See "TAKEN: Breadmaker (W7, Hanwell)".

A plethora of Freecycle emails came coming in every day, so I decided to unsubscribe until such time that I had something on offer or sought something again. It’s a great system.

Thoughts

A perfectly lazy day in a very lovely beach resort. A bit of snorkelling in the South Chinese Sea from this and a neighboring island, and the whole range of colourful coral reef fish to see which we previously only knew from pictures in books or television. Now we know each other in person.

Too bad the water was quite cloudy, and carried a lot of rubbish in places. The rainy season means that the rivers wash a lot of mud and general rubbish into the bay of Kota Kinabalu. To make matters worse, a part of a fishing village had collapsed during a spring flood two days earlier, and there was even more than usual rubbish drifting about – lots of plastic, wood, and even a dead chicken.

Snorkelling was fine as long as the tide was going out, and a general rest, small walk around the island, another drink, another ice cream, another nice meal – we knew how to kill the time there with ease.

An almost perfect way to finish off the holiday in style, and the last opportunity for us to catch a sunburn in 2007 – which we did. An island further out, or further away from the currents that bring all the waste, would have been a better choice, though.

Out and About Chinese Sea, Manukan Island, sunburn;

Day 7 was almost completely travel: bus from Sukau to Sandakan, plane to Kota Kinabalu, bus to the harbour, boat to Manukan Island.

We had a little bit of time to see Sandakan market, and a pretty depressing fishing village. The village was depressing because it was one of those villages made from wooden houses on stilts, build into the sea, where the space underneath the houses was a large cloaca made from plastic, rubbish, and excrement.

The market was excellent, though. We enjoyed stressfree browsing without being hassled, but instead could speak to several sellers about their spices, fruits and herbs. Ended up buying a handful of spices (mostly cinnamon, cloves and aniseed, as needed for Rendang) and paid less than £0.20.

The day took a very positive end since the resort on Manukan Island was absolutely lovely, and we had the place almost to ourselves in the evenings.

Out and About Manukan Island

We spent two nights in a fairly plain, but clean and very lovely lodge in Sukau, right at the river edge. The Kinabatangan’s yellow waters quietly flow by and we could sit on the jetty, read a book, enjoy the peaceful scenery and sunset, listen to the sounds of the jungle – a very relaxing time.

The main event were two boat trips up river, were many birds, lizards and monkeys could be spotted. Hornbills and a variety of Kingfishers, Ibis, Eagle and a number of other birds, Monitor Lizards, Proboscis Monkeys and more Macaques. Fellow travellers also claimed crocodiles and wild boars, but we failed to spot those.

We didn’t do much more than sit riverside, cruise the river, and drink and eat riverside, but I think everyone in the group enjoyed the time in Sukau.

Out and About

Once again, for the second time in twenty-something years, I had my beard trimmed off. I don’t quite know what made me do it; it was a spontaneous decision.

The wife prefers me clean shaven, as she likes the smoother feel. She also claims it makes me look ten years younger, but I regret to report that nobody has noticed my new looks at all. Even the good wife took some while to notice it, so I am inclined to argue that there can’t be much improvement in the looks at all.

Women all over the world have now voted for a clean shave – well, several women friends anyway. Which really puts me into a situation.

The complete truth of course is not my midlife vanity, but the simple fact that I just can’t get used to it. I don’t like the look of my own clean shaven face, and I certainly can’t get used to the smooth baby-face feeling. I feel bare.

I think it will be back really soon, returning the attractive distinguished gentlemen in his best years whom I have always been.

Or, like some fellow said somewhere, a man without a beard [mustache] is like a woman with.

Thoughts

The next day brought us a slow walk on very painful legs to see the Orang Utan sanctuary in Sepilok, where a good time was to be had watching about a dozen of Orang Utangs, and several dozens of fairly cheeky Macaques.

The Macaques even had the cheek to come all the way up to the people, and one even climbed the head of one of our fellow travellers, sat on him for at least ten minutes, grooming our friend’s ears and hair.

We had good sight and amble time there, and could even return to the feeding platform after the crowds of other visitors were gone.

Following the very packed previous day, it was nice to have a more relaxed day to stroll around in the sanctuary, and take time for the drive to Sukau, our next destination. It’s a shame the tour wasn’t better planned in that the days were very unevenly packed; this was a pretty lazy day while the previous one had lots of action from 3am to 9pm. I am sure there must be a way to plan this better, but fail to provide a proposal.

Out and About Orang Utang;

Look, Steven, look, he says, himself looking at the little boy sitting in the shopping trolley who can just about sit but certainly not yet speak, Look, Steven, what are those? Pineapples, that’s what they are yes, P-I-N-E-A-P-P-L-E-S. Yummie! Yes, we like pineapples don’t we? Shall we go on and find those onions, hm? Lovely onions, look at the red ones here….

I have to stop here. He didn’t, but went on and on and on and on about this and this and that all talking in grown-up baby talk to the brat who was too little to understand, let alone reply.

I understand a child’s brain tissue grows best under stimulation, but surely that doesn’t require grown-ups to behave like complete twats, especially when in public spaces?

Thoughts

On day 3, or the second after arrival in Borneo, we started our attack on Mount Kinabalu, with 4,095m south-east Asia’s highest mountain. One day to walk up to the Laban Rata lodge at 3200m, then up to the summit starting at 3am (!) on the following day, back to the lodge for breakfast between 8 or 9am (a 6 hours pre-breakfast walk), then a further 4 to 5 hours steep downhill back to the park headquarters.

The good wife braved it out through cold and rain, but I must admit that I was completely shattered when we reached the lodge, and skipped the summit. Jetlag and altitude aren’t a very useful combination when trying to climb a mounting. Combine this with the fact that the whole route is insanely steep, and you have the total of my apology.

I was in a way glad to hear that those who made it to the summit confirmed that I hadn’t missed anything else but a very strenuous walk in the rainy darkness. No sunrise above the rainforest or some-such, as one had hoped.

Local folk earns a living by carrying all supplies to the lodge (and down), at the basis of 7 RM per kilo (£0.10). The good news is that they are not allowed to carry more than 60 kilo per person at a time. We felt less guilty after making calculations in comparison with average factory workers’ wages, showing that these guys actually make very good money from this very hard work, but still the whole thing feels a little awkward.

You should have seen they carriers’ muscular legs, though. Quite a sight.

Out and About Asia, Laban Rata, Laban Rata lodge, Mount Kinabalu;

Day 2 takes us to Poring Hot Springs and the rainforest canapé walk. I had been looking forward to the canapé walk, but sadly, this was a bit of a disappointment.

First: two thirds of the walk were closed because a tree had fallen down and destroyed the rope bridges that connect various trees up to 50m above ground. Fair enough. Bad luck.

Second: while the remaining rope bridges dutifully wobbled and impressed thus, the whole thing was designed on a slope. We had to walk up the slope until we reached a point from where a small tower lead to the rope bridge shown here; the height above ground then was gained by walking away from the tower. While being a valid approach, I had hoped to be fitted with a harness and allowed (and supported) for a vertical ascent up a tree trunk.

Third: because the whole thing was a wobbly but quite safe affair made of (steel) rope bridges as opposed to some contraption made from a harness and abseil-gear, the experienced lacked in the canapé department, as the highlight was the wobbliness and height above ground, not the presence in the canapé.

The hot springs also weren’t very hot and not very inviting for a bath, so what remains of the first full day in Borneo is a good getting used-to life with the group of 16 travellers. Not bad for acclimatization both in the literal and the figurative sense.

The report on day 1 is here.

Out and About steel;

It was only a matter of time, three self-sacrificing experiments (one, two, and this one), and a journey to Borneo, where I could experience the real thing even for breakfast: the Rendangs are sorted out!

A Rendang is a slow cooked meat-and-gravy dish with a wonderfully spicy flavour. Note it’s not a Curry, as the meat is not marinated or spiced before cooking. You’ll also find it uses different spices, preparation methods and tastes differently. It’s no Indian dish neither, but at home in Malaysia.

You can use beef or poultry. Let’ get started with a Chicken Rendang. In Malaysia, this is the perfect breakfast dish, but back at home, you can also have it for lunch or dinner.

Get one chicken leg per person. Cut each leg into five or six pieces (a dual-cut cleaver comes handy). 400ml of coconut milk (one can) per two legs. Per can of coconut milk: two or three cinnamon sticks, five aniseed pods, seeds from five cadamon pods, twelve cloves. One crushed glove of garlic and one medium sized onion, three lime leaves. One teaspoon of ground coriander,  two of turmeric, one cup of chicken stock. One hot red chilly, or half a teaspoon of crushed chillies.

Simply throw it all together and cook very slowly with the lid closed, allowing the meet to absorb the flavours. When the meat is tender, remove the meat, turn up the heat and allow the remaining liquid to thicken as much as you dare.

Season to taste with a pinch of salt, ground cinnamon, coconut flakes and more chillies. Debone and return the meat. 

Serve with fragrant rice. Yummie!

For the beef option, allow for much longer cooking time (three times as much), and add more coconut milk.

Food and Drink Malaysia

Here’s your chance to relive some of our holiday in Sabah, Borneo, starting, as one does, in the beginning with day one:

Getting there is a largely boring affair, chiefly consisting of a long-haul flight to Kuala Lumpur (approximately 12 hours flying time from London), followed by another 2.5 hours flying time to Kota Kinabalu. We arrived mid day with time to freshen-up, rest, and explore the local market before we met the traveling group. Since I’ll cover the market later in this mini-series, here’s another amusing aspect:

Malaysia

As shown in the image accompanying this post, one can buy “unlimited Miso Soup” for £1.75, and “unlimited filtered water” for £1.00 in London’s Heathrow. Apart from being an obvious rip-off, the comparison is staggering: 500ml of bottled water sells for 1 RM (£0.15), and a glass of (unbottled) water in a bar or restaurant is about 2 RM (£0.30, in case you weren’t paying attention). £1.75 (11.5 RM) buys 2 lunch-sized portions of delicious noodle-soup with greens, seafood and fish, and some change to spare. Or buys you about a dozen freshly charcoal-grilled chicken wings, or many other things.

Not that we travel anywhere because it is so cheap, but it is nice nevertheless. Being used to the insanity of London price levels can’t be a good thing.

Out and About Kuala Lumpur, london, Malaysia