Trip to Semban Village-Day One (part 2)..

Technorati Tags: Villages,Jungle Trekking

  

Two hours later after climbing up to one of the mountain  we reached the first 'Rest Hut' at the summit and we meet few villagers there.Oh No !!! its going to rain.

One of the villagers ,she pregnant for seven month, the mother and child have to walk for 3 to 4 hours in the jungle to get to the clinic. I would not prefer to talk about this...What came in my mind is hopefully the mother and child is healthy and in good shape otherwise I am just talking rubbish here about politic in Sarawak.

Semban village view........

 

This is our village stay the home of Mr Sagen Aden...in the photo is STB Tourist Co-ordinator   Mr Deckson . 

 

I would prefer to call this as undiscovered BEAUTY  in our own backyard.The trip to Semban Village is great for individuals who are nature loving,adventure and outdoor obsessed explorer who are constantly hunting for new and untouched location in Sarawak.Beside the beauty of nature that I see around the village ,there are seven women in Semban who still maintain the tradition of wearing brass rings around their ankles and wrists,a unique and illusive cultural practice.In general I would say Semban Village is blessed with lust natural beauty.I come to Semban Village fully sponsored by Sarawak Tourism Board and It is our hope that tourist or local nature,adventure lover are encouraged to visit the villagers and unknown attraction found in Sarawak through the various outdoor activities which lead to a healthy lifestyle.According to our local eco-guide SAGEN ADEN Semban villages had been visited by tourists from Finland,Russia,France and United State.

The Sarawak Bloggers Community led by Cyrildason and the team will be looking into new exciting ways to enhance Sarawak as the ultimate travel destination by doing every tiny bit to promote tourism for our lovely SARAWAK.

Think Adventure,think Sarawak.

 

Trip to Semban Village-Day One (part 1)...

 

Up in the Padawan mountain range,55 kilometers from the city lies the Bidayuh Biatah village of SEMBAN.Because of the extreme gradients that surround this area,it has remained isolated and has been known as one of the most remote villages in a deep jungle of primary forest.The villagers here ,Bidayuh Baitah live a simple life mainly growing hill paddy.To reach Semban Village at 1000 feet above sea level,one takes a six-hours trek through jungle trails passing bamboo groves,paddy fields,pepper vines,rubber trees,durian orchards and umpteen bamboo bridge,amidst cool breezes and gushing waters of the streams and waterfall.

  

Sagan Adan our eco-guide from Semban Village.

 

Proper footwear: Wear your most comfortable footwear as the walk is long. Trekking shoes recommended but most Semban villagers prefer kampung adidas (photo above).Thru my experience I suggest you wear this soft rubber a very good grip foot wear and its only cost you below Rm10.00.As we started trekking, Sagan Adan laughed at my jogging shoes, saying they looked more like something one would wear for a city marathon .

One of the villagers (with umbrella) trekked back home in Semban village with her grand children .

 

One will have to trek through jungle and cross six huge bamboo bridges (36m long and 9m high), and no less than 20 smaller ones. It can take four to seven hours to get to Semban Village, depending on the weather.

 

The suspended bamboo bridge of the Bidayuh is a definite first for me and I fully recommend that you go and try it out yourself.

The predominantly Bidayuh Semban village, will eventually make way for Sarawak's water reservoir project known as the Bengoh Dam Project, due to be completed in 2011...(Bengoh Dam no photo allowed).

The walk up to Semban village, while painfully slow and tiring for me personally is nevertheless one of the most interesting and rewarding experiences. The trail is a mixture of good jungle, adventure and man’s ability to co-exist with the world around him.

 

The bridges along the trail were most interesting. Depending on the width of the area to be crossed as well as flood risks, the bridges range from proper sturdy plank bridges to bamboo bridges hung on two suspended steel wire cables.

This one more than 100 meter long hung bamboo bridge ,   the scariest for us visitors. I can literally feel my knees wobble and the fact the steel wire cables were anchored to dead trees didn’t help either .

So who builds and maintains the bridges? According to Sagan Nadan, members of the villages using the bridges would come together and repair/ refurbish the bridge every year or whenever it is necessary. Every villagers will involve everyone and it has been their ‘way’ to work together to ensure that the bridge is useable for everyone. Each village will send some of their representatives to help out each time the bridge need work. The bridge is important because they provide access to the outside world, enabling the villagers to sell and purchase goods and services. It is also the safer way for their children to go to school and return on weekends to visit their parents.

The Semban Village is really quite unique the first day we are confronted here with a remarkable experience because it reaches the temperature at night with merciful degrees Celsius, with a minimum temperature of air-conditioners. Water pipe from the hill is ice cold especially early morning.

Although most of the residents have converted to Christianity, there are still villagers, all over the age of 50 years is still rigid with pagan beliefs, believing signals by animals and natural elements to continue their daily lives.

To be continue..Day one (parts 2).

Introduction-Trip to Semban Village.

Technorati Tags: Jungle Trekking

 

Group photo : Person with red cap is me with Mr Deckson (black cap) Tourist Coordinator from

Sarawak Tourism Board ,Mr Sagen Aden (yellow shirt) local eco-guide from Semban Vilage and one and only lady is Jawlinda Sanggin.I and Jawlinda is from SARAWAK BLOGGERS community .

The village is inaccessible to any mode of land or river transport.The fastest way to go there is by helicopter (Rm3500 per hr).The only way is a walk from Bengoh Dam  and a walk to the village for instance take 5 to 6 hours for person like myself,Deckson and Jawlinda but for Sagen (the local villagers) can go as fast as 3 to 4 hours.Many may have seen this village in a newspaper and film but not many have been to the village.

To view more photos and read about my beautiful experience and adventures see Part 1 ..very soon.

The blue hill or mountain (background) is our destination.Reading from GPS is just 6 kilometer and the walking trail (up & down the hill) is more then 12 kilo meter.

Firefly Airline-Media Familiarisation Trip.(Part 1)

Firefly,Your Community Airline and wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines,is inviting me to the launch of  their inaugural flight to Kuala Lumpur International Airport in their newly announced Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The new fleet of Firefly Airline B737-800.

On the 15th of January ,2011 Firefly Airline made a history the firefly's flight number FY602 from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kuching International Airport touch down on time and the traditional aviation welcome the new fleet by spraying the water from the rescue unit water engine.As promise they use the aero bridge for the convenient of the passengers.

 

My media pass and the photograph of coming guest from Kuala Lumpur been greet by traditional dance of Sarawak.

The best is as a blogger and freelance photographer .A very big Thank You to firefly's for inviting me to be part of this great event.

Passengers to Kuala Lumpur at departure hall and on board the B737-800 fleet.

The flight crew of firefly's........

I'm one of the first guest that flew from Kuching to KLIA with the new fleet B737-800 and if you guys want to go to Kuala Lumpur with lower fare just log on to firefly's website    F I R E F L Y    Airline   .

This is part 1 of my blogging about my FAM Trip with firefly's and InsyAllah will continue part 2 in few days time.

Cheers and Thanks. 

AFF Suzuki Cup 2010.

Although successful in revenge against Malaysia at home but Indonesia collapsed in all their struggles to win the championship at the Bung Karno  Stadium .Malaysia or better know as Harimau Malaya (Malayan Tiger) are playing in a good formation and spirit to ensure that the AFF Suzuki Cup residing in Malaysia.Although we lost 2-1 to-night in the hand of Indonesia,but we beat them 4-2 on aggregate.Cheers of more than 70 thousand people of Indonesia could not dampen our spirit

Although there is a cynical tone that says that no state football squad will have an easy passage for the healer, shaman, medicine man and the paranormal Indonesia has deployed  at Bung Karno Stadium, but the mental strength of stronger players to deflect all the speculation. Now all the waiting has ended. AFF Cup has become ours. Young people of Malaysia has shown that the country also has a great football talent that can compete with other teams in Southeast Asia.

CONGRATULATION to MALAYSIA..........:)

Season Greeting- Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas,Happy New Year & Happy Holiday.......

Last night after sending off my daughter to the airport and on my way home I detour my way to the spring shopping mall.There is a Christmas celebration of countdown concert and fireworks display.I know the parking was congested at the mall.

So it is best for me to park my car to the place about 500 meter from the mall and the crossing bridge near to the Federal complex is my view point.

 

 

Taking  a picture of fireworks display is not as easy as it seems.Last night playing safe I prefer set my DSLR to scene mode 'fireworks'.

I'm still an amateur and of course intermediate to PRO is concerned with many other various aspects such as focus and lighting ...

Merry Christmas..everyone & Happy Holiday.

OKU (Orang Kurang Upaya) or Disabled Person in Malaysia.

It’s getting harder and harder to be a disabled person in Malaysia these days when employers don’t want to hire you because you are handicapped or you just can’t get out of the house because of the lack of public transport and accessibility.But not to Awang (Picture below),he is a registered disabled person in Malaysia.He registered him self at Jabatan Kebajikan (ministry of welfare) and was given a OKU card.

This afternoon I bought a few packets of dried sweet fish crackers from Awang  and when he saw with camera he ask me to photograph him.He also talk to me and say I cannot see any reason why my disability cannot do business here and I'm not a beggar .He ask me to speak to the local authority (City Council) not to chase him away for doing business at footway.

ID card from Malaysian Government  for disable person.

World Walking Day 2010@ Kuching Waterfront.

Kuching celebrates World Walking Day.
Thousands of peoples join the first celebration of world walking Day in Kuching .

Kuching beautiful people come as early as 5:30 am to register them self to participate in the event , as promise they give away free green colour t-shirt .

This morning I participate in the event Nestle World Walking Day.I carry my camera with me & photographing the event.

 

The weather is beautiful & every one is wearing green T-shirt .

 

The young one ........

All of us have heard  the phrase "Let us go for walk" it can do wonders for our bodies and  our relationships with people we love.Sometime event like this we meet new friends.

Our beautiful auntie and uncle....

The twin with their parent join the walk......

Everywhere is green...Do you know that each of the colours has the power to evoke certain psychological and emotional temperaments within you.

Starting point....all the green are ready :)

 

Beautiful people....The green special vibration and characteristic is relaxes and energises the heart centre.

Beautiful city of Kuching and beautiful people of Kuching.......

They say green is excellent for cooling heated emotion and fever.

Kuching peoples are very discipline people...line up "Q" for free breakfast and free goodies by Nestle.They give me free coffee & chocalate drink.

Every one & some with family members are having great fun at the events.

Perhaps next year 'World Walking Day' is wearing white T-shirt.

 

There is nothing better to look forward to at the end of walking then the lovely green milo van.

The van serving its popular chocalate drink at the World walking day.

They say the event will be held annually starting this year 2010 till we meet again next year ,INSYALLAH.