Kayaking @ 20.04.08 (Sun)
KAYAKING @ 20.04.08 (Sun) - updated 06.05.08
Sunday was a kayak day for me, Peiling, Cyn, Calvin (Cyn’s bro) & Johnny (Calvin’s friend. I hope I spell his name correctly. Hahaha…)! We made arrangements to meet our guide at 8.30am near 4 1/2 Mile Experts Food Court,where we had our breakfast to fill up our energy. All of us had kolo mee with garlic & a plate of cha kueh (shared). Yum yum yum. After breakfast, saw the Kuching Kayak van arriving. It’s really obvious cause the kayaks were tied up on the top of the van. Unfortunately, we left for Borneo Highlands LATE. Cyn’s bro accidentally left his car keys together while putting the popiah-s they bought for lunch and closed the car door. The moment he said, “Eh, where are my keys?” searching his pockets, the car AUTOLOCKED!!! We kept on peeping in the boot to see whether the keys are really locked inside or not, searching all around the coffee shop in case he drops the keys anyway. In the end, Calvin called his mum to send the spare keys all the way from their home at Kota Samarahan. Calvin is blaming Cyn’s for her popiah-s… Hahaha, blame it all on the popiah-s as the popiah-s can’t talk back. I heard Cyn told me, her mum was sensing maybe it’s a bad omen that kind of thing & suggested we cancel our plan… OMG!!! That’s not going to happen as we planned the trip for quite sometimes already. As we waited & waited patiently, we saw there are another 2 person joining our trip, mother (Adeline) & son (Jason). Really sorry for keeping them waiting. As soon as we saw Cyn’s mum to the rescue is here, we quickly make arrangement with the guide & starts our journey…
Our guide Nor Azmi (@ “Don’t Ask Me”), + 2 helpers are from Kuching Kayak. We followed their van to Kampung Semadang, which is the ending point of our trip. Then, we left our car there & squeezed into their van like sandwich for about another 20 minutes drive to our starting point at Kampung Benguh. When we reached the starting point, 1st thing to do, GO TOILET!!! As we are busy going to the toilet, Azmi & helpers started to unload the kayaks, life jackets, paddles, mineral waters & waterproof bags from the van. After that, APPLY LAYERS OF SUNBLOCK. Then, putting on our LIFE JACKET & we began to make our way down to the river with our kayaks, carrying our kayak along.
Azmi then demonstrated to us on how to paddle, to steer the kayak & giving us some information too, such as people behind will be the coordinator for turning and told us that we’ll be kayaking at Sungai Sarawak Kiri, which is crocodile-free! Hehehe… as we got together to view all these photos, Cyn noticed that I was taking photos during the demonstration session being carry out. “Arh, you are taking photos while the demonstration is going on. Like that you didn’t see the demonstration at all lo? How can like that, Ju?” she said. Well, if I wasn’t taking photos, there wouldn’t be any photos on this already, right? =) OK, we were already busy taking photos the moment we came out of the toilet la… Hahaha!!!
We started our 17km kayak journey around 11.30am. Weather was rather hot in the beginning. Cyn shared a kayak with Azmi, me with Pei Ling, Calvin with Johnny, Adeline with Jason while the other helper kayak solo. Well, at first Calvin want to do solo but changed place to be with Johnny not far from the starting point.
Can see how busy we are with taking photos during the whole journey… Look how amazingly beautiful God’s creation…
When we saw the 1st hanging bridge, it means it’s near to our 1st pit stop, KAMPUNG DANU. OK, me & Pei Ling’s kayak is the last to arrive cause both of us are too busy taking photos along the way… Hahaha!!!
We continue on with our journey after walking around Kampung Danu, listening to Azmi’s briefing & stories, where by pass few years when there is a major flood till the water river covered the hanging bridge. We make our way back to our kayak & proceed to a so call “mini beach” by Cyn, our 2nd pit stop as well as taking our lunch. There are other kayakers stops by the “mini beach” to have their lunch as well. Somehow, they are having a “real” lunch (sitting cross-legged, enjoying their nasi brayani) while we are having “so call break” (only cause we are only eating breads, popiah-s or pau-s).
Towards the ending point, can’t really show many pictures cause the digicam I used, THE BATTERY IS LOW!!! I have to snapshot 1-2 photos on & off. This is the time where Cyn has to be more active in taking over the role. Along the way, where by we got to talk to Azmi (vice versa) more, he became naughtier. Naughty naughty naughty… He saw us (me & Pei Ling) still so dry & he “created” rain for the both of us (he scooped the river water & splashed on us)!!! Hohoho, pity us… Pei Ling complained about Cyn being dry and Azmi splashed water on her even though she’s his kayakmate! Hahaha… The weather was unpredictable as it rained for a while and then it was sunny, and rained some more, and became sunny again.
We went through shallow water with many stones, rapids, splashed water on other kayakers & going into a “small cave”. Other enjoyable incidents include Calvin & Johnny as well as Adeline & Jason’s kayaks capsize, watching Johnny’s slipper drifting further and further away, and getting stuck where the river is really shallow.
Our ending point is at Kampung Semadang. From a far, we could see a hanging bridge. Hmmm, since our trip going to end soon, Calvin suggested a challenge to Pei Ling. “Who ever pass the hanging bridge win, loser will have to spend the other party Pizza Hut…” Hohoho… Guess who win in the end? Answer: Our ending point is before the hanging bridge. Nevertheless, me & Pei Ling touched the ending point first of course. Where as Calvin & Johnny don’t know drift till where… Hahaha, have to pull their kayak towards the ending point (the water is quite shallow, around knee level). When Cyn knew about our challenge, she teased Calvin “People kayak till so stable, never capsize nor stuck. You still dare to challenge them, really don’t know own level.”
OK la, Calvin kept his promise. We managed to have our Italiano Pizza @ Pizza Hut in the end & here’s the prove…
The trip was really an enjoyable one & I’m glad I made the right decision on going (though there are really major things happening in my working life that period of time). A break would be really what I need most, I think. Really an unforgettable experience kayaking along the river watching the nature of God’s creation… Hope we are able to go for the higher level one, with more rapids, next time…Would like to apologize (to those who have been patiently waiting for me to write & upload on this event) cause been kind of busy with work lately & that’s why upload this event a bit late…Thank you for your kind patient & hope you all enjoy reading it!!!
(See pictures below taken by Cyn & Pei Ling as well as pictures uploaded on www.kuchingkayak.com taken with Azmi’s camera ) OK, I’m doing promotion for Kuching Kayak in my blog. Anyone interested to take up this activity, you can simply go to the website www.kuchingkayak.com, for further enquiries you can just submit via email to them, they’ll be glad to give you further details… Kekeke, I’m going to ask for discount (the next time I’m going again) for helping to promote this activity…
@ pictures courtesy from Pei Ling
@ pictures courtesy from kuchingkayak
