“The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them”
– British novelist and teacher, Amelia E. Barr
Adventuring into the great interiors of Sarawak is not for the faint hearted. My recent trip to Baram was a truly humbling and eye-opening experience.
I had the honour of joining Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) together with other fellow journalists for their media familiarisation trip to the PETRONAS Penan Pre-School Project.
Under the Program Pendidikan Komuniti Anak-anak Penan PETRONAS (PPKAP), there are five pre-schools namely in Long Kawa, Long Jenalong, Long Leng, Long Kerangan, and Ba’Selulong.
For this trip, we visited the pre-school in Long Jenalong and Long Kerangan with one night stay at a homestay in Long Bedian.
The journey from Miri to Long Jenalong took approximately three hours through thick jungles and rugged terrains.
It was my first time travelling by road into the rural areas and the word nervous does not even begin to describe how I was feeling.
In comparison to my previous trips to the rural areas, I had the luxury of travelling by helicopter, so I do not have any prior experience of off-roading.
One of the reasons why I was nervous about the journey is the fact that it has only been 10 months since my herniated slipped disc surgery.
Among the instructions and reminders that my orthopaedic doctor, Dr Azani imparted to me was that I should not go for long road trips, let alone off-roading.
Of course, I do not want to have a relapse, but I argued that such an opportunity to venture into this part of Sarawak does not come often.
When it comes to planning and daydreaming about going on holiday, places like Maldives, Bali, and London would come to mind.
I am sure that it does not cross anyone’s mind to plan a holiday to places like Long Lama, Long Jenalong, or Long Bedian.
We were in a convoy of four Toyota Hilux vehicles passing through logging roads, climbing up and going down the rugged terrains surrounded by lush rainforests.
Last week’s weather was good with plenty of sunshine, so the conditions of the logging roads were dry.
However, some parts of the journey were very bumpy, and I remember clinging to the car’s grab handle for dear life as I braced myself for the severe turbulence.
I also remember being awoken from my nap because the road condition was so terrible that the bumpiness sent me flying mid-air from the seat – thankfully I had my seatbelt on despite lying down in the back passenger seats.
Throughout the journey, I was very impressed by Uncle Chan’s (our driver) driving skills and I also became acquainted with the other three drivers.
They navigated the logging roads seamlessly without the assistance or use of GoogleMaps or Waze.
Along the way, Uncle Chan would answer questions that I have and share about his experience being an off-roading driver for more than 30 years.
Upon arrival at our destination, we had the pleasure of interacting with the local Penan community who welcomed us with open arms.
One of my favourite highlights of the trip was handicraft shopping!
I know the common perception of the public is that there is nothing to buy or shop for when you visit rural areas, but this is far from the truth.
When I saw the display of rattan and plastic woven baskets of all sizes, colours and designs at Tadika SeDidik Long Kerangan, it was like coming across a pot of gold.
The lovely Penan ladies who handcrafted these beautiful pieces were particularly excited to see us.
I lost self-control and bought over RM400 worth of handicrafts without thinking about how I am going to bring these back to Kuching and who I will give them to.
Mind you, the price ranges from RM10 to RM25 for small and medium sized plastic woven baskets whereas rattan woven baskets range from RM50 to RM80.
It is definitely a good bargain compared to buying from places in the city centre where they would mark up the price by double or triple.
I think it is equally important to point out that one should not haggle when buying these handicrafts from the local community.
Unfortunately, some of the Penan community is still categorised as economically underprivileged.
While my handicraft shopping spree may not have a significant impact that could trigger a ripple effect, I do hope that it somewhat contributed to the ladies and their respective families in some ways.
Despite the language barriers, I managed to have small talks with the Penan ladies who shared about how they learned to make these handicrafts.
To keep themselves occupied and to pass their time, they would make handicrafts.
They also told me they never go out of their village to go to the nearest town or city, hence they have large stocks of handicrafts available which they keep with hopes that there will be visitors coming to visit.
Therefore, if you get the opportunity to visit the rural areas, carry cash and prepare a dedicated luggage to bring these handicrafts back home.
Remember that not everyone is as fortunate as you are, so do your very best to bring cheer and joy to others.
