Paddlelution?

Mr Dennis Van Eijsden, journalist from Travelution magazine, Netherland, was in town and was assisted by Sarawak Tourism Board (who contacted us) in planning his visit around Kuching for his write-up and photo shoot session. Thanks to STB (thank you Gracie!), our rainforest kayaking adventure was part of the activities planned for him on the 26th September 2007.

With so many things to see and do in such a short stay here, Azmi and Dennis paddled non-stop from Bengoh to Kg Semadang in record time where he was immediately picked up for what was planned for him next - a home stay at Anah Rais longhouse. Phew! Is this what you call paddlelution? Whatever lah.

Tuesday With Azmi (& Orang Utans!)

"We're Tuesday people." Strangers on land but not on the waters!

Isabelle(7) and Ellanie (10) riding on the same kayak in the care of Azmi
"Without love, we are birds with broken wings."

Yesterday on a fine Tuesday day, Azmi and Juri took care of our guests from Australia (Sharon,Phillip, Ellanie, Isabelle, Idoia & James) and the UK (Persephone and John from London) with a fun filled day of kayaking at Borneo Highlands followed by a visit to the Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to look at the orang utans at feeding time in the afternoon.Human-utans!

"Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long."

Azmi took all the great photos here (and I cleverly arranged them into a montage) and they looked like they had fun and so did the orang utan! It's not exactly "Tuesdays with Morrie" but a day on the waters and later spent in the company of 'monkeys' do offer some lessons on life. Ah, well. Kayaking anyone?Ritchie the BIGGEST orang-utan at the sanctuary - do you wanna argue over that with him?

From Malacca To Kuching

Azmi outnumbered by 3 ladies from Malacca @ Sg Abang put-in, Borneo Highlands

Tan Swee Yin, Ng Moey Yoy and Tan Swee Sim, 3 lovely ladies from Malacca were holidaying in Kuching staying at Carpenter Guesthouse decided to have a bit of adventure here and signed up on our Rainforest Kayaking Adventure trip on Monday, 24th September 2007.

Charlotte Had Fun, YOU Too!

HoSung You from Seoul, South Korea and compatriot Kim were travel marketing consultants who specifically flew in to Kuching just for the day to check out our kayaking trips together with travel consultant Andy from KL. Wow.

You had chanced upon our Kuching Kayak website and this blog and was thrilled that there's more to do in Kuching than the usual boring and stale same-old same-old tourist 'attractions' offered by the local agents here, year in and year out.

Kiwi and Masters student (on nature conservation) Charlotte Fletcher was in town too for the 4th Borneo Tourism Conference 2007 and was staying at Singgahsana Lodge when she spotted our flyer there and being a keen (whitewater) kayaker decide to check us out as well and excitedly rang us the night before to sign up for the trip.

Charlotte Fletcher from Christchurh @ Secret Waterfall, Borneo Highlands

So on Saturday morning we disembark at Sg Abang, Bengoh but unfortunately Andy's frozen shoulder has not healed yet and Kim in his excitement has forgotten to dress for kayaking and decided to sit it out. As such HoSung You decided to only do a short portion of the trip and take-out at Kg Danu so that his fellow travellers would not have to wait too long for him.

Charlotte hanging on and getting wet 0n Sg Sarawak Kiri, Borneo Highlands, 15 September 2007

I carried on with Charlotte after Danu and who throughout and at the end of the trip find the experience to be simply "AWESOME"! HoSung You is of the same opinion and on the 12th of next month would be bringing in a group from Korean; and this time he and Kim would be doing the entire trip. Awesome! Trusting that your Saturday and weekend has been too!

Charlotte had an "awesome" time on 15 September 2007, so did HoSung You!

More Fun Than a Bottle of Scotch?

Errol Ross, James Newman, Johnny Lawson & Azmi @ Secret Waterfall, Borneo Highlands 3rd September 2007

It had been raining almost the entire night before and the rain just managed to ease briefly when Azmi set off for Borneo Highlands on Monday morning with the 3 Scottish Errol, James and Johnny, who signed up for the Kuching Rainforest Kayaking Trip, whose spirits were not dampened in the least. Perhaps they had downed some good scotch spirits the night before?

Getting high up on a vine instead of a bottle of scotch!
Photo by Azmi

Just take a look at the photographs of the splashing fun they had on a wet Monday! Sure beats sitting inside an office like I did. Darn!

Soaking Scottish @ Sg Sarawak Kiri!
Photo by Azmi

Showing Shaun

Group photo at the put-in @ Sg Abang. Notice how the first timers do not like to get their feet wet!
From left - FH2o, Shaun, Mr Sia, Winnie, Roy and Jimmy.

Winnie together with her colleagues Jimmy and Roy from Pearl Holidays in West Malaysia are checking out the attractions of Kuching with Mr Sia, the ever affable Managing Director of local travel agency, Pin Sing Travel who promptly suggested that they get their feet wet by taking our rainforest kayaking trip on Sunday morning as one of the “must-do” adventure activity while visiting Kuching. Mr. Sia having been ‘baptised’ on earlier trips with us; is now quite an ‘expert’ paddler and wants to try all our other trips!

Shaun picks up a fig from the river and wants to eat it! (It's edible lah!)An unforgettable experience for Shaun and Winnie on Sg Sarawak Kiri, 2 September 2007

Winnie’s plucky eight years old son who tagged along was all excited and eager to get onboard the kayak with me even though it was going to be a short ‘sampler’ trip from Bengoh to Kg Danu. Except for Mr. Sia, this was their first kayaking experience ever and though they did not know what to expect; they were unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised at what a wonderful experience it was to be floating through the beautiful rainforests of Sarawak. And they as seasoned travel agents thought that they “had been and done it all already”. Well.

Roy & Jimmy - "Beats seating on a tour bus anytime!"

Winnie, Shaun, MM and NN had a great time and the experience now to show and share with the future guests of Pearl Holiday (M) Travel & Tour Sdn Bhd a wonderful kayaking adventure through the Sarawak rainforests in Kuching. They even asked me to issue them a certificate for having ‘conquered’ Sg Sarawak Kiri! Hmm.

Team 'Pin Sing' and team 'Pearl Holidays' teams up on Sg Sarawak Kiri, Borneo Highlands