Wild Borneo: Sabah

The Dews are freshly back from a week spent in Sabah, and our heads are still attached! We survived a visit to the headhunters' village, saw wild animals, climbed (part of) a mountain, and soaked up the beach sun.

Our adventure began in style with three nights at the luxurious Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort. My kids happily lived these days boogie boarding, flying down the waterslide, finding hermit crabs, and cooling off at the kids' club. Adam and I enjoyed a dinner sans kids, a leisurely bike ride to a water village, and even a deluxe spa treatment involving mud, steam, bubbles, and massage.

We also enjoyed a visit to the onsite Nature Reserve and its rehabilitation program for rescued orangutans. For one hour, we watched from a viewing platform as two toddler orangutans swung from the jungle canopy all around us. I marveled at their agility and commend the resort for its efforts to preserve this beautiful, endangered species.

Moving on from here, we checked in for three nights at the centrally located Kinabalu Daya Hotel in Kota Kinabalu. We shared a family room, which was quite comfortable with one king and two twin beds. The first day, we walked a short distance to Jesselton Pier and caught a speedboat to Mamutik, one of a group of islands comprising the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Mamutik is a popular spot for snorkeling and beach lounging, and we were lucky to spot quite a few anemones among the coral reefs! Later, we enjoyed dinner with some friends that recently moved to KK and had a wonderful time catching up on life.

The next morning, we hopped in a taxi and visited the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. Arriving at feeding time, the animals (especially the sun bears and Asian elephants) were quite playful!

After an afternoon siesta in our room, we enjoyed a night-time visit to the Mari Mari Cultural Village. Here, we donned mosquito repellant and were taken to visit the longhouses of five different tribes, learning about their culture and traditions from our guide and through hands-on activities. Stilted above ground to avoid flooding and provide protection, longhouses are made of bamboo and have windows for air circulation. Daughters sleep in an upstairs room (with ladder removed), men and boys on the floor below to protect them, parents and grandparents in separate side rooms. We watched as fire was started without matches, saw how vests are made from tree bark, and observed the clothing styles and skilled arts/crafts of various tribes. We drank homemade rice wine and honey, sampled bamboo cooking, and even got henna tattoos.

Prior to visiting the last tribe, we were asked to chose a leader. Mark volunteered for the important job of requesting permission to enter. By placing hands on the chief's shoulders, we were allowed entry into their village, and thankfully, were allowed to keep our heads! (On a side note, headhunting is no longer practiced among tribes and was reserved for tribal enemies or those caught stealing. It was abolished years ago, as such practices are not popular with the tourist industry.) 

We got to try out our skills with a blowpipe (I'm pretty terrible!), and then we were invited to jump on a special trampoline they use during important ceremonies. Our exciting evening ended in a cultural dance performance and plentiful buffet dinner. I would highly recommend a visit to Mari Mari (meaning "come" in Malay) to any visitor to KK; it was a true highlight of our trip to Sabah!

Moving on, I was determined to see the famed Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in SE Asia. We rented a car and drove to the base of the mountain where we spent our last two nights. We took a beautiful (and exhausting) hike in the national park and also visited the lovely Sabah Tea Garden, enjoying a tour of the organic tea farm. We also visited the Kundasang War Memorial, a touching reminder of over 2,000 Australian, British, and local Sabahans that lost their lives in Borneo during WWII.

On the way back to the airport, despite the fact that we were all wearing flip flops, we stopped at the Rafflesia Information Center. Here we hired a guide that took us on a short but muddy 5-minute trek through the forest to view the world's biggest flower. The one we saw was only 15" in diameter, but it was so very cool to see one!!

A few fun facts about Sabah:
* Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the island of Borneo. Its capital is Kota Kinabalu and its population is made up of 32 ethnic communities. It is an ideal destination for eco-adventures such as diving, river cruising, mountain-climbing, white-water rafting, and caving.
* The very first "Survivor" was filmed at Pulua Tiga, an island off the northwest coast. 16 Americans were dropped here to live (with very few resources and lots of camera crews) for 39 days, with 1 million dollars to the last "survivor" not "voted off the island".
* Mount Kinabalu (4,095.2 m) is the highest peak in SE Asia. While we were here, the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon welcomed hundreds of trekkers to its picturesque, moonscape peak.
* Because of their endangered status (due to deforestation and hunting), orangutans (from the Malay words "orang" (person) and "hutan" (jungle)) now only live in the wild on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
* The world's largest flower, the rafflesia, is actually a parasite that has no stems, leaves, or true roots. It blooms for only a few days and can be found (if you're lucky) in the rainforests of Borneo. Nicknamed the "corpse flower", it looks and smells like rotten flesh.

Paradise in Perhentian

Over Hari Raya weekend, we jumped in our car and drove across the country (literally!) to the east coast of Malaysia. Our destination was a beautiful tropical island called Perhentian Besar (meaning "big"). What a jewel we found!

The journey was an adventure itself, a lovely 6-hour drive past rice paddies and over windy, mountain roads leading across the central range. As it was a national holiday, there were no food stalls open and petrol stations were our only rest options, but I enjoyed watching the locals dressed up for prayers in their brightly-colored clothing. As for wildlife, I spotted a tapir, but wasn't lucky enough to see an elephant this time.

We arrived at the jetty and parked our car just in time to catch the 30-minute speedboat ride to the island. Upon arrival, we were greeted with lemonade and cool towels and given keys to our rooms: two adjacent bungalows with large porches overlooking a stream. No Wifi or TVs available here (though being resourceful parents, we brought Ipads for kids' downtime). Adam and I enjoyed the serenity as we sipped our brought wine, surrounded by the beauty of nature. We also saw fruit bats and monitor lizards, heard tropical birds, and watched coconuts fall.

Of course, that's not why we came to this island. Authentic tropical paradise abounds, and here, it's all about the ocean! Crystal-clear water, unspoiled coral reefs, and hundreds of tropical fish were in our "temporary backyard". What fun we had exploring the underwater world! The amazing variety of sea life was astounding; we saw black-tipped reef sharks, stingrays, and even a green sea turtle.

The Perhentian Island Resort where we stayed is fronted by the best beach I've ever seen, and certainly the best on this island. The water clarity and sugar-fine sand was phenomenal, and coral reefs were literally right in front of the hotel. I would definitely recommend the location! As for room facilities, they were comfortable enough, though better and cheaper food can be found at the adjacent Coral View Resort.

 
This was the best tropical escape we've experienced thus far; paradise really is out there! I think I am finally done peeling on the back of my legs from our long days spent snorkeling but it was totally worth it. Abby even found Nemo, but his picture is blurry!  =)

 

Back in the USA!

After two years living in Asia, it was definitely time to go back home and reconnect with family and friends. For a little over three weeks, we enjoyed comfort foods like Tex-Mex, barbeque, donuts, and Bluebell ice cream, and we laughed and soaked up simple pleasures, like playing in the backyard, tossing balls to the dogs, and watching the kids run through sprinklers.

We began our trip with a short but fun holiday in Los Angeles. After a very long day traveling across the world, we arrived (on the same day) at LAX and headed to lunch at an American classic, In-n-Out Burger! We then visited the famous La Brea tar pits and museum. Here, thousands of long-extinct animals have been found perfectly preserved in the sticky tar "grave". I remember going here as a kid with my geologist dad (still very cool)!

Our Santa Monica hotel was right across from the famous Pier and a short walk to the 3rd Street Promenade. We checked in, enjoyed an early Mexican dinner, then fell exhausted into jetlagged sleep. 13 hours later we emerged well rested and adjusted to the new time zone. =) We spent this first day appreciating art at the beautiful Getty Center. This limestone and glass complex is an architectural gem perched at the top of a hill overlooking Beverly Hills and boasts amazing gardens and an international collection of masterpieces by artists such as Renoir and Van Gogh. I was pleasantly surprised at how much my kids also enjoyed the exhibits, and the tram ride up the hill was a bonus!

Afterwards, we drove along the famous Mulholland Drive and gawked at the mansions of Hollywood’s rich and famous. The next day we spent playing at Pacific Park, the famous amusement park on the Santa Monica Pier.  We ate corn dogs and rode coasters and bumper cars, then wandered over to “Muscle Beach”, a playground/gym/showcase for the VERY fit of America. Plenty of eye candy, and the kids enjoyed swinging from the rings and bars! That night, we found some stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

I spent our next three days in Austin visiting friends; too bad Adam had to work those days! Highlights included Tex-Mex at Hula Hut (“chile rellenos, how I’ve missed you!”), rock climbing at Main Event, swimming with friends, and hosting a street party of old neighbors. Then it was off to Fort Worth to see family!

Over Fourth of July, we stayed two nights with my parents and sister’s family at the Great Wolf Lodge. What wonderful times we had together: getting soaked in the huge indoor waterpark, watching fireworks, doing Magic Quest, dining together. It was just so much fun!!

Other USA highlights included: discovering LegoLand; feeding the koi fish and perfecting our martial arts skills at the Japanese gardens; gorging on a homemade Mexican feast at Susan’s house; seeing millions of dollars fly past at the Fort Worth Bureau of Engraving and Printing; dropping cash in style at the classy American Girl store in Dallas; trying out a new American trend at a food truck park; dining at home on meals made with love; eating ribs and watching the cattle drive at the Ft. Worth stockyards; learning about aviation at the American Airlines museum; watching Despicable Me 2 with cousins; swimming at Aunt Hannah’s and having a cousin sleepover; shopping and girly time at the Silver Spoon Bakery; shopping without kids (“Target, I know you’ve missed my wallet lately, so I’m making up for it!”); getting high on sugar at Krispy Kreme; “blast”ing it at Sonic; taking guitar lessons with Uncle Matthew; watching Mark and Abby play with Bella (“Oh man, they still want a dog!”)

 

A happy, sad day

My babies are growing up! After more than a decade of mothering, my youngest child started kindergarten this week and my oldest started middle school. Rachel begins her own long journey of formal education, Mark glides on through in the middle, and Abigail begins those infamous "awkward years". As for myself, I look for ways to occupy my hours.

Reflecting on the past decade, I feel so blessed to have been part of my children's lives. They have consumed me, my hours and my emotions, and have filled my days with purpose and love. I have made many mistakes, but we have grown and changed together. They have borne with me, and I with them, through silly, wonderful times and through times when our worst flaws were displayed. As I send them off this year, I feel confident they will develop in character and maturity. They still are glad to call me "mom", and I am certainly their biggest fan!

Many times, I thought this day would never come, moments I spent wondering how I could possibly make it until my husband arrived home to relieve me of my duty. During those long days with three young kids at home, I searched for any excuse to leave the house: the grocery store, the gym, ANYWHERE would do as long as there were other adults. I was wise to schedule at least one daily outting.

But we sure had fun, too! My life as a stay-at-home mom involved lots of playdates and crawling around on floors, chasing toddlers and resolving tiffs while trying to complete a forever-interrupted conversation with a friend. It was a spontaneous and flexible life, though, and I followed where my whims took me. I scheduled trips to the park, the zoo, the ice cream shop, the pool, children's museums, and anywhere with an indoor playscape. We had serious FUN, and there were other adults to talk to. I was limited only by my imagination and naptimes.

Gone now are the days of diapers, goodbye to nursing and snotty noses on my clothes. No more worries about whether my house is baby-proof of small toys, no more cutting up food into bite-size pieces. Good bye to sippy cups and portable snacks and kid CDs in the car. Gone are sweet baby steps and arms wrapped around legs for balance.

Now, it's a game of  balance: homework, extra-curricular activities, dinner, the details of life on the move. My working hours are now before 8:30 and after 3:00 (and all summer long!).

Perhaps I should adopt the delightful Malaysian description for homemaker, "surirumah", meaning queen of the house". Welcome the days of free time and ladies lunches, reading and exercise and the pursuit of hobbies. After so many years of loud, welcome the time for reflection and meditation, the ability to carry a thought to completion. Welcome the wonderful, beautiful sound of silence . . . ah, to breathe and think at last. I soak in the quiet like rays of sunshine!

. . . Wait a minute, perhaps it's a bit too quiet . . . I'm missing my favorite people . . . isn't it 3:00 yet?