19,800 km in the rain!!

We have been forewarned. Fospa mentioned that this 17th trip to Bintulu will be a rainy one coz the end of year rains will be at our back. We left Kuching at 8.45 am today (22/10) in slight rain to start with and as we proceeded on with the 10 hours long journey we encountered more rains as predicted. Geography can be an interesting subject and it's just only talking about the weather. Except for a total brief period of about half an hour, the whole journey was in complete rains - some light, some medium and some *OMG* heavy tropical torrential downpours! At the start of the journey I was screaming and very nervous. In fact fospa checked my heart beat and mentioned to fosma ( yes I heard it) " Inul is nervous and her heart beat is throbbing!". " Oh, don't worry", fospa said "Daisy will be there to comfort her". Mama came to my rescue and after about 30 minutes ( that's a long time she has to endure my behaviour) my nerves seemed to be settled and calmed as she continously groomed me. Mama can be so loving and a true friend. So on with the journey. At the first leg of the journey ( 1st quarter) fospa halted the car at a country side farm near Sri Aman to get a shot of the farmers working their paddy fields. By this month most of Sarawak's subsistence paddy farmers have worked, planted or tended their paddy plots and throughout the journey we could see the paddy plots in various colours to show the various stages of planting work achieved by the farmers. Some plots were really dark green in colour while others brown and black because the owners have just completed burning the bushes and grasses before they start to plant them with this season's new seedlings.

" Planting rice is never fun. Bend from morn till set of sun.

Cannot rise and cannot sit, cannot rest a little bit"- lines from fospa's school song sung about 50 years ago.

Fospa could remember the lines of the song that he learnt from his primary school days about paddy planting which he recited while driving. It is sad that after so long a time ( generations and generations) Sarawak paddy farmers are not exposed to mechanisation. What's this ministry called " Modernisation of Agriculture" doing for the poor farmers? I can't even see a mechanical equipment used in the paddy planting process along the whole stretch of this Borneo Pan Highway. What modernisation? Oh, I could sense fospa's anger and frustration.

Rains at Sarikei, somewhere at middle of the journey.


Nearing Sibu, careful of the pools of water.

More torrential rains fell on us at the 3rd leg of the journey ( nearing Sibu) as per images above.

Finally at around 7.00 pm we arrived Bintulu in light shower and so happy to be back home to where I was born. Mama Daisy was considerate enough to allow me to lay my head on her shoulders. I could then sleep soundly. Mama you're an angel.

Remember me Inul?

Note: Cumulative Distance Travelled = 19,800 km

achieved on this Btu - 17th trip ( 22-10-09)

For more stories about us, please check it out here ~ http://havpawswilltravell.blogspot.com/