Wild Borneo

THE CANADIANS, THE BEATLES AND THE JUNGLE BOYS

2009-01-29T21:18:00.003+08:00

They came back to see the difference they had made. They came with cameras in the early 1960s that were still rare in the interior Borneo. These barely 20 years old teachers made the difference and so were those jungle kids in the years to follow. That rare cameras of the old days preserved photographs of people and places that are rare and valuable now. Thanks to the big guy, Llyod Jones. Tell me if you know those in the photographs.

THEY CAME BACK: THE CANADIAN

2009-01-27T22:58:00.004+08:00

If you work in a museum, you never know who will come and bring something old, including memories. In the last few days of 2008 a big and tall man simply walked into my office and introduced himself as Lloyd Jones who hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. I stood there shaking his hands as if struck by lightning and went blank.

This guy brought his memories to my museum. He and a group of Canadian volunteers came to teach in several newly built secondary schools all over Sarawak at the height of the undeclared war with neighboring Indonesia in 1963. He taught until 1965 and came back to teach for a short period in Binatang, now Bintangor.

After an hour or so listening to Mr. Jones and looking at copies of old photographs, I sensed that he felt in love with Sarawak and its people. Like my own Peace Corps teacher, this guy was once a fine teacher who loved the kids and really wanted the kids to succeed in their studies and lives. Mr. Jones was so proud to tell me that some of his students went to universities around the world and some became lawyers, engineers and priest too.

"I LOVE SARAWAK, MALAYSIA, BORNEO"

2009-01-18T13:32:00.006+08:00

He came back again. Prof. Dr. Richard Schtaz, from Whitworth University, Washington State, USA came back to Sarawak. This time for about two weeks. He was a Peace Corp volunteer who taught the first batch of Lawas Secondary School, at the Sabah end of Sarawak from 1966 to 1968. He came back to present his study of rural development and economics base on the case study of his former students at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Malaysia Sarawak on the 15th January. From his study he lauded the Malaysian Goverment for spending huge sum of money to build secondary schools in all the provinces in the early years of independence.

The picture above Prof. Dr. Schtaz, obviously in the centre, are seen with one of his male students of the old school and on the right are the two deans of the faculty.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Vampires #6

2008-12-25T22:40:00.006+08:00

The Sultanate of Sambas

The keraton of Sambas, royal family, continues to preserve its palace and other royal regalia. Sultan Tengah, the first and last sultan of Sarawak, founded the Sambas Sultanate. He was the younger brother of Sultan Jalilul Jabar of Brunei who challenged the throne. To solve his predicament, Sultan Abdul Jalil finally relented and anointed Tengah to be the Sultan of Sarawak, a rich province in the opposite end of Brunei city. Tengah brought with him a thousand followers and upon arriving in Sarawak, now Kuching, built a palace at Sungai Bedil, the present site of the Astana.

Being young and still a bachelor, the adventurous Tengah, sailed off to Johor to see his auntie. During a dance party a misunderstanding occurred and Tengah with his followers sailed home. However the prince encountered devastating storm and found himself in the Sukadana Sultanate, now Ketapang in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They rescued by the sultan and took him to stay at his palace. Tengah made a big impression on the sultan so as to give one of his princesses’ hands for marriage.

After several years in Sukadana, Tengah was assigned to Sambas to be its founding sultan. The royal couple built their palace at the confluence of Sungai Sambas and Sungai….. When their prince, Pengiran Sulaiman reached the mature age of 25 years old, Sultan Tengah felt it was time to go home to Sarawak and sailed with some followers soon after. When they were about to enter the Sarawak River at Santubong, Sultan Tengah wanted to ease himself at Batu Buaya but was attacked and struck by one of his followers at the opportune moment when the sultan had taken off his talismans that gave his invincibility. Subsequently the people of Sarawak, led by Datu Patinggi and Datu Bandar, managed to get the royal body and gave him a proper burial at the foot of the legendary Mount Santubong which was a thriving port-city from the 7^th to the 10^th centuries.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Vampires #5

2008-12-12T14:59:00.003+08:00

Who is this man? Any resemblance of Mr. Dracula in Pontianak, the City of Vampires? I think there is. This painting is found inside the centre of the earth, the Equator Monument.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Draculas #4

2008-12-09T23:14:00.006+08:00

In Search of Dracula of Bornneo

26 November 2008

Drs. Lisyawati hosted us a dinner of Tom Yam river prawn. What a surprise in the City of Dracula, you could find Thai food. It only proves that this Thai food is a global dish; several years ago I found many Thai restaurants in Paris and I orderd this “the hotter the better” soup.

After dinner everybody disappeared into their rooms. The new Orchardz Hotel provided satelite TV programmes, mostly Indonesian and free wifi access to Internet that I did not really expect to find in the jungle of Borneo. I got carried away surfing the internet and went to bed late.

The alarm in mobile phone failed; most probably I forgot to reset it. Somehow I woke up this in time for a quick breakfast and discovered the rest of members of the expedition were waiting for me. We checked out from the hotel and speeded off to Sambas, the furthest kingdom.

I joined Drs. Lisyawati and two of her staff in a 4-wheek Toyota Terrano while my others were in Ford Econovan. It was going to be a 6-hour drive and we planned to reach the old Kingdom of Sambas in the early afternoon. Pontianak, the City of Dracula, was already in the early morning traffic chaos of cars and motorcyles, like the small Honda Cubs. Not traffic rules here, it was the rule of the horns creating a cacophonous adn rioutous street scenes.

The only road to the kingdom of Sambas was not too bad; narrow and in several stretches there were potholes. Electricity line runs parrellel to the road. In fact the road runs along the coastline and tidal peat swamp almost all the way but there are endless row of villages of tiny houses. The swamp is ubiquitous and I felt it is drowning the life of the people. So not football fields or playgrounds to be found instead there are wet paddy fields. I felt sorry for the kids and young people.

After about an hour drive I lost sight of the van behind. Somehow Abdul Halim’s mobile phones sudenly worked; since our arrival our mobile phones failed to work despite having roaming capabilities. I told Abdul Halim our plan was meet in Sambas town for lunch and not to be tempted to stop at Mempawah, Singkawang and Pemangkat along the way.

We drove to the palace of the Kingdom of Sambas, a sultanate founded by the Sultan Tengah of Sarawak in the middle of the 17th century. It thrived to become one of the more important kingdoms in Borneo and to the Malays of Sarawak it ranked second only to Brunei. Except of some parts, the wooden palace is still in good condition situated at the confluence of Sambas and Spanduk Rivers. With many legends and the myth of a husband and a wife cannons that bore seven baby cannons it has been a very popular tourist attraction. Unlike in the palace and holy grave in Pontianak, here in Sambas there was no beggars.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Draculas #3

2008-12-04T06:38:00.002+08:00

Pontianak: The City of Dracula

In Pontianak, the capital of Kalimantan Barat/West Borneo, we stayed at the new Orchardz Hotel on the Gajah Mada Road. On the 25th November we made a courtesy call on the Director of Balai Sejarah dan Kebudayaan, Mrs. Lisyawati, who carries research on history and culture of the province. The city of dracula today is a big sprawling third world urban landscape consisting of the old town and the new town of 1 million people.

Later in the morning, with an officer from our Indonesian counterpart as our guide, we went to the palace of the former sultan of the Al-Qadri Dynasty across the Kapuas River, the longest river in Borneo. The dynasty started in early 18th century with Sultan Hamid after he succeeded in defeating draculas in the areas as the name Pontianak attests. The dynasty ended when the Japanese massacred all West Borneo's royal familes and 21,000 others during the Second World War.

The palace of the sultans was made of hard Borneoan wood called belian is still standing and is a very popular tourist attraction.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Draculas

2008-11-25T23:49:00.002+08:00

I found a free wireless internet in Hotel Orchardz in the City of Draculas.

We left Kuching at 7.30 am for Pontianak but stopped at Serian to refill the tank with more diesel. We reached the border post at Tebedu and Entikong at 1030 am for immigration and vehicle checks. Thanks to letters from our counterparts we had no problems at all. There were many changers hanging around the border post and some of us changed for rupiahs.

With the border formalities done, I thought we would have more pleasant journey. There were houses on the sides of the road, decent houses and good but narrow road. After reaching the Sanggau junction trouble began. Amin, our driver was not sure which way to turn and had to ask a small boy for direction. After an hour trouble began when we entered a dirt, rocky and rough road. It was very bumpy road and later after asking a passerby we were going to have hell for 3 hours. Rough, rocky and lonely road in the middle to thick and swampy rainforest jungle.

Kalimantan Barat Expedition: In Search of Lost Kingdoms of Draculas #1

2008-11-22T21:25:00.006+08:00

I am organizing an expedition to Kalimantan Barat/West Borneo in collaboration with friend from there. The capital city of Kalimantan Barat is Pontianak that literally means DRACULA. A legend tells of a forest full of pontianak/draculas that terrorized the people in the villages nearby. The forest was pacified by the arrival of a holy man from Hadramaut, now in Yemen, from the family of al-Qadri. My expedition maybe be called In Search of the Lost Kingdoms of Draculas!

The past weeks I have been preparing another expedition to Kalimantan Barat, western Borneo. I can't call this one trekking because four friends and I will be driven in a van, Ford Econovan. We had a meeting last Thurday to work out shorter and safer route from Kuching. The plan is to go to the past in search of old Malay kingdoms in western Borneo such as Sambas, Mempawah, Landak, Pontianak, Montrado, Kubu and may be others.

This expedition to the past will be joined by Professor Abdul Halim Ali from University Malaysia Sarawak; Raslie Sahran, a cultural activist; Aswandi and Awang Abdullah from the Sarawak Museum. Later Antoni and Hasyim from the West Kalimantan Museum will be our local facilitators.

In the meeting we studied several maps from various sources including from Google, Lonely Planet, West Kalimantan Tourist Office and Sarawak Tourism Board. As I lost my Nikon Coolpix camera, the others will bring their compact cameras such as Sony Cybershot and Cannon. Other important tools are our mobile phones; I have a Nokia and Blackberry Curve with GPS capabilities. A laptop too to store videos and pictures from the compact cameras will be essential. And do not forget to bring medicines and vitamins and a torch light with Everyday batteries. Here we go; we will leave at 7.00 am on the 24th, Monday.

This expedition maybe more expensive as we will be staying hotels and lodging houses. The old kingdoms have been replaced by human settlements. What they are like today will be reported in this blog when we come back in a week time. Cheerio...

Tattoo For Your Hands: Exotic Design For New Fashion Trend Pt.3

2008-09-10T08:39:00.003+08:00

This is the final part on tattoo for your hands showing the mystical motifs and designs created by the indigenous Dayaks of Borneo. It illustrates the upper and lower hand that will completely cover your hands and make them real cool and fashionable. Something unique and mystical to show of when you shake hands with other people. You can add rings with large gems for your fingers, be it diamond, gold, ruby or American diamonds.

World Eco-Fibre & Textile Forum 2008

2008-09-08T09:34:00.001+08:00

New Book

2008-09-01T14:27:00.005+08:00

This book covers constitutional history and discusses the Federal system of Government under the Constitution involving, inter alia, the distribution of Legislative and Execuitive powers, the rights and responsibilities of Federal and State Governments, the sharing of revenues and financial burdens and functions between the Federal Government and the States, the special protection for Sabah and Sarawak and the amendments.

The book is published 45 years after the formation of Malaysia at a time when it is so vital to carefully reflect on how this nation is moulded by the many historical events and challenges ... that preceded its birth, and by a Constitution so carefully and skillfully crafted to provide for the emergence of a strong, stable and functional Federal system of Government best suited for a multi-racial society.

It is published by Sweet and Maxwell Asia, a division of Thomson, Kuala Lumpur and launched on 29 August 2008 in Kuching, Sarawak. The book would be of interest to political leaders and administrators involved in the management of Federal-State relationships, judicial officers, legal practitioners, politicians as well as teachers and students of laws, history, politics and government.

Borneo Book Specialist

2008-08-19T21:29:00.004+08:00

Mohamed Yahia & Sons has been a Borneo book specialist for over 30 years. It is going to the internet to market his books so that new and old customers can have access to the latest books on Borneo anywhere and anytime. At the same time anyone, anywhere and anytime can also promote their books on Borneo. It sells and buys any book on Borneo. It is conveniently located in Holiday Inn Hotel Kuching and can be reached by its website at http://mohdyahiasons.googlepages.com; telephone +6082 416928.

This company is also a licensed Money Changer that accepts major currencies and travellers' cheque.

THEY CAME BACK: THE GREAT GRAND NEPHEW OF BROOKE

2008-08-17T12:29:00.005+08:00

This is Jason Brooke and a friend who came to say hello to Sarawak and I. Jason is the grandson of Anthony Brooke, so he is great grandnephew of Sir Vyner Brooke, the last white rajahs of Sarawak. This was his first trip to the former kingdom of his ancestors and was so happy to be able to see the people and the state in person after hearing and reading so much about them.

He was here for three weeks and managed to visit Simanggang the only royal district as Charles Brooke had his stint here for 10 years in the early 19th century. Later he visited Betong near by and Kapit in the Rejang.

If you have been following my postings, history of Sarawak is alive and kicking. Please give me hints and get your camera, or get your ticket an travel by Malaysia Airlines or Air Asia.

THE HUSTLERS IN THE HEADHUNTERS' TRAIL: MORE PICTURES

2008-08-14T00:18:00.004+08:00

The Hustlers are really an adventurous family. Here they were crossing a rope bridge over prestine clear water of a river. The family had a great vacation travelling in Malaysia Airlines, cheap Air Asia and of course on foot in the rainforest jungle. Their advise is to travel light. They were also lucky this teacher and university professor has many students and friends around the world.

THE HUSTLERS IN THE HEADHUNTERS' TRAIL

2008-08-05T23:10:00.003+08:00

My VSO teacher, David Hustler, came back after 40 years with a wife and a son. One of the place they visited was the headhunters' trail, far in the interior of the rainforest connecting the ulu Limbang and Baram. The Kayans in the past crossed over from the Baram River to the Limbang River making headhunting raids. The route was then called Penarikan, from the Malay word tarik, to pull; in this case they pulled or rather dragged their longboats over the watershed. Here they have reached a longhouse along the way.

RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2008 #3: HIGH ON MUSIC, MUD, BEER AND THE JUNGLE

2008-07-19T12:35:00.001+08:00

RWMF2008; WILD WITH MUSIC, MUD, BEERS AND THE JUNGLE

2008-07-19T12:09:00.001+08:00

RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL #2: HIGH ON MUSIC, BEER AND TUAK

2008-07-19T09:31:00.004+08:00

This image is blurred by too much beer...
Why RWMF is so hot? I think it has some potent elements of mystical tribal rituals and the modern culture of wild parties. Even more tantalizing when performed at the foothill of Princess Santubong Moutain. Thousands from all over the world come here on an annual pilgrimage to worship the beautiful and powerful princess in the middle of a virgin forest, in the middle of the dark night with real thunder storm and rain and later bath themselves with the purifying mud ...and drunken with music, beer and tuak.

RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL: WOODSTOCK OF ASIA

2008-07-19T00:07:00.003+08:00

RWMF, the famous acronym for Rainforest World Musice Festival, aptly began its 11 edition on the 11th July 2008. 11 years ago, a Canadian musician, I now only remember as Randy, chatted with me on his idea of world music festival. Later I hosted his talk at the Sarawak Museum where he sold the idea by playing several Borneoan traditional musical instruments in either a western country styles or pop rock tempo. He came back last year but I missed him and the show.

The local media rated this year festival as the best. The number of audience too is higher coming from all over the world. The hotels and flights were full, especially the Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia.

Its success may also becomes its downfall. The officials want more tourists, a bigger crowd and that means the present site at the foot of the legendary Santubong Moutain, that creates an outstanding ambience and setting, will be moved somewhere else. Nonetheless enjoy it will it lasts, it seems nothing is permanent. So get your cameras and videos to preserve the great show.

THEY CAME BACK: THE GREAT GRANDSON OF BROOKE'S ADVERSARY

2008-05-01T04:11:00.003+08:00

This is Zainal bin Latif, the great grandson of Datuk Patinggi Hj. Abdul Gapur. Abdul Gapur was one of Sarawak's earliest nationalist who opposed James Brooke as rajah. Together with Sharip Masahor, fought James Brooke from 1850 to 1860. They were arrested and were banished; Abdul Gapur to Umbai, Melaka while Sharip Masahor to Singapore.

Zainal said his family was only reunited with his relations in Kuching in 2003. One of his daughter was married to one of his distant relative.

Zainal came about a week after a great grandson of Grant, an offficer with James Brooke appeared in Kuching.

EXHUMATION OF BROOKE BROOKE'S WIFE GRAVE

2008-05-01T03:59:00.002+08:00

Grave diggers began their work

THE COOKING MONKEYS: CHEFS FROM THE JUNGLE

2008-04-20T23:51:00.006+08:00

You hope to see many exotic plants when trekking in the virgin rainforest. My fellow travellers and I came across these. At the top is the protected but familiar exotic pitcher plant, in Malay periuk kera - monkey cooking pot! Perhaps not so exotic but more frightening because this plant eat up insects that fall inside it. Carnivorous plant, so be careful. A real big one may swallow big animals. The second photograph is real exotic; real wild orchid and friendly too as it grows near to the ground. The third photograph is a giant fern. I have not seen it before. A real giant and real exotic this one. It is harmless too.

Have a camera will travel really. I brought along the new Nikon Coolpix, very light and easy to use. But there many models in the market to shop for a camera for travels.

SURVIVORS 3: THEY CAME BACK

2008-04-02T10:52:00.005+08:00

David Hustler came back with his wife, Helen and son after 40 years. He came as young British Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) to teach us in 1967. Some of Class 66-68 student came back for the class reunion with him and family in Lawas. Liaw Kah Ho took this and other photographs with is digital camera and emailed them to me. David, now a retired professor in education at the Manchester Metropoliton University, told confessed he was inspired by us to become a professional and trained teacher when he went back to England in early 1968. He has written a number of books on education, simply search him in Google. If Richard Schatz was remembered more for buying horses from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and trekked down to Lawas, might be that he wanted to show off American cowboy spirit, David left his mark by starting the Boy Scout and the first whiteman to reach the top of Mount Hustler just across the school compound.

During the day they were taken to the local market place. Here David savoured the aromatic, delicious and punget durian, the king of tropical fruit. But Helen and his son could not enjoy this bizzare food.

David is a real survivor too like Richard from Whitworth University in Spokane. They still keep in touch. David and his family are spending a few months travelling and touring the world. They flew from London to Singapore by Malaysian Airlines and to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Liaw Kah Ho met him there and took them to Lawas. David and his family later trekked to Mulu National Park from Limbang using the Headhunter Trail in the rainforest. From Mulu they went to Miri, the famous oil town, where Cikgu Ibrahim and Bob took care of them. Later they continued their tour to Bintulu, the gas town and met Alias there. After two days in Bintulu the took Air Asia, low cost airlines, to Kuching. A few of us in Kuching entertained him after David and his family spent a few days in the first national park, the Bako National Park within easy reach from the city of Kuching. They then left for Thailand, Kampuchea and Vietnam. Now maybe their back in Manchester, England. Richard is coming back in May 2008.

CHILDREN OF THE RAINFOREST: A JOURNEY ON THE LEARNING CURVE

2008-03-31T19:59:00.003+08:00

After a lunch of wrapped Bario rice, jungle ferns and sardines at about 12pm we continued with our jungle trekking. It was cool and fresh even in this tropical afternoon. After meeting the young Japanese man with a camera and a young Czech couple, we now met school children, about 15 of them. They were student of the Bario Secondary School, a government boarding school from the children of the rainforest in the middle of Borneo.

Travelling and Trekking in the Rainforest of Borneo: A Young Czech Couple

2008-03-23T09:56:00.003+08:00

At about mid-day of our first day of trekking from Bario to Bakelalan in the middle of Borneo rainforest we met this young Czech couple. Like we did, they also engaged a trained tourist guide. They were well covered with long trousers and real jungle boots. Get the right travel and trekking gears and equipment. Cameras, now very light and user friendly, a handy campanion. As you can see the traditional travel gear and equipment is the staff, or tongkat from cut of a small tree. It was very useful to me either going up or going down steep and slippery slopes that sometime took more than an hour.

GLOBAL TREKKING FRIENDS: A Japanese

2008-03-19T09:49:00.005+08:00

In the rainforest jungle of Borneo I expect to see dracula of the rainforest, the leeches, snakes, hornbills, big trees and exotic plants. I least expected to meet people from other countries except for the strange German guy.
Soon after we started our trekking, an hour of so later we met with this Japanese young man walking alone along the jungle road with the friendly camera. I brought along my Nikon Coolpix camera that can take more than a thousand shots some you could see them here. Preserve and share your memories and sceneries.
This planet of ours is really just one global village. Let us be friends and live in peace.

DRACULA OF THE RAINFOREST

2008-03-08T11:30:00.002+08:00

These se are the draculas of the rainforest, the leeches or pacat. Now you will appreciate our football socks (panty hose is even better). Trekkers cannot escape from these sucking animal, so the next best thing is to prevent them from getting to your skin, especially your legs. The other parts of your body seem to be safe. Short sleeves shirt, t-shirt is okay. In my case, however, it could crawled upto my neck like the real Bulgarian dracula (I have read the bestselling novel, The Historian). The crazy German from Munich wore only shorts and stingy socks. Malaysians even treat the dracula with Dunhill cigarettes, sprinkle the tobacco on the socks and shoes. Who are more crazy in going trekking? Both the German and Malaysians are all crazy. That German guy is Berhard. More crazy things in the next postings.

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TREKKING

2008-02-23T23:22:00.004+08:00

Here were 4 members of Bario-Bakelalan Rainforest Trekking expedition while one was taking the snapshot and another guide has left earlier with our extra luggage.

The white guy is the German fella whose work is jalan kaki, walking/travelling. He has been travelling the past 20 odd years to Asia but many times to Malaysia and Indonesia. He was here last year but this year he plans to challenge of Mt. Murud. He must be a crazy guy with short pants exposing himself to mosquitoes and the leeches, the Dracula of the rainforest. In fact one leeche managed to crawl up my neck and sucked me.

So who were more prepared for the 3-days trekking? The local dressed as if they were going to play football in the jungle and did not look fit as the middle bulges showed. I will tell you more of my adventure in the next posting.

SHARING THE GOOD LINKS

2008-02-23T23:15:00.001+08:00

*Start Copy Here*You do not have to be tagged to play along. This game is simple and so are the rules.
1. Copy from *Start Copy Here* through *End Copy Here*
2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post at each site you add.
3. Tag or don’t tag, your choice, however, the more tags you create the bigger the list will grow.
4. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list. (If you would like a scroll box code, leave me your email address and I will email it to you.) Scroll Box Example. (I decided not to use the box for the Big Bang for ease of copying.)
5. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This process will allow late-comers to get as much link benefit as the first ones in. Once you are on the master list people who have participated earlier will update their bookmarks and help everyone lower than them out on the list.
1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Juliana's Site 3-Rusin Roundup 4-Grow Rich Along With Me 5-Comedy Plus 6-lynda's loft 7-Amel's Realm 8-MAX 9-Speedcat Hollydale 10-Mariuca 11-Complain Complain Complain 12-Mariuca's Perfume Gallery 13-Life Is A Roller Coaster 14-Sugar Queen's Dream 15-First Time Dad 16-Life 17-My Life 18-The Painted Veil 19-My Thoughts 20-DatCurious.com 21-Little Aussie Cynic 22-A Nice Place in the Sun 23-DatMoney.com 24-The Down Side OF Up 25-Ladyjava's Lounge 26-Cat Tales 27-moms.....check nyo 28-Colorado Baby 29-It's a Woman's World 30-ENLIGHTENED BITS 31-My View of "It" 32-My Reviews and Finds Along the Way 33-Our Hep Chat 34-Rantings of a Woman 35-The Callalily Space 36-Mom Knows Everything 37-Hazel 38-Chronicles and Tales Unlimited (RED) 39-From the Mouth of Jabber Jaws 40-Sunny Side Up Foodie & Lifestyle 41-Carmel Corn 42-Daily Stock Picks 43-The Whole New World 44-Wifespeak 45-Slavery Bliss 46-Rooms of My Heart 47-Unpredictable Life 48-My Life, My World 49- At Your Service 50-All About Ebay 51-Everything Amazon 52-Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out 53-My So-Called Site 54-New Wife Blog 55-Tendre Poison 323 56-Nick's Bytes 57-My Scratch Pad 58-Choc Mint Girl 59-Life Is Just Around the Corner... 60-Amori, poseia, art... virtuali by Hanna 61-Maryannaville 62-monaco - monaco's 63-Nyumix's Blog 64-read my mind - my keyboard monologues 65-Shower You Children With Love - The Right Way 66-Secret Agent Mama 67-Pinaymama's Diary 68-Answers to the Questions 69-Work of the Poet 70-A Total Blog 71-My life, my hope, my future 72-NORTE 73-A Window to Our World 74-Life as a Mom 75-FIELD OF DREAMS 76-lisgold 77-See Me for What You 78-Caught in The Stream 79-Pinay Mommy Online - My Home 80-foster me up 81-CRUEL VIRGIN 82-Garden of Moments in Blog 83-So Cute 84-Love Everlasting 85-WeLcOmE To My CriB 86-WELCOM TO PINAYSMILE'S JOURNEY 87-Ice's Icelog 88-Jenny's Wandering Thoughts 89-Hobbies and Such 90-Sweet Paradise 91-Mommy's Gibble Gabbles 92-Rusin Review's 93-My Small World 94-Little Peanut 95-Online Ramblings 96-My Mood My Feeling 97-BLOG it with ALLEN 98-Entertainment World 99-Let's Go Singapore 100-Firelynx 101-Catsy Carpe Diem 102-Every Beat Of My Heart 103-Always Da Fresh Princess 104-Listening.. Learning..Living 105-All About Mars 106-Syii From Afar 107-Some Thoughts I Have 108-From Here and Beyond 109-My Paid To Blog 110-Scholarship Corner 111-Cell Phone Review 112-"Apples of the Eyes" 113-It's All About Play 114-The Luttrull Journey 115-RennyBA's Terella 116-Unchained Melody 117-Out of the Blue 118-The Lure Of the Unknown 119-Maricel's 120-my blog 121-Spiff, the Spaceman 122-Living Well 123-The Dog Log 124-Catnip Corner 125-A Piece of Idea 126-Observations From the Back 40 127-Poetry by The Redneck Gypsy 128-Odd Facts 129-Juliana's Lair 130-My life is murphy's law 131-lisgoldsmemoirs 132-My memories, as time goes by 133-Somewhere over the rainbow 134-Blogging by Sandee 135-Our Journey to this so called life 136-Idaho Daily Photo 137-Memories that Never Fades.. 138-Anything goes 139-Your Caring Angels 140-Little Paces 141-Laketrees 142-PoeARTica 143-fracas 144-Just FraCas 145-Archies Archive 146-Growing Up Together 147-A Woman's Diary 148-Mother's Got A Dot Com 149-Close To You 150-Hot Shit Form Here 151-Astro Galaxy 152-Detector 153-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 154-My Life is Peachy 155-The Down Side of Up 156-Magical Milestones 157-In Search of Life 158-RebelationsdotNet 159-Jen Jen's Place 160-Mimi Writes... 161-Strange but true 162-Depois de minha viagem 163-Your Perfect Wedding: 164-Make Money Online 165-Primitive Ornies and Bowl Fillers 166-Vegetarian Diet Lifestyle 167-Looking Out For You 168-BENOLSATUEM 169-OtherSide 170-Hacko's Site 171-where was I 172-Making Money Resources 173-text's Site 174-Movie Corner 175-Rahasia Bisnis Internet 176-Online Dating Tips 177-Beauty Kissing Tips 178-Forex Trading Tips 179-Singapore Tour Guide 180-PPC vs PTR 181-Indonesian Film 182-Adsense Success Stories 2008 183-Bali Tour 184-Paypal Indonesia 185-Review Bisnis Internet 186-Blog Daniel Scardua 187-Much of a muchness 188-Gagiers Amazing World 189-Clumsy Mommy 190-Leaotheblogger 191-PBDesigns Reading and Crochet Blog 192-Gagiers Striking Zone 193-DrowseyMonkey 194-Yesterday Today n Tomorrow 195-Auntie Dar's Life 196-Sky Windows... 197-Filippino Life Abroad 198-Leao the Blogger 199-Zoop's Rantings on Life 200-My Journey 201-A Sweet Taste of Life 202-This is a Miracle 203-Lavanderia Virtual 204- Nancies's Web - Family Life 205-Dating Profile of the Day 206-my wooden robot 207-My World 208-urban : trendy : lifestyle 209-Lucel Juliana's Library 210-Cooking Momster - My Life Journal 211-Anggie & Jeremy boy Online Journal 212-'Doc Doc Doc' 213-Transforming My Life 214-Gratitude Journal 215-Simplydunn.net 216-emila's illustrated blog 217-AZZY'S BLOG-A-ROONIE! 218-MAMABLISS' TREASURED MOMENTS 219-The Sky's the Limit 220-PROJECT HEAVY TRAFFIC 221-just another ordinary story.. 222-Samuel Rolo 223-The end mission! 224-R S S Submissions 225-Laice's Pics 226-Health and Fitness 227-Brainybimbo 228-Journey with WaterLearner 229-Zoop's Rantings on Life (at Blogspot) 230-Dear Me (Ivan) 231-Tour the Tabon Caves 232-Book Calendar 233-Love me. Hate me 234-Everyday health and beauty 235-BLOGANDO & ANDANDO 236-Memoirs.:*CRoSs mY hEARt*:. 237-The Chic Shopaholic 238-CK Go Places 239-Red Empress: Hell Flavored, Taste like Valentine 240-QUEENBEE 241-Le bric a brac de Cherie 242-jaqqq in the blogs 243-Bijoux & Banter 244-When Silence Speaks 245-MadTomatoe's Blogging Tools and Widgets 246-Conceptis addict 247-Madamoiselle 248-My Wooden Robot Blog 249-A Simple Life 250-It's a dog's life 251-A Technocrat's Blog 252-Misty's Words 253-My Dogs Keep Me Sane 254-New England Lighthouse Treasures 255-NoDirectOn (not: NoDirection) 256-Additional BlogLOve 257-I am DZOI 258-Caroland's Breathtaking Adventure 259-Blur Ting 260-Rojoy's Daily Update 261-Down River Drivel 262-Momhood Moments 263-Real World Mom 264-REALWORLDMOMUNPLUGGED'S WEBLOG 265-Lucca D Jiwa 266-AngrianiWorld 267-Marketing•Review 268-sejuk sesangat 269-Everything and then Some..... 270-Gbex...reachingOut 271-Heart of Rachel 272-The working mom / Finding balance... 273-Madamoiselle ver.2 274-Latest Keyword 275-Tanny's Blog 276-Pay to Review 277-Happy Life 278-Pet Haven 279-Teratak Nurani 280- A Melhor Novela de Todos os Tempos do Ãšltimo VerÃ£o 281-TYNIE World 282-Wanmus's Blog-get cheapest web hosting 283-mokkikunta 284-BLOGHIT, POLIBLOG, TOP TOPICS 285-none of your business 286-Expat Travels 287-The Poor Mouth 288-GIRLIEGEEK.ORG 289-Tau Tau 290-Points of View 291-kimf3's Blog 292-Bing-My Treasures 293-Everything Green 294-The Pipeline Fixation 295-~Menempuh Arus Masa-Life-Photography~ 296-Pea in a Pod 297-{Me and Mine} 298-Beblan Anak Tukang Jahit 299-How Bourgeois 300-Julie's Blog 301-Emphbone 302-Simply the Best 303-Euroangel Graffiti 304-My Daily Nourishment 305-the worldwideweb addict 306-(¯`·._.· PalavraS ArticuladaS ·._.·´¯) 307-The Big Life 308-Wild Borneo 309-Failure is the Key to Success 310-The muxic box's memories 311-What Goes Under the Sun 312-Cronaca di Gatteo 313-Angelika's other blog 314-So Real 315-Jaque 18 316-Overtime 317-When Life Becomes a Book 318-On the Bricks 319-Central Perk New York 320-The Simple Life of a Baghag 321-BlogBlast For Peace: The Official Site 322-Miss Cellania 323-Miss C Recommends 324-homeschooling.teacherjulie.com 325-belolats.com 326-The Original Blue Ribbon Bloggers 327-No nonsense Internet Tips 328-Its Not a Weekend; Its a Lifestyle 329-myfavehangout.com (Rich Valla) 330-Blog District 331-Official Travel Guide 332-EMJEI SAYS 333-www dot project rasso dot org 334-Work At Home Opportunities 335- VirusHead 336-Gracie de Guzman 337-Jollyjo 338-Jollyjo.tv 339-Ev Nucci's THE CAREER STRATEGIST 340-Ev Nucci's Resource Economics..Grease your brain 341-MARKETING MYSELF 342-NORTE 343-ACROSS THIS BRIDGE 344-STRUGGLING PARENTS 345-Read Between the Lines 346-Internet Lifestyle 347-THE SLEEPING TURTLE ART GALLERY 348-HIDUP BIAR SEDAP 349-BLOG ABOUT RICH 350-7101 Islands 351-Binding Ink III by Ndp the Poetress 352-mutiara hati 353-GreenBucks 354-Istilo Pinoy 355-Sweet and Complex Living 356-Angelika 357-my thoughts in writing 358-sharingplatform 359-Just the way it is... 360-LUCID CREATIVITY (Nelle-MyVirtualWorld) 361-TEACHERJULIE.COM 362-Bits and Pieces 363-Confessions Of A Breathing Tote Bag 364-My Joys 365-Fiction Earth 366-... My Precious ... 367-MY VIEWS ON MY SO CALLED LIFE 368-A Reality Bite 369-Cobb Community 370-Angelea's Blog 371-Janeth Vicy's Life Journey 372-NinaRepublic 373-Peaceful Mind 374-ME, MYSELF + 2 375-Mommy Jane and Little Sophia's Fasion misADVENTURES 376-ONKNEES - ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK..... 377-SHEENISM 378-SAILIN' THRU LIFE (ASecretPlace) 379-Project Management Tutorial 380-Labindalawang Piraso ng Kokomban 381-Gorgeous Traveller 382-Sharing Gifts and Ideas 383-MUMBLINGS 384-Because Life Is Fun 385-PsychPatient MD 386-Everything Is Free 387-BRAINY MOMMY 388-Simply Unique 389-precious moments 390-Pearly Scripts 391-LIGHTNING AND THUNDER 392-Rayani Friends 393-WORK CULTURE 394-Psychology 395-Gold News 396-Applied Psychology 397-Scientific Psychology 398-Backwoods Drifter 399-New Beginning 400-Life in General 401-Life Is Like That (That's Life) 402-Life With Roxxymetal 403-SEXY MOMMA 404-The Z Files 405-I'll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book! 406-DOODLE PAGE 407-Escape Hatch 408-The Official Afterslaughter Weblog 409-Mommy's Little Corner 410-MALTED MONKEY 411-MOM AND THE CITY 412-Life with the Two Crazy Dogs 413-the joys (and pains) of being a woman (My Untamed World) 414-Making Cents-Sense of Technology 415-USER GAME REVIEWS 416-Write Shy 417-DOMANTYS.net 418-ZWANG 419-ANYTHING GOES! (my world, my place, my views...!) 420-Matt's blog (World of Insanity) 421-Lifestyle chronicles 422-The Alien Next Door 423-CMAQUEST 424-The Mascot 425-NARUTO ADDICT MANIA 426-Friendster Layouts 427-borneo tatoo...the original body ink 428-DOMANTIX 429-CULTURED SHOCK 430-EuWorx 431-HUBPRIME 432-STAR SURFACE 433-MY KALEIDOSCOPE WORLD 434-luckycharms 435-John's Blog - Maybe I Am Joking? 436-NEW WORDPRESS THEMES 437-WEB VIDEO HITS 438-TOP MUSIC VIDEOS 439-TEXT MESSAGES 440-Homemade Haven 441-TAGMEMEAWARD CAT 442-Coriander Dreams 443-BrainLoops 444-Soul Meets World 445-Speak The Speech 446-The Tall Poppy 447-My Day Off 448-Internet Business Promotions and Opportunities 449-Gage's World 450-PIXY ROSE 451-John's Cynical Blog 452-Poliblog 453-Techcheck 454-RoseateMarketingTips.com 455-RUSTYGANGSTER 456-Napaboaniya's Music Videos 457-EZINE PRIME 458-Prime Scrolls 459-FactMundo: World of Facts 460-CHAE 461-GOLDFINGER 462-OnlineBiz and Resources 463-ASTRO GALAXY TRAVEL 464-The Singapore Housewife 465-Climate of Our Future 466-Anorexic Queen 467-Eleanoreblog 468-Turnip of Power 469-Old Life 470-Shiphire Dustbin 471-POSTCARD HEADLINES 472-crazyblog 473-V.Col 474-Simple Life, Simply Me 475-Rasso Photoblog 476-Bagwine Ruminations 477-The Travel Bug 478-Short Stories 479-OPENGIGA TECH 480-Yogatta Dot Com 481-Net Diary of Rasal 482-WORDPRESS MEME 483-divaness 484-Thinking Tunnel 485-My decisions, my mistakes, my feelings, my LIFE 486-E-News (Gossip, Scandals, Movies, Music, etc) 487-FRAPPUCINO JOWN 488-MAYBELLE DOODLES 489-And the Legend Lives 490-In His Time - Endless Frontier 491-Travels in Time 492-Money Making Reports 493-MY HAPPY PLACE 494-The M&M Online BloG 495-Carol's Corner 496-Individual@Home 497-Confessions of a Social Climber 498-Moderately-Confused Pinay In Deutschland 499-BLOGSILOG 500-DigiScrapz: Captured Memories 501-Cherry’s Comfort Zone 502-Thinking Out Loud 503-Wishing and Hoping 504-Jobs for Davao 505-Jobs for Abroad 506-PRC Exam Results 507-Wish Washy 508-Captains bridge 509 Colourrain 510 Modus Vivendi 511-Our Hep Chat 512-I forgot where I was going with this... 513-MRS FANCYPANTS LIVE 514-Real Estate News and Tips 515-MY.........STORIES 516-Garaphernalia 5.0 517-Everything Everywhere Travel Blog 518-lane of memories 519-Avee's Adeventures 520-Celebrating Life 521-Me and the World 522-Paul, Toni and Lance ----- Bridging The Distance 523-Paul and Toni 524-This is My New Chapter of Life 525-Online Competitions 526-posh lifestyle 527-Creative In Me 528-Life's Lessons 529-KERSLYN'S COMFORT ZONE 530-Piece of Mine 531-One World One Dream 532-HUMBLE HOME OF OURS 533-Life Is Beautiful; Life Is Love 534-Journey of Two 535-Tutiger's Blog 536-JORDAN CREEK 537-NEURO PATCH 538-Tour and Travel 539-Musings of a Daydreamer 540-DELICIOUS YOUNG BOI 541-SugarMagnolias 542-Heart and Style Woman 543-SURREAL-GEORGIA 544-Girls Do It All 545-OgenDicht/EyesClosed 546-Christy DeKoning; Travels in Watercolor 547-living life to the fullest 548-Holy Cuteness 549-FILIPINOLIFEABRAOD 550-Filipina Love stories 551-Interracial Marriages 552- SWEETHEART ALLEN 553-Living laughing and loving 554-A Day to Savor and Relish 555- Catsy's Pet Blog 556- SimplyCatsy's BLogs 557- Catsy's Out of the Blue 558-Mohanitguy 559- ItBuddy 560-alanzain 561-3 Sides of Crazy 562-Life abroad wifey 563-My Life's Rollercoaster Ride 564-ONLINE ENTREPRENEUR 565-Verb 566-Laptop Tip 567-US GIRLS 568- INSERT YOURSELF HERE
*End Copy Here*

SWEET FRESHNESS: Trekking in the virgin rainforest of Borneo

2008-02-17T19:59:00.004+08:00

I DID IT!!! Trekking from Bario to Bakelalan. This is for real. I have actually walked from Bario to Bakelalan for three days and nights from the 7th February to 9th February 2008. Our guide-porter, Ridi , a trained guide, told me that the stretch could be considered Level 1, very tough but I enjoyed the walked. I was with two other colleagues and each has a porter.

There were leeches, of course; scarry but harmless unless they crawled into forbidden places. No snakes. But I met a young Japanese strolling alone; a couple from Czech Republic; returning school children and an American couple at the end of the journey.

A German guy we met at the lodge joined us part of the journey who has been travelling in Asia for twenty odd years. I will tell the full story of my adventure in the next postings soon with pictures too.

SURVIVORS 2: THEY CAME BACK

2008-02-03T22:44:00.000+08:00

Two of my teachers came back after 40 years. This is Mr. Richard Schatz and I at Merapok Bazaar, now as you can see is abandoned. It was here that he made the last stage of taking two horses to the school in a logging barge with the help of two dazed school boys.

He came as a Peace Corp teacher from 1966 to 1968. He remembered our names and that we were very small. We never said good-bye then, we were so young so he came back in 2007 and I organised the Class 66 Reunion and then finally said good-byes on 9th February 2007.

Richard now is a Professor of Economics at Withworth University, Spokane, USA. And we are doing well too.

Down memory lane of the secondary school with those students. Note that there are air-cons units now while we had only fans.

BORNEO BOOK SERIES 1: The First Survivors

2008-02-02T16:27:00.000+08:00

Judith M. Heimann, The Airmen and the Headhunters, Harcourt Inc, New York, 2007, pp. 209, 15 pics, 2 maps. Tagline is A true story of lost soldiers, heroic tribesmen and the unlikelest rescue of World War II.

Three months ago I was lent this book to read by a old friend of the author. It was a autographed copy of the author sent from New York. I came to meet the Judith when she dropped by my office in Kuching many years ago and gave me her earlier book on Tom Harrisson, The Most Disgusting Man Alive; my much earlier predecessor.

I enjoyed reading the book. It turned out there was not much of a war after all in this remote jungle of Borneo. The plane flying from Morontai got shot by the Japs in the Brunei Bay and crashed somewhere in the Sarawak and Kalimantar Timur, upper reaches of the Kayan River. They were rescued and cared by the Lun Dayeh. They were the real survivors and experienced near death fall, diseases and the Japs. They survived and fell in love with the wild people and their wild culture of Borneo. They were finnally rescued by a guerrila outfit led by none other than the disgusting man, Tom Harrisson and flew out from Long Bawan.

It is interesting to note that there were alread Americans there long before the war as missionaries who brought along earlier converts from Menado. They introduced the bamboo band culture in Sarawak. Also there was a plane that came down at Kampung Talahak, Limbang. This confirmed my earlier information as I am interested in salvaging these wrecks for the museum.

Borneo Ink

2008-01-29T16:12:00.000+08:00

I have created a separate blog for Borneo Tattoo. For your convenience, please check my link on the side bars. It is such a great subject that deserves a separate place so that more information can be posted there for your pleasure. Enjoy the old culture in a new trend and fashion. I have posted an item there. See you there.

Borneo Ink ... the original tattoo

2008-01-12T13:41:00.000+08:00

Coming soon on tattoo of Borneo ...the original ... before Miami Ink ... and ... now ... the LA Ink!

A WET NEW YEAR 2008

2008-01-01T07:08:00.000+08:00

I would like to wish all surfers, explorers, adventurers and friends everywhere in the world A HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
It drizzled the whole day on the last day of 2007. As night fell it was pouring rain until dawn. Its been a wet new year here. The real rainforest of the world until it lasts. Lets make it last.

THE SURVIVORS WERE HERE

2007-12-29T13:46:00.000+08:00

I told you the famous TV reality program was made here in Sabah, Borneo. Here they are from an archive photograph. Give it a try and come over Borneo.

GETTING WET: THE RAIN

2007-12-29T10:13:00.000+08:00

Just across Borneo, the Bali Conference on Global Climate just ended a few weeks ago. The sad thing is that the US continues to refuse to sign the Agreement and blamed other nations for global warming and climate change.
Our climate has certainly changed for the worst. It had happened in the ancient past during the end of the Ice Age and now we will wait for its second coming.
Here in Borneo it has been raining for the past 3 months and no sign of receding. It is going to be wet and wetter as 2007 ends. Its fun time, some call it atropical winter, cool and wet. It rains in the morning, in the afternoon and the night through. I personally love rain.
So come to Borneo and get wet. Catch the rain here. It is a real rainforest literally.

PAINFUL BUT BEAUTIFUL

2007-12-26T12:10:00.000+08:00

An Orang Ulu girl taken in the 1960s

PAINFUL BUT BEAUTIFUL

2007-12-25T07:27:00.000+08:00

One of the exotic sense of beauty of wild Borneo is elongated ears wore by both male and female members of the tribes, especially the Kenyah and Kayan.
Tatoo has become a global trend today and the Dayaks of Borneo loved it and now the celebrities
Americans love it too.
Will elongated ears become one soon. Let's make it happens.

James Brooke: First Adventurer and An Interloper and A Survivor

2007-12-24T15:44:00.000+08:00

James Brooke, the first white Rajahs of Sarawak after deposing the Brunei Malay Pengiran Indera Mahkota Muhamad Salleh, the Governor that was popularly known as Pengiran Mahkota in the history of Sarawak ,in 1841. He ruled until 1867 and replaced by his nephew, Charles Brooke.
James Brooke was also socially known as a Jolly Bachelor when his ship was accordingly named. Nonetheless he had brief relationship with two women that a few historians now claimed he might be a gay. He might be a wild bachelor too. A historian once wrote that the Sarawak he founded was "a bastard of British colonialism".

RARE RHINO: REDISCOVERED IN BORNEO

2007-12-22T10:05:00.000+08:00

SOS Rhino: And now there’s reason to celebrate
Email to friend Print article
Dr S. Thayaparan is studying the reproductive health of the rhino as part of his doctoral degree
WADING across raging rivers and crossing paths with a python are worthy risks for a Sri Lankan veterinarian who moved to Sabah to study the Sumatran rhinoceros.
After spending almost four years collecting dung and footprints of the elusive animal in the Lahad Datu area, Dr S. Thayaparan finally had a close encounter with a rhino a month ago — and even managed to capture some video footage.“After years of only seeing dung and other evidence, I finally saw a rhino for myself and recorded it on video. It was very exciting.”Attached to SOS Rhino Borneo Bhd as a programme officer, Thayaparan says team members recently sighted another adult rhino, and found footprints measuring 17 centimetres, indicating a smaller rhino.“This is good news as it may indicate natural breeding is taking place in our forests and there is hope for the species here,” he adds.
The 4th Sumatran Rhinoceros Conservation Workshop in July was told that low sperm count among male rhinos and the possibility of cysts in the reproductive organs of females may be factors that could lead to its extinction. The Sabah Wildlife Department estimates that there are 25 to 50 of the animals in the state, with most of them at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Danum Valley in Lahad Datu.Having worked with elephants back home and as a veterinary surgeon at a government veterinary office, Thayaparan chanced on the study of rhinos when he attended a conference in Kota Kinabalu in 2001. He met Chicago-based Dr Nan Schaffer of SOS Rhino, who offered him the chance to research the animal.He moved to Kota Kinabalu in 2004 to pursue a masters degree at Universiti Malaysia Sabah on the population, foraging ecology and nutrition of rhinos at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, and is now studying the reproductive health of the animal as part of his doctoral degree.“In future, I want to try and breed one rhino but first, I must learn about its reproductive health. You need resources such as information in order to understand this complex animal. The time is right to focus on this animal and I believe it is possible for the population of rhinos in Sabah to grow,” he says.Thayaparan, now a research fellow at UMS, says his study at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve has revealed that rhinos forage on 65 species of plants. “They actually eat wild mangoes and jackfruit and a type of cinnamon traditionally used by villagers to heal body aches. Results also show that the plants rhinos consume are high in nutrition and sufficient to cater to their dietary needs.”

Welcome to Wild Borneo

2007-12-20T15:16:00.000+08:00

Welcome to Wild Borneo, the 3rd largest island in the world. But may be still the wildest of all. An island of adventure. Make your discovery here in the island. Be it in sciences where the wildest and still virgin forests keep the secret of our biodiversity. May be in anthropology where many indigenous people still live in the virgin jungle. Or just pure wild fun adventure enjoying C.A.N - Culture, Adventure, Nature. Now not later. While they are still there waiting for you to explore and fulfull your wildest dreams.