Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Hari Guru aka Teacher's Day
Worst day of the bloody year, Teacher’s Day Sports. Chaos reigns for the first hour of the day. Then we have to sit in the sun for an hour listening to prayers and tedious speeches. Inside briefly at 9.30 a.m. to fill yourself up with fried noodles and milky Milo before commencing the sporting events which are all conducted on the field in scorching heat and high, high humidity. It was so much fun I could barely stop myself volunteering as a target for the javelin throwers.
My events this year were fairly sedentary: the rocket and the ping pong ball. In each case you had to see how far you could shoot it. Luckily I lost. The prizes were instant jumble sale material. I managed to avoid the running-round-the-school-field-in-100-degrees event and also the running-backwards-whilst-holding-onto-a-pole event. These things are just not dignified for a woman of my advanced years and spherical stature. The children are never allowed to participate in the games, this is strictly adults only.
On Teacher’s Day all the fun is organized by the parents. Next month I have to endure Parents Day when, yes, you’ve guessed it, the teachers organize similar events for the parents. My sanity is hanging by a thread as it is. Will I survive till Xmas?
Worst day of the bloody year, Teacher’s Day Sports. Chaos reigns for the first hour of the day. Then we have to sit in the sun for an hour listening to prayers and tedious speeches. Inside briefly at 9.30 a.m. to fill yourself up with fried noodles and milky Milo before commencing the sporting events which are all conducted on the field in scorching heat and high, high humidity. It was so much fun I could barely stop myself volunteering as a target for the javelin throwers.
My events this year were fairly sedentary: the rocket and the ping pong ball. In each case you had to see how far you could shoot it. Luckily I lost. The prizes were instant jumble sale material. I managed to avoid the running-round-the-school-field-in-100-degrees event and also the running-backwards-whilst-holding-onto-a-pole event. These things are just not dignified for a woman of my advanced years and spherical stature. The children are never allowed to participate in the games, this is strictly adults only.
On Teacher’s Day all the fun is organized by the parents. Next month I have to endure Parents Day when, yes, you’ve guessed it, the teachers organize similar events for the parents. My sanity is hanging by a thread as it is. Will I survive till Xmas?
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
A holiday! Hooray! When you are used to a split weekend as we are then even one day off seems like a real treat. The occasion is Israk Mishraj as I am sure you all knew. Yes, I know we were on holiday all last week but I've worked really hard since then and need another break.
We should be spending the day packing but the prospect of surfing the internet for a while then watching a movie is far more pleasing.
Viewing: We are watching our old VCDs in order to decide whether to ditch or keep. Most will be ditched but last night’s offering “Twin Town” is surely a keeper. Swansea in all its glory. Rhys Ifans before he hit Hollywood. The word of the day is ‘cwtch’ (a sort of Welsh cuddle) and you get five points every time you can use it appropriately in conversation today, ten points for its use in an email.
Reading: Bill Bryson’s “A short History of Nearly Everything” which is teaching me all the things that as a teacher I am probably expected to have been born knowing. Also “The Road to McCarthy” by Pete McCarthy about a pseudo Irishman in search of his roots. I’m only on chapter two so it’s too early to say if it deserves applause. I enjoyed his previous offering though, “McCarthy’s Bar.”
Now if I were a more sophisticated blogger, I would probably have those titles linked directly to Amazon.com where you could purchase said volumes directly. My clientele are more likely to put themselves on the library waiting list or else linger till I’ve finished and ask to borrow them so I’ll skip the Amazon link for the time being.
Health: Jim is developing a huge boil on his back. Either that or he’s planning to audition for a role in the Notre Dame bell tower pretty soon. Time will tell.
Other news: The ants have been vanquished. I am now doing battle with the birds. Think Hitchcock here, they ARE out to get me. They have built a nest on my window ledge which I cannot allow because a) it attracts snakes and b) when the birds lay eggs they get very protective and won't let you into the house.
We should be spending the day packing but the prospect of surfing the internet for a while then watching a movie is far more pleasing.
Viewing: We are watching our old VCDs in order to decide whether to ditch or keep. Most will be ditched but last night’s offering “Twin Town” is surely a keeper. Swansea in all its glory. Rhys Ifans before he hit Hollywood. The word of the day is ‘cwtch’ (a sort of Welsh cuddle) and you get five points every time you can use it appropriately in conversation today, ten points for its use in an email.
Reading: Bill Bryson’s “A short History of Nearly Everything” which is teaching me all the things that as a teacher I am probably expected to have been born knowing. Also “The Road to McCarthy” by Pete McCarthy about a pseudo Irishman in search of his roots. I’m only on chapter two so it’s too early to say if it deserves applause. I enjoyed his previous offering though, “McCarthy’s Bar.”
Now if I were a more sophisticated blogger, I would probably have those titles linked directly to Amazon.com where you could purchase said volumes directly. My clientele are more likely to put themselves on the library waiting list or else linger till I’ve finished and ask to borrow them so I’ll skip the Amazon link for the time being.
Health: Jim is developing a huge boil on his back. Either that or he’s planning to audition for a role in the Notre Dame bell tower pretty soon. Time will tell.
Other news: The ants have been vanquished. I am now doing battle with the birds. Think Hitchcock here, they ARE out to get me. They have built a nest on my window ledge which I cannot allow because a) it attracts snakes and b) when the birds lay eggs they get very protective and won't let you into the house.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
It's gratifying to know that so many of you are happy with the idea of reading a blog. It makes me think I should be writing something of importance. However, the usual daily trivia will have to suffice until such time as I get a life...soon, soon.
In the meantime I have to go do battle with the ants which have taken over our washing line.
In the meantime I have to go do battle with the ants which have taken over our washing line.
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Saturday 13th September
Home James and don’t spare the horses. Into the car and off back down the road. “Look for the unmarked turnoff for Papar.” Er, OK. Well, I suppose the locals all know where Papar is and why should anyone care if a few foreigners get lost.
Arriving at the Brunei border, we were invited to step from our car by a spotty youth in a mask. Highway robbery? No, a health check in case we had contracted SARS. In a hut slightly less salubrious than my Grandma’s garden shed a state-of-the-art hi-tech gizmo was aimed at us and then permission to enter the Sultanate was reluctantly bestowed.
Sunday 14th September
And very nice too it is to be home again in my bed with the clapped out mattress, the toilet at the other end of the house and shower that is a tap on a pipe. A nice ‘welcome home’ power cut too. 70 days till we’re outta here…but who is counting?
Home James and don’t spare the horses. Into the car and off back down the road. “Look for the unmarked turnoff for Papar.” Er, OK. Well, I suppose the locals all know where Papar is and why should anyone care if a few foreigners get lost.
Arriving at the Brunei border, we were invited to step from our car by a spotty youth in a mask. Highway robbery? No, a health check in case we had contracted SARS. In a hut slightly less salubrious than my Grandma’s garden shed a state-of-the-art hi-tech gizmo was aimed at us and then permission to enter the Sultanate was reluctantly bestowed.
Sunday 14th September
And very nice too it is to be home again in my bed with the clapped out mattress, the toilet at the other end of the house and shower that is a tap on a pipe. A nice ‘welcome home’ power cut too. 70 days till we’re outta here…but who is counting?
Friday
A last chance to snorkel for those who feel they must. For those not afflicted a last chance to indulge in less active pursuits. At 6.00 all parties met in the bar for a game of pool and happy hour drinks. We nibbled peanuts ands reminisced about our first ever jobs: dishwasher at a racecourse (Kay), bank drone (Cheryl), foundry labourer (Jim) and gravedigger (Jamie). It’s nice to see we’ve all moved up in the world. What will Hamish’s first job be? Who knows? It probably hasn’t been invented yet.
A last chance to snorkel for those who feel they must. For those not afflicted a last chance to indulge in less active pursuits. At 6.00 all parties met in the bar for a game of pool and happy hour drinks. We nibbled peanuts ands reminisced about our first ever jobs: dishwasher at a racecourse (Kay), bank drone (Cheryl), foundry labourer (Jim) and gravedigger (Jamie). It’s nice to see we’ve all moved up in the world. What will Hamish’s first job be? Who knows? It probably hasn’t been invented yet.
Thursday
Heavy rain greeted us at breakfast. The pitch and putt course was largely underwater, I shan’t worry. Tedious game anyway. It gave us the excuse to go to town and check out the mall but shops are very dull if you don’t want to buy anything. In fact I am trying to throw perfectly good possessions away rather than pay for them to be transported to Australia. My only desire was for a new pair of rubber gloves and in this respect the mission was a failure.
Spent the afternoon in the bath while Jim took part in the world frisbee throwing championship (other contenders: Jamie and Hamish)
To the Italian Restaurant for our evening meal. I had ravioli stuffed with potato and gorgonzola. Not to mention a chocolate soufflé with ice-cream.
Heavy rain greeted us at breakfast. The pitch and putt course was largely underwater, I shan’t worry. Tedious game anyway. It gave us the excuse to go to town and check out the mall but shops are very dull if you don’t want to buy anything. In fact I am trying to throw perfectly good possessions away rather than pay for them to be transported to Australia. My only desire was for a new pair of rubber gloves and in this respect the mission was a failure.
Spent the afternoon in the bath while Jim took part in the world frisbee throwing championship (other contenders: Jamie and Hamish)
To the Italian Restaurant for our evening meal. I had ravioli stuffed with potato and gorgonzola. Not to mention a chocolate soufflé with ice-cream.
Wednesday
Pastries, muffins and lamb korma for breakfast. I love buffets. Then Jim went off snorkeling around the islands. This left me free to indulge in any one of the myriad pleasures of resort life. I therefore went to the business centre to check my email. On my return I couldn’t decide between a bath and a shower so decided to emulate the Japanese and have both: a long, cool bath followed by a long, hot shower. I know the Japanese would tend to go the other way but I am moving towards civilization very slowly.
I thought I had better spend an hour finishing Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Colour of Magic’ before its silliness began to irritate me. I know Rincewind the Wizard has a cult following in many dimensions but sadly (and surprisingly) he’s just not my cup of herbal.
The highlight of the evening meal was tempura deep fried chocolate ice-cream with vanilla sauce. That’s a first for me. Hamish ate five and I only ate one. I must be getting old.
Pastries, muffins and lamb korma for breakfast. I love buffets. Then Jim went off snorkeling around the islands. This left me free to indulge in any one of the myriad pleasures of resort life. I therefore went to the business centre to check my email. On my return I couldn’t decide between a bath and a shower so decided to emulate the Japanese and have both: a long, cool bath followed by a long, hot shower. I know the Japanese would tend to go the other way but I am moving towards civilization very slowly.
I thought I had better spend an hour finishing Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Colour of Magic’ before its silliness began to irritate me. I know Rincewind the Wizard has a cult following in many dimensions but sadly (and surprisingly) he’s just not my cup of herbal.
The highlight of the evening meal was tempura deep fried chocolate ice-cream with vanilla sauce. That’s a first for me. Hamish ate five and I only ate one. I must be getting old.
Tuesday
Just considering what to do with the day when friends Tian and Fong arrive on an overnight visit from Bangar and make the decision for us. They took us on a tour of the city including a visit to a lovely, old Chinese temple. A true oasis of peace in the centre of all the hustle and bustle. KK is a real city of almost 2 million people. Bangar doesn’t rate on the same scale. Having taken a stroll around the Nexus Resort (where the Sultan has been known to stay at a rate of RM7,000 – maybe 1,250 pounds- a night) we had developed a thirst which could only be quenched by something very downmarket.
We stopped at a roadside stall which smelled of smoke. A dozen charred coconuts appeared to be the only items for sale so we purchased one each. The vendor expertly chopped the top off and stuck in a straw. It was delicious. A sort of hot coconut tea, I suppose. A unique flavour. Jim and I drank ours hot but Tian put ice in his in deference to the 30+ degree heat.
We felt guilty heading back to the city when we noticed the traffic lights weren’t working. Surely it must be our fault somehow. We do seem to attract power cuts.
We got back to the hotel in time for me to go for a steam bath and a sauna (just like my classroom) before a massage. Later, well pummeled, I lolled on a lounger over-looking the South China sea slowly savouring (Q: can you savour something sweet?) a Hagen Daz cookie ‘n’ cream lolly, a sci-fi book on my knee and wondered what horrors I had endured in a previous life to get it so good in this one.
Tian took us to an out-of-town seafood restaurant in the mangrove swamps for dinner. It was the sort of place you get to meet your supper before they serve it to you. Echoes of Douglas Adams’ ‘The Restaurant at the End of the Universe’ where the main course was wheeled to the table to give personal advice on how best it could be cooked. Tanks and buckets filled with disgruntled crustaceans abound. We were quizzed on our preference for male or female crabs. The females often have eggs apparently so we opted for males in ‘special sauce’. I managed to get the special sauce up to my elbows but I still couldn’t tell you what was in it. Maybe it’s better not to know. To keep the crabs company we also had satak (crayfish) tiger prawns, venison, steamed fish, broccoli and some weeds that grow in the storm drains here.
Just considering what to do with the day when friends Tian and Fong arrive on an overnight visit from Bangar and make the decision for us. They took us on a tour of the city including a visit to a lovely, old Chinese temple. A true oasis of peace in the centre of all the hustle and bustle. KK is a real city of almost 2 million people. Bangar doesn’t rate on the same scale. Having taken a stroll around the Nexus Resort (where the Sultan has been known to stay at a rate of RM7,000 – maybe 1,250 pounds- a night) we had developed a thirst which could only be quenched by something very downmarket.
We stopped at a roadside stall which smelled of smoke. A dozen charred coconuts appeared to be the only items for sale so we purchased one each. The vendor expertly chopped the top off and stuck in a straw. It was delicious. A sort of hot coconut tea, I suppose. A unique flavour. Jim and I drank ours hot but Tian put ice in his in deference to the 30+ degree heat.
We felt guilty heading back to the city when we noticed the traffic lights weren’t working. Surely it must be our fault somehow. We do seem to attract power cuts.
We got back to the hotel in time for me to go for a steam bath and a sauna (just like my classroom) before a massage. Later, well pummeled, I lolled on a lounger over-looking the South China sea slowly savouring (Q: can you savour something sweet?) a Hagen Daz cookie ‘n’ cream lolly, a sci-fi book on my knee and wondered what horrors I had endured in a previous life to get it so good in this one.
Tian took us to an out-of-town seafood restaurant in the mangrove swamps for dinner. It was the sort of place you get to meet your supper before they serve it to you. Echoes of Douglas Adams’ ‘The Restaurant at the End of the Universe’ where the main course was wheeled to the table to give personal advice on how best it could be cooked. Tanks and buckets filled with disgruntled crustaceans abound. We were quizzed on our preference for male or female crabs. The females often have eggs apparently so we opted for males in ‘special sauce’. I managed to get the special sauce up to my elbows but I still couldn’t tell you what was in it. Maybe it’s better not to know. To keep the crabs company we also had satak (crayfish) tiger prawns, venison, steamed fish, broccoli and some weeds that grow in the storm drains here.
Monday
A swim and a lounge by the pool for me and Cheryl. The boys took a boat to the island for snorkeling. My swimming costume having sat in a jungle closet untouched for an age chose this moment to disintegrate. The elastic had rotted leaving me with sticky black stuff all over my body. “Kindly leave the pool madam you are creating an oil slick.” You get the picture. Another item to add to the post jungle shopping list: sturdy bathers.
Got a haircut in the afternoon and as it cost four times as much as it does in Bangar let’s say that it looks four times as good, shall we? Are we agreed? Good. It’s definitely better.
A swim and a lounge by the pool for me and Cheryl. The boys took a boat to the island for snorkeling. My swimming costume having sat in a jungle closet untouched for an age chose this moment to disintegrate. The elastic had rotted leaving me with sticky black stuff all over my body. “Kindly leave the pool madam you are creating an oil slick.” You get the picture. Another item to add to the post jungle shopping list: sturdy bathers.
Got a haircut in the afternoon and as it cost four times as much as it does in Bangar let’s say that it looks four times as good, shall we? Are we agreed? Good. It’s definitely better.
To get us all in the mood I thought I should start with an account of our recent holiday in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Sunday, 7th September
The journey from Temburong to Kota Kinabalu has been well documented in an earlier newsletter (See ‘Chopping in Malaysia” March 2003). This trip was no different except that immediately we had left the safety of Jalan Selapon (or Canal Selapon as we have been calling it since they put in kerbs but no drains or road surface) we encountered the entire population of Temburong lining the route. “Nice of them to see us off,” we thought but, of course, the turnout was for the annual Bukit Patoi Challenge. It’s a race for real tough types as most of it is practically vertical. To walk it at a reasonable rate would take about five hours but the fit and fast were doing it in less than two. Shame I won’t be here next year. I could have entered and set a new record: ‘most collapses on trail’ perhaps.
We had cannily avoided travelling on a Friday so that we didn’t have to sit for the two hour mosque break at immigration. We also thought that by travelling on a Sunday we would have fewer heavy trucks to contend with. This road may be called the trans-Borneo highway but the reality of the rutted track leaves little opportunity for overtaking at speed.
A clear run then? Not quite. It transpired that this is peak wedding season. We shortly found ourselves reluctant members of a huge procession on our way to an obscure kampong to celebrate the nuptials of some anonymous couple. No sooner had we extricated ourselves from one (with no hazard lights flashing we weren’t really getting into the spirit of the day anyway) than we became entangled in another. Could have been worse though, there was a funeral procession in the other direction.
We were very happy to arrive at the Tanjung Aru Resort in KK by mid afternoon and to be able to join our friends Jamie and Cheryl plus their son, Hamish, for twilight cocktails at the sunset bar.
Sunday, 7th September
The journey from Temburong to Kota Kinabalu has been well documented in an earlier newsletter (See ‘Chopping in Malaysia” March 2003). This trip was no different except that immediately we had left the safety of Jalan Selapon (or Canal Selapon as we have been calling it since they put in kerbs but no drains or road surface) we encountered the entire population of Temburong lining the route. “Nice of them to see us off,” we thought but, of course, the turnout was for the annual Bukit Patoi Challenge. It’s a race for real tough types as most of it is practically vertical. To walk it at a reasonable rate would take about five hours but the fit and fast were doing it in less than two. Shame I won’t be here next year. I could have entered and set a new record: ‘most collapses on trail’ perhaps.
We had cannily avoided travelling on a Friday so that we didn’t have to sit for the two hour mosque break at immigration. We also thought that by travelling on a Sunday we would have fewer heavy trucks to contend with. This road may be called the trans-Borneo highway but the reality of the rutted track leaves little opportunity for overtaking at speed.
A clear run then? Not quite. It transpired that this is peak wedding season. We shortly found ourselves reluctant members of a huge procession on our way to an obscure kampong to celebrate the nuptials of some anonymous couple. No sooner had we extricated ourselves from one (with no hazard lights flashing we weren’t really getting into the spirit of the day anyway) than we became entangled in another. Could have been worse though, there was a funeral procession in the other direction.
We were very happy to arrive at the Tanjung Aru Resort in KK by mid afternoon and to be able to join our friends Jamie and Cheryl plus their son, Hamish, for twilight cocktails at the sunset bar.
Dahlings...hello... so good of you to drop by and visit. Welcome to the blue slipper selection or to give it its full title: The Furry Blue Slipper Selection. Named after my current favourite in footwear.
You will be pleased to learn that slippers will not form a major part of the blog nor do you need to be wearing any in order to benefit from the blue slipper experience.
So what can the loyal reader expect in the days to come? More of what you've been getting until now as emails but in blog form. If you have been given this address then you are already a regular reader (though possibly an irregular correspondent, hang your head if this means you) and are accustomed to my newsletters. In future I may not be able to get as much time online as I have been used to so this seemed the easiest way of keeping my friends and family informed of my whereabouts. Currently. of course, I am in Borneo and in the absence of a life send frequent emails to all and sundry. With luck all that is about to change.
So what else is there to say except, of course, WATCH THIS SPACE.
You will be pleased to learn that slippers will not form a major part of the blog nor do you need to be wearing any in order to benefit from the blue slipper experience.
So what can the loyal reader expect in the days to come? More of what you've been getting until now as emails but in blog form. If you have been given this address then you are already a regular reader (though possibly an irregular correspondent, hang your head if this means you) and are accustomed to my newsletters. In future I may not be able to get as much time online as I have been used to so this seemed the easiest way of keeping my friends and family informed of my whereabouts. Currently. of course, I am in Borneo and in the absence of a life send frequent emails to all and sundry. With luck all that is about to change.
So what else is there to say except, of course, WATCH THIS SPACE.
