Area covered. From Dec 26th to Jan 03rd we covered Long Lamai, Long Siut, Long Tungan, Long Moh, Lio Matoh and Long Banga. Careful planning and advance prep on our part didn't quite step up to local variations on the ground this being our maiden visit to the area. Yes: there are small grocery shops in most communities where you can buy your entire warbdrobe for your stay. Yes: most villages are connected to each other one way or the other depending how you want to do it. No: timetables are seldom adhered to and even if there is a one, the price has to be just right. Yes, everyone here is very flexible. We didn't manage to cover Long Lamam and Long Ajeng. Map sourced from BMF.
At Long Tungan. After having came out in one piece from what could've been our most adrenaline pumping nite-time blind white water experience down Sg Selungo the nite before from Long Siut, all were in reasonably high spirits the next day during the short walkabout around Long Tungan, a rag tag settlement of Kenyahs consisting mainly of jovial older folks.
At Long Moh. After a few cupfuls of the village local brew courtesy of a wedding several nites before and snortful of smoke from handrolled cigars, members of our party didn't need too much coaxing to take to the floor to perform "Ngajat" or at least what passed as ngajat when we executed it. The village folks gave us plenty of encouragement and opportunity to mutilate the most graceful of ngajat movements.
At Long Lamai. Meeting up with a Penan hunting party on the way to their playground along the Long Banga-Long Lamai trail. One of the men is actually working in Miri, returning home for short break for Christmas. His hunting dog came from Miri, a stray he picked up from Krokop market who's now nearly graduated from stringent Penan training in the bush.
Stories to come. All images by Sara Wong.
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