07/14/12 Saturday to 07/15/12 Sunday

Selamat Tengah Hari!!!

Since I decided not to bring any form of electronics to capture any type of media, I really missed out on a wwhhoolleee lot!! But more importantly, I gained a wwhhoolleeee lot!!! Sometimes when we have devices within our reach, we tend to continually observe instead of engage. Well, I must say that I had no choice but to throw myself within the action since I couldn’t really do much of anything else! Here is a snapshot of what happended!

Saturday

Homestay :

We arrived at our homestay in time to check in and catch up with the 4 other education girls that traveled across the world with us. That was fun!

We found out that there was some mis-communication about the trip plans (not surprising), so the public health crew did not get to stay a night at the longhouse; only the education students. No biggie

Homestay was like a big sleepover all over again. the village in Kuching sort of became a village “bed & breakfast” hotel for visitors. You get a homestay family to lodge with during your stay and have a great time. You receive 3 meals, fully furnished home to rest your head, and plenty of love during your stay. It was only 100 MYR for 2 nights!!!

My mother was a widow with an older sister-wife. The 1st wife had 5 kids and my mom had 8 kids (triplets, twins, & 3 singletons). There were 7 girls in my shared room: 6 shared 3 queen beds & 1 had a twin. I shared with Megan which was perfect! When we fall asleep we do not move until it is time to get up. Nor snoring, no tossing and turning, and no peeing in the bed (hope not at this age if you can control your bladder lol). The meals were hot & delicious and the showers were cold & refreshing! I enjoyed my stay.

Gunung Santubong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Santubong

Mount Santubong!!! Oh how I wished I brought my camera and video recorder (but glad that I didn’t)!! I really enjoyed the 3060M climb to the peak since I did not have to worry about breaking or losing those darn electronics. That was an amazing full body workout! Good thing I got that full body massage & bought climbing clothes/shoes before leaving Penang!!

Many of us climb the mountain but few of us made it to the top. As a matter of fact, half the group were lost in the rainforest or was looking for the lost. It was an interesting night filled with many variations of the same story!! But I needed to sleep to be able to prepare for the World Rainforest Music Festival on Sunday and this climb did the job!!

<3 <3 <3 \( ^_^)/ <3 <3 <3

Sunday

World Rainforest Festival Festivities: http://rwmf.net/ (Link updates every year)

What an amazing vacation event!!! I believe it was the 3rd annual festival and my face was in the place!! I did not bring my electronics (boo me) to make sure that I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. Well I had an amazing experience that I wish I could share with you but the best I can do is share media recorded by other people. (see bottom)

This is a snippet of what I experienced:

• Highs and Lows – Khusugtun Mogngolian Throat Singing (Seminar)
• Fingers and Thumbs – All the string instruments seminar
• Drums of Malaysia
• Hata (Korea, Malaysia, turkey, Taiwan, Azerbaijan)
• Oreka TX (Spain) (my favorite!!!)
• Samuel Dass & Prakash (Malaysia)
• Carimbo Drums (Brazil)
• Mamadou Diabate’s Percussion Mania (Burkino Faso) (my favorite! stole the show!)
• Sape & Warrior (Sarawak)
• Kanda Bongo Man (Congo/UK)

The festival was housed in a traditional cultural village where you can enter indigenous longhouses. There were many crafts and souvenirs being sold, but the best part was the FOOD!!!… At the end there was a 4 hour jam session of international music!!! Many intoxicated people drinking foreign beer (Heinikin sponsored the event) and Twak (local moonshine) while having a great time alongside people of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, and nationalities including children. We literally danced the night away until the very last song. Good times!!

*People should only drink when they can hold their liquor* I’m just saying, it makes for an interesting night for EVERYBODY involved with the inebriated individual(s).

Well enjoy the borrowed pics from my homies and youtube lol:

Krystal