langkau fiction

10-15 February 2007

I find it amusing how people can take so much time packing their stuffs just for a few day’s of travel. What to take with me? What kind of things to put into what kind of bag? What to wear on what kind of occasion? And if you have a traveling partner, an argument sometimes ensue out of this decision-making processes. All in all, preparation for traveling can be so stressful that the intended place of travel is already fixed in the mind before even stepping out of one’s own space. That is why I prefer to travel alone or with someone who wouldn’t give a damn on what I pack in my bag. Of course, I can’t say for those friends and relatives who travel with their family. The packing criteria for that unfortunate lot group of people is understably..er..different. Maybe a bit more challenging but that’s not my concern. If they wish to travel, they’d have to think about their children, their parents and recently, their grandparents. Packing must be one hell of an experience for that category of travelers. And all these depend very much on numbers (both members and ages). That in itself can occupy a 29-seater tour bus!

Packing at the last-minute is one kind of experience. There’s often the thrill of wondering ‘Is everything in there already?’ But once you’re accustomed to many years of such experience, the concept of panic automatically disappears from your vocabulary. I’ve met so many people who can easily panic when they suddenly forgot to pack something into their bags. “Oh, shit! I forgot to pack my toothbrush!” Next time, just shove them in your pocket or something.

And the best sight of all is the size of the bag(s) that people often take traveling with them. Some of them have super large suitcase(s) that does not seem to fit the number of days traveling. “Wow! That’s a huge suitcase you have there. How long did you say you were going away?” Almost without fail, their responses never cease to amuse me: “Three days”. What? The bulge on your suitcase(s) looks like you’re going to be away for at least three years!!

Terrible packing technique…

I was in Siem Reap last week, taking advantage of that ‘Now Everyone Can Fly’ cheap airfare. I spent two nights in KL before the trip to Siem Reap and I must say I don’t have many good things to say about our capital city. My cousins asked me, “Is that all you’re taking to Siem Reap? You’re going to be there for five days, right?” Yes and yes. Everything is neatly arranged into my favorite 14-year old Macpac. I don’t know if they sell this same ‘model’ these days but mine have been with me everywhere I go and is still in a brilliant condition. Take note that clothes are rolled, not folded into this bag. It’s a 20ltr daypack and all fits in well with extra space for souvenirs left (e.g. a 1ltr bottle of langkau). For one week’s clothing supply, it is a perfect size…for me, that is.

Oh ya, if packing stuffs into your bag bothers you, invite a friend (preferably the one who does not know much about traveling) along for the trip and let he/she do the worrying for you. If you’re lucky, you can dump the nitty-gritty stuffs into his/her bags and convince your friend the essential use of those (irrelevant) stuffs.

I’m finally back in Kuching and it’s been an amazing trip! Well, I spent several days in KL before stepping foot on this soil called ‘home’ and I didn’t really like that city life at all. I was at a dinner party of some cousin’s friends the other day and as I was introduced to people that I’ve just met, the first thing they as-a-matter-of-factly asked is: “So, what do you do?” I don’t know about you guys but I really do not feel comfortable being asked that question at the first stage of any meeting with a stranger. Have city people suddenly lost the belief in living life? I mean, real life! Not job life. And since my job is rather ‘unconventional’ in this developing capitalist society, the responses to my reply to their question would be somewhere along these lines: “hhm…that’s interesting” [translated as what kind of job is that?] or “wow! That’s so unique…y’know, I love Indiana Jones movies and bla bla bla” [translated as what kind of job is that?]

I will write about those next time. Now, I want to relax.

…NOT!

There is this thing about traveling that I’m so good at and that is not being prepared! I’m leaving this evening and it was only this morning, before going to work, that I checked my passport to see if it’s still okay or at least, still valid for another six months before leaving the country that I intend to travel. And ’twas okay. It still has another three years to go.

Being totally unprepared when traveling is thrilling (not stupid, contrary to conventional belief). I would even go to the extend to say it’s even brave to be unprepared because circumstances will mold to one’s desperation. Or vice versa. Whatever. To illustrate my unprepared-ness, I am broke. Yes, pokai. But one thing is certain: I will not starve nor do I lack beers while I’m there. Why? Because that has been meticulously budgeted. Oh ya, and I’ve also budgeted for my airport tax. And yes, in such a place, I’ve also budgeted for the occasional bribery should the need arise. That was what I learnt from my last visit there several years ago.

But accounting wisdom aside, I am now not sure if my budget would cover the accommodation that I planned. I’ve spent it on the sup harimau for the past few weeks. Last night, when I got back from Havana I nervously peeked into my wallet, and I just said “Oh…shit…” I was seriously thinking about taking my one-man tent or a hammock with me in this travel. I can handle such self-challenged (not absurd, contrary to conventional belief) situation. But I doubt if their local authorities or tourist-infested society can take my proposed action.

Also, my kanid borrowed my traveling backpack few weeks ago and has not returned it. I have to use my small bags then because I’m too lazy to ask it from him. I’ve not even packed my clothes even though I know my flight would leave two hours after I return from work today. Wow! This is so thrilling! I can feel the adrenaline rush now!

Taking paloi-ness to the extreme?
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The above entry was written almost a week ago but I was unable to post it due to the stupid internet server at work. I am, in fact, already here.

“It’s a mutual, joint-stock world, in all meridians. We cannibals must help these Christians” (Queequeg)

It’s been a rather eventful weekend. Kayak-ed on Saturday and attended a funeral in Danu on Sunday. Ironically, the funeral was great fun and it took me a while to dig up my ‘cultural archive’ stored somewhere in my tiny cerebrum to understand such situation among the Penrissen Bidayuh or the Biatah. I shouldn’t write the word “fun” to denote a sombre event like a funeral but I lack a better word to describe the deceased’s relatives’ laughter, loud lively discussions and free flow of langkau (and food).

We arrived in Kuching at around 8.30pm and went to Expert at Jalan Song to continue with the Tigers. This is to neutralize the langkau taste lingering in our mouth, I said. Bertran and Cam, who came with me to Danu and probably had fun too, were not convinced with my explanation for the Tigers. But who cares. It worked for me. I was a bit tipsy later and I decided to go home. Maybe I’m getting old for this but it was good.

I’m not a computer specialist. I don’t even know all the functions on my mini-stereo at home or the button functions on my Astro remote control! I’m a techilliterate.

The internet server in my office is kinda weird. I swear it has a life of its own. Really. I don’t know why but my colleagues have never complained about our internet server or whether theirs is haunted. Mine is like this. One moment, a notice pops out of the task bar saying that “Local Area Connection is now connected”. Three seconds later, it says A Network Cable Is Unplugged. Then, it’s back to okay three seconds later. And then, another three seconds later it is not okay. Then, it’s back to okay again…yes, three seconds later. And then, it goes…you know what I mean. It’s driving me nuts. It’s even worse when, especially after writing a lengthy email expounding on the theory of upyoursism, I click “Yes” to send and then, while in the process of sending, the alert conveniently pops up “A Network Cable Is Unplugged”. The process then fails. It’s a curse.

What does it mean by “A Network Cable Is Unplugged”? I check the network cable connecting to my CPU and nothing is wrong there. The ‘head’ is securely fucked tucked in the ’socket’ (see, I don’t even have the proper terms to describe those tech things…). So, what is wrong? I would usually call my computer technician to solve this problem but most of the time, he’d talk to me as if I authored “Computer For Idiots”. So, every time he talks to me in his computer language I just nod my head and say “Ooooh”. My profound but pragmatic statement would often be “Er..is that good or bad?” Then, he would understand that nothing he had said in the last 20 minutes manage to penetrate into my titanium-plated skull.

Better send this off before ‘that stupid notice’ pops up.