Murud 2015 - After - Day 7

Tuesday, 21st July

No, I did not manage to wake up at 5 in the morning for morning prayers in the church.  I woke up to hear Apu' going but was too tired to get up myself.  I console myself with the thought that I had another day - tomorrow to go before flying out.

We took our time to wake up, to bath and to have our breakfast.  At about 10am, Mee Ting and Judith came to ask if we would like to go to Long Bawan (Indonesia) as Ama' Paran will be driving a family there to have a look and he said we can go if we don't mind standing at the back.  Lyd and I said yes as they say the journey would just take under an hour; we ought to be back by the time Aunty Alui came back from work.  Barb opted not to go, since it was really hot and we might be bbq-ed under the hot sun again.  After telling Apu', off we went.  Who would have thought that the family we were hitching a ride with was the family of that nice boy I met during the prayer for the nations session up on the mountain!  Super cool.

It was a long drive with many check point stops along the way.  Judith, Mee Ting, Lydia, Ina' Martina and myself sat at the back of the double-cab 4WD.  After 2 hours baking under the sun, we arrived Long Bawan.  We passed through many other kampungs along the way and mostly were Ina' Martina's family heirloom.  We asked her how she met Ama' Paran if one was from Indonesia and the other from Ba' Kelalan.  She said that both their fathers were Penghulu and they were matchmade.  She was 13 at that time.  Oh marriages of long-ago; very strong even if they were matchmakes.

We then stopped at the airport and someone generously offered us homemade ice-cream.  Oh, such relieve from the hot sun.  Then we went for lunch at one of the shops.  Real, original Indonesian bakso.  Yums.

Yummy Original Indonesian Bakso.  The chili that came with it - WOW!
Aunty Alui said it's yummy because they put worn underwear into the broth as they cook and boil the soup!  Haha!

After stamping our passes, we started the journey back.  Reached Buduk Nur at 3.30pm.  When we got to the house, Apu' Neng said that Barb and Aunty Alui had gone to Aunty Amu house just "now" and that we should hurry.  I don't even remember the road to her house though we had been there in 2013!  Apu' said to follow the car road so that's what we did.  Lydia said for sure there was a short cut, but since we didn't know where and how, we just followed Apu's instruction.  We walked and walked and walked and walked and walked.... stopped a few locals to ask and continue to walk and walk and walk.  After 45 minutes walking, we finally saw the said junction and Uncle Liau was there waiting for us.  Barb and the 2 aunties had gone up to the kebun to pick fruit and had just came back.

Buah Biu - local persimmon.  It's so yummy I think I ate 5 at one sitting.  Photo credit to Barb from her FB :)

Aunty Amu has a fish pond and stubborn Uncle Liau tried to catch some fish.  In the end Aunty Alui went into the pond and caught lots of talapia for our dinner.  We were introduced to Buah Biu - some sort of local persimmon.  Yummy!  After Aunty Alui cleaned the fish, we started walking back in case Apu' got worried if it was already dark.  Yes, there was indeed a shortcut across to the airport.  The walk took us 30 minutes this time.

When we got home we quickly bath and Aunty Alui prepared dinner for us.  Dinner was a noisy affair as we were laughing and chatting away while walloping a whole lot of fish.  Apu' was quiet most of the time just listening to us but later she lamented how quiet tomorrow's meals would be after we left.  My heart broke again.

At Aunty Sipai's place.  Aunty Sipai is so beautiful and she dresses with class and elegance too.  Even on the mountain, she will wear such nice embroidered dresses with sequins nonetheless!  But looking at Apu' Neng one will see where that style comes from. 
Us:  Aunty Sipai, yours truly, Barbara, Judith, Apu' Neng, Apu' Supit and Lyd

After dinner, we told Aunty Alui that we wanted to go visit Aunty Sipai.  So off we went.  Lyd walked with Apu'.  It was so funny because it was so quiet in the kampung and Apu' being deaf with age had talked so loudly that I think the whole kampung could hear her!  We got to Aunty Sipai's house just as they were starting to have dinner.  Again??? Arrrggghhhh... even scared of food now.  Haha. But we joined in anyways, having biter and chicken wings and drinks.  Oh the pleasures of life.  Then we said our goodbyes and left to go home to pack.  We will be flying back tomorrow.  My turn to walk with Apu' back to the house and she said, don't leave me, it will be so quiet tomorrow.  Oh Apu' :(