Thursday, December 30, 2010

TRIP TOWARDS SEMBAN VILLAGE

25 December 2010, 16 of us venture into the wilderness of the Padawan jungle heading towards Semban village, a Bidayuh village roughly 10 kilometres away from civilization. The journey started from Bengoh Dam, aside Bengoh village located about 30 minutes drive from Kuching City. By 10.00 am, we assembled, took a group picture, a little briefing, repacking of our belongings(give some to the tour guide to help carry (^.^), and off we shoot, engaging into the wilderness.









Our 4 hour walking journey was quite a challenge, since we walk up, down, up, down, up, down the hill for who knows how many times, added the walk path was not even, aside a cliff and some, muddy.



































Two of the hills was the toughest when the pathway steps was made from bamboo to avoid the slipperiness of the soil and had took most of our time on the trip, actually perhaps it only took my time. I had to stop several times climbing those hills and the climb had eaten up most of my energy. I think the highest hill alone had consumed more than half an hour of my exploration. Soaring my leg especially muscle in the thigh and the calf.



Another challenge during the trip was the pouring rain which we encountered in the middle of the trip and had only stopped around 30 minutes after I reached Semban Village. The socks in my rubber boots were all wet, the path was very slippery and muddy, making the walk quite dangerous and more risky when stepping on the slippery bamboo stair steps climbing and going down the hills. The rain blurred my view when my spectacles was all wet and the unpleasant sight had brought headache to my brains. I was only able to see short distance and this had made the trip even more challenging. I wish I would have took pictures during the rain pour but feared a great lost if my camera would have been damaged by the rain. I was thankful to have bought a cheap rain coat during the trip vital to cover my backpack. If not, I would have ended with all my cloths and supplies damp during our stay in Semban.

Up to the third and half hour walk, I found myself being bypass by all of the participants as I was walking slower and slower. While walking to higher steps, I felt that it was getting harder to lift my legs, and my steps was accordance to my breathing. After taking one breath, I took one step upward, then one after another. I thought to myself, this must be how a snail glides. I'm now thinking like a snail. I was so slow, and the person in front of me was so far. Only god knew how I felt, sooooo tired, exhausted. A question keep repeating in by mind, 'Am I there yet?', 'Am I there yet?' a hundred times.

When I was about to lose hope, there it was, a view of relief, the houses, the football field, the pets, the chickens, the music playing.. Thank you Allah, I'm here, I'm here. I have made it..



Proving to my self how tired and exhausted I was, the walk from where the picture above was taken, to the house where we were staying (somewhere in the picture), even made me felt that the journey was never going to be over. My muscle was hurt, and all I would ever wanted was somewhere to fall my body, somewhere I could lean or perhaps, somewhere I could lie down and sleep.



At last, it felt like my prayers were answered. I was so satisfied. I was so happy. Somewhere I could call home during the trip. Somewhere I could sit. And somewhere I could smile.