The one and only Charles A. Bateman sitting pretty and standing with daughter Felicia.

Bryan, Rachael, Maurice, FH2o, Charles A Bateman, Mona, Azmi, Angelina, Basil Wee & Felicia @ Sg Abang, Thursday 27th December 2007

Anyway after secretly reading my blog for a while, Charles being an outdoors loving person (although I must qualify that his fondness for the outdoors is strictly confined to his love for his old junk land rover and all things land rovers) finally decided to check out our kayaking trip – with his wife, 2 lovely daughters, his sister and her husband and their 2 sons.

And so on a fine Thursday morning we set out for Kg Bengoh with this fine company of 8 on their first kayaking trip ever. To cut a long story short – they all loved it! Especially His Excellency whose idea of kayaking is to lie on a supine position while his wife does all the hard work … *sigh*

They all did well despite being beginners although at one bend in the river they all went for a swim to avoid kissing a grove of bamboos when directed there by the strong river currents. And the governor has to do one better at the take-out at Kg Semadang while he pondered my command to get off the kayak but instead capsized it with Azmi and Juri desperately chasing after the runaway kayak!

I should have known better that Governors do not take instructions or commands kindly. Forgive me Your Excellency!

Kayaking Charles Arthur Bateman's style ...

Labels: Kuching Kayak Sdn Bhd, Kuching Kayaking, People

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She floats and she's beautiful - wood strip kayak designed and built by clever Kuching kayaker Dennis Leong

Dennis’s father picked up one of our flyers and passed it to him and he called me up one evening inquiring if he could join in one of our kayaking trips using his own kayak. “Sure!” As I’m glad to meet another kayaker in Kuching. So I asked him what make of kayak he has and he replied that he’s building his own! Needless to say I asked him if I could have a look and I sped to his house to meet him and have a look at his home built kayak. My jaws dropped as it was a most beautiful wood strip hand built kayak that I’d ever seen. Actually it was the first wood strip hand built sea kayak that I'd ever seen! It was all completed just awaiting the final few finishing coats. If Huey sees this - I bet tears will be rolling down his face! It was simply beautiful.

Maiden paddle - Dennis in his own designed and built sea kayak on Sarawak River, Kuching

When Dennis took her (christen 'Rilo Fun') out for a maiden paddle a few weeks back; I was away and this morning I received an email from him with these 2 photos and these 2 simple and beautiful words – “she floats.”

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I was a little apprehensive at first when my daughter Skim, who'd just turned 16 in August, sought our permission to be a studio model for a friend of a friend for her college's photography project; a couple of days after which she showed us these photographs - which surprised as well as delighted us (besides being a relief!).

This is my favorite shot! (It's currently my laptop's wallpaper)

Labels: People, Photography

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Azmi with Kim, Robert and Matthew @ the put-in at Sg Abang, 9 October 2007

Robert, Matthew and Kim shooting the rapids @ Borneo Highlands!

Labels: Kuching Kayak Sdn Bhd, Kuching Kayaking, People

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was wandering around tibet for the last 2 weeks

trying to track down the elusive shangrila

think i found something in a small tibetan village in yubeng

have to trek for hours by foot and mules at elevation close to 4000m to get there

exhausting but rather worthwhile

thinking of giving up landscape architecture to become a monk!

cheers

seksan

Labels: People, Photography, Travelling

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Labels: Kuching Kayaking, People

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Beautiful sweet innocence captured @ Kg. Semadang, 15 September 2007

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Errol Ross, James Newman, Johnny Lawson & Azmi @ Secret Waterfall, Borneo Highlands 3rd September 2007

It had been raining almost the entire night before and the rain just managed to ease briefly when Azmi set off for Borneo Highlands on Monday morning with the 3 Scottish Errol, James and Johnny, who signed up for the Kuching Rainforest Kayaking Trip, whose spirits were not dampened in the least. Perhaps they had downed some good scotch spirits the night before?

Getting high up on a vine instead of a bottle of scotch!
Photo by Azmi

Soaking Scottish @ Sg Sarawak Kiri!
Photo by Azmi

Labels: Kuching Kayak Sdn Bhd, Kuching Kayaking, People

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Elke was all smiles on Sg Sarawak Kanan @ Bau on 22 July 2007

I thought I was the only person mad about kayaking until I met Elke Wollschon, whose only previous kayaking experience was on the Russia River when she last visited the US, who signed up for all 3 of our kayaking trips! I thought she was kidding when she first emailed me and did not pay too much notice to it until she pleasantly surprised me with her call on Saturday evening reminding me that she has signed up for all our kayaking trips and is raving to go!

Too beautiful for words to ever capture but no problem with a small digital camera

Though born in Germany, Elke now lives and work in KL (for the past 7 years) where she owns the largest used book store chain in Malaysia, Pay Less Books, with 5 branches in KL. She loves Malaysian food and is probably the only angmoh I know who takes chilli-padis with her food and loves curries! Elke looks like an angmoh outside but is half-malaysian inside according to her!

Elke's dream of kayaking through the jungles came true and she wanted the images for keeps

I took her out on Sunday at Bau while Azmi took her with another group on Monday at Borneo Highlands and she went dolphins spotting with Azmi again this morning!

Elke loves bamboos (she has some in her renovated bathroom) and was in awe of the giant species found along Sg Sarawak Kanan @ Bau

Elke has always dreamed about kayaking through the jungles and was most grateful that we made her dreams come through. She confessed that she was so excited when she ‘googled’ on the internet and found out about our dolphins kayaking trip. We loved kayaking and we are so glad that someone else also shared our passion. Thanks for taking our trips Elke and for being the first person to go on all our kayaking trips! And Elke told me that she'll be back again and would like us to open up more kayaking trips for her to experience. :)

Elke on Sungai Abang @ Borneo Highlands 23 July 2007

Labels: Kuching Kayaking, People

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Green (for now) lizard on a dead tree trunk

We're frequently asked whether we would be able to see wild animals on our rainforest river kayaking trips. But with the racket generated by an excited bunch of people; even bigfoot would be frightened away!

Chameleon Lizard in her hair! Notice how it has changed it's colour to match Lin's hair!

Lovely Jessica Lin @ Sg Sarawak Kanan, Bau. 20 July 2007 Kayaking anyone?

Labels: Kuching Kayaking, People

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Congratulations to Edmund and Caroline.
We couldn't be happier for the both of you. Wishing you both happiness always.
And who says that life doesn't begin at 50? Definitely not Edmund! ;o)

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Some letters are so gratifying to receive, even a year after ...

Dear Francis,

You will probably not remember us, but in connection with Global Meet 2006 I and my husband were signed up for kayaking in the rainforest. It was raining cats and dogs, and our behinds were somewhat sore, but this experience is one of the best ones in our lives. We still talk about it, and we certainly intend to come back one day. We have recommended your business several times, and we have also spoken about our personal experience of the trip, which really have intrigued people.

All the best to you and we hope your business is blooming.

Kind regards,

Marit Nyström-Collin and Christer Nyström

Sweden
3rd July 2007
Photos by Ferdinand Photography courtesy of Sarawak Convention Bureau.

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It had been a beautiful but hot Labour Day but that did not deter Simon my neighbour who invited to join him for a ‘short’ cycle to the nearby ‘Samajaya Industrial Estate’ (whose roads would be deserted on account of the public holiday) but I had a guest who was visiting us from Houston, Texas. But Simon has extra bikes around the house like I had kayaks so we invited George to join us and he gladly accepted as he had been well-fed since he landed in Kuching for his 3 weeks holidays in Kuching and he wanted to burn the calories.

Simon being familiar with the route led the way while we were happy to take it easy and tag behind at our own (slow) pace. Eventually we caught up with retiree Mr. Sim our 67 year old neighbour who lived in the same street as us and who had left earlier than us. It was the first time I had cycle with him and he soon put us all to shame leaving us panting and aching as we struggled to keep up with him! I somehow managed to take a few snapshots in between catching my breathe! So here are the pictures! It was a most delightful ride with great company on a wonderful day.

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This is all so sweet! And you can check it out here.

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This must qualify as the world's most expensive white canoe; or rather a 1991 painting titled "White Canoe" by Scottish-born artist Peter Doig (who is living out his reputation as Europe's most expensive living painter) that fetched a mind boggling $10 million at an auction at Sotheby's according to a post by Gabrielle Lim & Peng Hee from Kuching at their blog creeART which showcase their own beautiful original artworks which I believed they sell for considerably much less! And frankly I find Gab and Hee's work that much more accessible, interesting and appealing than the "White Canoe" which actually 'does' nothing for me! Unless I must be missing something. *sigh*

But I do like his painting below - Architect's Home in the Ravine, oil on canvas, 200cm x 275cm, 1991.

Labels: People

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Turned out that 80 years old Mrs. Tan, the proud owner of the blue Mini had been driving this car for the past forty over years which she is still using to operate her retail business. She operates a stall selling ‘batik’ clothing at the weekend Satok Sunday market. She travels to KL, Singapore and Indonesia to buy her batik materials to sell them in Kuching and her mini has been modified to enable her to carry her goods. Hence the removal of all the seats (except for the driver) and the addition of a home-made rubber hose cladded roof rack. Mrs Tan is one of the liveliest (healthy and alert) 80-year olds that I had the pleasure to meet and she started telling me stories about her youth when she went boating with some well-known local personalities. She must have been quite a character then. She still operates her business at an age where most would be vegetating at home - as it makes her feel alive to be doing something.

We chatted for a while until my hand phone rang with an impatient client on the line asking when I would be back in the office to discuss the latest revised plans. I told Mrs Tan that I have to go and that it was nice chatting with her and that I’ll be looking her up at her stall at the Sunday market. Her face lit up on hearing that and she asked for my business card.

I think I made her day. And I’m glad I did, as she did mine.

Labels: Life, People

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