4WD adventure into Kalimantan
Published on: Sunday, August 20, 2017
By Susan TanIT'S not everyday you get the chance to go deep into one of the most uninhabited parts of Asia. So when there was a request for a writer to join the entourage, I plunged right in.
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Nope, I don't have a sleeping bag, never set up a tent and the day before the trip, heard that there's a difference between a sleeping bag and camp bed.It was almost two decades ago when a group of us took the 4WD traversing muddy terrain followed by white water rafting adventure in Janda Baik. You don't forget an event like that, ever. It's easier to forget an old boyfriend then erase the memory of adrenaline jolts as your 4WD fought against gravity.On Aug 13, I embarked on one of my most memorable adventures, this time jointly organised between North Borneo Explorer Sdn Bhd and PT Java Adventura. I know this won't be a quiet picnic with barbecue by the shore. It's going to be tough but that's what real adventures are supposed to be and that's when we find out what we're made of when faced with surmounting challenges.
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A total of 53 participants from Malaysia and, of course, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China and Australia will traverse a 15-day non-stop heart thumping journey from Kota Kinabalu to the north and covering the eastern part of Kalimantan including the Indonesian islands of Derawan and Meratua, back to Sabah's Malinau and Be'kalalan and ending the expedition in Brunei.This would be the first ever exploration that involves the route from Simanggaris (border between Sabah and Kalimantan) to the Indonesian islands and back to Malinau within the same journey.
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Such a feat requires months of arduous preparation, lots of negotiation with those who hold the keys to various kingdoms and hearts of steel to never give up. This is going to be the mother of all 4x4 events in Borneo.The ride was quite pleasant from Kinabatangan to Balung. After all, only one vehicle was out of commission for a while.Driving along roads lined with rows upon rows of palm trees, it was a welcome sight when swaying palms and bougainvillaeas hugged arches greeted us at #balungriverecoresort.The estate sits on 4,000 acres of fertile ground. Cultivated here are Java and misai kuching tea, Jati trees for teak, Gaharu for perfume and incense and lots of local vegetables which are also sold to markets here.As I fingered my bottle of Dior's J'adore, I begin to appreciate the amount of time, effort and skills to create the drops I dab on my wrists. Such is the case for the Gaharu tree. When it matures, an incision is made on the tree. A chemical is then injected into it. The tree produces its equivalent of anti bodies to react against the intruding bodies. After a spell, the tree eventually turns black and dies. It is then harvested and there the process of extracting its essence begins. A kilo of the Gaharu harvest is sold for RM20,000. Don't you wish trees won't have to die just so we can smell nice?It's interesting to note that the resort has a sizeable facility for the rearing of cows, including the Brahman and Wagyu varieties. The Wagyu cows are fed fermented tapioca (I could smell the alcohol). Those lucky animals and their happy hour!The story would be incomplete if you don't hear about the 3-in-1 strategy adopted by the resort. Cows are reared for their rendang/salai/curries and their waste product is turned into fertiliser and methane gas.Nothing is wasted here. Empty water bottles are modified and turned into lamp shades. That reminds me that I need to recycle more.If you need a break from the city, try this resort. It's easy to get here. The pictures you see will get you packing your bags right away. Kampung Bilit is a little village in the district of Kinabatangan. It has a school, a mosque and some convenience stalls. The village is situated on the coast of the Kinabatangan river, which is the longest river in Sabah at 560km.Cruising along this river, we saw Hornbills flying across and perching on the tallest branches they could find. We could make out the curve of their beaks. The colours would have been vibrant had they flown closer to us.The Proboscis monkeys were seen in herds high up the trees. A male dominates about a dozen females in his harem. Male monkeys have very pronounced bulbous nose, a beer belly and a red reproductive organ. I swear I am still talking about the Proboscis monkey. The belly has special chambers to digest cellulose. The diet consists of leaves and unripe fruits, but no bananas. Bananas cause their bellies to bloat and can be fatal.Younger male monkeys congregate in their own singles pad. Once they are strong enough to fight against an older male and if they win, the victor takes over the harem.We only managed to spot a single black Orangutan hiding behind weaves of leaves.Most of us camped out for a night. Some of us stayed with the villagers. Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar hosted our dinner.Kinabatangan is not just rivers, fresh air and great food. The people here are so friendly and accommodating. My host family made up a clean bed and sheets for us. Another no mozzie night for us! Our convoy was in top spirits leaving Balung and heading towards Kalimantan, Indonesia. To us, the real deal begins. Gone are the tarred and gravelled roads as these make way to muddy trails, trenches with depths higher than the car's wheels, obstacles upon obstacles to manoeuvre, bumps and jolts throughout the next 380 km to Simanggaris.Upon reaching a particularly challenging ground, each car waited for the car behind to make sure we all got through together. Most of the time a few of our machines would be stuck, engines groaning in exertion. That's when the tough guys from the other cars ran out to start the winching process. Things got more berserk when the rain came down heavily on us. It was thrilling as all drivers would tell me and it's as though they couldn't wait for their vehicle to be sucked into the muck just so they could get it out with their recovery kit.Our car was out of the trench after two tries of winching. Careening corners and angles over 45 degrees, a broken tree trunk made its appearance in front of our path. Angels must be playing games with us! A few guys got down and axed the trunk to movable pieces.Just when we thought our destination was at hand, we saw a gully and some uneven pieces of logs wedged inside. Our driver had to trickily steer the vehicle at an angle, and then quickly accelerate to the opposite angle, making sure wheels are on the logs for traction.We finally reached the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. We thought the rest of the distance would be an easy one.We didn't manage to find out because the border military police stopped us and we couldn't go across the border. Our Indonesian team went across the border to help facilitate access for the rest of us.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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