Just a quick click of my heels and a rather tedious and soul destroying flight later, I am far from the tropical heat of Malaysia and back in the cloud of a cold, damp Melbourne winter...and I must say, I am thoroughly enjoying it. Despite the fact that I have joined my fellow Melburnians in loudly decrying the wet conditions and sniffling at the cold mornings and exclaiming that life in the city is barely tolerable at this time of year, I am quietly enraptured by it all. It is expected, even mandatory to complain about Melbourne weather if one lives here, but I firmly believe that, like me, its "well-weathered" residents enjoy using the excuse of winter, to hucker down in one of the many warm and convivial bars that line its lanes and inhabit its beachside locations.
As cosseting and enveloping as a wet, winter's day can be for me, I am equally charmed to enjoy one of those days when Melbourne's winter sky sparkles and is crystal clear and the warm light favours all who venture outside. Today is one such day and I have taken the opportunity to luncheon in the sun at an old haunt of mine in the beach-side suburb of St Kilda. In keeping with the clarity of the winter sun and the remarkable quality of light, I have chosen the wonderfully floral, herbal and lightly spiced Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2009 from Tasmania. A bright, vividly ripened drop, it would be difficult to find a more suitable accompaniment to a beautiful winter's days in Melbourne.
More than a little foot sore and still tending to a myriad of insect bites collected in the jungles of Borneo, I have taken to a sun bed and a good book (Haruki Murakami's, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) on a tranquil, white sand beach on the island of Langkawi off Malaysia's north west coast. With the trials, pleasures and at times, soreness of jungle life now well behind me, I have gratefully allowed the magic of island life to settle over me like a veil. Each day has a tranquillity and timelessness about it, that evokes a calmness I believe can only be attained on a quiet beach in the tropics. It is in this state of being that I divide days between the wonderfully complex world of Murakami, floating aimlessly in the impossibly aquamarine waters of the bay surrounding my chalet (I have commissioned simply furnished accommodation over the water) and a small but suitably appointed bar situated on the fringes of the beach. As the sun and sea meet at dusk, and the evening light turns to a warm slate grey, I deliberate carefully on the list of libations and settle on a tipple that perfectly captures the moment... a Vodka (Reyka by preference) with crushed lime and mint served over shaved ice...marvellously refreshing with a long finish that takes you into the night.
While not quite the Congo, I did not wish to miss an opportunity to vaguely tip toe into the world of Joseph Conrad's "...Heart of Darkness". So with a keen sense of adventure and a lorry-load of maximum strength insect repellent, I ventured bravely but surely into the dark heart of the Sarawak jungle between Kuching and the Kalimantan border. I had high hopes of not only finding myself but also wildly hoped to acquaint myself with the wild orang-utans and other creatures of the Borneo forest. My hopes were however, not to be realised. After walking many steamy and muddy kilometres in water sodden boots, and slapping myself senseless in mad, thrashing attempts to rid myself of ever present and persistently blood sucking beasties, (I was informed cheerfully after one hour of hard slog, that the insect repellent I had chosen was good for little more than as ballast for my backpack), I came to realise that the elusive orang-utan would remain elusive. I was however, endlessly entertained and amused by a raucous troop of monkeys who followed our little trek through the wilds. They did of course, keep a respectable and safe distance from the clumsy intruders, but their constant 'chatter' was a reassuring accompaniment as we trudged through to our destination.
Wildlife aside, the jungles of Borneo have much to offer the inquisitive traveller. Many of the tribes living on the myriad rivers upstream from Kuching, live in remarkable structures known as longhouses. These are gigantic wooden structures on stilts, each built in a different style according to the tribe, where entire villages co-exist under one roof, with individual rooms leading off long communal verandahs. With the right introductions and the right guide to help you navigate through longhouse etiquette, it is possible to experience the wonderful hospitality of these warm people and stay the night. I am fortunate to have been invited to spend the night by a welcoming and friendly Iban family Most longhouses these days have been quite modernised with electric lighting, TV and even satellite...but the hospitality shown to me was that of the old-fashioned kind; unparalleled anywhere for its genuine warmth.
As the green light of the jungled faded with the encroaching evening, my guide and hosts joined me on the wide verandah, placing down on the cane table between us, an amber bottle of uncertain origin filled with a cloudy liquid and a shot glass for each adult. This I was later to discover, was tuak, the local tipple. It has a mild and not totally unpleasant taste but by early indications, is going to pack one impressive hangover! What fun!
I had few expectations when winging my way to the city of Kuching, the capital of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. I had viewed it merely as just another small, provincial Asian city; a launching place for an 'intrepid' foray into the densely jungled interior of this infamous and mysterious island. My views however, soon proved to be erroneous and were sharply but delightfully jolted into the realisation that Kuching was anything but a run-of-the-mill, moderately sized Asian city. Instead, I found a polished, refined and tolerant city with an urbane charm that would impress even the most jaded of travellers. Having recovered from the immediate dismay of being...wrong, I quickly rallied, deposited my bags in my 'atmospheric' lodgings and went to explore. Built largely on the south bank of the Sungai Sarawak, Kuching (meaning 'cat' in Malay) though large by Malaysian standards, is somewhat contained and compact, with most sites and attractions within an easy and tempting stroll of the city centre. I was to find that many of Kuching's historic buildings have been tastefully and artistically restored, including the many humble godowns or warehouses, that line the river and now house restaurants, curio shops and Chinese shop houses. The south bank of the river is even rimmed by a peaceful promenade, where one can amble between the sites or hail a small boat or tambang to ferry you across the river.
As dusk settles over this most attractive city of Southeast Asia, I have repaired to one of the more colourful godowns for this evening's dissipation. Nestled comfortably in rattan and silk upholstery, I have settled on an old standard, a Singapore Sling, that 'climate appropriate' mix of gin (premium naturally), cherry brandy, lemon juice and soda. Not precisely a local concoction but certainly well in the region, I felt my selection had met with the approval of those around me. A longer stay in this tempting city is definitely in order!
