As I recall, it’s been 3 years since I last stepped in Long Banyok. God knows how much I miss that place. Well, the place I’m referring to is my mom’s homeland and yes I know she miss it as much as I did =D Plus, it is the home of my grandmother (we call her by the name “UKAU” which means grandmother in Morek) and my aunty A’a (one of the
people I know who can sure pull of a delicious meal. Make that every meal!!! =D).
There are only two ways of getting to the place, one: by car (which roughly takes about 5 hours plus) and two: by the only fastest water transport on the Baram River, the “express” which takes two long trips. First, from Kuala Baram to Marudi (about 3 hrs) and second, from Marudi to Long Banyok (2 ½ hrs plus), so total is like 6 hours trip. I know, it is a pain in the ass to sit my butt on the express seat for 6 hours.
BTW, Baram River (for those of you who did’nt know) is the river below the Baram Bridge before heading to Miri and after the Malaysian Immigration. Last time when I went there, I just use the car and of course you’ll need a 4X4 ride to get there, the road was kinda hardcore a bit especially during raining time.
But this time (on the 5th of Decenber), I just use the express to get there and got back home, haha a bit cheaper compare using a car (harap maklum, harga minyak mahal kali aa di sana, harga tayar lagi, itu ini blablabla =P).
Majority of the villagers in Long Banyok is Kenyah or Morek and very surprisingly they are also good in Iban language which makes it easier for me to communicate. But, sometimes I just don’t understand what the hell they talked about in their own language, which makes me felt kinda outcast in certain moments.
So f#ck it ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to bed early haha =D not your fault that I don’t speak and understands a little bit of Morek language. But since I got back from there, my Morek is getting a little better than before hehe. Let’s just say I managed to master a few words from my new buddies over there =).
I stayed there for 6 days and got back home to Brunei on the 11th. Unluckily I came there before Christmas =( coz Christmas there was like 2X crazy than what I had in Brunei, PERIOD!!! I mean, all the non-stop sound of firecrackers (it’s still on till after midnight even when you’re trying to sleep on the night of 24th, before Christmas), the sound of music non-stop till dawn breaks and all of the happy mood the people had on their faces.
Here are some of the lists of things that I might miss and not miss from Long Banyok:
- My grandma Ukau
- My aunty A’a
- The people of Long Banyok who is always so friendly =D
- Aunty’s f#cking hot shot curry and her egg fried cabbage, which I had every meal on the 6 days I stayed there and I never got sick of it!!! So a thumbs up to my aunt who is an excellent cook =D
- Eating more than a kg of grilled catfish (KELI). Damn, these bad boys in Long Banyok are so delicious, no shitting, coz they fed on the palm fruits (buah sawit) which makes them taste good compare to a normal catfish.
- Exchange the word ‘ANA!!!’ with some dudes in the football field, whatever it means… but it’s fun though haha
- Blood thirsty mosquitoes, which forced me to wear jeans and long sleeves every time I got into bed
- Funny shitty words coming out of some drunk dudes
- The muddy football field which was originally a swampy area
- A cold bath at the Baram River. OMG!!! The river was like 100 meters wide!!! No I’M NOT F#CKING Kidding!!!
