Misompuru Home Stay, Sabah Borneo

We left Kuala Lumpur and flew to Kota Kinabalu (KK), in Sabah, Borneo. Malaysian Borneo has two provinces, Sarawak and Sabah, which cover the north section of the island while Indonesia controls the south section.  We arrived in KK and boarded our next plane headed toward Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak. This park holds many wonders, but we were particularly interested in Deer Cave, the second largest cave in the world and the largest open to the public. This cave can fit multiple jumbo jets and have room to spare, in addition to being the home of millions of bats. Every night the bats leave the cave in coordinated swarms, spiralling away to confuse the bat hawks flying above.

However, to fly into the Mulu airport the pilots need full visibility as there are mountains on either side. Our first flight circled twice and although we had wonderful sunny skies with wonderful views of the rain forest, it was pouring over the airport and we were diverted to nearby Miri. Malaysia Airways put us up in a hotel for the night with free meals, room and transport. It wasn't ice of them but our room had a visitor based on the poopies beside our bed and I ended up eating something that made me horribly sick. After two weeks of hawkers and local restaurants, the 'fancy' hotel took me down. The next morning we tried again to get to Mulu and again were diverted back to Miri due to low clouds over the airport. Since it was only getting cloudier and I was sick, we decided that the universe was telling us not to go to Mulu (also, we were losing days waiting around in planes and airports) and we caught a standby flight back to KK. We spent that night with Chris taking care of my sorry semi-corpse self. We spent the next day regrouping and we busted out of KK the day after to the Misompuru Homestay near Kudat. Chris had set everything up for me while I was sick. He did very well, very well indeed.

We hopped on a mini bus out of KK and headed north. Although the bus driver told us he knew where he was going, he dropped us off at a traditional Rungus longhouse on a beautiful beach with what we thought was no one there. Thankfully a man named Joseph was there and he was able to get us in touch with the right people. Azwin and Michael picked us up from the beach and brought us to the house we would be spending our time in. Here, we met the family and another young man named Harry (aka Harry Potter he told us). After having a lunch of local veggies, fresh stingray and fresh prawns we rode mountain bikes down the dirt road to another home. It had rained the night before, so at times we were pedalling with the bottom bracket below water. Chris is so strong, the crankset kept falling off his bike, but we made it there. At the house we met John who showed us how the Rungus harvest honey. It is too late for honey but we got to try the royal jelly which is reserved for the queen. John showed us how to tap a rubber tree and we each got to have a go. Each tree is tapped in the morning and produces around 500g a day of rubber. The farmer gets 3 Ringgit for 1kg of rubber. John says he has 1000 trees and it takes him four hours every morning to harvest and tap. After this John chopped us each a young coconut and we got to drink the water straight from the coconut! Mango seasoning is closing so he also gave us each two mangos of different kinds and we ate them right from the tree. Absolutely delicious. Chris was given an additional local fruit but I regret that I can not remember its name. John even gave us some mangos for the road. By now, it had started raining hard so we took a short break on the covered porch to wait it out before returning to the Homestay. That ride was even better than the first.

John harvesting honey

John collecting rubber from his rubber tree (he calls it his bank)

Rubber tapping

Next Azwin, Michael and Harry took us to some sacred historic oil wells on the edge of the mangrove forest. These three wells each produce oil naturally and were once exploited by the Japanese during WWII. Micheal showed us how to respect the wells so we would be protected. We took some oily water and drew it across our foreheads.

Natural oil well

After this we climbed into the mangrove forest and Azwin showed us how to find shells (mangrove clams) with a long knife similar to a machete used by the Rungus people for everything. You stand over the shallow water and draw the knife through the bottom until it hits a shell and makes a particular noise. Then you dig the shell up. Chris was a pro, he found 7 shells in the time it took me to find three. In all fairness, one of mine had been half out of the water and the other had been near the surface, I only found one the traditional way. We climbed back out of the mangroves which is very difficult when you are holding a long knife in one hand and holding shells in the other. We returned back to the Homestay with our harvest which was well received.

These clams had already been eaten, they are much harder to find than this

While we were showering all the mud off us Cobra came home. He runs the Homestay programs for all of Sabah and his house is where we stayed. He is Azwin's father and his family is wonderful. We had a lovely dinner of chicken and local veggies. There are seven cats in the house so Chris was in heaven, there was lots of love to go around.

That evening some more people came over and showed Chris and I how traditional Rungus weaving is done and I was allowed to try it. I think I destroyed it so hopefully  is is easy to undo one line. Adding a pattern into the weave is so hard I thought I had good eyesight but now  am not sure. The Rungus wove all their clothing this way with wonderful patterns. A skirt alone takes two months to weave. Beading is very important to the Rungus and we shown how to do some simple beading. I started a bracelet and Cobra's twelve year old daughter Zizi finished it for me.

Traditional weaving

Before bed we headed back into the mangroves to set crab traps by flashlight. This is a primary mangrove forest so it has never been altered or cut down. The roots are so dense you can walk across them. We set four traps although usually they set ten and place them farther into the forest.

Mangrove at night, they told us not to fear all the things that can harm you. We made sure someone was in front and behind us

The next morning we checked the traps and Chris and caught a crab! The other three traps were empty . Cobra took us to a river through the mangrove where we went in small boats to collect traps his friend had set out the night before. We caught 15 more crabs but I pulled in the biggest one! This one was a beast, and the same kind as the one that lives in the forest. He must have ventured into he river. We cooked three of the crabs and had a picnic with the freshest crabs ever. They were cooked by placing the live crabs directly on a fire. I felt terrible for the crabs, boiling is probably an easier death.

Biggest crab of the season

Lunch time

That afternoon we went into Kudat, the closest city and then off to another beach near the Tip of Borneo. We watched some people surfing and then headed off to the very Tip of Borneo with Corbra, Michael and Zizi.  The tip is a rocky point with very strong wind which divides the South China Sea from the Sulu Sea. We walked out and explored the rocks taking pictures of the crabs and rock formations. As we took some pictures two local girls asked me to pose with them. They only came up to my shoulders. I am so tall here. Chris and I both stick out. We are the only people ducking in the markets and stores. The tip is beautiful and there are three sea caves only accessible during low tide. We couldn't see them as it was high tide. With sunset still two hours away we went back to Kudat and then to the first beach we had been dropped  off at the the lovely traditional longhouse. Michael took us out on the rocks there and we found a baby sea snake, black and white. They grow much much bigger and have venom fifty times more venomous than a cobra. If you are bitten you die within minutes. Too fast for anti venom. We saw another sea cave you can only enter at low tide. Cobra joined us and we climbed to the mouth of the cave from the other side. It was really wonderful down there although a rouge wave almost took us out, awesome!

Tip of Borneo

We took the previous picture up there on top of the sandstone

Chelsea and CC

Traditional Long house

Sea snake, very deadly but this one is a baby

Top entrance to cave, tide was too high to enter sea side

That night we had BBQ chicken, beef and two kinds of fish. It was a feast! The BBQ is a giant wok with charcoal and a wire mesh on top to hold the food. We also had fresh mango juice which is my new favourite. As there is no growing season everything is available all year round, very unlike Canada. A group of traditional dancers joined us for dinner and performed for us after dinner. Due to a death in the family the gong players were unable to attend so they danced to recorded music. The dance is slow and rhythmic and the costumes are beautiful. We were allowed to try on the costumes but we are much bigger than the Rungus people. Let us just say the pins held the top on luckily and Chris could easily have pulled a Hulk. I think we looked beautiful. I will admit, I am not used to six girls helping me change while wearing only underwear and being over a head taller.

BBQ......mmmmmm!

After the dancers left the karaoke party started and they demonstrated traditional dancing to modern music. We slept well that night.

This morning we went to the Sunday market and saw all the local produce and fish. Chris bought long beans which are like our green bean, only two feet long. We then went to a nearby village where they make gongs. We played some gongs and had too much fun causing a ruckus. We headed back to the Homestay where we had a crab lunch and chicken soup with local rice wine. The Sabah rice wine is amazing! We would have likes to take some home but you can only buy it if you know the guy who makes it. Customs wouldn't approve. But if you get the chance, try it one day.

Gong making shop

Gong maker, the locals tell us not to mess with the women of this village as they are strong

World's largest gong

After lunch one of the house cats caught a snake and almost dragged it into the house so there was lots of screaming going on. The last thing we did before we left was plant a tree. Chris planted a durian tree and I planted a rambutan tree. The house has many fruit and veggie trees planted by visitors. As this was going on toe large monitor lizards rani not the pond in a rush, most likely fighting  over territory. There are so many animals here.

We had a wonderful stay with Cobra and his family. The Misompuru Homestay is a wonderful place and the only way you should see Borneo.

Love,
Chel
Xoxoxo