This entry is transferred from my Multiply site. Date: Dec 3, '05 6:43 AM
It's been a really busy time with work and life and everything else. Miss going out with friends very much because everyone is busy. But I am glad that I can find some time to update my page again. I am sure many are wondering about me as much as I am about them. I have not been actively mailing everyone too. My sincere appologies dear friends.
Anyway, I want to share a little about the last field trip I went. It was into a peat swamp forest in Bintulu. Exciting?? Yes, it was quite exciting but also exhausting. We had to collect some samples of water from a river within our study boundary. All the easily accessible areas of the river were beyond the study boundary. So, the original plan was to trek in using a transect which had been cut earlier for some peat depth studies. (Btw, peat means organic soil in Sarawak). Not something I look forward to as the area is flooded - water table is at ground level. This means that my collegue and I will have to trek through floating organic materials which might lead up to out chest. I was very apprehensive when I thought about what might be underneath all those floating organic material. There could be snakes. I could have chosen not to go in but my pride wouldn't let me. I wanted to know if I could do it - get through the challenge. To my relief though, on that day, we found an alternative route. There was a logging camp in the area which was carrying out salvage logging. They were removing remaining logs with commercial value before an oil palm plantation is set up. The loggers had built a rough rail track which they use to move the logs out. The track was built about 2 feet above ground so we could just walk on the "slippers" and stay dry. Walking on those slipper sorely tested my agility and balance because they were made of logs so they were not flat surfaces and some of the slippers were set far apart...too far for me to cross to another in one step. Naturally, I had the balance of a hippo walking a tight rope and I fell like a clumsy one too. First time I broke a glass bottle for the water sample. Second and third time I fell, I landed in the water. So much for keeping myself dry. I am just thankful that a glass bottle was all that I broke and my bones were all intact. :) Had some colorful bruises decorating my body though. Too bad I did not get to enjoy the view inside the swamp as it was really hot and I was concentrating too much on not falling off the tracks. I have got to find a way to rationalize with my pride. I think someday..it will just land me in serious trouble. But as of now, everything went well, so here I am again typing away in my journal. I am thankful for that. Oh, I almost forgot, we also went up another river in a flimsy kampung long boat....which almost capsized 90 percent of the time it was being paddled. But I'll save that account for another time.
I am actually in a very reflective mood today. It's that time of the year which brings out the mood I guess. When you hear the jingle bells jingle bells, beautifully decorated christmas trees and soon you know that you will be seeing red, hearing fire crackers and kongsi kongsi ni blaring in the air - you just know that it's the end of another year. What have I achieved? Did I achieve any of the things that I set out to do? What do I want in the next year? Waht have I learned this year? Have I improved? Have I been a nice person to my family, loved ones and friends? And of course the acknowledgement that I will be one year older. Sigh...I think I need to reflect some more on those questions. Maybe I'll share it with friends when I go out with them. It will be good to go out again.
Anyway, just uploaded the photos for Miri. So, do check it out. And to all those who are keeping track of me and my activities here....take care y'all.
P.S. This entry is on a rather personal note due to my reflective mood.
