My maiden trip to Sarawak

Armed with some self compiled maps and photographs of various species of cryptocorynes, I followed my explorer friend to Sarawak for a field trip last weekend. Below is a quick summary of the highlights of the trip:

• We almost missed the plane to Sarawak due to traffic jam in Singapore. We reached Changi Airport Terminal 1 only 40mins before departure time. Due to not being able to check in our luggage, my friend's Swiss army knives were confiscated by the airport security.
• We were delighted that the rental car company in Sarawak was trust worthy enough to deliver the car to Kuching airport at 10pm at night!
• We had a late night dinner along Sarawak river, feeling relieved that we managed to catch the plane after all.

• We made our way up towards Sibu over the night without sleeping, ate an early breakfast at Sarikei, hit a bat, and located C. pallidinervia 'Sibu' along the road to Sibu.

• We accidentally discovered C. lingua 'Sibu' under a wooden bridge along a brackish water river.

• We located C. bullosa around Pakan and ate some delicious wild durian there.

• I was confused by some of the road signs I saw.

• We failed to locate an acceptable hotel and decided to spend the night in the car instead at a closed R&R centre nearby, too tired to drive further to another town to search for a hotel.
• We located C. bullosa at Sungai Seblak (not Sibiak) and some other adjacent streams.

• We located C. longicauda at Betong area.

• We located C. longicauda at Pantu area.

• We managed to reach Kampong Sabal Kruin area just before nightfall to locate C. uenoi.

• We passed by Kampong Kerait area too late and dark to search for C. ferruginea.
• While searching for cryptcoryne along the road from Bau area and Serikin area, I dropped more than 2m through a hole beside a bridge but was lucky enough to be able to hang on to the thick layers of creepers and vines above before reaching the bottom of the drain. Mother nature was kind to me.
• I learnt that Bau area is not as easy a place to locate cryptocorynes.
• I was impressed by the English language standard of the Dayak people in Sarawak.
• I tried Sarawak Laksa for the 1st time.

I will separately post on the cryptocorynes which I found in Sarawak this trip.