Thursday, January 11, 2007
1/11/2007 12:18:00 PM
1/11/2007 12:18:00 PM
China Kayaking in Kuching
posted by Francis Ho
Twenty four media representatives from China, who are part of the Visit Malaysia 2007 Mega FAM (familiarisation trip) media group, were in Kuching and STB (Sarawak Tourism Board) had organised for them to experience kayaking through the rainforests with us. Great!One group (9) is from Shanghai while the other more sedate group (15) is from Beijing. We took the Shanghai group out first while the Beijing group was out on another tour bus taking in the sights elsewhere in Kuching.
The Shanghai group were a young, animated and lively bunch and were eager to get on the waters to go kayaking! Luckily the weather was good as it had been raining the past week. Unfortunately I couldn't join them as I have to organise the ground logistics for the next kayaking group. But I was at the take-out at the "Mini Wild Animal Farm" a.k.a. "Turn Red Restaurant" to greet them. And they all greeted me with big smiles and appreciation for the 'fantastic and fabulous' experience! According to Azmi, Bev and Ivy who were guiding them, they were good kayakers and nobody went for a swim!
Then we had to transport the kayaks back to krokong to await the arrival of the bigger group of 15 from Beijing.
Thanks to the efficiency of Stanley of Unicatay, the tour bus arrived on the dot and 15 people armed to the teeth with Canon EOS 1Ds and assorted lens descended on sleepy Krokong. I have never seen so many people with so many cameras doing our kayaking trip before and quickly cautioned them about bringing them on the kayaks. Ivy and I estimated that there were easily RM500K worth of cameras and gear that afternoon!
As you can imagine with such a big group of eager journalists, it was quite a handful, in the sorting out and briefing before we could get them on the waters and it was getting late in the evening! But luckily the weather was still holding up.
One guy quickly 'reserved' the only single kayak we brought along meant for our guide and before we could stop him had paddled off with it but stopped a distance away when we hollered at him. When we finally set off, we found him a little further on with a very sad look on his face as he had capsized together with over RM30K worth of photographic equipment - ouch!Unfortunately he was not the only recalcitrant paddler that afternoon as another 2 kayaks (with expensive cameras as well) went for a swim when they disregarded our instructions and pick their own 'line' on the river - ouch, OUCH!
Carmen, Editor from the reknown 'Outside' magazine was (fortunately) with me and was very happy to keep her camera dry and manage to capture some amazing shots. She promised to send me a couple of those shots and also a book which she has authored. Lucky me!
We reached the take-out relieved that no other Beijing kayakers were taking a swim! But we have to wait for the last kayak (accompanied by Bev who have to wait for the 2 guys on the kayak) to return before we could get out of the water in the dying evening light. In the end we had to tie up the kayaks with the help of torch lights!
I stayed back for the farewell dinner hosted by Sarawak Tourism Board, with the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh as the guest of honour and STB CEO Gracie Geikie (who kindly invited me to join her at the VIP table) at 'Turn Red Restaurant' while Azmi, Bev and Ivy headed back to Kuching exhausted by the fun and excitement of China kayaking! What a great start to kayaking in 2007!
Labels: Kuching Kayaking
Stumble It!5 Comments:
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Post a Comment At Thursday, 11 January, 2007 
Gette said:
Awesome! I saw that group photo with you in our photo database and wondered if this very thing happened! How fantastic for Kuching Kayaking.
At Thursday, 11 January, 2007 Merv Kwok said:
man... i hope none of their hardware got wet! (and i dont mean their pretty bums haha!)
At Thursday, 11 January, 2007 
said:
wow...sounds like fun hehe. Pretty too lol
What an adventure!
I wonder what the journalists who got their expensive cameras all wet will write about the experience...
So, are the stereotypes true? Are Beijingers ruder than Shanghaiers? I just thought I'd ask because I just read an article (written by a Chinese) complaining about the terrible manners of most people in Beijing compared with other parts of China.
I wonder what the journalists who got their expensive cameras all wet will write about the experience...
So, are the stereotypes true? Are Beijingers ruder than Shanghaiers? I just thought I'd ask because I just read an article (written by a Chinese) complaining about the terrible manners of most people in Beijing compared with other parts of China.
At Friday, 12 January, 2007 Francis Ho said:
gette - thanks! fantastic indeed!
merv kwok - funny! software, hardware n firmware all got wet for those who took a dunking!
ivan - i love my 'job'! ;)
mm - i only spent a short time with them but the Beijing group seem to be lot more reticent. the brusque conduct of the few who disregarded our instructions paid a heavy price on the waters! guessed the river taught them a good lesson that afternoon. ;)
the shanghainese were quite refined and sophisticated in their manners.
both groups spoke halting but perfect english with that unique chinese/american accent. very cute coming from the pretty gals! ;)
merv kwok - funny! software, hardware n firmware all got wet for those who took a dunking!
ivan - i love my 'job'! ;)
mm - i only spent a short time with them but the Beijing group seem to be lot more reticent. the brusque conduct of the few who disregarded our instructions paid a heavy price on the waters! guessed the river taught them a good lesson that afternoon. ;)
the shanghainese were quite refined and sophisticated in their manners.
both groups spoke halting but perfect english with that unique chinese/american accent. very cute coming from the pretty gals! ;)