It has been raining heavily over the new year holidays period and we had to cancel 2 kayaking trips on account of the swollen rivers for safety reasons.

I took the time off instead to bring my sister-in-law and her husband to look for 'cheap' durians in the Borneo Highland areas and at the same time to scout for new rivers to kayak! Along the way I took these snapshots of the misty mountains on a drizzling overcast afternoon.Yeah, I found two enticing places where we could put in and which I would certainly like to go and try out this weekend. One is at Kpg. Temurang next to Sungai Semadang I think and the other at Kpg. Pang Empat on another tributary. It would be nice to be able to get maps of the Borneo Highlands areas to know the names of the rivers and exactly where we are going but the authorities who have the maps are of not much help. These maps are regarded as "RESTRICTED" and as such are not readily available to the public. One would need to submit an application form using a company's name and wait for a couple of months while they consider your request which I am told would be subsequently rejected unless you have some very 'official' reasons for wanting these maps. 'Official' being a licenced land surveyor or anything they deemed to be. If you are applying as an individual ordinary law-abiding citizen your application would be rejected outright!

This hoarding/withholding of basic information harks back to an era where only the priviledged few have this 'sensitive' information for purposes of land acquisitons for exploitation and personal gains I suspect. The other reason is one of security when the communists conducting jungle warfare were a threat. The former I'm sure still exists while the later is history. Both should have been long gone.

Google Earth is of limited use as the resolution of the satellite photos for Sarawak are still quiet low (Kuching town areas fare better) and the overhanging trees and vegetations would obscure all views of the smaller rivers and tributaries.So much for living in the information age and the vision of Malaysia boleh (bodoh?) being a 'developed' nation by 2020. Fat chance of this happening if we continue with our third world mentality and attitude. I think the mapping/survey authorities or who they report to are still living up in the jungles on the moutains! This is so sad and frankly so stupid as we hold ourselves back while wondering and envying why are neigbours living on a tiny island are moving so very far ahead. *sigh* Kayaking anyone?