HORROR - Nanyang Technological University

CHRONICLE
19
05
SABAH, EAST MALAYSIA
T
rees, trees and more trees—that was my first impression
upon arriving at Sabah as part of my school’s
Short Overseas Journalism Practicum (SOJOURN),
which involved three different home-stays.
Usually tucked away in the midst of kampungs, the culture
of home-stays in Sabah is a community initiative to
allow tourists to experience the Sabah culture in its entirety.
From only a few selected districts 14 years ago, homestays
in Sabah have expanded to nearly all districts, with
each one offering its own charm and attractions.
Miso Walai Homestay
Homestay Operator: Ms Salasiah Ahmad, 26.
Fee: RM75/pax per night
THIS is the very first home-stay to originate in Sabah, the
Miso Walai Homestay, which is also within the Kinabantagan
district. Despite it being the oldest home-stay in Sabah,
proper amenities such as electricity and WiFi are provided
here – a plus point for many tourists who cannot get away
from their electronic devices.
Here, tourists will get a chance to try the Kulintang, an
instrument made up of a few gongs, and learn the indigenous
traditional dances – Titikas, Menoumpas and Mengli
Sungai – which are performed during festive occasions in
the villages. If instruments and dances are not your thing,
try the traditional games that they offer – such as Kayutiga
and Lemparkaki.
Home-stayers also get to visit the Agop Batu Tulug, a
steep limestone formation containing more than a hundred
carved wooden coffins watched over by bats and swallows.
The coffins are said to resemble different animals associated
to the beliefs of the Orang Sungais.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
WREXHAM, WALES
WREXHAM’S WARMTH: Their hospitability, coupled with the cosy
atmosphere of the restaurants makes Wrexham unforgettable.
ulling up in front of Wyn Hall Terrace after almost
seven years in May last year, a sense of familiarity
Pengulfed me.
Yet, Wrexham is the most unlikely place anybody would
visit in Wales. While Cardiff is equivalent to our Orchard
Road, being the most popular visitor destination in Wales,
Wrexham would be akin to Tiong Bahru—situated in a quiet
and quaint estate where people look to find something different,
away from the city.
As I stepped out of the car, I was given a warm embrace
by Mr and Mrs Beattie, a couple in their mid 70s and longtime
friends of my father. Despite being almost ten thousand
kilometres away, I still felt at home in Wrexham as I
spent time with the Beattie and the Jones families.
Their house looked exactly how it was when I first visited—the
black metal gate and red brick path that led to the
house, the walls and mantle adorned with pictures from the
present and the past, and a family portrait that hung above
the fireplace.
Sitting by their lit fireplace and cupping warm mugs of
SIMPLE PLEASURES: The rustic charm of the home stays in Sabah
allows visitors to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
PHOTO | CLARA LOCK
Bilit Homestay Kinabatangan
Homestay Operators: Ms Melati Binte Jangai, 49, and
Mr Hamka Itin, 52.
Fee: RM360/pax to RM390/pax for 3D2N
THIS homestay is located in the Kinabatangan District. Because
of its location next to the Kinabatangan River, tourists
get to participate in different outdoor activities such as
night trekking and tree planting – all in an hour’s cruise
away to an island surrounded by an oxbow lake, Bringing
visitors away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
According to Ms Jangai, tourists play a part in conserv-
tea in my hands, I relished spending time and rekindling
relationships with the Beatties.
The warmth and hospitality was not limited to the Beattie’s
as Mr and Mrs Jones, a working middle-aged couple
and my aunt’s business parents, offered to take us out for
dinner on our first day in Wrexham. They brought us to
Pant Yr-Ochain (pronounced as pant a rockin’) for dinner
later that evening.
This gastro pub has history seeping through its walls,
dating back to the 19th century. Pant Yr-Ochain’s traditional
log fireplace and the aged-teak furniture makes one
feel at home. For those who want a picturesque view, the
back of the restaurant overlooks a lake, bringing you closer
to nature.
Over a meal of the quintessential British fish and chips
and also one of Pant Yr-Ochain’s signature dishes, I got to
know their 15-year-old son, Elliot Jones.
After dinner, they invited us over to their house, and
showed us around. The Jones’ house was big, yet the eclectic
mix of old and refurbished rooms brought together a
comforting appeal that made mr feel right at home.
Housing a drum set, a piano, a guitar and a pool table
in one of the rooms, the Jones’ home was a haven for their
children, allowing them to nurture their musical talent and
create a relaxing space with friends after school. The walls
of the room were occupied with photos of Elliot, Samantha
and Alex growing up together.
Another place of interest were the slate caverns in Llechwedd
(pronounced as LLEC-weth), where we descended
nearly 150 metres underground in Europe’s steepest mining
cable railway to experience the life of a miner. Despite travelling
for almost an hour to the slate mine, our efforts were
rewarded when we saw how magnificent it was.
The last night in Wrexham was spent with the Beatties
over dinner at The Golden Lion, another restaurant rich in
heritage.
Renowned for its ghost stories as it is for its food, The
Golden Lion has its own famous legend, a ghost named
Old Jeffery who is rumored to visit the restaurant, moving
bottles from behind the bars and leaving glasses and chairs
ing the environment via the process of tree planting. They
obtain the tree seedlings from the nurseries and plant them
in the jungle on an island, in a bid to ensure the survival of
the rich wildlife there.
Penampang Village Homestay
Homestay Operator: Ms Evelyn Masudal, 63.
Fee: RM300/pax for 3D2N
IN the Penampang District, home-stay visitors get a chance
to help in the preparation of the Drunken Chicken, a traditional
dish combining chicken with Lihing (traditional
Sabah rice wine).
Visitors can participate in the entire process from catching
the chicken, to preparing and cooking it.
They can also immerse themselves in other activities in
the home-stay–such as visiting Ms Masudal’s homegrown
herbal garden, where they can find traditional Sabah herbs
with strong medicinal properties.
Other than food and herbs, take a chance to don on the
costumes of one of Sabah’s indigenous groups, the Kadazandusuns.
Out of the home-stay, visitors get to visit the “Tagal”
(meaning “no fishing”) system at Kampung Babagon to
learn about the way locals conserve fishes in the Babagon
River ecosystem, in a collective move to maintain its population
in the river. In the same kampung, they can involve
themselves in pineapple planting in the kampung as well.
Compared to other home-stays such as couchsurfing,
witnessing how Sabah has seamlessly incorporated its cultural
activities has brought the practice of home-stays to a
whole new level.
Gone are the days where home-stays only involved one
staying at their host’s house. Instead, one is now highly encouraged
to assimilate into the community, making it their
second home.
THE BEATTIES : Margaret and Larrie Beattie who have lived in
Wrexham all their lives, find The Golden Lion one of the best
restuarants in the area.
PHOTOS | BERNICE KOH
upturned from time to time.
I thought it was going to be a simple affair with just the
five of us. But to my surprise, Mr Larrie Beattie rallied his
whole family to have dinner with us.
The hospitality of the Welsh was undeniable as we were
entertained throughout the evening reminiscing the good
old days over authentic British and Welsh food such as,
black pudding—a type of sausage made from pig’s blood
and oats. It is chewy like a sausage, but stodgier with a
slight coppery tang that adds to the taste—a heavy delicacy
best balanced by tea.
Wrexham, a town situated in North Wales and a pioneer
for the Industrial Revolution, has a rich Welsh heritage.
However, amid the numerous historic sites and buildings, I
found myself drawn to the finer details of Wrexham itself:
the families and their houses.
The Welsh definitely take pride in their homes, making it
a source of refuge in the cold and a chance to gather everyone
in the summer with barbecues in the garden. After all,
its number of historical sites or buildings do not matter—its
people define Wrexham.