The road trip

The day arrived when the Pajero that spent the last 3,5 months at the workshop was put to test: 4 adults and a toddler, 604 miles, 5 stops... What could possibly go wrong?!

8 hours, 7 chops and 3 stops later we've reached our first stop: Le Meridien at Kota Kinabalu.

The journey itself was fairly painless bar from the first car export and import faff at the Kuala Lurah border. At both posts we had to abandon the car in the no-man's-land and fill in some paperwork. Loving the fact that there's no signage whatsoever at the border to tell you what to do... In fact, at the border of Sarawak and Temburong it is easy to miss the immigration altogether! Luckily we were warned of this trick and found the control point - as well as the new, finished bridge - and were saved of the embarrassment (and the annoyance) of turning back at the next border. 

Having learnt our lesson at the first border control, at the second border entering Sarawak from Temburong we joined the immigration queue, left the car running and went to sort out the export. Do like the locals do.... 

We chose a 3 stop strategy with Sofia but if you've got very good bottom muscles you don't really need to (thus maybe cutting an hour of your journey time). In Temburong we stopped for a breakfast roti - avoiding the coffee though. Beaufort, the next bigger city on the route, had really nothing much to offer but we found a Kop coffee shop offering nicely refreshing iced coffees and juices. Great break at the point where I thought my toes were going numb. In miles the drive isn't long at all but especially in Malaysia, the main road is in a fairly poor condition and numerous trucks, tractors and generally poor drivers means an average of 50 km/h. Whilst the Pajero felt relatively safe on the bumpy road (that is closer to a mökkitie to my Finnish friends!) it isn't quite the Saab or Volvo in comfort! 

The scenery along the route is varied: some of it is still in its natural habitat with water buffaloes, monitor lizards and wonky wooden long houses. Sadly, more and more of it is palm oil plantations. Especially where the oil palms are just planted, the destruction of the primary jungle is really noticeable: the ground is bare of any vegetation, meaning a loss of indigenous animals. 

There's always two sides to the story, and I could launch a debate of everyone having the right to earn a living and blame the existing Western demand for palm oil. But I won't; instead I shall enjoy the club lounge of Le Meridien and start this holiday with style.