The NEW BJ40!

Howard has another jeep! Amazingly when we went to exchange papers with the previous owner of the BJ40 (see previous page on this blog)it was discovered that the chassis number did not tie up with the paperwork. Although there had been no apparent problem when the jeep was sold 2 years previously it turns out that the transfer procedure has been tightened up. Thus the jeep we were trying to buy was unsaleable.

SO...the owner of 2 years ago, a garage owner, paid the previous owner the same sum we had negotiated for the jeep and then sold Howard another jeep from his garage. He will keep the current jeep for spares or possibly transfer the body onto another chassis which he DOES have the paperwork for! All this took a long time to sort out and in the meantime Howard has been happily driving the original jeep. On Saturday he finally got the new one and he is delighted with it - better equipped and more comfortable. So everyone wins.

Now we just need to go on the promised trip of a 30km drive along the beach. Last weekend when it was planned there was a small problem of a high tide to contend with. Watch this space...!

Repairs to the Camp

These are a couple of photos I took on Wednesday morning after the storm (photos taken with the phone so not so brilliant). This tree had been right across the road into camp and by the time I saw this they had cleared the road but the wires were still down.

This morning this is the same tree but the damage has been repaired to the lines and most of the tree has been removed. You can see the huge root span that these tree have, but no depth of root which is of course what makes these trees so vunerable. There was a tree surgeon on the camp in the recent past who helped identify and remove the most dangerous of trees. Thank goodness that was done or we may have been looking at serious injury or loss of life. As it is everyone is safe and well.

I went up one of the streets and found these 2 trees in someone's front garden:

And this is the work being done at the Boat Club. The first is the playground and the second the drive way into the club. Still closed but they have promised it will be open tomorrow but we will need to see. A third of the Boat Club roof was gone.

And this is the house of the folks next to the club who had a tree fall on thier house (see previous page for the view of their house covered by the tree). The family I believe have been relocated to the Marriott.

Big Storm last night

There was a huge storm last night and there are lots of trees down. These photos were taken by a friend who was up bright and early this morning and saw the damage around camp. This is the playground which has been decimated:


This is the boat club and the tennis courts. No-one has been hurt thank goodness.

This is part of the Boat Club roof that landed in the car park

And this is someone's house

And some of the trees down around camp:

Shell Housing Committee sent this warning today:

Dear Piasau Camp and Taman Bayshore residents.
As you are all aware, there was a severe storm last night with strong winds, which resulted in numerous felled trees and branches around camp. Shell Infrastructure Services and their contractor TMR have been working extremely hard to assess the damage and deal with immediate dangers and road blockages as quickly as possible.
At present, the Housing Committee can convey the following information:
1. No one was physically injured during the storm.
2. A minimum of 3 houses on camp, and one house at Taman Bayshore sustained significant damage from felled trees and high winds (house nos. 232, 214 and 58).
3. The Piasau Boat Club will be closed for the next 3 days due to damage to the building and grounds. Please avoid this area and allow the crews to conduct their work.
4. MEIS and TMR are currently concentrating on removing trees fallen onto houses and roadways. This work involves heavy lifts. For your own safety, please avoid these areas.
5. MEIS are also currently assessing damages to those houses and facilities affected and initiating repair plans. 6. MEIS have communicated with SESCO to assist in removing trees fallen across electrical cables. Please exercise extreme caution around these areas.
If you have sustained any felled trees or damage at your house that has not yet been assessed by MEIS or contractors please phone the following numbers:
Piasau Camp: 665177
Taman Bayshore: Raymond Kong (Tel: 019 8154388) or Mr Kam, tel: 013 835 6199
As you can imagine, MEIS and TMR are extremely stretched today, and may only have time to deal with the most pressing cases. Your understanding is appreciated.
We will try to keep you informed of any other relevant developments.

It was certainly scary here at home. The storm hit with a bang and our patio furniture got thrown around a bit. The house next door has tiles off the roof today but we don't think we have any damage. Last night Howard was away in KK and so I was having a pizza and film night next door with Hatsie and we ORDERED PIZZA. Nothing strange in that, except that the pizza delivery man comes on a scooter. The order was made before the storm and we didn't expect to see him, but right in the middle of it, the scooter and pizza man turned up. I tipped him well and asked him to stay with us to be safe, but he was insistent and left again. I hope he took refuge with our security guards at the gate. I have heard that the locals have not seen such a storm in a very long time.

Shell have issued another warning for tonight as another storm is on the way. Apparently they are the tail end of the cyclone that hit Burma

The Pleeths and Allins visit

The Pleeths and Allins arrived last Sunday morning and it seems to have been all go since then! Great fun having them. They are up for anything and it has allowed Howard and I expand our experiences in Miri.

First thing after lunch on the first day was an explore of Miri and its surroundings:

Our street and the 2 cars. We have discovered we have 8 seats in the Prado, so 6 was a dawdle!

Then off down to Luak Bay and a first paddle in the sea:

On to Marina Bay, the Sea Horse lighthouse and Ulu Mulu Restauant, seen before on this blog! However here is a new view of the marina:

Once we had explored Miri we then frog-marched everybody along the beach to the club for cocktails and dinner. I don't think anybody was too unhappy about it...!

Monday was a day in town - pedicure and manicures are mandatory fpr the ladies. Dave and Andrew mananged to occupy themselves in the 2 hours it took to do!

Tuesday saw us off to Niah Caves. Having done it with Katy once before I was reasonably confident about the trip. This is the boat we used to get across the river, and the start of our hour long hike in to the caves.

We added in an extra this time - a side trip to the local longhouse. The children were so friendly and intestered in us. I spoke to one of the local teachers and she said there were 54 children in the school and she taught 10 of them.

Later on as we approached the caves we came across this very curious little lizard:

None of the cave photos are very flattering but here is one to show we were actually there!

A good day trip and appreciated all round.

Wednesday was golf at Eastwood. Enjoyed by all and nobody came across a snake!

Thursday was a day off for Howard so we took the boat up the river in search of crocodiles once again. sadly the river was really high becasue of the heavy rain we have had so no mud flats for the crocs to lie on and we saw none. However we did reach the farthest reaches on the river where a low bridge stopped us going any further. So next time we need to try some of the tributaries.

After the river trip we headed for the beach in the jeep which was brilliant fun. We each had a beer or wine and enjoyed the ambiance and sunset. Drive home along the beach in the waves.

We ladies haven't fallen out, honest!



Lambir Hills yesterday. A National Park only a half hour drive away from Miri with interesting walks in the jungle. VERY hot and sweaty with some interesting gradiants but with cool waterfalls to be found where you can swim. We didn't swim this time as we headed for the coast and swum in the sea instead. Next time...

Today our guests all left for Mulu Caves for 2 nights so we look forward to their report on how it all works out.

Katy's visit

Here are a selection of the things we did with Katy on her visit here in April (in addition to Niah Caves and Kuching on the previous pages).

The Sea Horse Navigation Light at Marina Bay and the Indonesion carving at the new restaurant there (UluMulu seafood restaurant):

Katy and I on the walk to the lighthouse and restaurant:

The house of the richest family in Miri in the distance and a close up of one of the Timber baron's houses.

Katy in the pool at the Marriot.....and drinks on our patio for her last night here...

...followed by dinner at the Dragon Seafood Restaurant

......and meeting Nimo afterwards!