The Road To Marudi

This is a redbud which I picked from outside the house.

Not sure what's the plant scientific name though but the fruit of the plant is something like 'Romano Pole Bean' except for it's not edible. Probably just a plant for garden decorations.

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The only routes follow gravel tracks to Marudi (a remote settlement) where the travelers drive on 2 hrs (44km) to reach Marudi town.
Ignore the date on the pics but note the god of prosperity (not mine) inside the company's 4-wheel. Throughout the duration of the project, this is the only road our construction workers travel every day to Marudi and back to Miri again, in spite of wind, rain and sun.

Understood that, the economic growth and development of Marudi town has been stunted by this lack of road access. Back in many years ago there's completely no road to Marudi.

The only way to Marudi then was either by express boat (2hrs) or flight. Marudi's airport is right in the town center. Took only 15 mins flight from Miri via MasWings.

I visited a salon at Marudi town one day where I remembered once to have a hair dresser whispered to her helper in Hakka (thinking that I can't understand them) saying, 'she's funny, her hair looks bristle, dry and stiff and... why does she take off her shoes while seated on the salon shampoo chair?' I remembered that well, I smiled a little at hearing that but pretended although I'd understood every single word in Hakka they had on their conversation that day in the salon. And at the end I'd almost shouted, 'I'm a Chinese lah!' to embarrass them a little for gossiping about their customers.

Besides it small town looks lonely and quiet in the afternoon. Marudi town gave me the feeling it's humid-hot by just mentioning of it's name. Where everyone's wished to jump into the river for a swim every time we reached the ferry point and the hot afternoon sun made everyone feel sleepy.

I walked to their secondary school (SMK Marudi) with a friend one day, the school is located behind the airport and we had a long walk that afternoon (that was many years ago) and still stay fresh on my mind when Marudi town is mentioned that I can still remember the feeling of that hot scorching sunburn on my skin.

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Check out 'He's pregnant' I wonder how would the child react, when he/she found out one day that he/she is a child of a transgender man!