It’s been roughly 43 years since I left Penang. I never had a chance to visit East Malaysia where the two states of Sarawak & Sabah are located while I was still in Malaysia.
Air travel wasn’t as affordable nor did I have the resources.
The city of Kuching in the Malaysian state of Sarawak always fascinated me as a kid. I recall hearing that name while studying Geography.
I had always wondered why name a city “Cat” which is what Kuching means in Bahasa, the language in most of the Malay Archipelago.
My window view from Air Asia AK 5432 as we approached to land runway 25 wasn’t spectacular but it had to more to do with the 10-day forecast.
There was at least 80% chance of rain every single day.
Not that I’m a season traveller but a little rain shouldn’t dampen anyone’s adventure.
As I was later to discover, Kuching is actually a fun city to wander about if you love taking pictures.
If you stay anywhere in the neighborhood of the Meritin Hotel in the downtown area of Kuching, everything is within walking distance. The hotel is clean, pleasantly located right smack in the heart of the city.
Nearby are at least 2 laundromats, a supermarket, a 711 24-hour convenience store.
There is a McDonalds within walking distance as well
I found the proximity of the Waterfront area a real bonus. I walked the entire length of the waterfront and even crossed the bridge to the other shore of the Sarawak river.
On the days when I had nothing planned, it was the perfect activity for me.
I had to be reminded to bring along an umbrella because there were downpours that was totally random and out of the blue.
I highly recommend a leisurely stroll along the Waterfront which runs along the banks of the Sarawak river.
For the ardent people watchers, this is the place to be.
I found the local very friendly and super easy going.
Of course it helped a lot that I spoke Bahasa to them even if I wasn’t very fluent anymore.
I met 2 young ladies and asked if I could photograph them and they obliged.
While walking across the bridge to the other bank of the river, 3 boys asked if I would take their pictures.
I asked them if they had a phone or an email so I could send it to them. Sadly, they had neither but they still posed for me.
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