When I was little, our roads were really bad in our riverine Sarawak. Our river Rejang river was 350 miles long, and ocean going ship could come up to Sibu, 90 miles from the sea.
The express/ aeroplane looking boats retired the slow motor launches. People from outside the region were quite scared of traveling in these "aeroplanes" because the aeroplanes had only one exit. Once there was an accident invloving a head-on collision near Durin, my grandpa's place.
In the 70s when I taught in Binatang/Bintangnor, the monopoly of the express owners were challenged. The competition was so fierce. They kept putting the price down, until it was free. They boats ramped at each other in the middle of the river. Come to think of it, it was so stupid for me to take advantage of the free or cheap fares. I could have drowned or lost a limb.
They build bridges, and these boats are made obsolete. A lot of them to my amazement sail the ocean to Solomon islands. People now drive from Sibu to Binatang and Sarikei.
The express/ aeroplane looking boats retired the slow motor launches. People from outside the region were quite scared of traveling in these "aeroplanes" because the aeroplanes had only one exit. Once there was an accident invloving a head-on collision near Durin, my grandpa's place.
In the 70s when I taught in Binatang/Bintangnor, the monopoly of the express owners were challenged. The competition was so fierce. They kept putting the price down, until it was free. They boats ramped at each other in the middle of the river. Come to think of it, it was so stupid for me to take advantage of the free or cheap fares. I could have drowned or lost a limb.
They build bridges, and these boats are made obsolete. A lot of them to my amazement sail the ocean to Solomon islands. People now drive from Sibu to Binatang and Sarikei.
1 comment:
Interesting to read of a bygone time. Now a simple drive across a bridge will accomplish what once necessitated a boat journey!
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