Journey to Top of Europe

Lauterbrunnen is a valley town that is the gateway to many spectacular wonders of Switzerland, such as the ever popular Jungfraujoch and the James Bond movie inspired Mt Schilthorn.

The journey to Lauterbrunnen started from a train trip from Interlaken. Upon reaching there, I was transformed into a world of dreamland with gorgeous towering rocky mountains surrounding the township. I was also mesmerised by the friendly locals especially the hostel host I met. 

My adventurous excursion started the next day to the Top of Europe, Jungfraujoch, at 3454m. It has one of the highest train stations in Europe and is famous for its snowy alpine glacier scenery. The journey to Jungfraujoch started with a train from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg via Wengen. From there, I took the final Jungfraujoch train as part of Jungfraujoch pass to the final destination. The 35 mins train ride was mostly in the tunnel without much view. Upon reaching the top, we followed the sign post to the viewing platform at the Sphinx Complex to view the iconic, long stretch of Aletsch Glacier. From there, we could walk nearby to explore and feel the snow. It was indeed my first ever experience of alpine glacier. The next destination on Jungfraujoch was to explore the Ice Palace, with sculptures carved out from glaciers. My trip to Jungfraujoch ended with a fridge magnet from Top of the World souvenir shop.

Skiing season 

View from train to Jungfraujoch

Aletsch Glacier on Top of the World

View from Jungfraujoch

Ice Palace

In the afternoon, I explored the snowy mountain in the surrounding Jungfraujoch region. I wanted to experience the chairlift ride down the snowy slope while enthralling myself with the wonderful alpine view on the ride. Later, I took a gondola ride back to Lauterbrunnen via Grindelwald town. 

Exploring lower Jungfraujoch region

Dreamland

Chairlift ride

View from gondola

Isolated house

The next day, I explore the other side of Lauterbunnen, to the popular Mt Schilthorn, where it was shot as part of a James Bond movie in 1969. The journey started with a cable car ride to Grutschalp, then a train to Murren, finally a gondola ride to Mt Schilthorn. The view from the top is truly amazing with  360 degree view. There are valleys and mountains below.

Pisz Gloria Mt Schilthorn

Could you see the ski trek?

After exploring Mt Schilthorn, it was time to explore the surrounding alpine below. I remember it was one of my euphoric moments to see so much snow for the first time in my life. There was a restaurant, overlooking the white snowy patch of alpine land. I walked around the toboggan trail, while people were skiing far and near by. The white snowy view was deeply embedded in my memory. 

Toboggan trail

Close up skiers

Toboggan

Enthralling view

Luxurious alpine meal

In the afternoon, I took a gondola ride back to Murren, where I walked from Murren down the icy foot path to Gimmelwald. It was a cool icy walk to enjoy the village scenery along the wooden steps with my waterproof boots soaking wet in icy water. From Gimmelwald, there was another gondola ride down to Stechelberg, where I took a bus ride back to Lauterbrunnen. I could remember vividly the amazing rocky view of the beautiful valley surrounding Lauterbrunnen in the bus ride back. 

Gondola ride to Murren

A walk in a wood

Nearing Stechelberg

The Hanging Coffin of Sagada

Sagada is a small mountainous town in Northern Luzon's Cordillera Mountain Provide, Philippines.

My journey to Sagada was one of the most memorable and exciting trips as I was riding on top of a jeepney only available in the region from Banaue to Bontoc. From Bontoc, there was another packed jeepney ride up the winding mountainous road to Sagada  .

Upon reaching the "open" bus stop, I walked for some distance to the guesthouse in a village compound.

Just walking along the mountainous road itself was refreshing, with great mountain and valley views, along with traditional village houses. 

Walking street of Sagada

Sunset in Sagada Valley

What made the trip exhilarating was the adventure of cave spelunking and trekking the next day. In the morning, we trekked shortly to the key highlight of Sagada, the hanging coffins. The are only few wooden coffins left hanging on the cliff of the cave. These coffins were hang since the 60s as told by the guide, where the villagers believed by hanging the dead high on the high ground, the spirits would get closer to their ancestors. 

The Hanging Coffins

Later in the late morning, we went for cave spelunking, the most exciting adventure at Lumiang-Sumaguing Caves connection. Imagine, twisting our body down the hole with scrutinous move as one mistake could turn into a fatal drop in the abyss. There was a section where we had to wade through a water pool, hence became soaking wet. At one point, there was a vertical drop of cave curtain to the pool below and our guide had to use his knees as stool to support my short legs to slide down. 

Wooden coffins at the entrance of Lumiang Cave

Beautiful cave curtain

Can you recognise Jesus?

Imagine sliding from the top of the cave curtain

Back to civilisation

Lights underneath the cave

Paddy field near Sumaguing Cave

Isolated mountain road

On the 3rd day, we started with a morning drive at 4,30am to the starting point, where we had to trek for about an hour to reach the peak of Marlboro Hills. Unfortunately, it was clouded and no sunrise to be seen. We continued our trek on the rolling hills to Blue Soil Hill. The sands generally glow in blue especially with the sun rays shining upon.

Marlboro Hills

360 degree view

Can you see the Blue Soil from afar?

Blue Soil Hill

At noon, I explored around the small town and continued up the winding mountainous roads. I reached a cottage pottery factory to watch how the pots are made with clays. It was a calming, natural mountainous foot excursion with glowing green paddy fields below. The final stop was the weaving factory, where we could see how the products such as bags were weaved. My journey to Sagada ended with a memorable dinner with a Philipino couple travelers from Manila.

Sagada township

Pottery making in progress

The sentimental look

Drying the meat under scorching sun

The weaving factory

Another paddy field in the valley

Bario - The Remote Valley of Borneo

Bario is a remote village deep in the Borneo of Malaysia in Sarawak state, near the border of Malaysian Indonesia. The locals are known as Kelabit ingenious tribe. Kelabit are known to emphasize in education upbringing that have produced many prominent figures in the corporate as well as political world of Malaysia.

The journey to Bario started with a domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur to Miri town in East Malaysia. From there, we took a small Twin Otter flight that could only accommodate less than 20 people. The flight was about 30 minutes from Miri. With low flying altitude, we could enjoy the bird's eye view with mountains, forests, valleys and rivers below.

The 2 pilots of our mini Twin Otter flight

View from the plane

Our mini flight

We arrived in mid Mac and that was the pineapple season with pineapples that caught our sight upon arrival in the tiny remote airport of Bario. Bario pineapple is the sweetest pineapple I have ever had. But strangely, as warned before, the taste changes upon bringing it back outside of this tiny town. Could it be the weather?

Authentic Kelabit dishes

Dining cum viewing platform of our guesthouse

Our guesthouse

Our guesthouse was about 15 mins drive from the airport. It was a relaxing cowboy town reminiscence feeling, as we were now in a village house with plenty of surrounding land and dusty roads. Our first excursion was a short climb to the viewing platform in the village town center. Looking down at the lust plain field below is the rewarding view. Next, we visited an abandoned crashed WW2 plane next to the paddy field before we explored the streets in the center of village. 

View from viewing hill

                                                                                  

The Land of Highland paddy

                                                                 

Lush paddy field

The next day, we rose to the sound of cocks and the cooling feeling of morning mist. We climbed a small hill called Prayer Hill with the cross statue at the peak, symbolizing Christianity as the key religion. Imaging looking down at the valley with surrounding hills and paddy fields, that is the mesmerizing reward of Prayer Hill. In the afternoon, we explored further the local community's longhouses to understand their way of life.

Start of Prayer Hill Trek

View from top

The symbol of Christianity in Bario

Penan tribe village near the foot of Prayer Hill

Shy Penan

Inside Longhouse

Traditional kitchen

The hallway

On 3rd day, our adventure began with a visit to local highland rice factory, followed by 20 minute trek in a muddy laterite road to a local salt producer to experience how a bamboo salt is made. This is a unique salt, as it is made of natural salty underground water extracted via a well. There were claims this natural spring salt is more nutritious than normal sea salt and the price skyrockets in the city. After the excursion, we went to a trader's shop that packs the famous Bario rice, a highland rice. We ended the day with a traditional dance performance in the local community hall.

Rice mill

Vacum packed Bario Highland rice

Salt factory

The well where the salt water comes from

Boiling the salty water

Bamboo salt in the making

Premium priced bamboo salt

The reward of mud trekking to the salt field

Relaxing afternoon at the guesthouse

Traditional Kelabit Dance

The veterans

What made the trip more fun was the ride at the back of a 4 wheel drive to explore other villages1-2 hours away, such as Pak Mada, on a logging laterite trails in the midst of jungles, mountains and valleys. We explored the longhouses of the local indigenous people. There was even a small lake to walk quietly with only the sound of surrounding nature. It was indeed a heaven on earth.

Ready for 4 wheel excursion

Journey to the end of world

Typical longhouse architecture

                                                                                 

Arriving in another village

A narrow walkway in the longhouse

Nicely decorated house

The excursion to villages continued

Mural on the wall

We were glad to have explored Bario as one of the last frontiers of Borneo. Many young generations here have left their own homeland to chase for city life and success. But when they retire, they will return to their very own homeland. Home sweet home upon retirement...