My Birthday in Miri

Our journey from our new year longhouse to Miri seemed to take forever. In reality, it was about three hours in an incredibly uncomfortable minivan and just over another three once we had reached the Miri-Bintulu highway by over-zealously air-conditioned bus.

Initially we thought that Daniel was going to drive us all the way to the highway and make sure we were on our way safely. In practice, he just meant he would see us off on the first bit of transport that came along, and this turned out to be a cheerfully decrepid minivan whose driver told Daniel that he was actually going in the opposite direction. No problem, said Daniel, we didn't mind an hours round trip on the most bumpy pot-holed road around so that the driver could drop something off at his longhouse before taking us on our way. Daniel vaguely explained this to us, but being pretty dozy from the previous nights exploits we didn't quite realise what a painful proposition it was until our bums were bearing the brunt of it.

When we eventually reached the highway there were a number of others waiting for a bus to Miri. This was a definite bonus as the junction was in the middle of nowhere and we were doubtful as to the bus situation on new years day. We didn't have to wait long though and we were on our way in much more comfortable seats. In what has proved to be a worldwide phenomenon the driver naturally had to stop for a quick meal break just minutes before the journeys end. We both felt outrageously dirty by this point and my rucksack was mainly full of a disgracefully stinky placcy bag of our dirty clothes.

It was therefore a huge relief when we reached Miri, hopped into a taxi and were deposited at the beautifully chilly lobby of the brilliantly named Somerset Hotel. It was very good value for the luxuriousness of the room, and I thought it would be a fab place to have my 30th birthday!

That evening we went out to Kahn's Islamic Restaurant and had quite a feast.


Hmmm...It must have been good as we'd eaten it all before we had time to take a picture. I scoffed down at least three rotis, Clair had two butter naans, we had three different veggy curries and I had a sublimely tasty chicken curry too. MMMMmmm, bloody lush. All washed down with a fresh lime juice.


The next morning it was my birthday. Yay! We ordered room service and had scrambledy eggies in bed. Yay again!


Clairy had managed to secretly buy me this top quality birthday card in NZ. I love it!


We had stopped at another slightly strange bakery the night before and purchased some cakes for my birthday morning. Like a small child I couldn't stop myself from blurting out to the very nice flour-covered baker that it was my birthday tomorrow, and he found me a candle for it.


Intense wish-making concentration face.


Yeah, not one but two cakes for me. They looked very pretty but tasted slightly similar to the previously disappointing yule log of Kuching, i.e. lardy, with too much salt.


Obviously I still ate most of them anyway.


On the same road as our hotel was this beautiful little house, which reminded us of our house in London (the one in Camden which we think is stunning, but is being left to rot, boo).


Clairy had got me a couple of excellent books, a new Rose Tremain and the penguin history of New Zealand. She also had stashed away a copy of my particular favourite radio controlled flight magazine, the enigmatically named Quiet and Electric Flight International! While I got down to some reading she took our hideous stinky bag of washing to the Speedy Laundry, next door.

Whilst there she spotted this particularly apt bit of graffiti in a scutty little stairwell of detritus.


They definitely lived up to their name as well. It was super speedy, and check out that presentation! Definitely our best laundry experience on our travels so far.


After lounging about in our lovely room for a little while longer, I thought we had better do something with the day, so we headed for the Bintang Plaza. In theory this was the better of Miri's malls. At the bottom was a shop rammed full of Chinese decorations and new year supplies. Clairy was in heaven.


She snapped this great pic of it from the next floor up.


We had great fun checking out the quite different shops on offer, and eventually we bought some dodgy DVD's to try and get on the lappy for those slow moments. At the very top of the mall we only found a bleedin 'Toys R Us', so the exceptionally kind lady bought me an even tinier R/C helicopter that lives in the transmitter/handset thingy so it's nice and portable, and a miniature kite. Didn't I do well eh!

Back at the Somerset Hotel.


Swanky beast at bargain prices, and free wifi in the lobby.


That evening we headed out for some food and drinks. Here I am at Lings checking out their roti canai and dahl.


After some food we relocated to a bar that had looked quite nice on our previous evenings foray. Sadly at this point, the outrageously noisy Malays-butchering-Western-karaoke had started up just next door and the painful singing almost drowned out our own conversation.

This didn't deter us that much though and we still managed to get a few cocktails down, as you can see below.


And here I am back in the room drunkenly covered in all my pressies. What a lucky boy.


We spent the next day catching up with the blog and purchasing some supplies for our next adventure to Gunung Mulu national park, like this genuine (honestly) nike headband. What a beardy freak.


Clairy loved these fern covered trees that lined the main streets. Miri was quite a green and picturesque town.


Back at the hotel Clairy snapped this slightly wobbly shot of their international clocks. The cheerfully chatty lady on reception laughed as she informed us they were mostly at the wrong time...apart from Kuala Lump fortunately. London was right though.


The Somerset Hotel was so nice and homely we didn't want to leave. Gunung Mulu beckoned though and we were soon on our way.