15 Tips For A Safe Long Distance Solo Driving

I have been on a few road trips. Most were taken with family or friends from Lawas (Sarawak) to either:

• Limbang (Sarawak), 
• Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), 
• Ranau (Sabah), 
• Miri (Sarawak), 
• Ba' Kelalan (Sarawak. our village. through logging roads) or 
• Brunei (which is one of the two countries we share the island of Borneo with). 

These destinations are not exactly far with driving periods ranging from 1 to 6 hours.

The further places I've had the chances of road-tripping to were:

• Kuching (Sarawak. A couple of times, with my brother from Miri and once with my mom and sisters. The one with my mom and sisters was for my Bachelor's Degree graduation. Mummy drove us through the Lawas-Kuching route which is about 1,060 or so km and then back to Lawas a couple of days after. That was my longest road trip!) 
• and Berian (which is my paternal grandmother's village in Indonesia, the other country we share the island of Borneo with; right across the border from Ba' Kelalan. My cousin took us in a 4-wheel drive. The road was terrible.).

Sabah (Malaysia) - Brunei - Sarawak (Malaysia) map

          This year, I did a few mini road trips on my own. Since I was working in Bintulu (one of the 11 divisions in Sarawak), these trips were mostly taken between Miri and Bintulu, and some between Miri and Lawas. These trips which take around 2.5 hours and 5 hours respectively were taken when I had to go to Miri or go back home from Bintulu for a holiday; or get back to Bintulu when my breaks were over.

          After I quit my job in Bintulu, I had to do my farthest yet solo drive ever in one stretch: Bintulu to Lawas. It was about 8 hours drive through about 455 km. Not that far, I know. But it was, for me. This driving period will definitely depend on the day of the week or the time of the year you make your trip. It's a cross-border road trip passing through Brunei. The roads at the immigration check points between the countries get pretty congested during festive seasons and on some weekends; so, you should expect long queues. On the day of my trip, the road was not busy.

          With that (one almost legit) experience, I may not be an expert, but, I would like to share with you some of my personal tips on how to survive a - let's call this long distance - solo drive. This applies not only to the ladies but to the gentlemen as well. So, here are my tips:

1. Make sure the car you are driving is in good condition.
   To reduce the chances of a breakdown, have a safety check done. Have the car checked up for its engine, tyres, oil, water and other important things. This check up should be done at least a week or two before your trip. This gives time for you to do any necessary repairs on your car. Also, during your trip, have a quick check on your tyres everytime when you make a stop.
   

   

   I had a broken front light

   
   
2. Have an emergency kit.
   Prepare an emergency kit for your car and for yourself. Have a few handy tools which you might need in cases where your car breaks down or have a flat tyre. It is important for you to at least know how to change a tyre. I still don't, but, thank God, I did not have a flat tyre during my trip! Also, have a first aid kit in case you have a cut or a slight headache and need antiseptics, band aids and aspirins.
   
3. Pack your car the night before.
   Pack everything you need for your trip in your car the night before your trip. You can prepare a list to avoid from forgetting anything important. I made the mistake of not packing everything the night before and had to rush the morning of the trip to make sure I didn't leave anything behind.
   
4. Know your route or have some sort of vehicle navigation system.
   It would be easier if you are familiar with the route. I was very familiar with mine. If you're not, you can use a GPS or a navigation system that you are familiar with so that you won't get lost. Knowing where the gas stations are on your route is very important. Gas stations have got food, bathrooms, and fuel all in one. Therefore, in one stop, you can fuel up your car, eat, have a toilet break, and have a good stretch!
   
5. Start your drive early in the morning (Get enough sleep).
   Sleep early, get up very early and leave early. This gives you more daylight driving time. I prefer to make my move about half or one hour before the sun starts rising.
   
   

   

   Look at that beautiful sky!

   
   
6. Have good music on board.
   Save some music that you enjoy or that will keep you awake. I like to tune in to fun radio channels. Apart from the mix CDs I had in my car, Traxx FM and Pelangi FM were good company throughout my trip.
   
7. Carry enough cash.
   Make sure you have enough cash / currency with you for toll or ferry fares if there's any. I only had to pay for a toll fare in Brunei. Paying in Brunei Dollar would've saved me some, but all I had was Malaysian Ringgit. Besides fares, you might need to buy food if you haven't got enough or other things you need on the road.
   
   

   

   Know what fares you'll need to pay on the road

   
   
8. Stock on water and snacks.
   Have a bottle of water which you can easily drink out of even when you're driving. Pack on snacks which are easy to eat and dispose and don't make too much of a mess. I packed a sandwich, chocolates, chips, water and canned milo and coffee. It lasted me the whole 8 hours drive. I know. Not very healthy. But that's because I just grabbed whatever leftovers I had in my fridge.
   
9. Drive easy.
   Don't drive too fast or too slow. Be aware of the speed limits and make sure you don't get caught by speed traps. But, also, keep track of the time and see to it that you're not going too slow either. You'll get exhausted pretty easily if you drive too slow and reach your destination way over your estimated time.
   
10. Wear comfortable clothes.
    Dress depending on the weather and wear outfits which promote mobility. We've got shorts weather all year round in this part of the world, so, I just wore one of my favourite white cotton t-shirt, a pair of short pants and flip flops. It is advisable to have a cardigan, sweater or scarf easily accessible for when it gets a bit chilly (probably only when it's night time or it rains here). You can have an extra change of clothes which is not put into the trunk just in case your clothes get wet or dirty for some reason.
    

    

    My outfit taken on the actual day of my solo drive

    
    
11. Stay safe.
    Use the road frequently travelled! Don't be a smart-ass and choose that short cut with the stretch of dark and deserted road. Always ALWAYS wear your seat belt. Make sure that your car is always locked even when you're driving. Better safe than sorry.
    
12. Ensure your handphone is fully charged.
    Before you leave for your trip, make sure you charge your handphone. A power bank or a car charger can come in handy in case your handphone runs out of juice on your long journey. Buy one if you don't already have any.
    
13. Stay in touch.
    Announce your whereabouts to at least a friend, your parents or a family member. A quick text should do. I used Whatsapp and told my family and friends on a couple of Whatsapp groups about my plans and sent a Whatsapp everytime I made quick stops. This record of your whereabouts would come in handy in the very rare event that something sketchy happens.
    
14. Be self-aware.
    If you feel tired or your concentration begins to lapse, stop driving and do something about it. Eat, stretch, exercise, take a quick nap, have a coffee break or whatever.
    
15. Enjoy your drive!
    Enjoy your own company and the open road!

On one of my mini solo trips

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Can't Wait for December! (5 Reasons I Love December!)

I know it's only the 3rd day of November but I’m already SO LOOKING FORWARD FOR DECEMBER! December has always been one of my favourite months of the year. I think it's the awesome-st month of the year! As I love this particular month so much, I thought I'd tell you guys why. Reasons why:

1. (Almost) Everyone’s on holiday!
   The schools are on a long holiday. College and university students have at least a week off for Christmas depending on their schedules. Workers get to have at least Christmas day off or more if they’re lucky and work for not-sucky organizations. Best time to be spending travelling to another country or going back home to the family or chilling to the max or however you want to!
   
   

   

   cold tea with my Viatnamese and Cambodian friends in Ho Chi Minh.

   
   
2. Engagement and Wedding parties!
   One of the favourite months for Malaysian couples to get engaged or get married is December because *refer to point no.1*.
   This year, I will be attending an aunty’s wedding on the 10^th in Lawas and (if nothing gets in the way) a best friend’s engagement party on the 26^th in Bintulu! These are times when you get to celebrate happy couples’ moments and at the same time, meet and catch up with everyone else present! And there might be good food involved!
   
   

   

   that time when we were on bridesmaid duty for our bestfriend.

3. Reunions and Gatherings!
   It is the best time to plan for family/friends reunions/gatherings.This year, we have TWO FAMILY PARTIES planned! One is to celebrate my maternal grandma (my grandpa passed away many years ago) and grand aunty on the 12^th in Brunei; and another one is to celebrate my paternal grandpa and grandma on the 16^th in Ba’Kelalan! I’ll get to meet my uncles and aunties and cousins! And there would definitely be GOOOOD FOOOOOOD! Can’t wait!
   
   

   

   one with grandpa & grandma. yes, some of us are wearing PJs whatever :p

   
   
4. Meeting long-time-no-see homies!
   Most people go back to their kampungs and hometowns during long breaks and important celebrations like Christmas. So, if you go back to your kampung or hometown, you’ll get the chance to meet families and old friends! December is definitely the best month to spend some quality time with families and friends.
   
   

   

   with a few of my homies and new friends.

   
   
5. Christmas!!!
   Celebrating the birth of Jesus! Christmas parties! Christmas visits! Christmas carols! Christmas trees! Christmas lights! Christmas decorations! Christmas specials on TV! Christmas Eve church services! Christmas countdown on Christmas Eve! Christmas wildboar and other Christmas GOOOOOD FOOOOOD!!!
   For us Lun Bawangs, since almost all of us are Christians, Christmas is a big thing! It’s the most important celebration of the year.
   The only other celebration that we celebrate annually is Irau Aco Lun Bawang (Lun Bawang Festival) which is a cultural festival where we share what traditional and cultural things we still exercise after embracing Christianity (so, no more rice wines or head hunting activities. Haha). It actually falls on the 1^st of June and was initially a harvest festival like what many other ethnics/tribes in Borneo are celebrating on that same date. The celebration usually goes on for a few days or so, sometimes starting a few days earlier now.
   
   

   

   Image by my nephew via facebook

   
   

   

   Image by my friend via facebook

So, there you have it. 5 reasons why I LOVE DECEMBER SO MUCH! I CAN'T WAIT FOR DECEMBER! Now that I double-think of it, no month beats December! It is definitely my most favourite month of the year! Don't you feel the same?


p/s: some of the pictures in this post are not particularly taken on a December, but they kinda fit the descriptions. I lost almost all of my pictures I stored in my other laptop which was stolen not so long ago, so I had a pretty hard time searching for pictures taken in the many Decembers I have gone through. :(

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15 Firsts!

Hi, there!

To start off my blog, here are some of my firsts that I'd like to share with you. These are mostly random questions I got from the internet. Anyways, here goes..

1. What was the first thing you did this morning?
   I oil pulled with virgin coconut oil. Classy.
   
   

   

   Our very own Baa Ro'! VCO

2. When was your first sleepover?
   I'm not sure when exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was at my cousin's.
3. What was your first pet?
   A rabbit when I was probably 3 or 4. It got bitten by a dog and died. I cried. A neighbour ended up cooking it for lunch! And I actually ate it! (Yes, some Malaysians eat rabbits) I thought it was chicken. No one told me until afterwards. I thought it was cruel, but I got over it after thinking over the fact that the rabbit was already dead before they decided to cook it. Never eaten rabbits since though.
4. What was the first thing you learned to cook?
   Rice. I guess it's safe to say that all Malaysian (or Lun Bawang, at least) kids learned to cook rice first before learning to cook other more complicated food.
5. When was the first time you cut class?
   In Primary 6. Only for some extra classes. Regardless, I still got straight As after. Heh
6. What was the first movie you watched at a cinema?
   Tarzan the animated movie. With my dad and my younger brother.
7. Who was your first celebrity crush?
   Eminem. That was in Secondary school. I still have a crush on him now.
8. How old were you when you first left home?
   13. For boarding school.
9. What was the first foreign country you've gone to?
   Brunei. We lived there for more than 3 years. But, since it is on the same island as ours (Borneo) and very close to Lawas (the town we're currently living in in East Malaysia), we go there or pass by almost literally all the time! Who from Lawas has never been to Brunei, anyways? But as for the first foreign country I have ever been to for a real visit, it would be Indonesia (Bandung).
   
   

   

   At Tangkuban Perahu (Bandung) with my classmates and our beloved lecturer. This was back in 2012. [Image by my classmate who's not in the picture, Kay]

   
   
10. What was the first foreign language you learnt?
    English? Everyone has to learn English in Malaysian schools so I don't know if that counts. If not, then I'd have to say French. We studied third language in boarding school. Only learnt enough to pass the final test. Only word I remember now is Bonjour. and some other phrases you wouldn't use in daily conversations.
11. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane?
    Ba' kelalan. When I was very little. It's the village where my mom and late dad are originally from. 'til this day, it's either the twin otter or 4x4 trucks for 6 hours (now 4 to 5 hours) through terrible logging roads. My choice usually depends on my current budget situation.
    
    

    

    2011. This happened all the time. We'd then usually have to walk some distance ahead before the men can get the truck out of the mud and catch up with us. [Image by my cousin, Henrita]

12. What was your first piercing?
    Normal ear piercings. I'm not sure of other Malaysian tribes, but every Lun Bawang girls has to have ear piercings as young as a year old. If you don't have ear piercings, then you're less of a girl. That's what my grandma said. My next piercing was on my navel at 14. or was it 15. This one's not a tradition.
13. What was your first alcoholic drink?
    Heineken or Tiger. It was in a green can. I was in Primary school. Found an open can belonging to an uncle in our fridge at home and took a tiny sip out of curiosity. At that time, I thought it tasted horrible. My first real alcoholic drink was either Shandy or that punch drink my mom used to make for the grown ups during family get-togethers at our place.
14. What was your first job?
    First non-official job was .. I don't know what exactly to call it, but I helped my aunty sweep hairs off the floor and wash people's hair at her salon. Haha. First official job though was as an accountant.
15. When was the first time you quit a job?
    Just recently actually. Had to quit to focus on my studies.
    
    

    

    Taken probably on my last day at work. I'll miss not having to think of what to wear everyday to work. Haha [Image by my cousin, Henrita]

Yay! Finally my first post! Thanks for reading (if anyone is. haha) and I hope you'll drop by often!

Love,
Steph

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