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Tuesday 15-9-09
Sailing into the Poole port Southern England by noon.
JAMBO rolls, since
Brunei the first time, on the "right" side
of the road, which means
on the left. It was afternoon. The English weather was nice to us.
Only windy, cold and cloudy.
the white
cliffs of Poole UK
port of Poole
We are to meet our officials of the High
Commission only tomorrow evening and since
there was time we drove to Stonehenge.
"Six quit" entrance fees and then we
could see the famous Neolithic structures
from close. It is amazing what the men 3500
years
ago accomplished. It is the most outstanding prehistoric
monument in the British Isles. These stones
called Sarsen stones come
from a site 20 km away. Again as in France we ask the same
question. How did they bring them here? And
why? Is it as brochures
claim to map the sun and moon building these monuments
accordingly?
It is said the builders aligned the stones according to sunrise at the summer
solstice or for other worshippers it would
appear,
that the important alignment was the midwinter sunset. Naturally there are many
legends around Stonehenge.
To medieval
people the circle were sinners who danced on Sabbath and were turned to stone.
In the legend of king Arthur it is said his Druid Merlin magicked
the stones from Ireland even by air. Others
claimed it must have been
the devil who brought them to place them over the grave of several
hundred nobles slain in the fifth century
here.
Were it Aliens who constructed it as Erich Von Daeniken claims? Was
the circle erected as a pagan
fertility temple.
No one has the answer.
It was late afternoon meanwhile and we had to search for a place to
sleep, which we found near Salisbury. A
camping ground with
floor heated washrooms. Something special. Outside we had the English weather again. raining, windy and cold.
Wednesday 16-9-09
Sunshine. We see the sun this morning. Wow! Could though and windy.
But sunshine. Driving around in the countryside
actually
playing the time away until evening, we
only had to be at 6:40 pm at he door of the
Brunei High Commission. We could not meet
His Excellency in our
expedition outfit and nowhere to change
cloth. Therefore we closed the curtains
right on the road
and changed dress in the car.
By 640 pm we lined up with JAMBO in front of the Embassy. By 645pm, his Excellency arrived and
the JAMBO-FLAG pictures were
taken. Most of the staff had come too. Sorry for the inconvenience, but many
thanks for this gesture.
JAMBO in front of our High Commission in
London
some of our staff
The importance of good relations
with England is reflected in the number of
personnel, operating the Brunei
Representation
here in
London. Our extended Royal Family are frequent visitors. That makes
the Embassy here perhaps the most important of
all our
foreign representations. Besides, a sizeable amount of Brunei
students study here.
Our representatives with our flag and JAMBO
From another angle
His excellence
Pg Dato Paduka Hj Maidin Pg Hj Hashim, Datin
Sunah Bte Hj Hamid, me and local officers.
we all love our
Nation, Brunei Darussalam
the Doa
before and
the after dinner photo
Therefore time is limited, we soon realized.
The breakfasting dinner was over in
45minutes and we said gratefully "thank you
and bye
bye". Walking out of the Embassy into the cold London evening, we
did not know were to go. Driving JAMBO
around the corner and
stopped to call around. Contacting several Bed and breakfast
establishments, there was none under 100.-
pounds, which is over
B$ 250/night. Our GPS brought us to the camping ground, 40 km out
of London. When we arrived, it had closed
for the day, forcing
us and JAMBO onto their parking lot.
But we do not complain as we had worst moments on our journey.
After all, this is an expedition.
Hotel de La Jambo
Bringing Brunei to the world
Thursday 17-9-09
Initially intending to stay until Sunday, we altered our plans,
to leave the British weather and hospitality
earlier, and drove to Poole
harbor, to change our departure date to Friday. As it was again a
dry and sunny day, we searched for the
Jurassic coast a stretch of
coastline where sediments of dinosaur remains are to be found. We
were among a few hundred elderly Brits, and
their estimated
hundred dogs.
Driving down the hill road we came to
a road sign next to a yellow telephone. It
warned. "Call first before you travel on."
Maybe a gunner misses the direction and a few 1" caliber bullets
come unwontedly your way. "Better be
careful" we thought, dead
men do not make expeditions. So, we called. "Hallo can we pass??"
Nothing only a noise in the line. Again."
Hallo officers." A voice
came over the wire.
"Hi mate you want to pass?" "Yes sir" "Are you on foot?" "No
Sir we are here with JAMBO, our vehicle and
we like to....." "Mate this
is the British Army we are no civilians. We speak short and
precise." He shot the questions over the
phone, we answered "Yes sir
and No sir." meanwhile other cars were passing us by the dozen.
Then we got the "Mate, all is clear" we
drove on, realizing the Army
had set up a gunnery on the Jurassic coast.
 .
Looking around, everyone was busy in his on
way. A few young men, running down the
hill, soldiers training perhaps, to get
ready
for a "defense war" somewhere in the Hindu Kush. From behind
the hill the statacco of heavy machinegun
fire was heard.
"pak.pak.pak." Again and again.
Beautiful reed covered house
and the "gunner- runners"
Sunny day on the Jurassic coast
washed out hole, the sea pounding through
I had requested to meet our Brunei students
and reserved an evening for the event,
although only a few where here.
As the day before, we were in time at the Brunei Hall for
Breakfasting and dinner. A lively discussion
developed, the interest in our
Endeavour was great, a thousand questions came over the table and I
had to talk and explain. Our young and staff
had serious
interest in what we do, and how. Especially JAMBO's outfit, GPS,
the inverter, the extra fuel tanks, fridge and
roof rack draw attention.
arriving in Brunei Hall in London
The Bruneian cooking was excellent
Young bright students, Yusnani, Hjh
Nursorfiwa, Hjh NurHamizah, Fuad
The cute one and the tallest
and Betty Phang.
Another photo indicting our devotion to
beloved Brunei
The Acting Director, Mr Abdullah Hj Ahad,
Mr Abdulah Hj Ahad, Pg
Abd Ghani Pg Hj Momin, Hjh Azizan Dato
a wise man, explorer and traveler
Paduka Hj Othman, Hasnah
Hj Harry, Ustaz Hj Raminey Hj Salleh.
Mr Hj Abd Hisab Hj Zainal
Abidin.
driving back in
the night to Poole on the M3, we had the
same traffic flow as when coming, therefore
arriving at midnight
A final "thank you" for the reception in the
High Commission and the lively evening with
staff and students in the Brunei Hall. The
memory will stay with us..
A few words are directed to our youth. "My dear
students I hope I was able to encourage
you all with
my travel adventures, but
especially the daunting hearts among you. We Bruneians can do what
only a few achieve. I'm the proof. Set your
goals and pursue
them with all your might and will. You see, I paid myself for our
first journey from my saving and was not ashamed
this time,
to beg companies for sponsorship..
Because I believe that what I do is right and needed.
To travel to the hellholes of the planet and financed from our
savings account, is something not done
often.
Yet I never regret what I have given, as it is for our lovely
Nation. My success must become yours too
.Climb out of the shell you are
in, and remember these words. "Almost all is achievable in
life, if only worked hard upon. Never take
failure for granted but only
success."
Have the will and courage, then, you will grow as personalities not
easy be fooled, but with a critical and
sharp mind and the kind
heart we Malays are known for. With this words I say "bye bye", and
wish you good luck in your young life.
Now returning to Austria, where JAMBO will remain until January. We
travel to Brunei, to obtain what is needed
for the continuation of
the "25 years Independence Expedition".
Has our Trans- Siberia,-North Cape- UK expedition been successful
in" Bringing Brunei to the World?" Yes, by all
accounts.
We got a lot of recognition, wherever we stopped, including
immigration and custom officers in the UK,
even without newspaper
presence. For us, it was hardship all the way, but a self chosen
one, therefore we cannot complain. This
journey will eventually
become a book too, bringing our Nation and events to international
readers. That means, to be still read when
we all of today,
are no more.
We hope that we have not disappointed our sponsors, who gave from
their hard earned money for the cause. These
patriots think as
we do. No efforts are to be spared for our beloved Brunei
Darussalam.
To travel "as private" without a direct government support
has its draw backs too. We realized it, this
time more
in some of our Embassies.
However many officers helped again, as the first time from South
Africa to home. The Land transport, Ministry
of Health, Immigration,
Tourism board a very special thanks to RTB, Rampai pagi, which
provided every Sunday 20 minutes airtime for
my progress report.
I sincerely wish I could bring all the events, to the Brunei
audience in an interesting way.
And many thanks to the Brunei
Times, Mr. Soh and Caroline the master of the written word. They informed weekly
their readers of
events on our way.
For a good cause we had joined hands with our sponsors . To achieve
the extraordinary and hope that all our efforts are recognized one
day
in the relevant quarters.
" Does the Government sponsor your expedition?" asked the Malaysia
group on the highest platform of the Eifel
tower.
"Regrettable No"
"Why?" they wondered. I had no answer.
Friday 18-9-08
The few hours until morning we slept on the
parking lot in Poole. The ferry left
punctually by 7.30 am.
This time the French Immigration officer taking my document,
disappeared in their office for a1/2 hour.
Have they never seen a Brunei passport before?
Even our stickers did not help.
Believe us we did not go far, but checked in Cherbourg into a hotel
for a good clean up, the web site writing,
and a rest.
It cost us only Euro 50.-.
We are heading Southbound now and towards Austria, but with a
detour to see on the way some mystical
sites, where through
history unexplainable events took place, Just out of
curiosity. So dear reader do not forget to
check our web site out.
Saturday19-9-09
Driving south on French highways was fast. One more time we passed
through Chartres for a final look at the
cathedral and the veil
Maria was
wearing, when she gave birth to prophet Jesus.
The cathedral with a thousand questions
marble floor stabs worn down from 800
years
Many questions.
First, why did the veil of Maria, mother of
prophet Jesus acclaimed to have been worn during his birth, survived a catastrophic
fire in
the 12th century? A fire, which took
down the whole building? The veil was pulled
out of smoldering rubble. Survived,
completely intact.
This piece of cloth,
today preserved behind glass, was then
actually the reason, why this architectural
marvel was build as she stands
now. People
believed, a miracle had happen here.
The "Maria veil"
one of many mysterious "demons"
Why is the building surrounded by
dreadful figures starring down into all
directions at one aggressively? If you look
close, the one in
the picture sits actually
on the shoulders of screaming human. The
same is found in other cathedrals too. Are
they symbolic for
negative forces in us? Are
they a warning? We did not find the answer,
but will search further. The guidebook did
not even mention
them.
One
of the two towers. You see all the figures? arms crossed like
the pharaoh mummies, looking
up
Why has the figure in the centre, below the
dog like creatures the arms crossed looking
up like for salvation? What did the builders
want to tell us? We left Chartres with
many unanswered questions, continuing southwards, all afternoon and into the
night.
Somewhere near Bayonne in the gulf of Biscay we turned into a
parking lot. It was heavy raining, which is nothing new along the north
of the Pyrenees, as the warm moist sea breeze
drifting to the land, cools down, to form heavy
clouds form which water loads are
discharged in
splashes.
Sunday 20-9-09
Driving along the coast we entered Spain,
passing Bilbao,
Santander and Torrelavega,
climbing in narrow serpentines slowly up into
the mountains.
Towards a small rural
mountain village, San Sebastian de Garabandal
located up in the high Pyrenees. There must
be a good reason
why we divert from our route.
towards
mystical Garabandal
and the village
This village of 300 simple mountain folks,
farmers living a hard life, became in
1961,barely 48 years ago, the focus of the
media.
the pine trees behind the houses
"Los Pinas" where the apparitions
took place
On the evening of the 18-6-1961 four
girls in their teens were playing above the village,
in the Los Pinas, a group of pine
trees.
Suddenly they hear a thunder
and a person described as angel stood before
them, who told them to come again next day.
Frightened, they
run back down to the village to tell their
families.
The next day
they went up. Not
long up there, the figure appeared
again and within the next days he spoke, telling
them that he
is archangel Michael, and
he wanted to prepare them for the arrival
of Mary, the mother of Prophet Jesus, which
will be seen on
Sunday 2-7-1961. On that
day, it was around 6:pm, the children
surrounded by a large crowd were up there.
Mary appeared an angel on each side, but seen only by the children.
Above the apparition was a large Eye of
which the kids believed, was the eye of
god. The children prayed.
The news spread quickly. No sooner, the
authorities send a representative, including
police to check out what was going on and
henceforth followed the events closely .The paranormal
phenomena drew crowds from all over,
including America. When the" call"
came, the
girls could not resist, entering in ecstasy. "Their heads
thrown back the eyes dilated and the faces
imbued with angelic
countenance." As a
witness described it.
During the vision they were insensitive
against pain, and never showed a sign
of muscle strain or fatigue.
Their weight increased during the ecstasy.
Two men could hardly lift a 12 year old
girl. Moreover when in ecstasy, the girls
run the
lane or the caldera as it is called
down to the village church, head thrown back
looking at the vision and never fell down.
Even
backward! Followed by the stumbling crowd holding
torch lights or candles. However, suspicion
was there. Are they fooling the
onlookers?
Are they in hypnosis? Is there a "screw loose up there"
on all of them? But
then again, all the four at the same time
getting disarranged? That was unlikely.
the
kids run backwards the steep and stony lane
up to the pine trees
as a typical villager, he had seen the
spectacle
What then happen over years was, in almost
2000 apparitions, that a beautiful
lady dressed in blue appeared to them and
spoke
with the kids. These apparition were not seen by anyone else.
The priest came too, but it was only the
girls who saw her and would
speak to her. The story gets more weird. The girls acted in
unison, meaning together, with same turned
up heads and speaking to
the apparition. When called, they went in trance already on
the way up through the stony lane. Their legs whirling, as carried by
a
unseen force, without any indication to
stumble. When Harun walked down, he had to
be carefully, there was no way one could run
without crashing unless off course carried
by unseen forces.
waypoints and a shrine erected by pilgrims.
These events were in no time at the
attention of the Authorities. The girls were
send to interrogations by the church, then to a shrink,
that is a psychiatrist, to find out if they had
among themselves all pre-arranged and coordinated all maneuvers. But
nothing came out
of all meetings. The Church
send competent, men, but no explanation came
forward.
Archangel Michael taming the devil
in the artists imagination
What was the message Mary had for them? It
was one, directed to mankind, to all of us.
She
is displeased with what is going on on
our planet. "Man must live good lives
otherwise a chastisement will befall
mankind. The
cup is already full" she told
them in simple words, so that the children
understood the meaning. And for the future. "A warning
is to
come, that everybody on earth will
feel. No one escapes or would have the
slightest doubt that it comes from the
Almighty."
Towards the end of the apparitions she gave
the second and final message. "You (mankind)
are now receiving the last warning.
You should turn the wrath of GOD away from
yourselves by your efforts. The cup is
overflowing ( with mankind's sins) If
you ask for
forgiveness with sincere heart,
GOD will pardon you.
That was in 1965. Today in 2009, the world has not changed. Or?
We visited a Dutch business man living
there since the 1970, dealing in religious
relict. He came, hoping to make a fortune
from
pilgrims. When we rung the
doorbell, he hasted down the stairs
from the upper floor. Skinny he looked."
Hi sir, what is happening in
Garabandal? Any
new phenomena? Any busload of pilgrims?" he
shacked his head. "All is quiet here"
he answered and one could
feel his question
in the air: "Do you want to buy my shop?"
"What has happen to the girls, now
grown up women" we asked.
"Two of the four girls went to
the US, one is deceased and the last one
still lives in another village." the Dutch
man told us.
For us the mystery remains unsolved. Was it the Virgin Mary?
Or was all work of the devil once more
deceiving man? The church
has not recognized
the apparitions. Maybe it was the devil
then.
Somehow disturbed we left the village.
Driving further into the cordillera
mountains, on the way to Burgos.
The small road went in serpentines steep up.
We had to be
careful as it was only one lane. On sharp
bends we blow our horn to warn
ahead. It was the road of the magician.
The magician came up from here
up the remain of the "snake" tower
At about 1000 m height, the terrain leveled
out and we searched for a place to sleep.
From a cliff high up were noticeable some
remains of a wall. And we decided to
investigate and stay
there for a night.
It was once the castle of king Alfonso the VI, who ruled his
sprawling kingdom 1000 years ago. Touching these stones, laid
upon each
other in time long gone by workers, passed into the other world,
remind me, how kingdoms come and go. Close by the castle, so the
legend tells- was an old tower if which a
few stones are still seen, where,
camouflaged as snakes, magicians and witches
lived. All
peasant avoided to pass there,
especially by night. Ones upon a time, a man
showed up he was acquainted with witchcraft.
He came
on foot all the way up the
gorge, where today the small road crawls up. It was
on a
Sunday.
Folks from the village in the
picture, offered their veggies and fruits in
the market. However the greatest attention
got the sorcerer who
performed magic before
the village folks. He insisted of his
ability to get animals out of hiding with
the exception of a snake in white
as she was
the queen of all that vermin. For her he had
not enough power. That he should
knew before. They told him about the tower
where behinds its walls in holes are many
snakes residing and begged him to get rid of
them, since he was such a famous man.
The following day he went to the tower,
followed by a crowd of onlookers and stopped
a 100 meters before. A shrill scream coming
from the lips of the sorcerers reverberated
from the walls of this tower. Again and
again he called them. Truthfully, the snakes
came
out of the castle tower winding themselves along stones and bushes
to stop near him to remain still. More and
more were forced
through his spell to come, small ones and big ones. Already the
magician turned to the crowd in triumph,
when at last a white snake
appeared big as the biggest python. Furious she approached the
sorcerer, her eyes sparked fire.
He stood here unable to move. He was
powerless. With her mighty body rolled
around, she suffocated him. Seeing this, the
crowd
hasted in horror away. Now slowly the snakes
moved again and went back into the tower.
The following morning some courageous
men dared to take the sorcerer to the graveyard. The white snake
was not seen again.
We had red this story much later, otherwise we would not dared to
sleep up there.
View from the castle at the rock cliff.
Up here was the sorcerer strangulated by the
white python.
It was cold, therefore we crawled into double sleeping bags.
At the distance wind power fed the eclectic
grid and ever hungry bulbs.
No one disturbed our sleep up there, no
knight turned up as spook, jumping
centuries. Perhaps our evening
prayer protected us.
Monday 21 -9-09
Roads do not only belong to motorists.
here everyone has right of way.
We were early up and driving towards
southeast in
the morning sun to cross the cordilleras on
the way to Burgos town.
spectacular
limestone formations left and right
snow in the high Pyrenees
The Burgos stop was short
and brief. We took a few detail photos of
the famous Burgos cathedral for further
studies.
Here along the vaults
celebrities, remains of Kings and counts which decided
to have their remains kept here, rest in
sarcophaguses,
hoping to be closer to heaven.
These ladies. sculptured when alive, are now
resting here next to a immense
treasure chest in silver..
Looking
like real
The two hearts treasure chest
Maria Magdalena
colored glass always with the number12
On the wall in the inner sanctum hangs a
painting, Maria Magdalena by famous Leonardo
da Vinci. Did she deceive Jesus to become
his mistress, as Dan Brown in his book speculates?
But not much time we spend and went on towards France, crossing the
Pyrenees in a tunnel, about 10 km
long. At a farmer house
we found a place for our "Hotel
de la Jambo", It was a fresh and cool night.
Tuesday 22-8-09
Eastwards we drove over small mountains roads to see the small
town of Lourdes, on the French site of the
Pyrenees. This is the
story of Lourdes, the story of Bernadette.
Bernadette
and what she causes these days
It was the 11 February 1858. Bernadette, a child of a poor family,
six people living in one room they had to
get up early.
Francois her brother was sick, in bed and without work. She was a
sickly child, had cholera in her infancy and
suffered from asthma.
Some people following her revelations, thought of her to be simple
minded. She did not went to school.
However so poor was the family, that they sold firewood to buy a
meal. Today they need to do the same and she
dresses warm,
before going out into the cold with heir friends. Running down to the rue du Baous
and old bridge, they follow the river
Gave, until they
find themselves blocked by a stream. Three years later Bernadette gave account of
the happenings.
"I went to the edge of the river "Gate" to gather firewood with two
young girls. They crossed over the water and
arriving there started
crying and said their feet pain as the water was very cold. I asked
them to throw some rocks into the river,
helping me to cross too.
I went a little further and in front of the grotto (cave) I removed
my shoes. As I started I heard a noise like
a gust of wind. Lifting my
head I looked a the direction of the grotto. I saw a lady dressed
in white... When I saw her I rubbed my eyes.
Then I prayed. When I
had finished the vision suddenly disappeared.
The grotto where
the lady appeared , priests and people
praying
Bernadette saw the apparition on the place up where today the
statue stands, but the apparition could move
though rock to the cave
below. She never spoke to Bernadette from above, but only from the
Grotto below. The lady never walked but
glided, defying the laws
of nature. Bernadette saw here on many days, until one day the
following happen. Although it was a cold
morning and rainy, hundreds
of people have gathered at the grotto. Bernadette was kneeling and
praying in the Grotto then moving deeper
into the cavity,- people
had seen her- she scraps the soil with bare hands, dig out a
hollow, throw away the water three times,
sip some, dirties her face with
mud, and leaves the grotto to eat some plants at her feet. She
tells later that the lady pointed her where
she should look for the spring.
the cathedral of
Lourdes build over the cave
every day pilgrims come to pray and seek
cure
Since these days with Bernadette, the spring is flowing. Sick come
to seek cure. Most, where doctors have given
up.
They come with faith and hoping. Collecting water from the very
spring to drink it, or submerge the body in
it, for which small cabins
and physical help is provided.
.
water tabs
for spring water to heal
seeking a healing.
babies ins the
arm or on stretcher , all come for help
Who can walk does it, others are pushed in
wheel chairs or lying on a hospital bed.
Many miraculous healings have occurred here.
The number 67 overall confirmed is an Italian crippled by
rheumatism, and cured of. Thousands are
under critical consideration.
a vision
of Mary by the artist
Bernadette got ill and from 1876 becomes
permanent invalid. She writes to a sister
friend: " I have complete lost the use of my
legs".
She had contracted tuberculosis on the legs, and died of her long
term illness at the age of 35 on 16th April,
1879.
On 22 September 1909 the body of Bernadette was exhumed in presence
of various representatives. The body
appeared incorrupt and
preserved from decomposition. Two more times the body was exhumed.
The last time in 1925, when a precise
imprint of her face was
molded and a wax mask was cast.
The remains rest now in the mothers house in
Nevers in a gold and crystal reliquary,
visited by many pilgrims. She is still shown
despite being over 130 years old wearing a wax mask.
The body does not decompose, the face looks like alive. Is that a
miracle too? We are not the ones to judge.
By afternoon we climbed the
costly French highway again, general
direction east. By late afternoon we had
passed Marseille and
driving into the night
we slept at a parking lot on the highway
just 80km away from the Italian border. We
tried to find Mosque, but our
GPS had none for us.
Wednesday 23-9-09
My day begun at 2:30am, as I
had to call RTB for the Hari Raya greetings.
By 8:00 am, Italian time we
were rolling, and crossed into
Italia on the way to Carrara. The name means
little to the commoner but allot to marble
specialists. Here, the finest travertine marble
used in palaces of kings and sultans allover the world,
is cut out of the mountain, slices are taken
like a butcher would cut from a
carcass.
The mountain of white Travertine
see how big the wheel loader is
a 8 meter high block; how small
is the worker on the diamond saw?
up there, they cut a cave and slice inside
further
transport to the
valley
an average block cost euro 1000.-
That is how they do it, now we know. Cut
first with a diamond chain into the mountain
and slice blocks out. These blocks
come to
the wholesaler. Then the marble polisher buys them, cut slices out
, a common size is 2 ft by 4 ft, and polish
them.
Holes are filled with a mix of marble dust and resin. The products are sold
all over the world.
Leaving Firenze behind, we climbed on the Autostrada towards Bologna passing
Ferrara
town
and ended the day in a camp
ground at the Adriatic sea.
Thursday 24-9-08
Last night our neighbor was from South Africa. We had a long
talk about his country, our experience and
naturally Brunei.
In Jesolo a sea resort and our last destination, famous for seafood
and pizza was the final stop. It is Hari
Raya.
at Mario's
restaurant
Thank you all who were patient and logged in and did not get news.
Thank you all who donated for the journey.
We plan to return to Brunei in 3rd week in October to prepare for
the second leg the Trans Africa. Now in
Guinea they shoot, in Gabon
is trouble, can these guys not be peaceful like we in Brunei?
Worst come worst we try to get through
Tunisia/ Libya. Our spirit is not broken.
For the next two we travel around, not sure
yet where.
Honorable reader, "click in" for news, whenever you find the
time.
And
rest assured we are on the move again. Click
Austria where our wonder some story
continues.
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