On the first

On the first day of Gawai, we drove to Kampung Bidayuh Sitang visiting a friend.

We started off from our house around 11am. At 8th Mile petrol station, we met another friend and his family before proceed in 2 cars. We used the Pedawan town to go along the smaller road but we were lost and missed the turning to the village. We were on the road to Borneo Highlands but realised the mistake and turned back to go to the right junction.

From that onward, we didn't encountered much trouble searching through the hilly kampung roads using the Google Map. Anyhow, we reached the house in time for lunch.

Loved the home-cooked ethnic dishes as well as few of Sarawak's specialties at our friend's house. 

Manok Pansuh/chicken (middle) and Babi pansuh/pork (right)

I took a little of this and that. I took a small piece of pansuh pork (pork cooked in bamboo) and it was alright to me. Not so strong in taste, so it was fine by me. I tasted stronger pansuh before and I didn't enjoy it much. This ethnic dish is very much an acquired taste.

(From top left) Hakka stewed duck, liver, and chicken kacangma

I took almost everything except the liver as you are aware, I am not a fan of liver. I loved the Hakka stewed duck (lor ark), Hakka kacangma and chicken curry. Took few scoops of them.

Chicken curry

Deep Fried pork belly and chicken wings

Lemang

My first round 

After lunch, we were served with 'tuak' (rice wine). It is customary to accept tuak when the host offers so I drank 2 small glasses of tuak. Luckily I ate my lunch so I didn't get drunk easily with my full tummy. But I did felt sleepy after the wine started to take effect. Anyway, no embarrassing incident happened.

We also had a little walk around the kampung. Right in front of our friend's house was the village's chapel. The concrete path to the chapel on the hill was completed not so long ago so it was a nice walk up the hill.

But few minutes later, a sudden rain hit us and we had to hang out at our friend's house till the rain subsided.  It was after 3pm when the rain finally slowed down and we bid farewell to our house. We managed to maneuver slowly along the steep and wet road.

And it was a foggy drive down but the view was spectacular. I loved the fresh, cooling air of countryside after the rain.