Sibu Solemnizations

Now this is a tad late because we had to take the time to organize and watermark our photos, unlike the recent Sibu photolog which we could immediately upload since we've done the whole thing up via the Comic Touch app.

Of course, if we were to photolog the event of our entire trip we would run well over twenty photos, and that's way too much for a photolog! When we were making the photolog we initially included all the activities, but in the end it was too much for a comfortable read.

So our trip to Sibu in the middle of last month was to attend the wedding of our old coursemate and housemate during our uni days, ymlau to his Sarikei Sweetheart. We'd already missed the wedding of our other coursemate and housemate, AnTS, and whatwith us keeping more in touch with ymlau we dare not miss this one.

And it's our first trip to East Malaysia no less! And us being a blur case at times, it was rather a good thing that we didn't get our tickets early, because a) we would have bought tickets thinking his wedding was on 12th March instead of 23rd January; and b) we would have bought tickets to Kuching instead of Sibu.

Firstly, we must comment: the hospitality we received during our entire stay in Sibu was absolutely AMAZING. A couple of days before we were to fly over, we call to check the wedding itinerary with ymlau, and he assures us that he will be there to pick us up from Sibu Airport. If he can't make it, he will have someone come and pick us up, much to our protestations. Between Zinger and ymlau, we never needed to worry about transport to anywhere, and frankly we were rather paiseh to be imposing so much...

Upon our arrival we were greeted by the grinning faces of both our old housemates, AnTS arriving much earlier in the afternoon of the same day from Bintulu. We dropped our stuff at Kingwood Hotel, and were soon on our way to celebrate ymlau's bachelor party.

One thing we learn? ymlau's beer tolerance has indeed gone up over the years. His friends there have trained him very well. Drinks like a fish. Upon his arrival at the karaoke centre he was given a glass filled with three cans of beer to down in one go. And he did!

The amount of beer available!

This brings us to a very important lesson. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BACHELOR PARTY ON THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR WEDDING IF PLENTY OF ALCOHOL IS INVOLVED.

The bachelor party ended by 1am-ish, and we had to wake up by 4.30am to get ready for ymlau to pick up his Sarikei Sweetheart. We got to see Sarawak's first toll booths that led onto a single carraigeway 'highway', and along the way we made nine pit stops for ymlau to get rid of yesterday's alcohol, the queasy way...Poor feller, it certainly was a day for him to remember.

Along the way we got to see large expanse of fields, and at 5am-something in the morning, it was all beautiful with mists rolling about the fields... Should have tried taking a photo during one of those pit stops.

Arrived at Sarikei Sweetheart's place to be welcomed by fireworks, and we got to try the Fuzhou Red Rice Wine noodles, which reminded us of mee suah. After which the hengdai vs zhimui battle commenced. Twenty-three hengdais. Five zhimuis. All that was involved was some declaration of love before the zhimuis would allow the groom access past the staircase.

It's Sibu. Conversation for most of the part was done in Fuzhou or Mandarin.

We're used to it, after living with two Sarawakians for 3 years.

More fireworks greeted us when we arrived back at the groom's place.

After the traditional Chinese ceremony was completed the throng headed to the church to exchange their vows. After the service, ymlau's brother brought us for a heavy seafood lunch.

We'd the afternoon off to take a quick power nap from our early morning, then it was around town going all touristy taking photos.

Come evening Zinger picked us all up for the wedding dinner at the Good Happiness Restaurant. Not all coursemates were here because it so happens that another coursemate was also celebrating her wedding on the same day! Some folks thought that they were both getting married to each other!

Day after the wedding we went about the rest of the malls, and got ready to leave by evening. Short trip indeed.

To ymlau and his Sarikei Sweetheart, wishing you happiness and joy in your marriage!