Borneo

Email read: "Wanna go to Borneo for a ride? BMW Motorrad is sponsoring the bike. Flights, food, lodging will be taken care of, all I want in return is an article about the trip." or something to that effect. This was from none other than the editor of msportbike herself.

Hmmm.. let me see..... Borneo. Sabah, Sarawak... hmm... bike...? ....Motorrad?

15 minutes of rapid email ding-dong-ing later - oh hell, yes, I’ll go!

This ride would be called Kembara Motorsikal Borneo 2008 or KMB 2008, an eco-tourism expedition where 20 high-powered motorcycles will be riding from Kuching, Sarawak to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from the 22nd of August till the 1st of September 2008.

KMB 2008 is supported by the Malaysian Tourism Ministry and among the 20 participants, 4 international motoring journalist are included:

1) Kenneth Robert Freund of BIKE SA (South Africa)
2) Thomas Wielecki of TWO WHEELS (Australia)
3) Howard Stafford of FRICTION ZONE (U.S.A)
4) Me representing MSPORTBIKE (Malaysia – Singapore – Brunei – Thailand)

Me?? Oh Gosh! What mess have I gotten myself into?

"Bring your camera, have a relaxed holiday mood, then jot me your feelings (and some facts) on what you experience throughout the ride", wrote Audrey, the editor - calmed me down a bit.

A glance through the program convinced me I can do this trip. Not too gruelling or too arduous it looked. The only potential problem is riding in a big group which just isn't my cuppa tea.

I'll do it anyway, for the love of it. And who knows better things might come out of this say, BMW sponsoring me for the Cape Town trip? :)

Now time to head for the gym and get a haircut. :)

Go, Go Away!

Sure, I expect negative responses from potential sponsors that I write to but they are sometimes followed with a goodluck wish, a referral to other companies or individuals. A simple no would suffice.

But this one I received from a lady had me in shock! :)

"Sorry, I couldn't support you anything that I am not helpful lady, I never borrow from other, and either lend anything to others, go, go away, go and ask for other people, hope nobody will help you with cold word. Why you want to help orphans? they always steal".

- name and email witheld -
(though i am itching to have her name, email, "BIG" and "SUCCESSFUL" company name printed here!)

Sigh..... She thinks orphans are thieves!