more from brunei

I awoke this morning to find myself in the midst of the 2006 Brunei Marathon. I realised something was happening when I walked out of the hostel to find the road empty. Before I worked out it had been purposefully blocked off, a man in shorts came running along with a number stuck to his back. Then another. And another. And then a few more. And then the penny dropped - I was standing in the middle of the Brunei Marathon. Half-interested, I walked down to the finish line and watched a few of the hot and weary cross the white line. It was just after 8am in the morning, and the race had begun a few hours earlier (early to beat the day time heat I suppose). Not many people were watching the runners, and there were only small crowds dotted along the route. Nothing like at the London Marathon for example. I noticed the event was being covered by a Brunei television station though, so maybe everyone was watching at home.

I went off for some breakfast and after went for a ride down the river in a 'flying coffin' speedboat. They are so-called because of their plain wood interior and because of the speed with which they hurtle across the water. They really do move. As I had requested; the driver dropped me off on shore at a park a little out of the city. I then walked the four or five kilometres back via the Jame'Asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque, the largest mosque in the country. It was a large and impressive sight when I finally found it. As I went in I was asked to wear a long black button up robe, and duly obliged despite feeling hot from walking and really not being in pressing need of any additional garments. When I looked in the main male prayer room I found a massive, and well decorated dome roofed space, and two men hoovering the prayer carpets.

'How long does it take you to do the whole room?' I asked.

'Just this room? The whole room?'

'Yes. Just this room.'

'Errr... one week,' said hooverer, a look of regret in his eyes.

It really was a huge area, and very beautifully decorated, and wonderfully air-conditioned, which was just what I needed at the time. I stayed for a while admiring the walls and ceiling, and cooled off from the heat of my walk.

So that's it. I've seen all the sights I want to in Brunei now: everything on the tick list has been ticked off and executed. It's been nice being in a country where the main problem is the closing of the main dual carriageway now and again so the Sultan can race his Ferrari's (I'm not joking), but I'm ready to head out. I leave tomorrow lunchtime, and fly back to Kuala Lumpur in Western Malaysia. Will be in KL by dinner time all being well.