One man’s journey into the world of Agarwood
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Apr 26th, 2010
It was Sheikh Ibrahim’s wise instructions that brought me back here. I did not imagine that for one single moment I’d return. Sometimes life can take an unexpected turn. It is mid-afternoon when I arrive. Wearily, I clamber inside an old taxi outside the airport. I ask the driver to make a stop at [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Apr 6th, 2010
From my place on the prayer mat I welcome the dawn of a new day. The sun rises in a clear, cloudless sky of blue. Lost in the beauty and silence of this magical moment, I see the world as a haven of peace, tranquility and reflection. In close harmony with nature life is unhurried, [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Mar 27th, 2010
Rashimi enters the room with a tray of boiled rice and smoked fish. He serves the hearty breakfast on a low table before taking leave from Uncle Dan. A wonderfully fragrant aroma permeates the air. It plays with my senses and reminds me of family get-togethers in the holidays. I thank Uncle Dan wholeheartedly [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Mar 21st, 2010
We reach the distillery well after midnight. Deep breaths of cool night air fill our lungs as we clamber out the truck. I follow Rashimi along the path that leads to the wrought iron gates. A delightful breeze of cinnamon and cloves wafts over us. The air smells good enough to eat. Wind chimes tinkle [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Mar 8th, 2010
Rashimi pulls over at the side of the road. He reaches for a rag on the dashboard and wipes the sweat from his face. ‘Time for rest,’ he says as he clambers out of the truck. From the back of his truck he produces a straw mat. He spreads it out on the dusty floor [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Mar 5th, 2010
The insistent ringing of the telephone brings me to an abrupt state of consciousness. I was just enjoying a peaceful afternoon with Sheikh Ibrahim on the Ain Sefra River. A small crystal bottle bobs up and down at the water’s surface. There is some writing on the bottle but I cannot read it. I turn [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Feb 22nd, 2010
The Front Office Manager offers me a room on the fourteenth floor. ‘Breathtaking views’ he says reassuringly. He smiles and hands me the key. It is the kind of smile that is reserved for crazed foreigners; the kind that hang out in rainforests with the local crocs and wildlife. The concierge looks relieved to find [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Feb 7th, 2010
The slopes are slippery and precarious. Traversing them is more challenging than I’d imagined. I now wonder how my father felt during his retreats on the Atlas mountains. I can hear the stream up ahead as the heavy rainfall hits the water. Exhausted from the climb I wade warily upstream in knee deep water. I [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Feb 1st, 2010
We travel in silence under a vast and almost dark, unsettling sky. Lofty treetops form an immense canopy of protection as we propel down the river. Nasir, my Iban companion senses a change in the weather. He holds his hand out to gage if the rain has begun. He gestures towards the long houses on [...]
Posted in Agarwood: The Journey on Jan 1st, 2010
I stride the boardwalk by the lagoon and remind myself that everything is from Allah. I must be satisfied with the station wherein God has placed me. I reflect on Sheikh Ebrahim’s wise words on tawakul or putting all one’s trust in Allah. I walk with these thoughts until I reach the Golden Gate.
I arrive [...]