Picking Up Speed

It looks like the sun has finally shone through.

Two nights ago I received confirmation that the bulk of the funding we need to commence with construction have become available.  So it is likely we will begin construction in July, which puts us on the track to open in February 2012.  It's a little delayed from our original timeline, but in the larger scheme of things, I think a few months late is a small matter.

We signed off on our design about a week and a half ago.  Now, we enter the construction drawing phase, where materials are detailed out and contractors evaluated.  Sometimes, when I think about it, I wonder that  there aren't many more of my family members and friends who think I am slightly insane for taking this project on.  This for a girl who has never laid a brick or fixed a clogged pipe.  OK, so I can drill a few holes, but that's the extent of my construction knowledge.

But then again, everyone has to start somewhere.  In fact, on good days, I am surprised we have even got this far.

And we will now go further.

I know where I will be spending my New Year's Eve this year :-)  Stay tuned as we pick up speed.

In Full Bloom

A missive from our architect Ijam recently reminded me beautifully of how La Pari-Pari, even in it's current state is already a living, breathing entity.

This was the latest photo he sent me of the site in early February.  Then, we both sighed at the carpet of dry leaves that blanketed the ground, realising the work that lies ahead of us in keeping things in check.

But just last week, he went back and lo and behold - the trees were in full bloom!

If anything, the photos he sent me reinforced our resolve not to cut trees down unnecessarily.  And to think, we've owned the land for a couple of years now, yet this is the first time we've noticed this seasonal occurrence.  According to the neighbour, the trees were traditionally used to make hand-hewn wooden perahus (canoes) back in the day.

I can't wait till we can share this with our guests when we are up and running :-)

Paya Paya: River Cottage Langkawi-style!

The greenhouse at Paya Paya

For those of you who missed my posts on them on our Facebook page, here are some snippets on Paya Paya - a mission of love for two individuals who truly believe in what they are doing.  I've met several people now who, inspired by the River Cottage series on television, have aspired to live the country lifestyle and cultivate their own farm.

Well folks, there are people here in Malaysia already beginning to live the dream :-)

Elain and I were first acquainted in high school.  Since then, we've kept in touch over the years and even worked together on several projects in our professional capacities.

Over time, I've discovered that we are actually fairly like-minded, in our frustrations with KL corporate life and its shenannigans, the politics and wheeling and dealing.  So much that she, like I, decided to pursue a personal passion that coincidentally takes root in Langkawi.

Chances are, you've never heard about Paya Paya.  The project, a labour of love for Elain and her husband Kyri is just off a quiet road in Langkawi.  Spread over a couple of acres of ex-paddy fields, Paya Paya in its current initial phase is an experiment in sustainable farming.

I had the privilege of visiting them recently and Kyri very graciously showed us around.  The extent of progress they have made is testament to how much individuals can achieve on their own volition - without the help of Government or big businesses.

Walking around the property, Kyri pointed out how they have incorporated several ecologically-oriented elements into their cultivation process.  Compost made from waste materials that are collected from various sources around the island (including a famous coffee chain!), harvested rain water for irrigating their vegetable beds, and solar panels for some of their power needs.

Although their current yield is small, what I saw was attractive!  At the moment, according to Kyri, most of the produce is sold locally on the island, with proceeds going to charity.  So if you ever stop by there, do buy their vegetables.

Just look at the size of them chillies!

And if you DO visit, here's a small piece of trivia for those of us who harbour Coyote Ugly-esque ambitions - the lovely, long wooden benches scattered around the property used to be bar tops!  So if like me, you've always wondered what it felt to dance on one....

Photo courtesy of Mia Farriza (www.miafarrizza.com)

To learn more about Paya Paya, visit their Facebook page.