Dusun 11

found in the vicinity.

In his mind’s eye, Omar could see kampong houses, imagining them to be the huge wooden Kutai houses, or maybe, because of the placing of the pillars, the rumah limas - Indonesian styled pyramidal roofed houses, built for the well-off.

He recalled, from his training as an architect, that Indonesian nobility had settled in Perak, after clashes in Indonesia, in the 1500s. They had brought with them names like Kampar and Bali local Kinta Valley towns. They had also brought their house styles – like the "Kutai" house types. Omar sat and imagined Indonesian houses adorning the rivers in Perak, gentle breezes blowing freshly laundered sarongs on washing lines. To be certain, he would have to excavate the ground - to see if they were the traditional Malay rumah limas, or the more fanciful, older styles. He would have to see the wooden or concrete foundations - the lapik tiang (base of the post) he had read so much about.

It was so very different, here, by the river. It was as if life itself slowed, mellowed to the pace of the countryside. An idea was taking hold: a fantasy about buying some of this land, by this river, building a small, ok - large house – to accommodate his wife, family, maid and maybe family and friends who might want to visit to fish, or just lap up the atmosphere. He smiled an uncustomary large smile as he considered this. It was not impossible. It would be great for weekends, and maybe, just maybe they might decide to stay permanently.The kids obviously loved it, so did Kim. Faridah would come round, Omar was sure she would - eventually. Perhaps he might say something - on the road back.

Omar trod carefully back to the family’s picnic site - the rush of the waters and the children’s laughter getting louder as he ambled on. Over a lunch which Kim (the maid) had prepared under directions from Faridah; husband and wife, children and maid relaxed and chattered. Their talk was fanciful, a meandering dialogue, wandering from their coming vacation in Cambodia – seeing the magnificent Ankor Wat, to the new colours for the maid’s room. Kim had no say in this. Faridah talked of new carpets