Last summer, Sarah and James experienced perhaps the worst part of living in Malaysia, a month of choking haze blanketing the city. We're talking vintage 1970s LA smog level brown mist. Not fun.
The haze is the fallout of burning palm oil plantations and clearing jungle for new plantations, mostly in a few areas of Indonesia. Plantation owners need to clear land and expand their operations and illegally burn everything in their sight. The result, the prevailing winds take the smoke and ash over to both mainland and East (Borneo) Malaysia, making life miserable for everyone there.
Kuching is a city in Sarawak, Borneo and during the height of the haze mess, sometimes had the worst Air Quality Index number in the world. Glad we got to visit to, cough, cough, witness and experience it.
Looking across the river toward the state legislative building. This image and the following images were taken around sunset, what should be a golden hour of beauty.
The view from inside a hotel. Not inviting. Temple and modern building background of haze.
Navigating the mess.
Colorful buildings, failing to shine in the layer of soot.
Back at the river, no view.
The haze is the fallout of burning palm oil plantations and clearing jungle for new plantations, mostly in a few areas of Indonesia. Plantation owners need to clear land and expand their operations and illegally burn everything in their sight. The result, the prevailing winds take the smoke and ash over to both mainland and East (Borneo) Malaysia, making life miserable for everyone there.
Kuching is a city in Sarawak, Borneo and during the height of the haze mess, sometimes had the worst Air Quality Index number in the world. Glad we got to visit to, cough, cough, witness and experience it.
Looking across the river toward the state legislative building. This image and the following images were taken around sunset, what should be a golden hour of beauty.
The view from inside a hotel. Not inviting. Temple and modern building background of haze.
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Colorful buildings, failing to shine in the layer of soot.
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The haze doesn't last forever. Once rainy season hits in October and extinguishes the fires, the sky goes blue again. The memory leaves a bad taste in one's mouth (and eyes, throat, car, etc...) and a bitter reminder of the cost of human development.
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