The Adventurers (Dad's Side)

As it was told, Mr Wong Loong began his ADVENTURES when he left the southern region of China (Guangdong Province) in the later half of the 19th Century (presumably when he was in his 20s) to the island of Borneo.

From then on his descendants expanded as such:

Mr Wong Loong (1830s-1900s)

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Mr Anthony Wong Pungun (1860s-1930s)

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Mr Lothar Manjaji Wong (1890s-1940s)

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Mr Peter Manjaji (1933-2006)

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Mr John Manjaji (1968-present)

AND NOW HERE I AM TO CONTINUE THE ADVENTURE!

How The Adventure Started

  

 

The Large North Gate in Canton (Guangzhou), China in 1860s.

   

My paternal and maternal ancestors are traced back from the southern part of China (as are most Chinese who emigrated to Southeast Asia). Leaving China for a foreign land is no easy feat. So, I see them as adventurers. And here I am continuing their adventurous spirit.

DAD'S SIDE:

My dad, Peter Manjaji (1933-2006), had his roots originated from the WONG family. As was told, Peter's great grandfather (Mr Wong Loong) was adventurous enough to travel to Borneo from the southern part of China (Guangdong Province). It was estimated to have happened around the second half of the 19th Century (1860-70). The brave Mr Wong Loong and his brother sailed to Labuan Island purportedly to work at a coal mine (which was part of the economic ecosystem of the British Empire then). Apparently, many others from south China came, lured by the British North Borneo Company, as skillful and inexpensive manpower.

However, several years passed and the mining was not as successful as expected. It was then Mr Wong Loong continued his adventure and made his way to Kuala Penyu, then to Papar, and finally settled down in Penampang.

In Penampang, he married a Dusun lady and bore a son, Mr Anthony Wong Pungun (dad's grandfather). Mr Anthony then himself married a Dusun (later known as Kadazan) lady and bore a son, Mr Lothar Wong Manjaji (dad's father). Mr Lothar went on to marry a beautiful Kadazan lady, Miss Ottilia Bokuta Duhagal and bore my father Peter on 2 June, 1933.

  

That summarises the adventurous traits on dad's side.

MOM'S SIDE:

Unfortunately, not much is known on my mother's side except that her mother is of the LIM family. Apparently, Mr Lim also travelled from China (perhaps also from Guangdong Province). It must be during the early 20th Century that the brave Mr Lim came to Borneo to start his adventure. He too married a Dusun woman and bore my grandmother, Miss Minjaim Lim. Miss Minjaim married a Kadazan lad, Mr Mojuntin Matanul and bore my mother, Maria Mojuntin on 10 June, 1946. 

That's about all I know of mom's side!

ADVENTURE CONTINUES...

So there you go. My adventurous roots traced back through the WONG and LIM clans from China.

Now, in this Travel Blog I am keeping track of all my adventures travelling to places outside of Malaysia. I have travelled extensively to many places in my country. But here, I will only focus on my travels overseas.

 For me, the adventures started right here in Borneo (Kota Kinabalu) (look at map above)  on Tuesday, 14 May, 1968 (the day I was born). Without getting into much detail, mom and dad themselves were an adventurous couple, deciding to get married against all the odds. They moved around a lot, starting from Penampang, to Kinabatangan, to Tanjung Aru and finally to Putatan.

Long story short, I got my first taste of overseas adventure in the Summer of 1983 (I was in Form 4, one year before my big SPM) when my parents decided to take us siblings for a one-week vacation to Manila, Philippines! (See post above.)

After my SPM, I moved to Shah Alam for an overseas programme starting in Summer of 1985. I stayed in Shah Alam until the end of Fall 1987. The two-and-a-half-year stay there was itself a big adventure as it was my first time away from home for a long duration. While in Shah Alam, I visited many places in the Peninsular. I also made my second overseas adventure when I travelled to Singapore (1986) with three friends via Johor Baharu. (See post above.)

From beginning of 1988 to middle of 1993 (five and a half years solid), I spent my life in the USA studying Environmental Design and then transitioned to Graphic Design (where I graduated with a degree in Bachelor's of Fine Arts). However, for this part of my adventure, I will not include in this Travel Blog.

My first overseas adventure after I got married was in 2008. My wife Yoke Fong and I visited South Korea for eight days. (See post above.) After that, we visited many other countries in our adventures together! (In this Blog, I will keep updating the countries we visited as we go along.)

 

My main purpose for this Travel Blog is to record my personal adventures outside of Malaysia (short term travels with a little bit of storytelling, and travel guide as well). I hope you all have fun going through my Blog, as much as I have fun putting them down here.

THANK YOU!