I am lucky to know one Volmeister, and he is the CEO of 'Volmeister Enterprises'. From the little I know of this company, it's stands for freedom, creativity, fun, friendship and living ones life true to oneself regardless of societal expectations. I'd like to work for his company, but have resigned myself to spotting Volmeisters on our journey. Also known as 'Kindred Spirits' Volmeisters embrace the Rock and roll mentality and light up the world of the people around them.
Melbourne to KL, I have spotted a Volmeister. A man in his late 50s, grey hair to his shoulders and a killer smile, he's befriended the lady in front of him and is chatting his way up the snaking line to the counter. Wishing her a wonderful journey as her turn arrives, he steps up to be next. Seeing a tiny Malaysian lady struggling to work out which line to be in, he immediately begins to help. Laughing and helping, he's a delight to watch as his energy and spirit pours out onto this lady. With the light shining on his one painted silver fingernail and his black leather jacket, I am reminded that there are Volmeisters everywhere in our world and it's my responsibility to go out and find them.

In Sarawak Borneo, we have found even more. There is Ana Rosa our amazing laundry lady whom we take our laundry to at any given moment, just to embrace the amazing cleanliness that she returns our clothes to us in. She has befriended me and has my email address as we are such regular happy customers. I've forgotten how fresh laundry becomes so important whilst travelling and how happy one feels when one's head becomes buried in the scent of 'fresh apples' where they were previously wet and stinky from trekking days upon end. Really, we can't pay her enough and feel quite guilty at the state we leave them in and the magic she creates. Ana Rosa is ever smiling, always kind and helpful and eager to share the secrets of Kuching with us. We love her.

Brahmin we met in our wanderings around the Kuching waterfront, where he stopped us with an eager hello and an enquiry of where we were from. Cynicism from previous travels made us wary but we soon realised that this man was not only incredibly knowledgable about Australia and Sarawak but that all he wanted was a friendly chat and to be reminded of his Aussie friends that he met during the war. Since reading some more history of Kuching and Malaysian Borneo, his accuracy was impeccable and his friendliness remarkable. He was a sweet man who had lived a full life and wanted to share some of his stories with us.

Yasper from Denmark made himself known by doing a large human bomb in the swimming pool at Damai Beach. Aged in his 60's, his enthusiasm for life and adventures was clear and we spent the afternoon chatting to him and his wife Karen about their explorations around the world. Sharing dinner and some local Tuak-rice wine, they were wonderful company and inspiring with the work they do in the medical profession.

Gerhard and Charlotte were our neighbours in Bako National Park and were proud Germans. Around 70 we guess, Gerhard would do little dances about mosquito bites and naughty macques with a twinkle in his bright shining eyes. He left the porch light on for us so we wouldn't come home to a dark room and invited us to share dinner with them. Sadly, they left after only a night. We miss them, they were such a lovely couple!

I have a feeling that this chapter will get larger and larger as we travel, so shall begin reflecting on our travels through Sarawak as tomorrow we leave for mainland Malaysia and I have been so busy loving Borneo I have been uninspired to write. Borneo is truly special and we don't want to leave....