Congratulations Pandelela Rinong

Nadai Nama Nama Welcomes Pandelela

 
VIPs welcoming Pandelela Rinong, Traisy and Bryan

It was reported that she has not returned to Sarawak for 10 months as she was training intensively for the London Olympics 2012 across the South China Sea. Though her arrival was during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays, a large welcoming crowd turned up at the VIP Arrival Hall getting ready to welcome our Diving Queen.

 
From left: Bryan Nickson, Pandelela Rinong and Traisy at the Press Conference

The welcoming party was a multi vehicle and multicultural event as the pictures below will show. Everyone was anxious to catch a glimpse of this VIP in the person of Pandelela Rinong, Malaysia's diving Queen, Sarawak's young heroine and the Bidayuh community's pride. Maybe that is how I should sum it up as there are many articles and pictures of her floating around in the main media and the internet. There was no protocol needed here as everyone was at the airport to be part of this historic moment. How often does one get to see an Olympian in real live, a Sarawakian Olympian some more. For me, I'll call this Halley's Comet moment maybe as the comet takes 76 years to travel around our sun (eclipses be it moon or sun happen more often). Of course I'll be almost 50 when the next Olympic in Rio happens and only God knows if I am still around.

 

The buses were there

Superbikes big and small were there

Sarawakians with their multicultural costumes were there

Lovely smiles awaiting our Olympians at the arrival hall

The thunderous kompang beat at the arrival hall

Drums from the various communities added to the pandelelamonium welcome

The fans were there (with Jame's right flag of course)

Pandelela's ride ~ Morris Minor Cooper was there to welcome her

Along with a BMW which was Traisy's ride

And another BMW used to ferry Bryan

The Regas Premium Auto management used this BMW to escort the Olympians

They went around Kuching from the Kuching International Airport and arriving at the Astana Negeri Kuching, Sarawak super stylo

Waving starlet arriving at the Astana Negeri ~ Apart from Nadai Nama Nama everyone wants to record this moment in history with their handphones including the driver and policeman. Halley's Comet moment of course.

Now I need to go off to buy the car numbers, pronto! Photos of Pandelela's Johan Bintang Kenyalang (JBK) investiture ceremony coming soon.