When Work Becomes an Adventure... Exploring Tree Nurseries and Discovering Interesting Stories in Malaysia!
Today, I had the pleasure of mixing work with a little travel, leisure, and education! Who says work always has to be strictly about work, right? Sometimes, a work trip can become an exciting adventure, and that's exactly what happened during our visit to Malaysia.
I joined our team on a day trip to inspect trees ordered for one of our projects. Although our supplier had already provided photos, we wanted to see the trees with our own eyes, check their condition, and make sure the nursery could supply the quantities we needed. Photos are helpful, but there's no substitute for seeing the actual trees in person.
Our entire trip took around 11 hours! Most of that time was spent traveling by land, while about two hours went to breakfast and lunch, and three hours were dedicated to inspecting different tree species. It was tiring, but not too stressful. After all, our work for the day was literally a walk among trees. A walk in the park, you could say! LOL.
As we explored the nurseries, I enjoyed seeing rows of trees growing in black planting bags, along with beautiful flowers and tall palms.
Of course, we were there to inspect their quality, but I couldn't resist taking photos. Everything looked refreshing and peaceful compared to the usual city scenery I'm used to.
What made the trip interesting was our supplier, who shared stories about the trees, how they source them, and the local nursery business. It honestly felt more like a school field trip than an ordinary work visit!
One of the first things that caught my attention was the enormous number of oil palm trees across the Malaysian countryside. During our drive, I saw vast areas covered with plantations and wondered why there were so many.
According to our supplier, the demand for palm oil has made growing oil palms an attractive business. He mentioned that harvested palm fruit could bring around RM800 per 1,000 kilograms, and that a hectare might contain roughly 140 to 150 palms. He also shared estimates of how often they harvest and how much fruit the trees can produce. Of course, there's hard work involved, especially since harvesting requires people and tools.
The second story surprised me even more. We were inspecting Plumeria trees, and our project specifically required around 20 with solid yellow flowers. I thought that would be simple, but apparently that particular color is not easy to source.
Our supplier could show us only two healthy trees that matched what we wanted. Then he told us he might have to look for the others in old graveyards! Whoa, I definitely didn't expect that answer.
He explained that, in some local communities, yellow Plumeria trees have traditionally been planted around cemeteries. We even saw one of those places ourselves. I didn't take photos out of respect, but it was a beautiful, fascinating, and slightly chilling sight all at once.
That story changed the way I looked at those flowers. Beyond their beauty, they can carry cultural meaning. If trees like these are eventually relocated for our project, I hope they are sourced respectfully and given the proper care to thrive in their new home.
By the time we headed back, I was tired but happy that I joined. I went there expecting a routine inspection and came home with photographs, new knowledge, and stories worth remembering.
I hope you enjoyed this little work-and-travel adventure of mine.
See you on my next adventure!
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