Our first Highland Games

Friends have told me about the Panaga Highland Games previous years, that they've had a great time there. We've never been, so this year we made an effort and drove the 100k+ down to Panaga to check it out. I have never been to any kind of Highland Games, and I wasn't aware that although there are over a 100 of these games in Scotland, apparently there are not so many abroad.

A few of the different teams, there was a German team, Dutch team, Kiwi team, a team from Nigeria (?), English and Scottish teams; and of course Bruneian teams:

This year was the 22nd Highland Games here in Brunei, organized by the KB Scottish Community. This is an annual fixture for the expat community down there, and I was surprised hardly seeing anybody from "our side of the country". There was only one other family we recognized, and a few of the participants out of the Kiwi team - apart from them it was all new faces to us!

Such a shame, because I often hear "nothing ever happens in Brunei". Well, it does! This was an excellent day out, for the whole family.

Apart from the happenings of the games themselves, there was a motorcycle display, bouncy castles, water play, reptile exhibition, dance performances and a lot of different vendors selling everything from Penan baskets to candy floss!

The army was also represented, displaying helicopters, different military equipment - firearms and other boys' toys. Lucas and Nathan had a good look.

The main reason to come is of course to support the competitors. I mistakenly thought this was just an event for fun, but how wrong was I! These competitions were taken very seriously! Very!!!
We watched quite a few of the running events, they had both 4x100m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m races. Here the 1500m I think - gotta love the man in kilt running for it!

 

 We also saw quite a few matches of the ever so popular tug-of-war.

 

The Scottish ladies:

There was special activities and mini games organized for the kids. Here Lucas is watching a rugby game. Watching yes, because he was very hot and didn't want to participate.

Linnea got herself a henna:

The Clan Kiwi team:

 

The Dutch team, if you hadn't figured that out..!

 The bagpipes were playing each time the Scottish team entered the competition area:

 

 Lucas and his friends:

I didn't realize that these games actually continued all throughout the whole day, with a lunch break in the middle. Had I known we would've come down only for the afternoon; because that's when they were doing the caber toss, the Wellington throw and the shot put competitions. I really would've liked for the kids to see these somewhat more original "sports"!
But it was just so hot on Saturday that we couldn't handle anymore than the morning, when they broke for lunch we were ready to go home. Next year - we'll come again!