Marlowe Affiliate
BORNEO DIARY
13/06/2002
I discharged myself from the hospital before the military police could catch up with me, Pablo helped me hide in the laundry. I liberated some painkillers and antibiotics to help with the burns, but they ran out yesterday.
I'm living in a crate now near the docks. I've lost a lot of stuff, my phone, my solar umbrella, my hat and most of the feeling in my left side, but I still have my laptop, my backpack and my self-respect.
My battery is running low and I have no way to recharge at the moment, and I have to update this via phones in Bars and Hotels, so I need to beg, borrow or buy some new equipment.
The crate I have found to sleep in is warm and dry, so I'm saving money on board, but I need to eat and drink more. I've been living on the dock rats and seawater for the past few days, and sometimes I get cold sweats and see strange things. The burn dressings have gone a greeny grey colour, I don't think this is good.
My new plan is to get a boat out of Borneo and hit the Asian continent, on foot I can get past most international borders and hopefully find my way back into the annals of backpacking legend.
I don't want to die in a crate.
05/06/2002
They let me have the phone for a bit today, so I've replied to some E-Mails, sorry about the delay in replying.
I've received a number of very negative E-Mails accusing me of cashing in on my new-found fame as the world's premier backpacker. Nothing could be further from the truth, I backpack not because I want to, but because I NEED to. Backpacking is my calling in life and financial gain is of no concern to me.
On another note, visit the new Marlowe Bidforth Merchandise Store by Clicking HERE!!!
I'm feeling much better and hope to escape today.
03/06/2002
I've been in hospital now for what seems like a fortnight, but it's really only been 14 days. My burns are, according to the nurses, healing miraculously and they should be able to take the dressings off soon.
The police have been in a number of times to talk to me, but so far I've managed to feign unconsciousness. At best, I expect to be deported, at worst, it might be back to jail. They seem to hold me responsible for the jungle fires, apparently they found out who had last chartered the plane that crashed. It's laundry day in two days (Wednesday?) and I'm going to try and discharge myself and get a lift out with Pablo the laundry man.
Pablo knows someone who can get me out of the country and onto the Asian continent, from there I can backpack my way to just about anywhere.
I haven't been able to check my E-Mail for some time now, but I'm scheduled to get the phone today and will upload this hopefully.
I'm signing off now, my bedbath is ready.
23/05/2002
First time I've had chance to update for a while, I only just escaped the fire alive.
I've lost my solar umbrella and my phone, but my laptop survived, safe in my backpack. I got airlifted by a fire helicopter and I'm now lying in a Hospital bed typing this.
I can only upload to the site when they wheel the phone over to me, and my time is limited. Sooner or later they are going to find out I have no medical insurance, so I'll discharge myself as soon as I can walk.
Only just managed to escape the fire, it was melting my backpack when I jumped into a lagoon. I jumped out again when I something large bit my ankle, but being soaked helped me survive a bit longer, I ran into a clearing, on fire and screaming when I saw a helicopter overhead spraying the inferno. I used my laptop screen to reflect sunlight at the pilot and they sent down a ladder and a harness.
Only my quick thinking saved me from otherwise certain death, I have burns over 82% of my body, but the ointments and bandages are helping no end, typing this is incredibly painful and I only have the phone for a few more minutes. So don't worry - I'm alive, and as soon as I can get a new phone, a new solar cell, grow some more skin, explain what I was doing in the middle of Borneo's biggest ever ecological disaster and find where they hid my backpack, I'll be back on the trail.
I quite fancy trying Viet Nam next.
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