BORNEO DIARY                 

   03/02/2002
Decided to set up a temporary camp on the rock outcropping, it seems safe from predators. I can see, to the NE what looks like a break in the trees, it may be a lake or a clearing, so I am leaving the backpack, laptop and stuff here and setting off to see what's down there, I'll let you know what I find.
Also, I've had a few E-Mails saying Bruce Springsteen mentioned my site in an interview, cheers Bruce!

   02/02/2002
The rain has stopped for a while, it's the first time I have been able to dry out in a long time, the steam is rising everywhere, from the ground, from me , from my laptop (a bit worrying). I'm sat atop an outcrop of rock that rises above the canopy, the view is spectacular, but no sign of any civilisation for miles around. Today I am just going to sit and take stock, set up the solar cell for a full days charge and soak in the atmosphere. The fruit I gathered is soft already, I opened some up and it was full of insects, so an added nutritional bonus for me. Peace and Love to you all.

   01/02/2002
The path made by the elephants has made travel easier and I have eaten (and stored) some fruit. I can hear what sounds like a car engine or generator now, but its so difficult to tell which direction it is coming from. I lanced my hand with a sharp stick and was able to drain some fluid from the swelling, I couldn't feel it at all before, now it really, really hurts, so some progress there. My solar cell got a bit damaged when I fell from that tree yesterday, (I landed on it) and does not seem to be giving me as much charge. Thanks for all your E-Mails, especially Trudy and Greta.

   31/01/2002
Hurt my right leg yesterday, fell from a tree while trying to get fruit. It's increasingly hard to stay mobile, what with the starvation, the infected hand and now the leg. Some Asian elephants passed below me this morning, managed to get a quick picture (below) , I am going to follow the path through the jungle that they left, they disturbed loads of fruit from the trees and I want to fill my backpack while I still have the strength.

Steve MacDonald from Weirdlinks.com E-Mailed me to ask about how I removed the spider venom sacs. Well a local guide gave me a bit of survival training before this trip, he told me that the tarantulas in Borneo are not as poisonous as you might think and they can act as a food source if you are desperate. Kill them from above with a sharp stick through the head. They have a pair of horny fangs where venom is injected through the hollow tip, these will be secreting venom fluid and need to be disposed of, you need to cut the head where it meets the abdomen above the venom sac which will be swollen if the spider was agitated, then throw the whole head away to avoid eating any venom. Then I shave off the hairs from their abdomen with my fishing knife, these hairs can cause intense itching and can produce severe allergic reactions, then you eat the core meat. It tastes like chicken.

   30/01/2002
Woke up late, covered in insects. My hand is less swollen but very numb, I could do with some antibiotics. Thanks to Harry for E-Mailing all the medical advice. Going to try and climb a few trees and get some fruit today.


   29/01/2002
Spent the night vomiting spider. Must have kept some down as I feel stronger today than I have for weeks. Saw a family of Orangutangs above me and tried to follow them for a while but lost them. Heard gunfire again. The thrill of being out here alone against the elements is superb, but I do need to eat and my hand is going a bit green, makes typing this very difficult!

   28/01/2002
Found shelter in another old temple, it was covered in thick web and it looked like no-one has been inside for years. I ate a few of the larger spiders, careful to remove the venom sacs first. The floor is very sticky. My left hand is almost useless now and has swollen to three times its normal size, I tried to lance it this morning, but just managed to make it hurt more. I ran out of painkillers weeks ago, actually I ran out of everything weeks ago, so will just have to bear the pain. Thanks for all the E-mails, especially to Caprice for the marriage proposal.

   27/01/2002
Slept most of yesterday, I need to eat. I drank from the river and something bit me on the left hand, not sure if it was a fish or insect, my hand is throbbing, swollen and yellow now. Going to rest a bit.

   26/01/2002
Cold today, constantly damp from the sweat and rain. It's over 90 degrees but I can't seem to stop shaking. Feeling weak, need rest.
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