14/04/2002
The men have left. Down the river to trade for more western food and junk, they will be gone a few days at least so I am heading the other way, upriver into the remote jungle.
I tried to explain to the women that I am moving on, but my sign language just confused them. Every time I point at me and them point at the jungle, and then mime waving goodbye, they giggle and all run into the jungle. If I don't then count to twenty and go looking for them, they come back after half an hour and get angry with me. I should never have taught them to play hide and seek.
I tried to get some more photos. but Kinny hit the camera from my hands, they seem to dislike me taking photos, though some of the men yesterday seemed quite keen (see below) so I won't puch my luck.
I'll miss the shelter of the longhouse and the native companionship, and most of all little Marlowe, the child I helped deliver but it's time to move on.
13/04/2002
The men are leaving again today, and I have decided to leave myself once they have gone. I tried to explain to some of the men that I am moving on, but my drawings in the sand just confused them. Every time I drew a picture of me (stick man with backpack) leaving them (crowd of stick people with arrows pointing away from them towards me) , a crowd of them came back with spears and started prodding me. I think it best to leave now before I get any more burns, peircings or punctures.
The natives have been camera shy for the most part, but I managed to get a few shots today without them freaking out.
12/04/2002
Thanks for all your E-Mail support, (Froddy, John Misrahi, Dave Bollar, Eric, Lisa, Daphne and The Rev. Horring) and all the advice.
A few people suggested I come home, but why would I leave the beautiful surroundings of Borneo for the concrete dullness of civilisation, I don't think I will ever want to return, the jungle offers me all I need, food, shelter, warmth, love and even companionship with these amazing, gentle people I am living with now. I think the natives are the truly civilised ones, they live close to nature, they don't cut down all the natural habitat to build grey towers to impress each other and they know nothing of materialism or greed.
My stomach cramps have settled now, I feel strong again. I had to break up a fight between two of the men. They are down to their last few tins of Heinz Spagetti Hoops and one man tried to steal the other mans tin. The thief found himself being hit over the head with his spoils, while some of the women brought spears. It all calmed down eventually, one of the children ran off with the tin and the men united to run after him instead.
11/04/2002
Feel better today, only vomited twelve times in the night. I tried to freshen up by swimming in the river, but emerged a few minutes later covered in leeches from head to foot, the natives had to burn them off me with sticks from the fire. If you ever get really bad sunburn, I do not recommend having people prod you with red hot sticks, it hurts.
A lot.
I've had a lot of E-Mail from people asking where my site has gone, so if anyone knows a way of getting Geocities to autoroute visitors from my old URL to here, then let me know, alternatively E-Mail Geocities and complain about them shutting my old diary down, they don't seem to appreciate the remote nature of my situation and how much they cut me off by closing my site down (still no reply from them).
10/04/2002
Barely slept last night for stomach cramps. Feels like something is trying to eat it's way out of my abdomen.
I keep vomiting yesterdays grubs,insects and spider, but the bone through my nose stops the vomit pouring from my nose, perhaps that's what its for?
09/04/2002
The bone through my nose has been changed for a smaller one by the old woman, I complained long and loud yesterday and broke the language barrier by pointing at my nose and wailing for an extended period of time. The new bone is less obtrusive and would probably not get a second look in most inner cities.
I had an eating contest today with some of the men, we each got a bowl of live grubs, spiders and insects, and raced each other eating them. These people have grown up with the unpleasant and wonderful wildlife of Borneo, they are used to crawling, creeping, slimy and nibbly things for lunch and can eat a surprisingly variety of things, they even impressed me with their ability to cram writhing fistfuls down their necks. I however was brought up on pies, chips and Italian restaurants.
Needless to say, I won the eating contest by a comfortable margin. The natives were throwing up while I was helping myself to their leftovers. I have the iron constitution of a real traveller and my guts know no fear. I can tell the natives were impressed.
BORNEO DIARY 
