Evening All

well this is our last evening in borneo and it has been a great start to the trip. We have just got back from Bario and both wished that we could have stayed longer as it is truely unique place and feel. Our initial attempts to get there failed due to a cancelled flight during airport visit number 11. The bario flight was cancelled and as such we spent a day in Miri and consoled ourselves by getting Malaysian massages. Kirst and I have both decided not to press charges against the girls who abused us but apparently ouch doesn't translate into Bahasa! Neither did the attempted explanation that my left shoulder was as relaxed as it gets nowadays. That said we were both looser for it.

The following day we arrived in bario early expecting to crack on with much activity. This failed on two counts; firstly they had had massive rainfall and the whole place was flooded such that no one was doing anything and secondly nothing in bario happens in a rush. The essence of the place you soon realise is a cross between the carribean and the west of ireland and as such, just relax, wind down and good things will eventually happen. The one thing they all do have however is a thirst for education as the vast majority of the tribes folk have been to university, considering you have to fly in and out and there is no hot water or mains power anywhere it is pretty impressive. Every one says hello to everyone else and all strangers are welcome. In short it's great! Go there before it changes!

our first day this consisted on a lovely lunch and a wonder around the village with some tea and local Pinapple followed by a taste of some Wild Boar that one of the local hunters (johnson) had killed the night before. This turned into a bit a beer session ending in pool and karaoke ( the two new favourate pass times of the locals). Despite the fact that I won more pool games that I should of (meyer competative streak) as they have only had a pool table in the town for three months. The Money won was spent on drinks for our new found friends so they were all happy and loved the fact that we joined in and talked to everyone.

The following day we were determined to do a bit more as the flood waters had receeded a bit and as such hiked to the small village of Pa umor to stay at Gems Lodge, unfortnately the guide there was stuck in miri but we did have a look at some local things and in the evening were invited by someone we met on the plane to go round in the evening for a chat in their house.

That evening we met a guide and arranged a trip ionto the jungle the next day to see some burial pots and the jungle itself in the area. It is hard to explain how odd it is to come accross something like that in the jungle which is 400-700 years old; not in a museum; never researched and contains the remains of a long dead local chief. Also an oddity is that the pots a clearly chinese and the kelabit people of the region are not able to make such things... Whilst I was mulling this over, the thrumming of the cicaddas was interrupted by a sharp cry. LEEEEECH LEEEECH GET IT OFFF ME! Yes kirsty had made a new friendwhich had crawled upthe outside of her trousers and was making its way across her stomach. We then realised that we both had about 5 on us each! The walk was in truth a bit wet, the leaches are horrible but it was all worth it even with the amount of blood in my shoes when I got back, the nick brown sock approach having failed.

Our last day day was spent as it should have been, doing not alot, talking to locals and wishing we had more time for some visits of the other villages and thiongs to see. Oh well... Onwards To china where the first thing we will do is some washing as everything stinks of wet jungle and sweat!

be in touch soon

Ian