Dirty Dancing

The Iban Longhouse was one of the most interesting visits of the whole trip.

Blowpipe competition

We were privileged to stay in the Chief's house. Things got off moderately well - after introductions we were offered rice wine in his kitchen, but Jo suddenly spotted a leech on my chest at the same time as a German guest screamed out as she was bitten by a leech on the hand.

We think the leeches had woken up when we picked up our boots from the boat, but luckily the chief didn't bat an eyelid about what was happening around his dining table. - when Andrew subsequently discovered the biggest cockroach in history sitting on the lavatory seat we realised that we were still sleeping in the jungle albeit with television during the time they could afford the generator.

Headhunters' trail

Very soon ( after the blowpipe competition - I was pleased that even the chief couldn't hit the cicada on the ceiling ) the rice wine made a serious appearance together with the percussion section and the "cultural" dancers. The only problem was that it all came to an abrupt halt when it was time for a male dancer to take to the floor - we were only then told that they were all hung over from the previous night's bash - and so it was our turn a little earlier that expected.

Gill was kitted out in the full regalia and in the nick of time they rustled up a male warrior who strutted his stuff in front of Gill like a prize cockerel before settling down with more rice wine and stories about how wonderful Britain was in beating the Japanese in WWII.

more rice wine anybody

We were told that they had stopped headhunting 100 years ago, but started again when the Japs came, and it was a bit unclear if they had ever really stopped again.

The next morning we came out of the jungle by boat and arrived in Limbang. After a good wash we took the ferry to the capital of Sabah where we met up with our other travelers for part two of the Borneo trip - and the big mountain climb.