The Rafting experience

Our boatman

Our rafts being used afterwards

The bamboo framework

The six of us were all ready to go at 6.45 a.m. and our four local Dusun guides arrived on their mopeds. We were given some tobacco which we rubbed into our arms and then stuck a lump down our socks to ward off the leeches. Off we went along the river and into the jungle with our guides brandishing their long parangs (machete type knives) and as I was following blindly I did have a flash of the film "Deliverance" but I did have complete confidence in these Dusun men. The scenery along the river was beautiful and we went over some dodgy suspension bridges and then after about 4 kilometres through the forest we stopped and had our breakfast. We, then proceeded to sit and wait while the men got to work by cutting down huge branches of bamboo. I was under the impression that we were supposed to help but you can understand why they preferred that the orang putihs sat and watched as they cut the bamboo expertly with their knives. There were 2 rafts made and each raft had 10 bamboo poles and then it was cleverly held together by a thinner pole threaded through the top and then rope used to secure it. We were given life jackets before we set off which was a surprising concession to Health and Safety rules! One man was standing at the front with a bamboo pole and the other man was at the back and then 3 of us sat along the raft.

Anne drinking the tapai from a straw

   Off we went and it was as exhilarating as we were hoping. There were some very fast rapids and then some slower more floaty parts of the river. Our boatman fell off at one stage and lost his bamboo pole and we managed to grab him as we rushed past. Our raft also disintegrated after hitting a rock but was easily fixed and it was all over too quickly. I wanted it to go on for at least another hour but it was still great fun and a good adrenalin rush for a Saturday morning and of course a memorable 50th birthday for Anne. We then went back, got dried and changed and got ready for the celebration for Anne's birthday by drinking tapai, birthday cake and lots of delicious local food. I hope it was a memorable birthday for Anne.

A rhino beetle

A roadside scene