Iban Long house and Kuching

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If anyone from the group wants to email me a good photo of the longhouse for this bit it would be great as my camera died.

Thur 25th
Up and into 2 minibusses to drive most of the day to the river to get in even even thinner longboats. We stopped at a fruit market on the way and bought some weird and wonderful fruits and had a penut and butter pancake which were lovely. The river was fail flooded when we got there and we seemed to be sitting very close to the river. But we arrived uncapsised to a very tradition Iban long house. It is like 13 terrace houses all with one long wide corridor outside where they sit and weave and socialise with eachother. But all made of wood and half of it is on silts. They wash in the river (which we did) and unrool mats on their floors to go to sleep.
We brought them gifts of toothbrushes, milo, onions, lentils etc which they share everything into 13 baskets. Then they put a market on for us where I bought some mats and a wodden bowl (as I had Michelle and Jason offereing to take things home for me- Thankyou). Some of the others got masks and blowpipes and knives (the Iban people were headhunters). We watched a bit of documentary that someone had made on them and then shared in Rice wine and dancing. It was a bit quieter than Pingi's except when you shou hoo haa 3 times before downing the cup.
We slept on mats on there corridor floor, mosquito net came in usful even if it was just to keep me from kicking Dave who I was sleeping next to (everyone who has shared a room with me on this trip has commented on my kicking and moving in my sleep). Dee got drunk and told me how much she would miss me and also gave in and smoked tiny roll us after a week of not smoking- she knows I wasn't happy. (She had asked me to help her quit)

Friday 26th
A few suffered hangovers this morning (I wasn't one of hem as don't like the wine) and most slept on the journey home as we had all had little sleep (having to wait for all to finish partying before it was quite enough to sleep. And then dads favourite- cockrels waking us up.
When we were back in Kuching Michelle, Jason, Dave and I did some more tourist shopping and I bought a fancy new camera that I can swim with and drop and it shouldn't break!
We went to a place called The Junk for our last meal and as usual Luc complained about his food. I had a lovely lasagne and a to die for smoothy.
The evening ended with Dave, Michelle, Jason, Melinda and I remenising about the last few weeks and me loading up Jason and Michelle with things to take home (thankyou again).

Sat 27th
Melinda, Dee and I - the only ones left went to the coffe bean for breakfast and then wandered Kuching before Dee and I got our taksi to the airport at 1.30. Where we found another Coffe bean o have grilled cheese. Her plane was delaid and I ended up leaving first at 5.30. The plane was realy empty, nice food and loads of leg space. Unfortunatly only a hour and half flight to Kular Lumpur

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Photos

Breakfast
with Eric suffering from rice wine in the background

The last supper
From the left: Dee, Melinda, Luc, Eric, David, Michelle, Nathalie, Jason, Michelle

Dee and Melinda in the rain on are last day.
Rain- are you supprised?