A letter from Sumatra: 1993-part III

Siberut is part of the Mentawai islands which are named after the local tribe. After 2 hours in the canoe we arrived at the first village. The Mentawai villagers wear only loin cloths and head bands. They all carry a razor sharp machette. Our group had 9 people, Jerry (USA), Carolyn and David (Swiss), Jorg (Germany), Justine (Ireland), Steve and Heather (UK) and us. We all got really well and it wasn’t a big problem eating together and all bunking down together.

Our guide, Anise, was good and brought 2 Mentawai along to help with the cooking, Herman and Gara. We got 3 meals a day and always had plenty of tea. The guides carried all the gear for cooking and we would get the water from the local river and boil it. Our average day would consist of getting up and put the mosquito nets away, drink some tea and eat breakfast, – porridge or some sweet bean soup. Mark and I used my backpack to carry our gear and the other would use a fanny pack to carry our water. We’d hike for maybe 2-5 hours up narrow jungle trails. Due to the heavy rainfall, the mud was sometimes over a foot deep and it was like ‘Platoon’ when they’re hiking through the muck. Locals laid bamboo poles along the route to stand on. You try walknig along a 4 inch diameter pole that is soaking wet and covered in mud!

Herman cut us all a bamboo walking stick and that really helped. Wee also has to cross the river many times on fallen tree trunks, which were grasy wet. Firtunately nobody fell seriously. I landed on my ass across a log, and with a backpack on once you start to go, that’s it!

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