Sausages for tea!!

By Janet West

I don’t like the dark, when I go to bed I like to see a chink of light. I am not happy when I can’t see what is around me.

So, how on earth did I end up as a volunteer acting as matron, nurse, cook and carer for a group of children, mine included, on a summer holiday expedition into the Borneo jungle. At night it is pitch black you really can’t see a hand in front of your face. On an exceptionally clear night you might get moonlight filtering through the jungle canopy, my daughter and son were really keen and wanted to go so much, but there had to be three mums!! Bags were packed and we were off!

The mode of transport was a Bell 214 helicopter, we were airlifted from Berakas Barracks into the jungle – the children were packed into the helicopter, supplies for the trip were stowed under and between the huddled children. A group of 12 flew into the jungle on the Monday morning and returned on Wednesday when a change over took place and 12 flew out from Wednesday till Friday, we counted 12 in and we counted 12 out. As I was a volunteer my children were overjoyed that they could stay in the jungle for the whole week.

The landing was rather precarious but the children had been well briefed and were marshalled on and off the helicopter safely.

The accommodation was unique. Everyone had to build their own ‘Basher’ which consisted of a basic A frame constructed from gathered logs, this supported a stretcher which was made from a ground sheet, flexible whip branches supported a waterproof sheet which was the roof. A mosquito net was hung from the roof – the final touch, your sleeping bag – oh what bliss.

The children learnt various survival skills, tapping vines for water, building shelters, setting traps and lighting fires, but by far the most popular skill was learning how to remove leeches! Children complained to me ‘it’s not fair, why have I only had two leeches when Anders has had 7 to remove” – When the children were exploring, the surrogate mums enjoyed the peace and quiet, fishing and bathing in the stream or just chilling out.

The children were shown a 5ft Boa constrictor that the Bruneian soldiers had caught upstream from us. Time for a little pay back we thought, we skinned the sausages intended for that evenings meal, kneaded it together and wrapped it in banana leaves That evening we told the children that after skinning the snake the soldiers had given us the flesh to eat, we barbequed the meat and offered it to them. They loved it, trying small bits at first but then announced that ‘ Boa tastes quite a bit like sausage,’ to this day my children still enjoy telling of the time they ate snake –if only they knew.

Well sleeping it the dark was a small price to pay. – it enabled the children to experience a great adventure and I would certainly be able to survive if I ever find myself deep in primary jungle. Actually, when I climbed into my ‘Basher’ each night I was asleep in seconds – I didn’t notice the dark.