So, today i got out of the city. I was eager to get to the jungle which is one of the main reasons I came here. I was up at 6.30am - yes I'm on holiday - mainly so I could get breakfast and catch the earliest bus to the Park and avoid trekking in the heat.
The bus was due to leave at 7.30am and I stood at what I thought was the correct bus stop for a good 40 minutes, occasionally asking locals if I was in the right place. Ninety percent of responses were affirmative. Then I asked some old bloke and he directed to a place that I did think might be a bus terminal as buses moved freely in and out! My bus had long gone so I commandeered a mini-bus from a random who took me direct to the park for a fee (bartered down from what could have been excessive).
I was the first in the park and the ranger Dominic (!) was keen to tell me all about it, devise me an ideal route and make sure I was properly equipped. I was wearing board shorts and trainers, but before you laugh I was told this was sensible as I would be able to see and feel any leeches crawling up my legs.
So armed with litres of water and other rations I headed into the jungle. I did not meet anyone for 3 hours. It was so great to be back in the forest. It's a sensory overload with birds and insects calling, the increasingly frenetic screams of monkeys and the rich plant life from massive fig trees to tiny orchids. The heat was breathtaking; I was soaked in sweat in minutes. I love it though. Feeling truly at one with nature and yourself and noticing every tread, every breath and every beadlet of sweat that trickles.
I finished up at a treetop viewpoint looking north towards Bako National Park where I'll be heading in a few days. Bako has animals on tap - apparently long-tailed macaques and lemurs will literally come up to you. You can also see proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs and a wealth of bird life.
Kabu is more secluded and the animals are more shy, but I think it's more appealing for that i.e. it does not attract many visitors. I'm going back tomorrow night to complete the summit trek and to spend the night in one of the rainforest lodges. You can go out to a pond (which began as a scrape created by bearded pigs) and see tree frogs by torchlight.
I took the bus back this afternoon. It was 15 x cheaper and took twice as long. I was surrounded by school kids going home for the day.
A few things to note (mainly for dad) -
- I didn't get a single mosquito bite, so either the jungle formula I'm using is super strong or the bugs are less imposing than those in the Amazon.... famous last words.
- Despite my inappropriate attire, I didn't get a single leech or tick on me!
- The mosquito hairnet was not worn. But, it may be one for the evening trek.
ps Dad when are we writing our travel book??
Hey, I am not in the family business, but I am going to give the editorial suggestion that you make it bookS. The places and adventures are too varied, each one deserves to stand out and show off its uniqueness. It should be a series. And, now that I think about it, it should be aimed at people who will never get a chance, for whatever reasons, to treck in the jungle etc. Reading your dairy equals to taking a short break and a look outside an exotic window for a few minutes. It's very different and most enjoyable.
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