Part 57: the night trek...,
Michael emerged from his nap a little more chirpy than before, not that he could have got any less miserable.
He joked about a french couple who arrived the previous day. They took one look at the eco camp and decided to turn back almost immediately - one of them had a full on panic attack the very moment they arrived!
Sounds very familiar to what would have happened to the old me a couple of years ago.
There is absolutely no way I would have gone within 100 miles of a jungle like this!!
Whilst sitting alone it gave me a few more moments to myself, and to again fully appreciate the surroundings realising how far I'd come alone on this journey.
Its a feeling that is getting harder to describe, but one I am really beginning to love.
The camp was a place for the more adventurous traveller, and I guess thats what I was fast trying to become. This place was absolutely fantastic, but in a way equally daunting and would go some way to making me feel like the traveller I always wanted to be.
Michael then shouted out that dinner would be ready in 30 minutes. He was busy preparing our food for the evening with the help of 2 local Dusun girls (indigenous to the region here) who's uncle owned a huge part of the land here. Or at least the part that wasn't claimed by the national park. There were strict boundaries set which protected the land.
We would be going around the markers on our trek, even further from the beaten track.
There was a long bamboo table in the middle of the camp where we would all sit waiting for the food.
In the meantime I walked around to familiarise my self with the surroundings
When you look past the modesty of the camp you can notice it has all you really need.
The natural water fall would become our shower. (more on that later)
Basic amenities and comfortable bamboo loungers - there were even books in a makeshift library to read.
The travellers congregated around the low table and cushions drinking beer waiting for dinner. It was so easy to mingle with everyone, the camp atmosphere was marvellous, telling each other our stories as they all respectfully and attentively listened on - it was fascinating.
Soon you just forget to look at your watch and let the natural day take over.
I was beginning to settle very quickly, and not before long, dinner was served, as abundant as it was fresh, there was plenty for everyone.
Rice, eggs, vegetables, fruits - very tasty indeed.
Night fell and with it, the hum of jungle got louder, coming more and more alive, almost drowning out the sounds of the splashing water fall, it was aural heaven!
We all lit candles on the table to light up the camp - it looked so idyllic. The stories and conversation flowed until Michael asked us to prep for the night trek.
Obviously he was not the kind of guy that liked to be kept waiting so all of us quickly readied for the hike.
It was pitch black but the clear moon light filtering through the tree tops was doing its best to light up the rainforest. The sporadic stars clearly visible through the gaps in the high branches looked amazing.
'Stick close together, keep quite and don't wander off' was his instruction, and with that we followed him in single file. I was buzzing!!
There was no natural or trodden path as we left the camp behind us. Michael cleared the way with his trusty machete, chopping with expertise. We soon reached a fast flowing stream and Michael continued to walk through it as if it wasn't even there.
'Come on' he shouted.
Me and Dan followed suit and trudged through the water knee deep and fully clothed. It wasn't exactly easy to keep your balance, especially with the fast current and uneven surface, but we made it to the other side.
I noticed Michael grimacing and rolling his eyes at the other German couple.
Both took off their shoes and socks carefully rolling up their trousers to above the knee before slowly stepping in the steam.
'F**cs sake!! We haven't got time for that' Michael moaned. To be fair I could see his point.
All the others made it across, but we were still waiting for the Germans who where by now agitated and could clearly sense the impatience of the others.
Suddenly, the lady lost her footing and slipped face first into the steam!!
I desperately tried my best to not laugh, but in all honesty that was practically impossible as all the others were doing their best to not explode with laughter too.
The atmosphere changed and the lady launched a tirade of abuse in German at her poor husband, who was doing his best to lift her back up onto her feet. Even Michael afforded a chuckle as if to say, I told you so - then on we went.
We stopped occasionally at the odd rare plant and giant spider hanging from the trees.
Leeches were dripping from the branches like large rain drops, try to fall on the unsuspecting victim.
You wouldn't even notice as they carefully wriggled to a soft exposed spot on your body before using its tale as a suction cup to steady its self, then plunging its long curved fang deep in your skin. Vomiting an organic compound to stop your blood from congealing so it could get its full feed of blood- all before you would even be aware.
One worked its way up my short trousers burying itself deep in my groin, centimetres from my privates!!
I felt the blood drip down my leg and a slight burning before I unzipped my shorts in view of everyone to reveal him. He was as fat as one of my fingers and had been there for quite a while feeding!
I panicked trying to flick it off, which was of course fruitless. Dan was laughing loudly as I frantically did my best to remove the leech!!!
Eventually getting him off using a knife, then I noticed a similar pain in-between my toes,
I took off my shoe and sock and sure as hell there was another on my foot.
This was going to be hard work, but once you had your first bite the rest seemed not so bad.
Michael preferred the unconventional method of using his teeth and spitting the leech off!! He was seriously hardcore - I liked him even more.
The jungle was unbelievable humid and sticky, sapping your energy as we followed the untrodden trail.
He was intelligent and extremely knowledgable in the surroundings, giving us a good incite into the wild life and plant life all around us.
He showed us the jungles natural insect repellent. A large leaf which we rubbed onto our skin - It must have worked because I did not have one bite.
Then he got really excited at a rare sighting of a incredibly rare Bornean horned frog.
Carefully not moving clumsily as to not frighten him, we got some great pics of the camouflaged amphibian.
We also got to see some even bigger giant spiders, and Incredible glow in the dark mushrooms.
The trek lasted a few hours before we doubled back to the camp.
I was tired, sticky, drenched in sweat, leech ridden and hot but what a magnificent experience tonight was.
The rest went to bed apart from me Dan and Michael whilst we enjoyed each other's company sipping scotch whiskey around the fire.
Indeed time did slow to a crawl and thankfully I was in no mood for it to speed up.
When it was time for bed, I lay alone in my quarters attentively listening to the wonderful sounds all around me, slowly drifting of to the most peaceful nights sleep I had in a very long time.
Life was good....