Welcome to the Jungle!

There is something about jungles. Something exacting. Something mystical. Something hidden. A feeling that someone is watching you. A feeling that the ancient forest is trying to tell you something. It feels somehow magical.

I don't know, if I experienced like that only because today was my first time in a jungle or because of the huge diversity of life surrounding me. Probalby it was just imagination. I have always liked the forests in the north, but this jungle was something different. It's not just a flock of trees. It feels like a single living organism formed by thousands of different species of trees, grasses, ferns and other plants which are working together to keep up the delicate community.

However, this morning I took a river boat to the last post before the Taman Negara jungle and national park. The boat ride along the river flowing through the jungle was as cool as advertised. The village turned out as touristic as a place just can be with banana pancakes and internet cafes. At the boat I met a guy named Colin, who had came to the park with same intentions than me. We went for a few kilometers hike to the park just to check it out. It's like the most popular hiking routes in Norway: crowded, beaten, but beautiful. Suprisingly walking and constant sweating in the jungle fixed all the problems I had. I am living again, althought I was expecting reverse effect...

Tomorrow there are public holidays also in Malaysia and the park is going to be filled up with people. Only the most expensive resorts are not fully booked. It turned out that booking an overnight hiking trip would actually be cheaper than staying in the most expensive resorts, so we booked three days and two nights trip to "the inner jungle" as they advertise it. The trip includes food, guide and equipment. Price was something like 60 euros. For the first night we are going to stay overnight in a cave and the second one is spent in a hide by trying to spot some animals. It's gonna be good.