I’d never properly been into a jungle prior to this trip and was very excited to experience them.
I wasn’t sure that they were really my kind of thing, I much prefer the crisp air and expansive views from up a mountain than dense, humid vegetation, but in I went regardless; twice.
I was very much a rainforest tourist, heading for a couple of nights, before swiftly retreating back out to civilisation.
Whilst amongst the vines I met scientists that were there for weeks and even months at a time, sampling and studying the climate.
I don’t think I would enjoy that myself, but my short trips were very enjoyable.
I went into two jungles, Danum Valley and Mulu National Park.
I had organised both my trips D.I.Y. style to save on the pennies as going into remote jungle can add up very quickly.
I stayed in the scientists research area in Danum and the parks hostel in Mulu, both had to be booked months in advance as during peak season they sell out very early.
A quick comparison of the two locations would be Danum is rough and ready, whereas Mulu is the luxury jungle experience.
I imagine this is because Danum has a separate area where the fancier places to stay are, whereas Mulu is just one area so I still had the fanciness of the surroundings despite my cheap accomodation.
To get in I either jumped in the back of a van for a few hours or had to fly in, both are pretty disconnected from the world.
As we drove deeper into the jungle, the trees rose up further and further overhanging the road, surrounding you with walls of green, wisps of mist shrouding the gaps between the trunks.
We broke into a clearing where the centre was and I went to sign in – the woman at Danum Valley gave me a shocked looked when I told her I was cooking for myself – apparently not many people are as cheap as me.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: This is Toby: Into the Jungles
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