Community Spirit, July 2018

PAGE 27
COMMUNITY SPIRT
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with the fast-flowing crystal clear blue waters faintly audible over the birdsong and insect buzz, it creates a beautiful
backdrop and the perfect setting for a swing in the hammock and an afternoon snooze.
(Or in my particularly lazy case one day, an additional morning one for 4 hours). There is also little going on in terms of
nightlife and therefore average going to bed time is around 8 or 9pm, just to add to the vibe.
We awoke fresh and buzzing one Bukit Lawang
morning for a 2-day jungle trek (why am I paying
to voluntarily sleep in the middle of the jungle
again?). It was a real slog… up and down, up and
down, in extremely hot,humid and quite
dangerous conditions. I must have lost at least
2kg in sweat and almost died several times. On
one occasion I was very nearly a gonner as I
toppled sideways towards the edge of a steep
drop and am only here telling the tale because a
kind hanging vine obstructed my fall to death.
Climbing down was pretty hair raising
(especially after a night of rainfall) I felt like a
contestant on jungle gladiators, traversing
2-mile-long vertical tree roots and swinging on
vines. Alas we finally reached the camp (3
mosquito net covered mouldy mattresses under
a wooden roof laden with holes, a plastic bag
door and a tarantula).
They certainly weren’t lying when they said it was basic. The smoky
undrinkable water they provided meant that luckily, I didn’t require my
normal middle of the night toilet jaunt (screw wilderness weeing in the
pitch-black jungle, I actually have a (not now) secret fear of snake
bottom biting).
Within less than an hour of our 2-day trek, we spotted 2 orangutans.
Or should I rephrase ‘half of Bukit Lawang’ had and we joined the
small crowd in wooing and cooing over the beautiful orange beasts. I
felt a little cheated as my aim to go jungle trekking for 2 days was to
spot a truly wild orangutan, and somehow surrounded by one
hundred Nikons, the spotting didn’t feel so authentic. I was especially
disturbed by the feeding of bananas to the orangutans, who were
clearly accustomed to human interaction as they happily slapped out
their palm in anticipation of getting some grub. Back in 2015, the
rehabilitation centre located in the exact spot was closed and thus the
orange inhabitants are familiar with humans and explain their
proximity to the town and why they hang out in this particular area.
Controversial then is the question of whether feeding them is ethically
correct.