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Published: April 19th 2007
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This chapter begins with me snivling into an already worn and damp tissue. I kissed good-bye everything that I had attached myself to in the last few months. It hurt. My heart, broke into a million little pieces.
Yet I was careful to remember that morning before I left I had a seemingly significant dream. Four words danced above my head encrusted in a big blue shimmering light. I understood that these were the four things I needed to challenge myself with and conqure. I woke up remembering only one of the words... Attachment.
As the wheels or the bus drummed against the road, I started to notice how lush and green the outskirts of Malaysia, "Hello New Adventures" i thought as i stuffed the tissues in my pockets.
And where is the best place I could have itched those travelling feet of mine? Against 250 million year old tree bark seemed most appropriate. I headed to the oldest rainforest in the world, its size apparently, is bigger than Luxembourg. Upon entering the rainforrest, I had to take a small, narrow wooden speed boat up the river, for 3 hours. It certainly was beautiful. I think perhaps
in my past life I may of been a crazy tree-hugger of somesort. I LOVE TREES!!
I arrived at the cheapest hostel in the jungle area (sharing a poxy room with 2 others) and crashed out for the night.
Next morning - sweaty as Betty, from the lack of a decent fan, but somehow fresher, I decided to go for a trek, myself. I looked ridiculous in what i put together as 'trekking' gear - for too long now have i just had city clothes, nothing really made for the jungle, however off I trapsed in leggings, new white trainers, purple socks and a green strappy t-shirt. Its at moments like this when i realise that things are not so embarrasing when your with your friends. They would have laughed at me, and I would have laughed with them.
I entered the rainforest. The song of the jungle was beautiful, My eyes were treated to the treasures of nature. The walk was not exactly off the beaten track, yet immediately I felt peaceful, burried by all things lush and green. I suppose I will admit here that I was a little scared a wild beast of some sort
Sheer Terror
the longest canopy walkway in the world was going to jump in my path. Should i have carried a stick?
I eventually stumbled across the Canopy Walkway. The brochures of Taman Nagar claim it is the longest in the world. Something must have happened inside my head (brain-freeze?) because I decided that this was an activity I wanted to do. Even when I was handing over my 5 ringet, I was silently wondering what the hell I was doing, paying a man to experience a personal voyage of fear.
Due to the big mean Trolls and 3 Billy goat gruff stories Ive always had a fear of bridges - especially the shakey ones, and being high up makes me feel horrible. So walking across a wooden plank, with two measely ropes, above the rainforest trees, for a long time, is my idea of hell. Yet I watched myself start to climb up the ladder.It didnt look scary. And so it began.
Clenching the ropes tightly I was first confronted with the problem that i wanted to get across it quickly, yet terror, wouldnt let me move quickly. Every foot step was calculated presicely so that the bloody canopy wouldnt wobble too much. I was
high up, too high, and all the familiar feelings of dread and fear rushed through my body. I couldnt look down, i couldnt look ahead, my vision turned entirely to my feet. Flies swarmed around my face, and all i could do was puff out a little through my mouth, there was nothing on earth that was going to make me take my hands off the rope. Nothing.
Millions of years later, I arrived at the first tree which had a solid plank of wood as the floor. The canapoy changed directions at this point. I was still above the tree tops of course but it was something. Aware that I couldnt be as dramatic as I wished, i bent down onto my knees,and put my body as close to the woooden floor as possible, finding relief in touching the something that didnt jiggle. I felt dizzy, sick, weak,emotional and above all in a state of sheer terror. I looked about for any possiblilty of getting down from the tree-tops and back to my beloved ground forest floor. Not possible. I had to continue, this horrible horrible show must go on.
I didnt trust my body or canopy. I faced 3 possible outcomes of this activity. Either I was going to pass out, and then fall to my death, or the plank of wood, serving as the walkway was going to break, again causing me to fall to my death, or the more favorable out of the 3 was that the ropes one side or the bridge were going to snap and I would swing across the jungle, tarzan style, perhaps with the option of surviving.
So i continued, staring certain death in the face, until i remebered to pull out my good old trusty weapon. Through the powers of visualisation and positive thinking, I managed to regian some kind of control on the situation. I imainged a cirlce of golden light was around me, protecting me and keeping me safe.
I am safe, I am safe, I am safe... i chanted
Somehow, miraculously, I survived the canopy walkway. I could have kissed and rolled around on the jungle floor for hours, if i cared just a little less about what other people would think. Instead, with shakey hands I lit up a ciggarette, and with each puff became more calm. Relief is a wonderful thing to have wash over you. Yes I did it, but by no means is my fear of shakey bridges and heights conqured. Nope, I guess somethings arent that easy to shake off.
Never, never again.
So here is my first adventure, laid out on a plate. The contrast between city and jungle is crazy and i surprised myself in feeling that i perhaps become much more accustomed to the city than i have ever admited. im a nature girl, not a city lady!
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Monkey Mike
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Canned Heat
For the uninitiated (basically those of you too young to remember the mid 60's to early 70's, i.e. most of you!), Canned Heat have several well known songs, the most famous of which is "On The Road Again". You sound like you should have done this months ago, instead of getting soft, living in the "Big Smoke" again for so long! Enjoy the travels and adhere to what you know to be right - "feel the fear, but do it anyway". Have fun Emmachan. Love Monkey Mike xx