The Jungle

Trip Start Mar 31, 2010

109

Trip End Mar 31, 2011

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Flag of Malaysia Kuala Besut, Pahang, Malaysia
Thursday, May 27, 2010

The main reason for going to Kota Bahru was that is was the beginning of the 'Jungle train' which is a 3rd class only stopping train down into the Taman Negara, which is, another superlative, the world's oldest rainforest apparently. The train left at 6.20 in the morning and there were a few other tourists and some locals with produce to sell. The train was far more comfortable that expected, I had imagined wooden benches and 3 people on each seat but in reality it was roomy, had comfortable seats and air conditioning. But at the end of the carriage, the doors were left open for the whole journey and you could stick your head out of the door, or sit of the edge and dangle your feet out. As the jungle got thicker, this became hazardous because the plants grow right over the line so the train brushes them on the way past. You can imagine that if the train didn't run for a few days, the entire line would disappear under vegetation, everything seems so green and fertile.

Jungle

In the middle of the park where we were staying, the air was saturated with humidity, there were clouds over the trees for most of the morning before the sun burnt it off. We went for a walk which wasn't especially arduous but before long our shirts were soaked with sweat, then our trousers, which was a new experience. As soon as you stopped walking, you were attacked by hordes of insects, so it didn't take long to decide to leave the jungle as soon as possible, so we got back immediately arranged to move on the next morning!

We did go for a guided night walk which was excellent. The insects really come out at night, and we saw a stick insect a foot long, lots of enormous spiders, fireflies, giant moths, centipedes over a foot long. If a leaf fell from a tree and landed on anyone, they would jump out of their skin, we were all very on edge but gruesomely fascinated by it all.

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