Mochileando one of the most beautiful-and conflict-of Indonesia
Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra. A forest so close that cuts off sunlight to the bed of the jungle. With an area of over 9500 km2 occupies almost the entire northern part of the island, to the region of Banda Aceh, on the coasts.
It is named after Mount Leuser, of 3381 meters, located within its borders. I decided to make a 4-day trek, walking the tracks clear, well marked by the continuous traffic of previous hikers.
When you have so many months with a rucksack sometimes these natural leaks and alone become necessary to
The heat inside my shirt comes to my face, which is bathed in a thin layer of sweat. No matter how many times you pass a handkerchief. There will be five minutes and returned to their state of torpor.
It's summer. They breathe the summer, the warm, humid air becomes more dense as you progress. The foliage is so thick that sometimes you have to climb impossible shapes branches forward.
Giant ferns, banana trees, mosses, vines, Araucaria centuries-old vines and green varieties, so high they touch the sky, forming a perfect roof.
The continuous sound of insects is music. I find rhythm. A constant vibration, where I can make some birds and at least two kinds of monkeys who can not see "the little sunlight does not allow it-but I hear.
I am surrounded by life. To capture life that I have to watch carefully. Stay still help. They move leaves the ground, and for a moment I fear for snakes. Many who live here.
There is a simple lizard raises its head and decides to run in my presence, weaving his body. A commotion in the top of this tangle of branches, and I see a black jumpsuit pass fleetingly. "If I were in Africa, could be a gorilla."
Everything smells of damp earth. Everything is damp. Collections of water in the soil ecosystem that feed this tour. The rain falls, water accumulates, the heat evaporates, forms clouds, falls back.
I pause a moment to drink water and I would empty the bottle, my body is crying out. In my map says there is a stream below, but if I just can not find it and I will be hard to manage the temperature of my body.
How I wish I could take a bit in the face ...! but with the first sip I feel that this water, and warm is the best thing on the planet. I moisturize. I am cool.
A few more steps, and a nauseating smell is pervasive. Excited, I began to look around me, the dark green of the vegetation in this opportunity will help me find it.
It is impossible not to find her. It feels so close! ... small rodents and some sizable alligator, appear as if by magic, the sound of my footsteps and flee in terror.
My hand rests on a log, moist, chewy. The smell becomes unbearable now. I know I'm away from the track but I can not let this opportunity pass, and as their destiny, to climb over a fallen log ... I see there. The Raflesia.
The largest flower in the world, with more than 1 meter in diameter. Its characteristic odor of putrefaction could take away some of its charm, but no.
Those orange tones with brown spots, the edge of the petals to match ... is as if a designer would have painted. So close she really smell becomes unbearable, so I decide to take some pictures and go.
Again I have a leech on my ankle. I'm sorry I did not inject an "anesthesia" before starting the blood-succionarte but I find the blood stain out of my half.
When I remove my boot that was crushed in one of my steps. I have to withdraw, is still alive. I light a cigarette and go over grilled to your body, making them instantly apparent, revealing a tiny circle.
In my backpack I carry some things, so I took a disinfectant spray and put her to the wound.
Leaves rustle.
The heart is beating strong, and therefore seek to "hear" my tubes filled with blood, and I hear nothing. Only my beats.
I have scattered all around me, yet I put the boot and I'm in the middle of the natural habitat of the rhinoceros and Asian elephant, and the majestic Bengal tiger.
Very rarely was seen, and would be a great opportunity for me, but before the meeting possible, and, alone, seem to me lindis cages in the zoo, or at least on the back of an elephant, as I did recently in Nepal.
A man and a woman are walking behind. I'm exhausted. The heat bothers me, I breathe deep discharging voltage. They smile and move their lips but the continuing dialogue of the forest around me makes it impossible to hear.
Are presented. Ernst and Petra are two other backpackers, advanced about thirty years, Germans. Since I decided to go this ecosystem hot and humid for a few days.
- We come to participate as volunteers in the rehabilitation center Bohorok.
Bohorok is the continent's largest center for the Indonesian rehabilitation and preservation of Orangutans.
They are dedicated to rescue animals that were orphaned, abandoned after their mothers were poached or used as pets in situations sometimes macabre, to rehabilitate them and offer them a life outdoors "in a defined area within the National Park for this purpose .
The heat, exhaustion, the weight of my backpack, leeches ... all dissipated. An energy that did not believe my side still have sprouted in the form of questions.
He had enlisted to time from Germany and I get a fax accepting them. No, not biologists or veterinarians. They are volunteers, carry food to the platforms, give infants bottles, clean the cages. They share time with the orangutans.
I finish my things and put together again we walked along together, where I ask all the details on the item and give me the.
The road to the next spot becomes lighter. My mind is on the Orange Men. (Malay, Orang = Men, Hutan = Orange).
I mentally taxing all the information they give me on how to access the privileged ecosystem and in parallel I believe a scenario where I who did it.
Instantly a scenery comes before me, where I argue with some soldiers on my acceptance as a volunteer program.
Arriving at our guesthouse the first thing is to get rid of the weight of loads. Fell precipitously to the ground floor, raising a thin layer of dust all around.
For a short time you feel fresher, less tired. This constant coat backpack sometimes suffocation. I am relieved to have left the road.
The guest house is simple. A large reed roof supported by four thick logs in the corners, protect the open area where there are 3 tables and some scattered banks.
The rooms are behind the only wall material is seen. Behind her, separations precarious wooden doors closed only with wooden pegs. They have a bunk each.
At the end of the barracks, "Mandi" A toilet, sink, and a large reservoir of water, so high I reach the waist. In the center floats a plastic bowl.
The mandi is very popular in this area, where there are no pipes. Serves as a shower and a "pack of toilet."
That night I dreamed about their stories. Baby orangutan who you hang around his neck, theft of banana bunches. Afternoons teaching in the cages, to sit and copy each other ...
I woke up convinced that he would enter the program. My lie was prepared very strong in the mind.
Bukit Lawang is not far. I arrive in 3 days, then I give the minibus that takes me, the way is easy.
Bordering the River Bohorok you climb a hill, where hundreds of children run around you yelling "Salamat siang!" (Good afternoon) and will hang you out trying to load the bags to arrive at their destination and receive a few rupees.
I escort all the way to the offices of admission. The military staff greets me with a perfect English, and Indonesian characteristic smile.
I can only imagine the heat would feel if I had to take one of those berets. A clove aroma fills the enclosure from their cigarettes. The Djarum are the most popular, and advertising is everywhere.
I feel nervous, but do not let him see. "This is my only chance to" feed. With a shamelessly hidden behind a dreamy look I volunteered confirmed.
The reaction is abrupt, full of overlapping words and gestures discouraging. But I'm not here to lose. I'll bet everything. "How could they have not received any information about it?" She had just blow up half the planet!
Two years ago I had sent the fax, which had not been able to bring with me, because I had stolen some documents on an overnight train in India.
A discussion (the Indonesians are very cool, and I knew it would not last long as he continued giving the reason) where my words: mixture of indignation and disappointment, along with "this" tear shed just in time (the art of being a woman) I opened the door of a silent world, but full of sound and touch.
I knew intimately Sassa, Pesek, Bruno, Minah, Abu, Ressie Manicure and orangutans that were in my charge. Not only cleaned their cages, had milk and bananas to the platforms, giving bottles.
He also played with Sissi to engage in lianas, or Manicure to drink river water in banana leaves. We could not speak, but words left over. The contact was achieved when attention was sufficient.
I participated for 8 days, working by and for themselves before emergency evacuation by the sound of machine guns for the guerrillas of the Banda Aceh who came forward.