EcoRezab

On one of my daily visits, I decided to take a short stroll into the surrounding secondary jungle to familiarize myself with the terrain. Armed with nothing more than a water bottle, my parang and a shaft of broken golf club, I trekked into the unknown.

My first 25 metres of trekking was overgrown with secondary undergrowth, so out came my parang. I zoned out pretending to be a computer game character up for some hacking and slashing. I was in a battle for my life and the thick undergrowth were the monsters out to get me. I hacked and slashed. And did it in a graceful fluid manner. Altair or Solid Snake would’ve been proud of me.

I started sweating profusely in the humid jungle heat, I was drenched in my own salty sweat. My sweat started to attract more monsters! Due to the salt content of my sweat, I have become a salt buffet for the insects. So I had another battle with the creepy crawlies irritating my every move forward. I stopped and said to myself, “Wait a minute, this is all wrong. Slow down.“ I remembered my training as a divemaster that when all hell breaks loose, “STOP,BREATHE,THINK,ACT”. I did just that and I realized how overwhelming a tropical jungle can be. I have to admit, I was overwhelmed. There must be another way.

I crouched down and started looking through the undergrowth. I recited Surah Al Fatihah as I tried to find a path onwards, observing, listening to soundtrack of the jungle around me. I started to slow down my urban pace to that of my current surroundings, then as sudden as the jungle overwhelms you, a faint distinct trail begins to emerge. A faint trail leading me away from the thick vine monsters and onwards on my adventure. I followed my instincts and pushed forward. After about another 30 minutes of trekking, I decided to turn back. I knew it was not wise to go further alone in the event any mishap were to happen.

As I walked back to my white pickup truck, I thought of how silly I was hacking and slashing away through all that thick undergrowth. If I continued doing so, I wouldn’t have even made a 100 metres that morning. Instead, do as the natives do. Walk through it in a calm and steady manner. I realized that to move efficiently in the jungle is to be one with it. A feeling of deep respect forms within you and you realize that you are nothing more than just a visitor, embracing what nature has to offer.

Another jungle lesson learned the hard way.