Sumatra. Bukit Lawang and Lake Toba

Bukit Lawang Sumatra 30/9/10.

A flight from Singapore to Medan, Sumatra takes only about an hour. From Medan we caught a becak, the motorised type, to the bus station. It was about 10 kms away through intense traffic and hence very fumy!! The local bus took about 3 hours to reach our destination. We found a gorgeous place up the river. A large open room with big doors onto a veranda, and windows which opened onto a great view of the jungle, the rushing river below was always a source of wonderful music.

We came to Bukit Lawang to see orang-utans.....we were not disappointed. Over the last few days we have seen orang-utans and so much more!

This area is part of the Mount Leuser National Park, an area of 900 000 ha . Sumatran forests are fast being gobbled up by the onslaught of palm oil plantations and I could rave on about the incredible environmental damages this is causing to both flora and fauna, however, for now let’s say the orang-utans are rapidly declining as their habitat is snavelled!

Bukit Lawang is situated on a river ...up the river is a feeding platform where rehabilitated/ing orang-utans can come to feed. It’s a steep climb up and the rangers make it available for 1 hour morning and afternoon, when they provide milk and bananas. (The feeding is kept simple with minimum contact to encourage the orang-utans to forage for themselves.)

These huge incredible animals are so magnificent they take your breath away as they swing down to the platform.

We decide to take a two day trek into the jungle to experience more of what it has to offer. We are taken by Dede and Mbra, our guides. Our first stop is the feeding platform. To get there you have to cross the river in a dugout canoe which is attached to a cable across the river and driven by an incredibly fit young man who battles the current! Then it’s up hill and stairs to the platform where we are urgently stopped before reaching because ‘Mina’ is blocking the way. Mina is a fully grown orang who is aggressive and needs to be fed first. The ranger scoops into his bucket and feeds her milk. When she’s had a cup or two off she goes.

This particular morning there are several mothers who make their way to the platform over the period of one hour. They swing/ wander/ meander their way down, each with their babies clung to them. They are simply awesome!!

From here we head on our way. UP!!!

Up..............straight up...........

The terrain is amazing....this is the jungle and it’s a steep one!

The track/path is narrow and it’s definitely single file. Reece, behind me, is below; often his head is level with my feet.

When we get to the top, the jungle is thick and dense but you can still get glimpses through. We are very high, and yet this ridge is only very narrow, then its downhill!!

We pass a Thomas Leaf Eating monkey...the funky monkey..great hairdos!! He is not far from the track. We soon learn it’s a young male ousted from his group by the dominant male. He will wander the jungle for several years and build up strength so that one day he can rejoin a group.

But “Thomas” is more than a lone monkey. He decides to follow us on our way. About 1km later, when we stop for a snack he is right there with us again. Watching. Coming ever closer. Watching: Amazing.

It would be tempting to encourage him with fruit and we try not to engage him as he is a wild animal, and doesn’t need to become too friendly with humans for obvious reasons. But I want to take him home, he is so cute, big, but cute!!

He follows for several kms. We lose him on one of the ridges. I kind of miss his stalking!!

Sometimes the terrain is so steep we climb holding tree roots as handles to heave our way up. I can’t help but wonder at the marvels of nature ...it seems a root ‘handle’ or vine is always where I need it...well mostly. It’s best not to look down. The foot holes and grips are like a climbing wall, only I would NEVER go this high on a climbing wall. Yet somehow here it’s different. It’s muddy and slippery, we are miles from anywhere....but it’s one hell of an adventure and we are in it!!

We see a chameleon about 30cms long. It just sits on the trunk of a tree and even lets me touch it. Reece, M’bra and myself walk straight past it, probably putting our hands on the same trunk as it sits. A pair of Rufus backed kingfishers stun us with their display. Politely bobbing to and fro to each other they are undisturbed from their ritual as we silently watch on. Their bright red beaks rhythmically moving like a metronome.

By 2.30pm the skies open ..the rain falls torrentially. Now we are really alive. The rain soaks us and there is something so exhilarating about it. I’m in my element! As I trek on it’s so... here and now. You cannot afford to think about anything else except the task at hand or you may end up down a mountain! Yet, it’s not scary by any means. But foot placement is crucial!!!

As the rain beats down the path becomes more slippery, and, as the base is clay, quite treacherous. The last part of the day is down. Down to the river. Huge Lianna vines help with our descent...and at times so does my bum!

We arrive at the river to find out we have to cross to the other side. The clamber across the rock shelf lining this side of the river is very challenging. It’s still pouring, the river is raging and it’s getting late! At the camp site, which is now in view, two other members of the team have set up our ‘jungle camp”. There is a fire burning and I can see a big billy on. The thought of hot tea spurs me on.

A wiry man in his undies arrives out of the rapids and lands ashore a little farther downstream. He had jumped in upstream to come to help. He has a large rubber inner tube slightly further upstream, to where we have to make our way. Although small, Abdul becomes our Superman! Holding onto, I’m not sure what really, we make our way along the ‘cliff’ faces that line the river. Abdul is standing in the river below to catch us.

One of my only falls is when he reaches for my hand to help on a particularly huge stretch. Although he had a firm grip, I just knew my foot placements were not quite right when he said go. ..needless to say, the rock ledge was hard!!!

I decided I too would be better in the river at this point so lowered myself in the water. It was about thigh deep and near the edge not ‘boiling’ as it was in the middle. We pushed upstream to the ‘raft.’ Here our belongings were wrapped in a big plastic bag and one by one we crossed in the Tube. From where we took off we would land about 20 m downstream the other side. Abdul “superman” was in the water swimming/pushing us in the right direction. Safe at the other side we walked back up to our overnight camp.

Jungle Camp was great. A crystal clear waterfall provided our shower and fresh water. The kitchen tent provided tea, tea and more tea....aaaaaaaaahhhhhh! The rain continued as we huddled around the fire. Dry clothes were not really an option for us because our packs weren’t really waterproof! I had sort of wrapped a rainsheet around them but ...pathetic really! After our swim in the waterfall we donned our new clothes and allowed our body heat and the fire to dry them. Abdul cooked up a storm!!! Chicken curry, sambal tempe and vegies....with lots of rice. Fishing with bamboo poles was a success, with M’bra catching 4 fish for breakfast.

Sleep was rather thin to say the least... no rain came into the sleeping area but the mats were rather uncomfortable and the rain beat down all night and I couldn’t help but think of landslides and rotten trees!!!

In the morning it was still raining and the river was really flowing. The smile on my face and in my heart seemed even bigger.

Breakfast was superb....omelette, fried rice, fish and the most exquisite fruit salad, presented ‘jungle style’. So much food we couldn’t eat it all.......Ax



They pack up camp and we head off on a short trek....10m from the river edge then 100m near vertical, Dede waiting as we clamber up, advising on footholds and hand placement. That was the easy part, now it’s a path angling down across a near vertical escarpment. The overnight rain, distance between safe footings and slippery vines/ roots/ branches makes the fast downhill slide seem inevitable. We continue trekking along while taking in the abundant ground cover of antheriums, ferns, gingers and flowering shrubs and overhead fruiting trees with vines and orchids.

“Jungle Woman” takes it all in her stride; some oversized to scale fallen trees or large vertical ledges, some tentatively around parts that have collapsed with a muddy path angling to a far below cascade......Up another hill then a vertical downhill to the river...”pelan pelan” (slowly slowly) advise given and heeded....The return to the village is down river on truck tyre inner tubes, 3 bound together.

Two guides to steer and push off boulders, one at the front and one behind and us in the middle. What seems like a novelty ride at the start, has us both squealing and yahooing after the first set of rapids..........the river is really flowing quite strong.........inner tubes aren’t very responsive..........

Dede stops in a quiet patch of water and jumps ashore saying he will make Angela a jungle hat. 10mins later he reappears with an elaborate crown of leaves, pinned with bamboo. The newly crowned “River Queen” squeals and yahoos for the rest of the downriver ride. ......Rx

We decide to go to the feeding platform one more time so head there for the afternoon session. As we make our way up the track with the ranger leading we are stopped as “Jacki” is on the path. They feed her a small amount then try to encourage her to follow. However, she just sits there with her gorgeous baby and melting eyes. I am close to the front of the line. The ranger instructs the line to move past her slowly. Four men walk past, then it’s my turn. I slowly walk past her and as I do she stops me and reaches for my hand. She touches me..............

The ranger tells me not to worry. My only concern is the literature I have read which concerns the possibility of humans spreading disease, hence, “please don’t touch them”. She is truly a gorgeous animal; her hand feels spongy and a little bit cool.

Aided by the ranger she releases my hand and moves off the path. Several more people move past, she rejoins the path after Reece and follows him up to the feeding platform. It’s hard not to be a little anxious in their close proximity, these are powerful, wondrous animals.

What I haven’t mentioned here is the crowd of Grrman Tourists who were also on this particular walk. Led by their Indonesian minders, it’s hard to say anything positive about their company. By all accounts they simply ignored any instructions given by the rangers and obviously had no understanding of the requirements of the park. They were there for a quick visit and, shoving ever closer, no matter what, was paramount to their visit. With a huge up welling of sadness, I find myself questioning the whole tourist presence in such a place. It’s the double edged sword of tourism.......I’m sure it could all be managed so much better, but in Indonesia, rules are not really there to be adhered to. Daily existence and, what happens right now is the most important thing, not the ongoing consequences....

Ironic really, “right here right now”...such a desirable state in consciousness, yet in reality, real life, a total disaster not to have any forward thinking!!! .......Ax