November 2, 2006
Bukit Lawang: Gunung Leuser NP jungle trek
We have arranged with Udin to start our one day trek into the jungle at 9am. First we have breakfast and then we run into him at 8:30. He is always early, he says: "never keep the tourist waiting". He introduces us to his assistant Harry, who carries the back pack, and as we discover later, will act as "bait or decoy" if necessary.
We pass two slower groups as we make our way up the hill behind our hotel. First, there is rubber plantations, a guy feeds some monkeys so we can get pictures. Then there is a marker at the boundary of the park. It's not long before we run into the first two orangutans, a medium sized male called Abdul and a small female. These apes are half wild, which means that they have been reintroduced here, but are still being fed twice a day if they choose to head for the feeding platform. Unlike their wild cousins, they are not afraid of humans, they come down the trees hoping for a hand-out. It is forbidden to feed the apes, but guides do use a bundle of bananas to distract them in case someone gets into trouble.
We take pictures until a larger group of people catches up and then we head on. Jungle trekking is fun, once, after that all it really is is a slog up and down steep slippery trails, pouring sweat and insects that bite. Seeing these apes and other animals really is the reason to venture here. We take a short rest break, Udin breaks out a pineapple, bananas, and passion fruits from his back pack and cuts it up with his jungle knife. Very refreshing in the hot jungle.
The next ape we run into has a reputation. Udin is nervous about him and warns us Mina has no fear for humans and will try to snatch back packs from tourists or guides, being familiarized with the fruits they sometimes carry.
Orangutans are very strong and once they have a hold they can lift you off the ground. And they have teeth too, both Harry and Udin have scars from Mina. Harry does the diversion with a plastic bag and some bananas on his back and leads Mina away from the trail while Udin whisks us past. Apes biting tourists is bad for business.
We head down to the river and make a quick stop at the official feeding platform. A female and her baby are there and we shoot plenty of pictures. Suddenly, there is commotion behind us, Mina has followed us and has us cornered. Harry again saves the day by distracting the ape, though Mina's behavior is again rewarded with some bananas. We hike to the river and a have lunch. A band of small monkeys come by while Harry swims across to get the canoe that's attached to a rope that we us to cross the river. By moving the canoe into the current it rides the river. One by one we are ferried across and walk back to the ecolodge.
We try to get pizza for dinner, but the only place that is supposed to have it says on their sign that they don't. So we have a taco and beer at the Rock Cafe. It rains again in the afternoon and there's a big thunderstorm just as we go to sleep.
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