From Light and Nature blog – Malaysian weeks

And what a weeks! These were far the best weeks until now during this travel. Maybe because this was the first time when I spent more time in nature than cities…
This was my first time experiencing some real tropical jungles. I was deeply impressed by them. That vivid, flourishing life what I have seen was amazing. The sounds, smells, colors, or the lack of colors. That complexity, chaos and structure in the same time… It was breath taking. And it’s still that if I think back. (Click on for bigger pictures.)

In the beginning I planed to photograph some fireflies but it was a big disappointment. They are living on mangrove trees, and it was only possible to approach them by boat. And without an own boat, only what you can choose is the touristic one… How it looks like? A huge tourist boat, fulfilled with people. They driving close to the bushes while the staff is splashing the trees, because normally the fireflies don’t always flying around with their lights. But if you splashing them they do… It was ridiculous and shameful in the same time… So it wasn’t the way to photograph fireflies. I hope I will find a place where I can photograph them in normal conditions. (If anybody has any suggestion feel free to write me:)

For next, I hitch hiked to Endau Rompin Johor National Park. I would never imagine that is so difficult to get in to a national park… First, in 200km distance only one sign shows where is the entrance of the park. Second, the entrance what you see is still 50km far from the real national park. I had to find an office. When I finally found it, they told me the following: transportation to the park 300RM, entrance fee 20RM + 2RM insurance (??), camping 5RM/night, guide 60RM/day, compulsory boat trip 140RM. Thank you! I later saw a sign and I understood everything: Endau Rompin Johor National Park Corporation. Actually people who worked there were very kind. After I told them what poor I am, I had to only pay 80RM for transportation, and I didn’t need to take the boat trip.
Finally I found my way into the park. But only for two days, because I had to go in, and out according to the rangers timetable.

Upeh Guling waterfall.

Amazing structures and geometries everywhere.

Janing barat – fan palm forest.

I heard about the leeches in the rain forests, but it was amazing. Just as I stopped for two minutes, six of them had crawled on me already. If I walked trough a stream, the same. If I looked around, I saw army of leeches everywhere on the ground sneaking towards me.

I just loved the fractal like built up of this plant.

I didn’t know where to go next, so I made a little search in google and I found Sanjitpaal Singh, Malaysian nature photographer. I decided to write him, in case maybe he can suggest me some nice places. Finally I got not just suggestions, but he invited meg to his home. And in the next few days we went to photograph some interesting places. He and his wife Ravin were so kind to me. They helped me so much. I really hope I can reciprocate their kindness somehow in the future. Here is an article about Sanjit.

My final destination was in Ulu Geroh. Its a small village just next to a jungle. Sanjit told me to come here because here I might find some glowing mushrooms ( what was a big dream of mine to photograph:). But the biggest attraction here is the rafflesia, the largest flower on the world, and the rajah brooke birdwing butterfly ( among many others).

Rafflesia. Bud bellow, and the almost fully blooming flower above.

It’s unpredictable when are they blooming in fully. They life cycle is around nine months, and the full bloom is only three days. There are flowers all year around, but you need to be lucky to get them in full bloom.

Rajah brooke birdwing butterflies.

This was my shower (best ever)…

And my campsite at night.

My guides,my  friends. All of them are so nice and generous people . I am so grateful for them. They done so much for me. I will never forget.

Try to find a 3cm tall mushroom here…

But we did it!

The locals call it Moon mushroom.

I don’t know the name of these two white…

Malaysia’s national flower, the hibiscus.

And finally some cup mushrooms:)

I really wish to come back to Malaysia. ( Next time I am sure I will visit Sarawak province on the island of Borneo, with the Mulu Naional Park what is a “must see”.)