Arrived at the national park after driving for miles through forest and hills. Belum is in the north close to the Thai border and it is a large area of virgin rainforest untouched for 130 million years -apart from the one road that cuts along the edge and a couple of hotels!! It is also an area where the Orang Asli (original people) live. Stayed in a fantastic hotel set in the forest overlooking the huge lake. Went rafting on long bamboo rafts in the lake which are surprisingly stable and easy to paddle. Saw loads of frogs and fireflies on a night walk. Spent a full day with guide in the national park. The park is accessed by boat at various places. We went to see the rafflesia flower which is about 75cm wide in full bloom and smells like rotting flesh, and it looks very strange. Unfortunately none of the flowers were in bloom so we only saw the buds. We also visited an Orang Asli village which was interesting and a bit uncomfortable at the same time. Not really sure what they think about white westerners gawping at them. Was a bit funny as well because the stern looking chief looked exactly like James Brown!! Went for a hike in the jungle and then cooling swim at the waterfall. Surprisingly little wildlife to see but is is a large forest so they probably prefer to be away from humans. If we'd have been lucky we could have seen elephants, hornbills, gibbons and monkeys, if we'd been extremely lucky, tigers, cloud leopards and sun bears but had to settle for amazing jungle scenery and lots of colourful butterflies – not bad eh?? Great couple of days, leaving the interior for the east coast tomorrow.
