From Sunset to Sunrise

Pheewww... Can’t believe I made it!! The 6-hour hike to the top of this mountain was a real challenge, especially because I decided to hang out with the guys after work last night, before departing. For a moment back there, I thought I was about to give up and just walk back down.

It was drizzling, at dawn, when I started my walk, which made the ground very, very wet, and in many places, were covered with fresh leaves and small tree branches that fell during the rain.

I kind of wishing that I had postponed this hike, but I knew very well that I had to do it now. Rainy season is already starting, and in a few weeks, rain will fall more often and harder. By then, the sun will surely set and rise behind a veil of cloud and mist, which means, I will lose my chance of recording the sunset and sunrise for my short film project.

My determination was paid off, though, I arrived around lunch time. I’ll quickly set up my tent now and then, start cooking a big meal. I am exhausted. I will eat a big meal now, and have a few hours sleep before sunset. Later in the evening, I can just have some snack or light meal while recording.

Hmmm.. Nice! I’m full and I can feel my eyes are getting heavier. It’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon, I can have a few hours sleep before the sun actually sets. Should I get my equipment ready? Yes, I think I should.

Alright.. my recording equipment is ready. My eyes are really, really heavy now.. My tent feels really, really warm and comfy.. It’s really time tooo.. Zzzzz..zzzz...


The big cricket: What is that giant, strange turtle doing here?

The owl: Ow, cricket! That is not a strange turtle. That is a dome-tent. It’s a human’s nest.

The big cricket: It’s a funny-looking nest. Hey! What is the little monkey doing? He just came out of the dome-tent!

The little monkey: The human inside the dome-tent has a thing that can make a moving picture of us. I saw other humans using it before.

The big cricket: Is he planning on making a moving picture of us?

The little monkey: He must be! Humans like to watch monkeys play, owl catching a prey and crickets rubbing their legs to make sounds. They make the moving picture and then they watch it again, and again, and again. I don’t know why they don’t just live here with us, if they like watching us so much??

The big cricket: If he is going to make a moving picture of us, then, why don’t we save him the trouble? Why don’t we just gather here, so that he can watch us all at the same time? Owl, why don’t you call the others! I’m sure all of us want to be in the moving picture!

The owl: Coockeroo.. Coockeroo.. To all night creatures of this forest mountain.. Let us all gather around for this rare opportunity. A human has come to make a moving picture of us.


The frog: Alright, Owl! I’ve come to answer to your call, but where is the human? I don’t want to be away from the water too long..

The snake: Same here.. I want to go back into my hiding as soon as possible, before the Eagle sees me.

The eagle: What is happening? I’m hungry! If the human doesn’t show up soon, I will have to continue hunting before the sun rises. I don’t have much luck hunting in the broad daylight!

The Leopard: Same here! And I’m starving!

The big cricket: Maybe we should try to wake him up? I can try to make louder sounds with my legs..

The owl: I’ll help.. I can sing louder too..

The frog: I’ll help too..

The snake: I can help tickle his feet, but if he sees me and panics, he can hit me and kill me!

The leopard: Same here! If I, as much as, go inside his tent and try to wake him up, he will think I want to eat him! He will turn me into his meal instead!

The little monkey: Human never hits or kills any monkey who comes into their tents. I will go inside again, and see if I can wake him up and get him to take the moving picture..


Hoooaaaahhhmmmm... What a nice sleep.. I feel refreshed now. I should be ready to wait for the sunset tonight. What time is is? Where is my watch? .. Ahh.. here it is.. let me see..

WHAAATTTT????? 7 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING???? I SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT??? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN???

The little monkey: screeching fast (I tried to tell you all night, you silly thing! I tried to wake you up!)

I don’t know what you are talking about, Little Monkey.. I don’t speak your language! I think I’ll get out of my tent for a second to get fresh air.

Heeeyyy???? What was going on here? What happened last night? Why are there footsteps of a leopard near my tent?

The little monkey: screeching noisily with arms moving around (We were all here, waiting for you to make the moving picture! Not only the leopard, also the owl, the cricket, the frog, the snake and me.)

Yeah, yeah.. you can finish the biscuits if you like them. I’m packing up to go home. I guess, next time, I shouldn’t hang out with the guys the night before a hike.. Ah well.. I guess I will just have to come back here another day, and in the meantime, I have to find another topic for my project!

-12 December 2007-