Taman Negara (jungle), Part 1: Leeches

The idea of leeches in the jungle made me slightly more than worried, until Em pointed one out to me on the ground. These ones are terrestrial leeches and look like cute little inchworms, motoring down the trails doing their heat-seeking thing. Sometimes they stand up on end and wave around, hoping something hotblooded will come along.

After getting my first leech, I was wasn't too grossed out but decided they weren't all that cute anymore. You can't feel them at all usually, which is good. However, that also means that when you pull off your socks you sometimes find that one or two has managed to crawl THROUGH your smartwool, attach to your leg, and get so fat that they can't crawl out again. Luckily, bugspray (or traditional salt) works quickly to get them off.

Sometimes they just fall off when they've had enough - as Em found out from a giant purple spot left on her stomach on the last day (and giant bloodstain on her shirt). We both got 'leeched' a couple times - which we decided any jungle-goer should rightfully experience. Enjoy the pics!

P.S. Yup, that's em's stomach post-leeching. Once it stopped bleeding it looked like a purple gunshot wound for days. And in her current toasty sunburned state, you can barely notice it at all!

-alyss.