Welcome to the jungle

I stayed up till almost 1am this morning so when I woke I felt groggy. But I had an appointment and so got up and dressed. The storm still hasn’t arrived so no need for a rain jacket. 

I drink an Americano at 100 Islands, one of my favourite coffee shops on the island. Jump on my bike with a track by Marshmallow and Anna Marie, since hearing it in Bo’s car the other day I listened to it pretty much on repeat.

It’s time for my appointment, I enter the jungle and but I can’t find the receptionist’s, but then I see them at the top of a tree swinging around the branches having fun. I decide to just enter the jungle without signing in.

The trail starts steep, so I take out my poles and proceed to hike up and up and up. The grade is so steep I slip back now and then. Finally I arrive at the top, I’ve been going about an hour and I swear I sweated out 2 litres already.

I crest the peak of the trail, Folding my poles away I decend the dirt road in front of me, 600 meters of pure downhill and I love it. My quads start the head up like a train going downhill constantly on the brakes, but I still love it.

I take out a bag of fruit from my running vest, hmmm what to choose I’ve got watermelon, guava and dragon fruit, I take a little of each and stash the fruit away till later. The views are insanely beautiful. I’m the side of the island that inspired Alex Garland to write the novel The Beach.

More climbs ahead, the downhill done for now. The rest of the run is a mix of up and down climbs, I stop off at a beach called lost Paradice, it’s got the grand number of 4 people on, 2 girls eating a fruit salad on a table , a chilled out Thai guy and a another guy cutting some grass.

I enter the ocean, the waves a sign of what’s to come from the storm. I dive into large wave that try’s to swallow me and pop up out the back of it, better luck next time wave. 

I buy and eat 3 small Thai bananas and continue with my run. I finally finish after just under 3 hours. Thankful to you Mr Jungle.