Canopy Walkway and Jungle

　　I wanted to see or step into the jungle in Borneo. My father-in-law was working on the maintenance of military planes during the Great East Asian War on Shortland Island near Bougainville Island. His unit faced a serious shortage of food after the military logistics was broken and its supply route was severed. After the loss of all the planes he worked searching for food in the jungle with the help of local people. Wild oxen were evidently delicious. Anyway, the United Nations headed for the Philippines directly after the seizure of Guadalcanal Island, passing Bougainville Island, but the unit didn't know about this. My father-in-law was preparing for the UN's attack on Bougainville Island and he was going to kill a multitude of soldiers in exchange for his own life.
　　I had heard about the real life and the hunting in the jungle from him before his death. I wanted to feel the atmosphere of the jungle, and I walked on the canopy walkway built in the trees in the Poring Hot Spring Area. The ground was beneath me, but I wasn't able to see it hindered by bushes, leaves, and due to the lack of sunlight. Moving and living in such a severe condition, my father-in-law and his fellows survived. I recalled their unimaginable difficulties.

(Vocabulary)
Bougainville Island ブーゲンビル島　南太平洋西部、ソロモン諸島北端の火山島。
Shortland Island ブーゲンビル島の南にある小さな島
military logistics  兵站
Guadalcanal Island　ガダルカナル島《南太平洋 Solomon 群島中の島》　大東亜戦争の激戦地の一つ

マレーシア旅行記：　ジャングル、キャノピーウォーク、そして大東亜戦争へ思いを馳せる
　
ボルネオ島ではジャングルそのものを見たかった。義父が大東亜戦争中、ブーゲンビル島とそのそばにあるショートランド島で軍用機のメンテナンスをしていた。飛ばせる戦闘機が無くなった後はジャングルで食べられるものを探して歩き、部隊を支えたという。地元の人たちの助けを借りて捕獲した野生の牛はごちそうだったという。アメリカ軍はガダルカナル島を攻略した後、ブーゲンビル島をパスしてフィリピンへ向かったが、そのことを知らない義父たちはアメリカ軍が上陸してきたら少なくとも一人当たり二人のアメリカ兵と差し違えようとジャングルで準備をしていたらしい。
　
生前、義父からジャングルでの暮らしをよく聞いた。どのようなところなのか自分の目で見てみたいと思い、ポーリン温泉の奧にあるCanopy Walkwayを歩いてみた。地面は遙か下にあるのだが、見えない。こんなところを移動しながら食料を確保し、生き延びた義父たちの苦労が偲ばれた。

Comments

[KUMO]

Dear Shiroi_Tora

Thank you so much for your heartful comment. As you say, I think travels enrich human life.

[Shiroi Tora]

You are leading a wonderful life. Your profession is highly respected, you are paid well, and you are helping people. You are also doing something very important for yourself. Seeing the world first hand gives you experiences from which gives you a more accurate view of other people and the lands in which they live. People should travel as much as they can. It greatly enriches life.