Yellow Meranti Tree at dusk

Masses of large liana ran down from the canopy everywhere, creating a ribbon-like, tortuous flow from high above. They were one of the most psychedelic things for me to stare at. I felt so alone with the forest and embraced by it.
Right before reaching the Meranti tree, a hornbill came out of nowhere and flew across my face just 2 meters away. It was the closest encounter I had with them, adrenaline rushed through my system.
There was no one around. I quickly set up my microphones on the wooden terrace and started recording the busy frequencies of the cicadas. I climbed over the fence further down and walked up to the Meranti tree. it was so tall amongst the dense canopy you couldn’t see the top of it. I admired it in silence, gave my greeting through my touch and a long hug.
Soon I heard the empress cicadas break into their loud alarm, announcing the sun will soon fall below the sky. I quickly walked back up the wooden terrace to monitor the recording in motion. I sat for over an hour listening to the gradual change in the soundscape from daylight til after dusk. Fireflies sprinkled around me. I was utterly humbled and grateful to have that moment all to myself. I felt embraced by the environment like I was part of it all. As the empress cicadas slowly tucked themselves away into the background, their ritual woke up the crickets, tree frogs, katydids, and other night creatures.
I had planned to record until my battery died, but towards the end of the piece, I heard thunder through my headphones. Panicked, I started packing up—getting caught in the dark during heavy rain, with all my gear, while walking down the hill, could be a real problem. But the rain never came.
I initially planned to record until my battery died, but towards the end of the piece, I heard thunder through my headphones. Panicked, I started packing up—getting caught up in the dark during heavy rain walking down the hill can be real problematic with gears. It never rained. And I was still greedily stopping here and there recording from my phone as the soundscape continued to unfold itself.