Thank you, Asia "Fireflies" (49 days until Wisconsin)

Almost exactly six years ago, I had one of the more memorable natural encounters of our travels.  It was an Easter holiday trip to Borneo.  We were there for some sun, sand, and orangutans.  We didn't know it, but we were also there for fireflies.  

I expect everyone has some childhood memories of seeing fireflies after dark in their yard or an empty field.  They can't help but make you smile.  The intermittent light reminiscent of stars in the sky just beacons to us as children.  Perhaps you caught one in your hand to see it glow.  Or put it in a jar.  Or squashed one. 

I never did that. 

Well, while in Borneo, we decided to do a river trip where we were told we could see the proboscis monkeys.  You know, the monkeys with the unusually long noses.  I have to tell you, I didn't really see one and the trip was looking pretty disappointing.  We managed to see hundreds of mud crabs along the shore, but that wasn't quite the same thrill.

The shoreline of the island where I had no success seeing proboscis. 

Alas, our guides told us that we would stop, have dinner on shore, and then go back out after dark to see the fireflies.  Initially, this didn't thrill me either.  I could see fireflies back at home at my parents' cabin in the valley - for free.  I didn't need to pay for a trip to see just fireflies instead of rare monkeys.

Little did I know what awaited. We had two boats for our tour group.  Our family was on an open boat with about 15 other people aboard.  Our captain steered us slowly along the same length of long island that we had unsuccessfully attempted to see the monkeys, but now it was after dark.  He shut off the lights.  Now we were just under the clear night sky with a dark island off to our left.

That is when the magic began.  One of the tour guides took out his flashlight and began creating sequences of flashes with his hand on the flashlight.  Instantly the section of dark island just opposite lit up with hundreds - maybe thousands - of fireflies.  "Flash. Flash," our guide said.  "Flash, flash," the fireflies responded.  And then there was a new sequence, and the next thing we knew dozens of fireflies came toward our boat!  They actually landed on our boat, on the inside of the boat, on our hats and clothes, all over.  A child's dream!  After some minutes the fireflies returned to the island and all went dark.  We marvelled at our experience, amazed that humans could talk to fireflies.

But it wasn't over!  The boat slowly moved forward to a new section of dark island and guess what?  It happened all over again!  This was the coolest thing ever, I'm not lying.  

Sunset from the shore after our dinner.

I don't know if I could flash-light speak to the fireflies in Wisconsin or not.  But I might try - in, say, 49 days. 

All photos are from our Borneo trip in 2015.  Photos by © Brenda Brayko. All rights reserved.