The Wonderful World of Disney

A tiger prowling through Cambodian temples on Disneyland's Jungle Cruise

I grew up in a world of Disney.  I loved Disney as a child and still do as an adult (although I’m more a fan of classic movies – pre-Pixar computer animation and unnecessary 3D).  However, I’ve got a bone to pick with my dear friend Walt.  The Jungle Book was one of my favourites and led me to believe that if I went in a jungle, I would see animals – everywhere.   Tigers prowling through forests of bamboo, playful elephants bathing in the rivers, panthers stalking in the trees and preparing to pounce on its unaware prey, boas curled up in the tree branches, monkeys swinging from bough to bough…you get the idea.  This belief was further fuelled by The Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland.  What I believed in the aforementioned actually came alive – albeit animatronically – on the Cruise.




Disneyland's Jungle Cruise - elephants playing in the river

Spending two weeks on the outskirts of Thai and Cambodian jungles, I now feel like my entire childhood was falsified.  I didn’t see any tigers.  I didn’t see any panthers or giant snakes trying to eat me.  The only elephants I saw where elephants used by trekking companies for tourists.  I did see some monkeys, I’ll give Walt that much – but they weren’t singing (good thing I was smart enough to know that animals don’t talk or sing or I might be having an identity crisis right now!). 

Mischevious monkeys on the beach

 I don’t really feel like my entire childhood was falsified, that would be extreme.  What Walt Disney did get right, was the scenery.  Walking around the magnificent temple of Ta Prohm, I felt like I was in the Jungle Book, waiting for Mowgli and Baloo to come running out, away from the trawls of King Louie.  

If you’re expectant on finding hordes of creatures prowling through jungles on your adventures, sure you might find a few, but you’re better off going to a zoo.  Or better yet, let your imagination run wild (I’m not a fan of zoos). 

However disappointed I was at not seeing those tigers and panthers in the wild, I'm still living out those real-world Disney dreams (no, not the princess ones...).  Maybe next time I'll take a diving course and journey under the sea in search of Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder, or I'll head to the Middle Eastern deserts to find Aladdin's golden lamp filled with thrice-wish-giving genies.



The temple of Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia

Happy Trails!

P.S. Instead of searching for those hidden jungle animals, just look for the Bear Necessities ;)