Most people wouldn’t risk dying in a sweltering and snake infested rainforest unless they absolutely had to.
But two university pals thought they’d take their chances and spent three weeks living on berries and creepy crawlies in a Malaysian rainforest completely naked – as you do.
Daniel Olifi, 26, and James Moynihan, 27, endured hypothermia, dehydration and dozens of mosquito bites in their bid to survive in a ‘primal situation.’
They ran out of water within hours of their trip and Daniel sliced his hands with a machete and used superglue to patch up the wound which later started smelling of rotten flesh.
They decided not to wear clothes to ‘show that it can be done’ and – as you’d expect – were ridden with mosquito bites which bled when they scratched them.
They came equipped with only a flint rock, a machete, a mosquito net, a metal water pot and a first aid kit.
Financial tech worker and Londoner Daniel and cruise ship entertainer James lost 46lbs between them and became so undernourished, having not found much to eat other than bugs and berries.
Their muscles started wasting away and they suffered regular black outs, but the pair have no regrets.
Daniel said: ‘We wanted to do something truly inspiration and epic – once in a lifetime. You only live once, so you may as well do everything you can.
‘It was scary at times. Going to sleep at night, for all you know a snake might get in your shelter and you might not wake up the next morning.
‘You realise “Damn! This is how idiots die in the wild and are never found”.’
Daniel is no stranger to adventure, having walked from the UK to the Alps in 2014 where he partially survived on a diet of slugs and water from the mountain rivers.
In 2015 he cycled across the Sahara, drinking his own urine to conquer the 1,100-mile desert ride.
But that was nothing compared to the challenge in the Malaysian rain forest of Kuantan in October.
While cutting down leafs for a shelter, Dan fell down a ravine, cut his hand with his machete and sealed it up with superglue.
They hitchhiked to the nearest hospital and got it stitched up the next day before going to a different rain forest near Sungai Tekai.
The two friends did ‘basic tests’ on berries to see if they were poisonous before eating them, along with insects including crickets and worms.
Dan’s hand was still not healing by day six and James started to develop early on-set hypothermia a few days later.
After 16 days, they put trekked back to civilisation and spent several days gorging on crisps, cookies, pizzas and burgers in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur before heading to England.
When asked if he regretted their adventure, James, from Woking, Surrey said: ‘I’m a bit of a gambling man, whether it be on football or the horse.
‘But how many people can say they have gambled with their life?
‘Everyone will face life-and-death situations, but it’s normally not planned. And most people wouldn’t choose to put themselves in that situation.
‘I have, and I can tell you that Malaysia was the most rewarding gamble I’ve ever taken because now I can say I’ve felt what it’s like to have lived.’
