Two university pals from the UK who wanted to do something inspirational and epic decided to spend three weeks in a Malaysian jungle, naked and without food, to “show that it can be done”. They quit 16 days into their adventure after one of them cut his hand with a machete.

26-year-old Daniel Olifi, a financial tech worker, and James Moynihan, a 27-year-old cruise ship entertainer, wanted to see if they could survive in a harsh jungle with only minimal supplies, no food and a couple of large leaves covering their private parts. Their plan was to spend three weeks camping in the Kuantan rainforest, in Malaysia, but the challenge quickly proved much harder than they had anticipated. Within hours of setting up camp, last October, they almost ran out of water and while they eventually overcame that problem, they still had to endure swarms of mosquitoes, hypothermia and severe hunger. They eventually had to call it quits after 16 days, after Daniel cut his hand with a machete and his wound started smelling like rotten flesh.

Photo: WandererCreative/Pixabay

“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,” Londoner Daniel Olifi told SWNS. “You can really step on a snake at any point and not know it, or hypothermia can get you. You realize: ‘Damn! This is how idiots die in the wild and are never found'”.

The pair lost 46 pounds between them during their epic adventure, as their bodies cannibalized their muscles for energy because they only relied on various berries and insects for sustenance. They were reportedly so close to starvation that they blacked out regularly from hunger.

The only supplies they took with them into the jungle only included a flint rock, a machete, a mosquito net, a metal water pot and a first aid kit. The two decided to not wear any clothes, to “show that it can be done”, but the mosquitoes made sure they regretted that decision. Within days, they were both covered with mosquito bites that bled when they scratched them.

One day, while cutting large leaves to use as protection against a thunderstorm, Daniel Olifi fell into a ravine and cut his hand on a machete. He tried using superglue to seal his wound and prevent bacteria from entering his bloodstream, but the next day his hand hurt even worse and had already started to smell like rotten flesh. They decided to cut their extreme camping trip early and head back to civilization.

Back in Kuala Lumpur, the English buddies spent several days recovering and gorging on high-calorie snacks like burgers, pizza and cookies, before flying back to the UK. Despite all the hardships they faced, including constant shivering during thunderstorms, hunger-inducing blackouts and hundreds of mosquito bites, the pair still think their adventure was worth it.

“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,” James Moynihan said. “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.”