01-13-2019, 04:04 PM
2018-12-29: Part 3
Back at the ecolodge, I carefully inspect my feet. Amazingly, they seem to be okay, despite that long sockless trek. Though at this point I should mention how fatiguing these walks are. The trails are challenging enough when flat, what with all the tricky footwork and obstacles to get through or around. But there's a great deal of up and down as well, far more than I could ever have imagined; and while I still handle upslopes with reasonable competence, my hips make any kind of descent a real challenge. Even stairs are high-risk for me, and I need a hand-rail. In the jungle, I must make substantial adjustments, lots of them. Even climbing over a log is a challenge. While others negotiate it by straddling it one leg at a time, I have to sit backwards and swing both legs over together. Also, because there's no cartilage in my hips, I use extra muscle tension in my walking to prevent bone-on-bone scraping. All of which is to say that I'm burning a lot of energy.
Then there's the water. LC bought two 32-ounce bottles for us. I felt they were way too large and cumbersome. What a fool I am. We go through those quickly on a trek, and Paula, the professional athlete of the group, later tells us we should be carrying twice that. Anyway, all this is to introduce you to the idea that we are getting worn down and developing dehydration issues.
We eat dinner, and after some leisure time Mohsin takes us for a night walk on a new path. He splits us into two groups. One will go first, looking for birds and mammals, as this requires stealth; the second will follow, looking for snakes, which doesn't require as much stealth, just a keen eye. LC and I fall into the second group. None of us see much, maybe a tiny frog and a small lizard. There's been no rain since we got here, which is odd, since it's the rainy season. The rain will bring out the small wildlife, and the predators will emerge to hunt them. In one spot, as I shine my headlamp high up into a break in the foliage, two big glowing orbs light up. They're like headlights, only closer together. At first I think it's something in the sky. But there are no aircraft in this area. No jets ever fly over. Something is in the top of a tree maybe 75 yards off the trail. The eyes are large, unblinking, perfectly round. Magnus joins me and looks at them as well. After a couple minutes the eyes turn downward, and I see an arched back descending from sight. When I later describe it to Mohsin, he thinks it was likely a kinkajou. We get back to the ecolodge about midnight, not having seen more than a couple frogs and a lizard, and call it a day.
2018-12-30: Part 1
![[Image: uc?export=view&id=1pq3CjtYOl2FZ1KrtDtd-B1KcumEOYuFP]](https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1pq3CjtYOl2FZ1KrtDtd-B1KcumEOYuFP)
In the morning, JJ leads us on a walk. He stops here and there, chops at something, has us smell it, and identities it. Sometimes he chops the bark of a tree, and some substance emerges, which is medicinal, or once time it was a rubber tree. He also identifies bird or monkey calls, and can mimic many of them with great accuracy. There comes a disturbance in the brush, which we at first think is a peccary. As it moves about in the underbrush, JJ recognizes it as a brocket deer. It wanders in and out of sight. Afterwards, we learn that there are several species of deer in the area, including -- of all things -- whitetail deer.
JJ introduces us to a round-trunked tree, barkless, very shiny and smooth. It is full of water and cool to the touch. There is a legend about the tree which, unfortunately, I don't fully recall. Locals who come on it show it reverence, and give it a hug to savor its coolness. JJ gives it a hug. We do too. It is very cool, refreshing, except for all the ants. We return to the ecolodge.
2018-12-30: Character Study -- The Snakers
By this point in our excursions, there's a split in the group -- not due to any conflict, as we all continue to get along well (which Mohsin confides in me is a pleasant surprise), but a matter of priorities. The snakers -- Swedes Magnus and Olaf and the young couple Ian and Mina -- often opt to go off by themselves to hunt snakes. (I'm actually an unofficial snaker, as I never saw a snake on our 2006 trip and intend to right that wrong on this trip.) The snakers are an interesting bunch deserving a further commentary.
![[Image: uc?export=view&id=1QPE5_vS6cYIU7DOg6IgePNFdRbHXYFbY]](https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1QPE5_vS6cYIU7DOg6IgePNFdRbHXYFbY)
Magnus (L) and Olaf ® are the same age. At age 7 they went to the same school but were in different classes and didn't know each other. But Olaf kept hearing about this kid in the other class who had chickens. So one day Magnus is confronted by this kid from the other class who says, "I hear you got chickens." To which Magnus says, "Yup," which was the start of a life-long friendship. At age 11 they came up with detailed plans to start a small zoo (mostly snakes), using Olaf's parents' basement for the cages and animals and Magnus' parents' place for raising mice and other food. Shortly thereafter, they petitioned their city to create a zoo, arguing it would be good for tourism, but it fell on deaf ears. Later, as an adult, when Magnus lost his job, he decided not to look for another but instead pursue his dream of founding a zoo. He discussed the undertaking with Olaf, who was pursuing a medical degree, and it was decided that Olaf should continue with his schooling. Magnus successfully established a zoo and has run it ever since, while Olaf is now a surgeon specializing in facial reconstruction, especially of the lower jaw.
![[Image: uc?export=view&id=1DOAJE8oJNLXNE0JygULKt--Kb1beX_yB]](https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1DOAJE8oJNLXNE0JygULKt--Kb1beX_yB)
![[Image: uc?export=view&id=1n5hrd0DqUAI10s-N412oZdpLp93PSeBi]](https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1n5hrd0DqUAI10s-N412oZdpLp93PSeBi)
Then there's Ian, 20, and Mina, 18, who have been together a couple years. Ian is a bodybuilder/adventurer. He has a serpentine snake tattoo on his forearm. There's a story behind it. A couple years ago in the Costa Rican jungle he lifted a piece of bark and surprised a fer de lance. It struck at him. One fang hit his fingernail. The other grazed a finger. There are differing accounts of the consequences, from little damage to a swollen purplish hand, but he knows how lucky he was, and he now (but not always, as I was to witness) uses a stick to turn things over.
Mina has a hammerhead shark tattoo on her forearm, which attests to her interest in the ocean. She has all kinds of diving certifications and is pursuing more. Despite this focus on the ocean, she shares Ian's fascination for reptiles. I don't know where their funds come from, but both seem to go from one exotic adventure to the next without pause.
Back at the ecolodge, I carefully inspect my feet. Amazingly, they seem to be okay, despite that long sockless trek. Though at this point I should mention how fatiguing these walks are. The trails are challenging enough when flat, what with all the tricky footwork and obstacles to get through or around. But there's a great deal of up and down as well, far more than I could ever have imagined; and while I still handle upslopes with reasonable competence, my hips make any kind of descent a real challenge. Even stairs are high-risk for me, and I need a hand-rail. In the jungle, I must make substantial adjustments, lots of them. Even climbing over a log is a challenge. While others negotiate it by straddling it one leg at a time, I have to sit backwards and swing both legs over together. Also, because there's no cartilage in my hips, I use extra muscle tension in my walking to prevent bone-on-bone scraping. All of which is to say that I'm burning a lot of energy.
Then there's the water. LC bought two 32-ounce bottles for us. I felt they were way too large and cumbersome. What a fool I am. We go through those quickly on a trek, and Paula, the professional athlete of the group, later tells us we should be carrying twice that. Anyway, all this is to introduce you to the idea that we are getting worn down and developing dehydration issues.
We eat dinner, and after some leisure time Mohsin takes us for a night walk on a new path. He splits us into two groups. One will go first, looking for birds and mammals, as this requires stealth; the second will follow, looking for snakes, which doesn't require as much stealth, just a keen eye. LC and I fall into the second group. None of us see much, maybe a tiny frog and a small lizard. There's been no rain since we got here, which is odd, since it's the rainy season. The rain will bring out the small wildlife, and the predators will emerge to hunt them. In one spot, as I shine my headlamp high up into a break in the foliage, two big glowing orbs light up. They're like headlights, only closer together. At first I think it's something in the sky. But there are no aircraft in this area. No jets ever fly over. Something is in the top of a tree maybe 75 yards off the trail. The eyes are large, unblinking, perfectly round. Magnus joins me and looks at them as well. After a couple minutes the eyes turn downward, and I see an arched back descending from sight. When I later describe it to Mohsin, he thinks it was likely a kinkajou. We get back to the ecolodge about midnight, not having seen more than a couple frogs and a lizard, and call it a day.
2018-12-30: Part 1
In the morning, JJ leads us on a walk. He stops here and there, chops at something, has us smell it, and identities it. Sometimes he chops the bark of a tree, and some substance emerges, which is medicinal, or once time it was a rubber tree. He also identifies bird or monkey calls, and can mimic many of them with great accuracy. There comes a disturbance in the brush, which we at first think is a peccary. As it moves about in the underbrush, JJ recognizes it as a brocket deer. It wanders in and out of sight. Afterwards, we learn that there are several species of deer in the area, including -- of all things -- whitetail deer.
JJ introduces us to a round-trunked tree, barkless, very shiny and smooth. It is full of water and cool to the touch. There is a legend about the tree which, unfortunately, I don't fully recall. Locals who come on it show it reverence, and give it a hug to savor its coolness. JJ gives it a hug. We do too. It is very cool, refreshing, except for all the ants. We return to the ecolodge.
2018-12-30: Character Study -- The Snakers
By this point in our excursions, there's a split in the group -- not due to any conflict, as we all continue to get along well (which Mohsin confides in me is a pleasant surprise), but a matter of priorities. The snakers -- Swedes Magnus and Olaf and the young couple Ian and Mina -- often opt to go off by themselves to hunt snakes. (I'm actually an unofficial snaker, as I never saw a snake on our 2006 trip and intend to right that wrong on this trip.) The snakers are an interesting bunch deserving a further commentary.
Magnus (L) and Olaf ® are the same age. At age 7 they went to the same school but were in different classes and didn't know each other. But Olaf kept hearing about this kid in the other class who had chickens. So one day Magnus is confronted by this kid from the other class who says, "I hear you got chickens." To which Magnus says, "Yup," which was the start of a life-long friendship. At age 11 they came up with detailed plans to start a small zoo (mostly snakes), using Olaf's parents' basement for the cages and animals and Magnus' parents' place for raising mice and other food. Shortly thereafter, they petitioned their city to create a zoo, arguing it would be good for tourism, but it fell on deaf ears. Later, as an adult, when Magnus lost his job, he decided not to look for another but instead pursue his dream of founding a zoo. He discussed the undertaking with Olaf, who was pursuing a medical degree, and it was decided that Olaf should continue with his schooling. Magnus successfully established a zoo and has run it ever since, while Olaf is now a surgeon specializing in facial reconstruction, especially of the lower jaw.
Then there's Ian, 20, and Mina, 18, who have been together a couple years. Ian is a bodybuilder/adventurer. He has a serpentine snake tattoo on his forearm. There's a story behind it. A couple years ago in the Costa Rican jungle he lifted a piece of bark and surprised a fer de lance. It struck at him. One fang hit his fingernail. The other grazed a finger. There are differing accounts of the consequences, from little damage to a swollen purplish hand, but he knows how lucky he was, and he now (but not always, as I was to witness) uses a stick to turn things over.
Mina has a hammerhead shark tattoo on her forearm, which attests to her interest in the ocean. She has all kinds of diving certifications and is pursuing more. Despite this focus on the ocean, she shares Ian's fascination for reptiles. I don't know where their funds come from, but both seem to go from one exotic adventure to the next without pause.