To: jmhollen who wrote (7629 ) 1/31/1999 1:07:00 PM From: Hubert Few Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 9569
OFF TOPIC.....on some parallel tangent. You wrote:"It was quite a place. We were going to cut a big vine to swing on one day, after we went swimming. Unfortunately, when we got back, the "vine" was gone! (ps: "..don't tell Mother..") Life in a day in the jungle, tee hee!" Yes! A local had the head of a "tercio-pelo" (from the phonetic....means purple velvet I believe) English name for the snake is Fer-de-lance. This damn head was in a jar of preservative....it was a gallon jar, the snake was reported to be over 12 feet long. My first day on the peninsula one of my "associates" chopped one in half with a machete, not knowing the snake was deadly venomous, and the only chance one had in the event of a bite was to immediately cut off the bitten appendage! On another occaison I walked about two miles to one of my favorite fishing spots on an outcropping of volcanic rock. I was so caught up in catching crabs for bait, I neglected to take notice of how late in the day it was. I walked the inland trail back in total darkness, a moonless night, barefooted with only a stick. I tried applying some of Don Juan's "stalking" techniques used by "warriors". I was actually screaming at one point, knowing that for sure I would be lost in the jungle forever, and probably die of snake bite. Then I began to collect my senses and understand that my life actually depended on it. My first introduction to true courage I think, a pivotal point in my life. *NOBODY* went on those trails at night, save for a few drunken expeditions of locals with flashlights hunting wild pigs. I shudder thinking about it now knowing that my current life offers nothing similar in the way of challenges, and how soft I have become, and how little people understand of what the basics of survival involve. Suffice to say I know some survival skills, and would be perfectly at home without the bullshit "neccessities" we americans sacrifice our lives for. I even know how to make distilled spirits. I commented to my wife as to how that could be a valuable skill in the event of a Y2K meltdown. I once made some spirits to power my lawnmower. I hate the way it smells running gasoline. I just drilled the jets out and loaded up some 190 proof alcohol! Much easier to buy it at the hardware store....to say nothing of the legal implications! Anyway, the mind doth wander on this pre-ADGI explosion superbowl sunday. I have been hiding out in the basement while my wife destroys the upstairs in one of her winter re-modeling binges.....sigh. Soon I will be cutting molding, and banging my fingers with a hammer. Home ownership can lead to the acquisition of many skilled trades! Cheers!