The “Dangers” of the Jungle

A few days have passed since the last post, and I feel like I've settled in a bit more. I explored the area further and made a trail nearby that was actually quite challenging in some parts. After having some fun communications with monkeys through monkey-like sounds, I also had a funny but briefly scary experience.

Since you are always on foot here, you obviously look closely at the ground in front of you; simply to avoid stepping into holes or on snakes, spiders, scorpions, etc. The problem, however, is that you forget to look ahead. So, I almost walked into a broad spider web that stretched from one side of the trail to the other. The spider that lived there was right in the middle, and it wasn’t small! I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t have panicked if I had walked into it. After all, you don’t know which species are poisonous here. And where I was, no one would have easily found me...

After the shock subsided, I realized that there was no way to go around it. To the left, it dropped steeply down, and to the right, there was a vertical wall of clay that I couldn’t have walked along. Besides, I had almost reached the end of the path, and going straight ahead was therefore my only option. So it was clear: I had to crawl under it… I took a stick and carefully felt around to see exactly where the threads were stretched down to the ground. One thing was certain: there was little room to crawl beneath it. Although I’m not afraid of spiders or insects, I did feel a bit uneasy about it – I’ll be honest. If I knew nothing would happen to me here, everything would be fine. But getting bitten by an animal or insect without knowing if it could lead to more serious consequences, without medical care readily available, I wouldn't exactly find that great. :D (Just checked: The spider is poisonous, but a bite usually feels just like a bee sting – except for allergic reactions, of course…)

Also worth mentioning: Yesterday I was in Puerto Jiménez, the small town closest to the lodge. Incredibly crazy, but no joke: I just had to go to the hairdresser. Two hours' drive there, ten minutes at the hairdresser, and two hours back. When half a day is taken just for a haircut! :D You really notice again how isolated you are here. :D