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Survival training in Manaus - 2005
Survival training in Manaus - 2005
Jacek Pałkiewicz2006-06-25 14:31:18
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manage to move the boat to open waters, and we manage, though not without difficulty, to find a little opening in the forest to build our camp.
We cut out a small clearing with our machetes; we hang up our hammocks, mosquito nests and tarpaulins to protect us from rain. At the same time, the two men on duty prepare the long-awaited meal…..
…..The tropical forest reverberates with voices and sounds. All around us the battle for survival is being fought. Stronger plants are killing the weaker ones; the more cunning animals are eating defenceless ones. The death of one gives life to another and all this is taking place in the black darkness that surrounds us. The screams of monkeys, painful to our ears mix with the cooing calls of birds and the panting of invisible animals. Suspicious rustlings can be heard everywhere and intrusive thoughts focus on imaginary dangers causing unnecessary nervousness. It is difficult to relax, because the situation calls for constant vigilance and caution….
…However, the marching is easier than it was yesterday. The mans have a better understanding of the surroundings, they have fewer problems with orientation, they can light a fire with moist wood more quickly, they can recognise lianas which hold potable water and edible wild fruit. They do not stop dead in their tracks, paralysed with fear at the sight of a slithering snake. They can find trees which are good for building a raft. Everyone now knows that drinking untreated water can end in death. The waters of the Amazon are teeming with bacteria, parasites, tapeworms and all possible kinds of bugs. Such water is best boiled and if that is not possible, it should be treated with a special preparation or with chloramines, potassium permanganate, or iodine drops. Abiding by the rules of tropical hygiene is a must. Some of us even came to like the local menu, which certainly is not standard. We had already eaten fried piranhas, tarantulas and termites, cooked boa constrictor meat and the crunchy meat of the peccary — an animal related to the European pig….
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Brazil Gallery
