Jungle Day Two

The Earth Roamer has it’s day. We driven that car for over four thousand miles. But it’s all been roads. Bad roads maybe but roads. Today it was going way into the jungle. So it was another stupid early start. The Earth Roamer was designed for two people. Now we have Me, Keith, Don and Graham in it. I got lucky and got to drive.

At the spot we parked yesterday the Earth Roamer kept going. The cameras came out, it was time to give back to the sponsor. We set up shots of the Roamer going through the jungle, foliage brushing both sides. Our Bush Master friends arrived in the Land Rover. We then headed further in.

The Land rover got stuck three times. We used the winch on the Roamer to get it out. Finally we got to the point you would have to cut down trees, so we stopped. We shot more scenes we would need to set up the show, meeting people, getting advice, stand ups and so on.

We repeat yesterdays hike. Everyone gets across the river dry this time. Today, Celistro makes a fish trap. We shoot more set ups. Then Celistro sits down to tell his story.

I get to run the second camera for this. I begin to further appreciate the job Don does. Holding the camera, watching the frame, dealing with the movement of the subjects, having your arms go numb as you try to keep everything steady.

The last thing we do today is to go tracking. Wild pig is what we are tracking. Now I saw some wild pigs at the Belize Zoo and being where they are seems like a bad idea. They smell and are aggressive. I was thinking, “If these pigs are not we where we are isn’t this a good thing?”

We are no longer even on animal trails but bush whacking through raw jungle. I’m liking this, though it’s the last thing of the day and I’m wrecked tired. Sure enough we get to a pig mud hole. It’s full of mud and pig tracks.

Time to get the cars out of the jungle. The Land Rover is having troubles getting up the road. It’s in the way of the Earth Roamer. We all to get on the back of the Rover to give it weight and traction. I’m going to get on when I notice I’m getting bitten. I look down to see a few hundred ants on my shoes. Pulling up my pant leg there are a few hundred more. The guys are yelling at my to get on the truck, I’m brushing and smashing ants off me and dancing around. Every time I put a foot back on the ground there are a few hundred more ants on me. Finally I get them smashed. The land Rover is free and heads off with the Bush Master and his grandson.

There’s another nice bumpy ride in the truck I’m in the back this time, which was ok till, we see the Land Rover broken down by the side for the road. I joke with Graham about the Earth Roamer saving the Land Rover. He doesn’t find this humorous, though. The Earth Roamer is made for two people, we have four in it. Now there are six, us and the Bush dudes. When we finally get back to the hotel, we spring out of there back of the Earth Roamer like a jack in the box, panting for air.