Escape from the Jungle (Part One)

Suddenly a grown-up appears, complete with Chinese bicycle, comfortably padded on the back rack to make room for paying passengers.

"You want bicycle taxi?" he asks.

"No thanks. We are too heavy." He is gone, only to return a few minutes later with a fellow cyclist.

"We have two bikes. One for each person. Please, you take bicycle taxi."

"No really. Steve is too heavy," I say, and they are gone again.

I am tired of walking, and wish Steve's gigantic stature wasn't such an obstacle to getting a lift. By the time the cyclist returns again, with a third mate, our group of followers is so big I am beginning to feel like Jesus of Nazareth. These men seem to be our only escape route.

"I still think we are too heavy," I say.

"No, no, no. Your bags go on one bike, and you two, one bike each."

"But Steve is very heavy."

"Aaah no. How heavy?"

"One hundred and ten kilos," I exaggerate slightly for effect.

"Aaahh, easy. I carry one-twenty," replies the first cyclist with a cheeky grin.

There is no arguing with that, and with the kids running around us, grabbing and pointing repetitively, we decide it is time to make a deal.

(to be continued)

Related Links
KEEP Project
Information on the conservation project trying to protect the remaining rainforest.
Tropical Rainforest Coalition
A good site for the latest on worldwide rainforest desctruction.

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