Stingrays vs Medicinal Plants!
The craziest thing just happened! I was talking to Myra about this medicinal plant in her book, that really saves you if you get stung by a stingray, and not 20 minutes later I went swimming and this guy who came up to me and reintroduced himself, and 10 seconds later he was stung really badly in the ankle! I asked if he was alright and he said he thought it was a crab bite, but by the looks of it I knew it was a stingray.
So I did what people did for me many years ago when I was stung- I made him sit down while I ran to get this plant called the 'mother in law's tongue', and ran back to crush it up with rocks and put it in really hot water. I massaged his leg in a downward motion for an hour, and he's a big, tattooed guy, but he was on the verge of tears and hallucinating. It was really amazing to see and remember the whole experience. What incredible synchronicity.
I asked people along the way while I was running to find the plant if they knew where any of it grew, and they scolded me saying that no plant will help and that he just has to wait it out and take aspirin. They laughed at me, but I knew better from experience, and found some in front of the police station anyway.
What a day. He will be fine now, but I have a friend who didn't go through this procedure, and had to get on a plane a few hours later. It was insane, with the poison rising up through his body, going through his privates, and up until his gums were bleeding! It honestly feels like the pain will never end, like you just had your foot blown off, but with the plant, hot water and massage, it goes away. I should say that stingrays only sting you if you step on them (which is most of the time), or if you aggravate them like that Steve Irwin did. Otherwise they leave you alone. This has been quite an adventure already, and I've barely begun! Hope you are doing something you love :)
Snorkelling Fail...
Ok so I tried snorkelling in the waves (thats pretty much all that 's here right now), and I wish I could say I was amazing, but it was hilarious. I got killed out there, the snorkel actually snapped off (broke), and all I could see were millions of tiny bubbles as I was tossed around in the broken barrels... so funny. I must have looked ridiculous! I'm pretty sure I'm not considered cool here because I haven't been surfing, and it is definitely a surfing town, but I don't really care. I'll just do what I want and learn things at my own pace Do something you love today, even if it doesn't turn out perfect! x
I saw a Shark in 6" of water right in front of me!!!
Holy cow! As you may know I'm in Costa Rica right now doing the Good In Tent Project, and I just saw the craziest thing as I was entering in the water for a swim right in front of my tent- I'm talking about a 3 1/2 foot fish that was brown and practically beaching itself in 6 inches of water to chase after a smaller fish that was leaping for his life! Super fast with two dorsal fins. I watched it for about 5 minutes and even had time to run and grab my camera, but it was going in and out of sight and there was tons of sand in the waves so I couldn't get a good shot. It was crazy! Right in front of me and I think I screamed... It took me an hour to go back in the water. (one moment later)...OK holy crap I just looked it up and I know what it was!!! Here is what wikipedia says about Sand Sharks when they are young: I'm sorry about this next photo- I think it has been fished).
"The name Sand Shark (also known as a Nurse Shark), comes from their tendency toward shoreline habitats, and they are often seen swimming around the ocean floor in the surf zone, at times they come very close to shore. They are often found in warm or temperate waters throughout the world's oceans..."
"The nurse shark is a common inshore bottom-dwelling shark, found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and insular shelves. It is frequently found at depths of one meter or less but may occur down to 75 m (246 ft)".
This is my friend Myra, who lives in Costa Rica, but is originally from Ontario, Canada too! You guys would love her! She'll protect me from the sharks! Just kidding, I'm sure I won't get bitten...
Oh my god. I am freaking out. I am like a magnet for things that scare me... They can grow to be 10 feet long! Ok maybe I shouldn't have gone in the water! I was counting on approaching my fears quietly and under my terms ie. going out scuba diving or snorkelling and expecting to see them in deep water that is clear!! How am I supposed to handle them in six inches of water?? Well this is so next level... I wondered why I saw the fishermen this far down, when usually they stay north of here. Even though I am afraid of sharks, I don't want them to be killed. I would also like to request from the universe that they don't kill me :)
Until tomorrow,
"The name Sand Shark (also known as a Nurse Shark), comes from their tendency toward shoreline habitats, and they are often seen swimming around the ocean floor in the surf zone, at times they come very close to shore. They are often found in warm or temperate waters throughout the world's oceans..."
"The nurse shark is a common inshore bottom-dwelling shark, found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and insular shelves. It is frequently found at depths of one meter or less but may occur down to 75 m (246 ft)".
This is my friend Myra, who lives in Costa Rica, but is originally from Ontario, Canada too! You guys would love her! She'll protect me from the sharks! Just kidding, I'm sure I won't get bitten...
Oh my god. I am freaking out. I am like a magnet for things that scare me... They can grow to be 10 feet long! Ok maybe I shouldn't have gone in the water! I was counting on approaching my fears quietly and under my terms ie. going out scuba diving or snorkelling and expecting to see them in deep water that is clear!! How am I supposed to handle them in six inches of water?? Well this is so next level... I wondered why I saw the fishermen this far down, when usually they stay north of here. Even though I am afraid of sharks, I don't want them to be killed. I would also like to request from the universe that they don't kill me :)
Until tomorrow,
Mistake #1... bring the right camera cord!!!
Geez, I'm starting off the Good In Tent Project with a bang by bringing the wrong cord to upload my damned video footage! AAAAARRRRGGGG. Now I have to order one and god knows how long that will take :( I'm very annoyed with myself, but I just have to get over it and move on. I have the GoPro cords, but not the one for my other underwater camera - the one that I can film myself on for the blogging...
So I will just write for now, and add photos from other people, and the videos will just have to wait (although I will upload some clips I took with the GoPros). Ok so I'll just describe a few things and you can watch the videos later.
I will preface this by saying that I am not a good documentary film maker YET so don't expect stellar shots with smooth transitions and steady hand, but I am just be as honest as I can, trying my best and learning tricks from people already in the field :)
1. I found a huge train of leaf cutter ants that march up and down a path next to the hostel, so I got down on the ground and filmed them at eye level- so cool! The sun was shining through the leaves they were all carrying too so it does look really lovely.
2. There is a tiny lizard that has made his home out of a cup in the kitchen, so I filmed his little cute face peeking up over the rim. It's a really short clip but I love it.
3. the shot I didn't get- My friend Allan, who is an awesome surf instructor, was teaching a class of about 8, and I waved as I went past him on the beach because I didn't want to interrupt, and he told me today that a few seconds after I turned around to walk away, 3 humpback whales swam not 20 meters from where he was!!!!! He said he screamed my name over and over for me to look, but the waves are so loud and I was not able to see what I most want to see in the world... I couldn't believe it. He said if I even just stayed for 30 more seconds I would have seen them right in front! I would have run into the water.
4. I saved the life of an iguana today, who was running across the road. I made a truck stop so he could get past (good deed of the day).
5. I tried the gopro underwater for a bit, and it looks pretty cool!
Anyway things are going very well so far in Costa Rica. I still have moments of sheer panic when I really think about how far away I am from comfort, security, James, Josh and my friends, but then I calm myself down and remember that I am just trying to do something I want to do, so I'm doing it :)
I had such a great day- I got to help my friend Erin make all sorts of fresh juice recipes for the juice bar she is opening tomorrow!! So I got to drink the experiments! Totally made my day, and how weird is it that I manifested that?? I was so worried about missing my daily fresh juice and blender, and I am now helping open a tropical juice bar? Insane. But that's what happens when you are open to the universe.
So I will just write for now, and add photos from other people, and the videos will just have to wait (although I will upload some clips I took with the GoPros). Ok so I'll just describe a few things and you can watch the videos later.
I will preface this by saying that I am not a good documentary film maker YET so don't expect stellar shots with smooth transitions and steady hand, but I am just be as honest as I can, trying my best and learning tricks from people already in the field :)
1. I found a huge train of leaf cutter ants that march up and down a path next to the hostel, so I got down on the ground and filmed them at eye level- so cool! The sun was shining through the leaves they were all carrying too so it does look really lovely.
2. There is a tiny lizard that has made his home out of a cup in the kitchen, so I filmed his little cute face peeking up over the rim. It's a really short clip but I love it.
3. the shot I didn't get- My friend Allan, who is an awesome surf instructor, was teaching a class of about 8, and I waved as I went past him on the beach because I didn't want to interrupt, and he told me today that a few seconds after I turned around to walk away, 3 humpback whales swam not 20 meters from where he was!!!!! He said he screamed my name over and over for me to look, but the waves are so loud and I was not able to see what I most want to see in the world... I couldn't believe it. He said if I even just stayed for 30 more seconds I would have seen them right in front! I would have run into the water.
4. I saved the life of an iguana today, who was running across the road. I made a truck stop so he could get past (good deed of the day).
5. I tried the gopro underwater for a bit, and it looks pretty cool!
Anyway things are going very well so far in Costa Rica. I still have moments of sheer panic when I really think about how far away I am from comfort, security, James, Josh and my friends, but then I calm myself down and remember that I am just trying to do something I want to do, so I'm doing it :)
I had such a great day- I got to help my friend Erin make all sorts of fresh juice recipes for the juice bar she is opening tomorrow!! So I got to drink the experiments! Totally made my day, and how weird is it that I manifested that?? I was so worried about missing my daily fresh juice and blender, and I am now helping open a tropical juice bar? Insane. But that's what happens when you are open to the universe.
I love you guys, and miss you tons!
ps. these are the most beautiful butterflies here! The Morpho Butterfly- They are huge too! The Good In Tent Project lands in Costa Rica!
Hey guys! I'm in Costa Rica and things are going pretty well so far. I'm staying at a hostel for two weeks to get by bearings, and then choosing a spot for my tent. It's pouring rain right now with cracking thunder and lightning. My tent is waterproof, but I don't know if it's THIS waterproof... The power is out here too, so it's definitely more like being in a tent.
If you are not following along on facebook, here are my posts from day 1 and 2 of the Good In Tent Project...
day 1:
OMG I saw like 20 giant crocodiles in the river!!!!!!!!! Crazy!! I also saw a big opossum, some lizards, a whole bunch of vultures and a wak-ton of surfers I will write more tomorrow, but it's dark, I'm tired and I'm off to the beach now- I see some bonfires! x
day 2:
Hi guys! Holy cow what a day. I met with a girl who is opening up a juice bar down here, so it looks like I might be involved too, I filmed some leaf-cutter ants parading around in a crazy long line with perfectly cut out leaves, I saw a few iguanas, some horses (which I discovered live right next door), and I did a lot of writing I will post some videos soon! It's beautiful here. x
later on in day 2...
oh my freakin god!! I found a two-foot possum in my bed!!!!!!!!! I'm not going to bed now. Or ever. wtf?? Scared the living life out of me!
day 3:
Now I know this sounds ridiculous, but now there is a 2.5 foot iguana in my room above my bed in the rafters!! I found out why - i went eat my huge mango that I was saving for breakfast, and it was missing... found it under my bed with teeth marks all in it! Apparently I am not supposed to leave fruit in my room. It reminds me of when Nat and I were camping and we heard tons of animals outside our tent, and I said "Nat, you got rid of the garbage right?" and she said "Don't worry I tied it to the tent"... Anyway I have video of the iguana and my discovery of the mangled mango to prove my stupidity. x
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