2 men 2 machetes and a walk in the jungle

Last Thursday my friend Dave  was talking about going the next day to walk the land that is jungle that he was thinking of buying. He kept telling me how gorgeous it was.  So I asked to go along - sure he says- well this is Dave and I did not figure on hearing from him.  So I was very surprised the next morning around 9 when he called and said are you going?  Sure who can turn down a walk in the jungle on a beautiful morning.  I hung up and got to thinking- what does a gal wear to walk in the jungle - shorts or pants so I called him back and he said   " you need to wear long pants and your boots"  I can tell you that this girl did not bring along her boots to Panama!! Dave came to the rescue and said I think I have some. He arrived with a brand new pair of boots in just my size and they even looked good. They had been left in his apartment building.  He instructed me to tuck my pants inside and in his words " there are critters out there that you do NOT want getting to you".  Okay I had a moments thought that maybe this accident prone gal should not think about hiking the jungle.  But I did not come to Panama to sit and not experience its life so off we went. 
We picked up another Dave who also wanted to see the property that is located about 25 minutes from town in an area called Caldera.  We took his 4 wheel drive and was it needed.  Once we went off the main road we went down a dirt road that stopped at a creek - yep across we went bouncing from side to side as the truck in ruts and rocks then took a sharp turn left onto a path that was just as wide as the truck and not much more.  Branches brushed against the windows as we crawled upward with the stream on one side and a wall of dirt and rock on the other.  We suddenly were in a clearing with a gate and Dave says what do you think?  My thoughts at that moment was still on critters as I looked in to a vast area of overgrown jungle. We got out of the truck- I double checked to make sure that my pants were tucked nicely into my new rubber boots and looked up to see both Daves' carrying machetes.  Now I can say that this Iowa gal has never been with one guy let alone two guys carrying machetes as we go on our hike.  For the most part in the beginning there was a path but the guys slapped away branches with the machetes.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that Dave did say that one of the critters he was talking about were snakes.  If there is one thing I am deathly afraid of it is SNAKES, give me a mouse, a bat or anything else but not snakes.  I did for worn them that if I did see one that my scream would be heard all the way back to Boquete.   The hike was fascinating.  We walked the length of the property on the level part for about a mile ( and I know this because I now wear a step counter) It was beautiful - I could not see more than about 10 yards in any direction.  The  Dave says now we have to find a way to get  to the river. Through the over growth we headed winding one way and then the other - we could here the river but it took several tries to get through to find it and when we did it was so pretty.  What the call rivers here I would call a stream but unlike back home there are tons of boulders of all sizes and they cause the river to be a series of rapids with a thunderous roar as the water cascades through it.  So Dave says you two find your way back to the truck and bring it back to the place that we had crossed the river.  I looked at Dave #2 and said hope you marked the trail!!! It took several wrong turns before we broke into complete daylight and followed the path back to the truck.  And I can say I was very glad to see it- the sweat was running off me and I am happy to say that no we did not see any snakes.  This Iowa girl can now say she has walked the jungle and see machetes in action.
The story is yet to get better but that is for the next blog.