EXPEDITION COSTA RICA

THE POWER OF THE RAINFORESTExpeditions, by definition, are about the unknown; and it's terribly easy to screw up on the planning or mis-cast some of the players ... Out in the wild, one deals with extremes, challenges, and uncertainty on a daily, even hourly, basis. Yet, simultaneously, there's the unparalleled high of constantly outdoing oneself physically. 'Expedition Costa Rica' took place when a native Costa Rican living in New York City decided to lead a strapping band of willing followers deep into the mountainous jungle to find a tribe reputedly living wholly apart from civilization. The trek went nothing as expected. Envision rain, mud, ridiculous uncertainty, personality clashes, and the real-deal jungle holding it all in. But in the end, it was the not knowing that evoked the greatest emotion and depth. This book, by W. M. Raebeck - one of three women in the group of more than twenty - was written during the expedition itself, usually beside a campfire in the rain. When the author walked out of the jungle, the completed manuscript was in her backpack. If you like wild, one-off accounts of unusual people doing unusual things in the mud, and you want to experience the rainforest 'first-hand,' this story is definitely for you!