It was pulled back ready to strike...

I'm really not trying to make you wait. It's been really crazy around here. And for me I really have to be in a writing mood!! So if you haven't checked out the first and second part of my story check them out!


I backed up quickly and she stayed still, while the rest of us went around her. No one got bit. They said that was a rattler too. I thought it was strange cause I didn't remember seeing a rattle or hearing it. Talk about having enough snakes within 3-4 hours! We continued on our hike. We got to stop at a really cool place called the Grato. The water was beautiful. Such a crystal clear blue! But too cold for me to swim! We did have fun climbing on the rocks and got some pretty good pictures. (which I can't find, sorry.) After about an hour at the Grato we headed for our campsite for the night. We had about 2 kilometers left to hike. I barely made it back. (for those of you who don't know, I have lyphodema. It's extra tissue fluid in my feet and legs. They swell up pretty bad in heat and with a lot of walking.) My feet and legs were killing me. But none the less I did make it back! What a sigh of relief!! After a little rest some of the ladies got dinner ready. I couldn't eat. I just started breaking down crying, I had had enough! I headed for the ladies washroom and one of the ladies on staff came and talked to me. She was so sweet. She let me know she believes God has His hand in everything. Including snakes. We may not always understand it. She let me know that we had seen more snakes that day than she had seen on the same hike in the last 6 years!
At that point she asked me to decide if I thought my legs could handle the next day. Which was a 19 km hike with rough terrain. Since my legs were hurting so bad and I was emotionally spent, I told her I didn't think I could. We decided I would do the last 6-7 km and finish the hike. Whew! Was I relieved. I was then able to eat a little. A few of us decided to go wash our hair with my Herbal Essence Shampoo in the lake!! It was "Refreshing" to say the least!! haha! Then we all sat around the campfire, sang songs, and made s'mores. All of us were on a total of 3 campsites. The main site we cooked at was on one side of the road. The other two were on the other side. We slowly all headed for bed. It had been a very long and draining day. My friend Avie and I shared a tent, and Hemp was in the other (right next to us.) Everybody else was across the road. I was so excited that I would get a good full nights sleep without being woken up by Arika. (She had woken up every night in jungle camp, since she always got out from under her covers and would get cold.)
I drifted off into sweet slumber, so welcomed after a long trying day. Only to be woken up by my friend Avie Yelling, "JOY, SOMETHING IS TRYING TO GET IN THE TENT!"