Real Survival Stories is a podcast about true stories of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations. The host is John Hopkins who played Sergeant Dan Scott in the show The Midsomer Murders. The guests of the show were stranded in the desert, lost in the jungle, marooned in the mountains, and shipwrecked on the high seas. The stories are incredible and it is a miracle they survived their ordeals.
I listened to the episode Lost in the Forest: Rainforest Nightmare. The story is about Dave Boyer and Chrystal Ramsey who decide to hike in the Amazon Rainforest. Both of them loved the outdoors and viewed this trip as a dream come true. Besides just enjoying the outdoors, Boyer hoped they would get back together as they dated in the past but broke up when they moved apart.
Dave and Chrystal's journey began in Sao Paulo, Brazil. From there, they were driven to a hostel that is close to the Amazon Rainforest. They set out on their hike without a tour guide. Initially, they were in awe of the nature around them. They found the trees and wildlife to be stunning!
The trouble began when they tracked a bird off trail. A bird sounded closer than it was and they hiked further into the undergrowth. Additionally, they walked further to explore a waterfall. When they were ready to get back to hiking, Dave and Chrystal realized they were lost and they saw no trailmarkers. They did not panic initially but as the hours passed and the sun began to set they grew frantic.
Dave and Chrystal spent six grueling days in the jungle. They experienced sweltering heat, insect bites, exhaustion, and anxiety as they tried to find their way back to the hostel. During one of their nights in the jungle, it poured heavily and they were freezing cold because they were in a mudpitt to escape bug bites. By day six, they were at wit’s end. Fortunately, they were rescued in a river by two canoers after swimming in the water for four hours. They were brought back to civilization and recovered in a hospital.
Real Survival Stories is a fascinating thriller. You feel fear and panic for the storytellers as they describe what they experienced and then breathe a sight of relief when they are rescued. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone that enjoys adventure stories.
Michael Walsh is an Adult Services Librarian at the Will Library. He is currently reading Rat Bastards by John "Red" Shea.