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and scolded myself, That's far enough, Yossi. Don't go out of your mind.

It was difficult to grasp that I had been in the jungle two weeks. Two weeks alone. I couldn't bear much more of it. I was physically weak and liable to lose my senses. Two days had already gone by since I had left Curiplaya. That meant I should be coming to San José the next day. Tommorrow I would be seeing people. I didn't want to delude myself. To make myself believe that and to count on it. What if I didn't make it tomorrow? I had been walking slowly, had lost my way, had wasted a lot of time. Anyway the Indians made the walk during the dry season. And they probably were better hikers than I. Maybe a four-day walk for them is like a seven-or eight-day walk for me. It made sense. I stopped thinking about the next day, but deep in my heart I fervently hoped that I would find the village. What a wonderful surprise that would be.

It had stopped raining, but the dampness of the last few days had taken its toll. The rash was beginning to spread over my feet, and my inner thighs were red and raw. There was an irritating inflammation between my buttocks as well, and I still suffered the tormenting pain of the deep gash in my backside.

I mustn't coddle myself, have to be tough. I have to ignore the pain and keep going, I reminded myself.

During breakfast, which consisted of two eggs,