Our First Trip to Costa Rica
May 1st to 8th, 2001
Tuesday – Day One:
Jim (my son the travel agency owner) and I finally parked at Miami International Airport only a half hour late due to a massive rainstorm a few hours earlier. We made it to MartinAir’s ticket counter to find Fran and Laurie waiting for us. They were way over packed but that was no surprise. We all checked in and got our boarding passes. At the same time in another line another member of our group was checking in; we didn’t know him at the time. He had to make a connecting flight from Chicago and we knew it would be close. My son was calling his office to use their computer to see if the Chicago flight was going to be on time when Matt came up and introduced himself. How did he find us? I guess the fact everyone was wearing a herp shirt gave us away. Our first potential disaster was avoided. Our group had grown to four. We had a long walk to our gate. My son got a gate pass so he could come with us. Jim managed to pick Bob out of the crowd because he had a herper look and naturally wearing a herp shirt. We all met Bob for the first time and now our group had grown to five. Jim headed back to his office. The plane was going to be a half hour late in taking off so we had 1and a ½ hours to wait. We talked and tried to get acquainted, some headed to the bar for a beer.
(Matt, Bob and Laurie at Miami International Airport. Fran was making a mail run.)
The flight was 2½ hours and was uneventful except for a 4 or 5 year old Dutch Boy with Big wooden shoes who kept pushing the back of my seat off and on for the whole trip. Of course, I told his parents and it would stop for a while but not for long. But what can you expect on a flight that originated in Amsterdam. We finally arrived and my back felt like we had driven all the way in a covered wagon.
Immigration was a breeze but Baggage Claims was another story. When we went to the carousal and waited, pretty soon only Matt and I plus a few other people were left waiting. Me because I watched my bag go around thirty times before I realized its color was not blue but forest green. Matt because his bag was visiting elsewhere. But unfortunately not in Costa Rica. We found someone with enough English to tell us where to go. Much to our relief the person at the claims desk spoke excellent English and was very helpful. Matt filled out the claims forms. They would send the luggage to our hotel when it arrived maybe in an hour on the next flight coming from Miami. We didn’t know it would be two days away. Gee! I remember telling everyone to only use carry-on. Since we were the only ones left, we passed through Customs without inspection. Next upon exiting the building, we were surrounded by taxi drivers looking to take us anywhere for the best price. No! I told them we were waiting for Greyline and here it comes now, but we can beat their price , they said. Well it’s hard to beat free, I told them and we were off to the Hotel Irazu. When we arrived at the Irazu I could see Willy and Steve sitting at a table in the outside bar area. I took our group over to meet them. They had arrived the day before because they were flying Delta standby out of Atlanta on passes because they are both retired Captains from Delta Airlines.
Our group has now grown to Seven our final number. We all went to our rooms to refresh ourselves and meet back at the bar in a half hour. Time to sample some crevezas. After all, we didn’t just come there for the herps we came for a little culture too.
(HAPPY HERPERS: The group from left to right sitting Matt, Steve, Laurie, Willy, Fran.
Standing Jim and Bob, we are at the Irazu our first night in Costa Rica.)
Wednesday – Day Two:
At four-thirty in the morning the birds in Costa Rica start tuning up their voices for their morning songs. At five AM the sun is up and bright and the day starts. Maybe a little early for most of us, but something you can adapt to quickly. I had an appointment with Budget Car Rental at 8 AM to pick us all up and take us to their office. He didn’t expect seven of us so he had to go back and get a van so we all would fit. I won’t try to describe morning rush hour traffic in San Jose but you can hear a lot of praying going on. We all got signed up because we all were drivers for the cars. Steve and I each drove back to the Irazu without any problems. We made some last minute purchases at a nearby store and then checked out and were on our way by 10:30 AM. Our destination was to the Hotel Villa Lapas and as the crow flies is not a great distance, but when you travel through a mountain range with a half a million hairpin turns it takes a while. Laurie cried for a pit stop all the way. I finally gave in after an hour and a half we stopped at a restaurant that had a fruit stand. The girl was a good salesman she started giving samples to everyone, many had never eaten some of the tropical fruits before. I think everyone bought something, and Laurie was happy.
We made it to the hotel about 1 PM, just in time for lunch. After that first meal I knew I had chosen the right place. After all, this place is all-inclusive hotel three meals a day plus all your drinks. What more could you ask? Well, herps of course. Ten minutes before we got to the hotel I stopped our caravan just after the bridge crossing the Rio Tarcoles. I said everybody get out your cameras we’re about to see some crocodiles. We were able to spot about 20 in the size range of 10 to 15 feet, no little ones hanging around these brutes.
(Crocodylus acutus – photo by: Matt Giandonato)
Thursday Day Three:
Due to yesterday’s storm cameras getting wet, batteries shorting out and a few other lame excuses we had to make a run into Jaco for some supplies. On the way we stopped at a beach that ran parallel to the highway. I’d pass it several times before but never stopped. It turned out to be a pretty beach in one area rocks run out into the water. This looked good for fishing to me. It looked like places my wife and I have caught snook and snapper before. A couple of the guys had brought fishing gear with them but we didn’t have it now, so we got back on the road for Jaco. We got the necessary supplies and a few un-necessary ones and headed back to the hotel just in time for a great lunch. We had a free afternoon so Steve and I walked around a little but didn’t find anything interesting. I felt some pain in my chest so I laid down for a while. Two weeks before the trip I went to the Hospital for chest pain and had an angiogram. They found a small blockage that could be treated with meds. I guess the excitement of the trip and so many things to do put me in overdrive and I had a little relapse that slowed my actives for a few days.
Everyone has their own theory on what time is best to catch snakes crossing the road. One experienced Everglades road cruiser said he always had his best luck at the first hour of darkness. So everyone but I, was on the road at 5:30 when it was first dark. They came back at 7:30 for dinner, they had found a beautiful speckled racer that had been hit by a car just before they came to it, it was still moving. At 9:30 after a nice dinner and a few crevezas they headed out again for the second run of the night. I grabbed my headlight and walked along the edge of the river and found only a few frogs. Steve and Matt came in at 1.30 AM having caught a Fer-de-lance and a Sibon, plus some road kills consisting of two more Fer-de-lance and a new one on me a scorpion eating snake (Stenorrhina freminvillii).
(Bothrops asper – photo by: Bob Herrington)(check out the tick at the base of the jaw)
Friday Day Four:
We all had breakfast and sat around for an hour and a half telling war stories about the night before. I started feeding the spiny tail iguanas by throwing them pieces of papaya that Matt didn’t finish. Within five minutes I had them eating from my hand. We had four female and male iguanas eating just about anything we offered. Laurie wanted to hand feed and she did very good with the females they were pretty calm but the male was spooky and she got nipped on the hand by him. Just then Matt spotted a frog jumping a short distance away, he said he thought it was a poison arrow frog. Well, we missed two the first day and hadn’t seen another until now. I ran over and grabbed it before it got into a huge woodpile where it was heading. I had no intension of missing another one after all we needed one for pictures.
(Dendrobates auratus)
Around 2:30 in the afternoon two friends of mine came to the hotel. Wein and Francis his wife who live in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Wein is a transplanted Dutchman who has lived in CR for 18 years, he’s also a herp collector and Francis is a Tica (Costa Rican). I had invited Wein to hunt with us at night. We all had dinner together and with our new guests it made a very interesting mix in the conversation. At 8:00 the group was ready to go, since Willy wasn’t feeling too great and I restricted myself to staying at home so to speak, I invited the two guides at the hotel to join the group for the evenings hunt. They were well versed with the mammals and birds in the area and fairly good and knowledgeable with the herps. But, Edwardo and Sebastian had never hunted for herps before and they were quite impressed with the herps we had brought in so far. That night they released the Fer-de-lance that Steve had caught the night before. Bob, Wein and Laurie went together in one car and had no luck by 11:30. They were coming by the hotel and Bob dropped off Laurie and Wein who decided to call it a night. Bob went back on the road until 2 AM and still had no luck but found a rainbow boa road kill. Steve and Matt dropped off the guides Edwardo and Sebastian at 11:00 and hadn’t caught the first snake yet. They headed out again and returned again at 12:00 having caught two cat eyed snakes and a sibon.
Saturday Day Five:
Steve, Matt, Bob and Willy went to the beach to try a little fishing. It wasn’t long before Bob hooked a snook, had him on for a minute but the line broke. He then put on a lure and cast for a while and snagged a huge parrot fish that broke the line. Fishing in the surf with good size waves is tough with only 8 lb. test line. In the afternoon Steve and Matt drove to a place that sold tickets from there you could walk down the mountain (a 45 minute trip) to see a 600 feet waterfall. At the base there are ten pools you can swim in, before the trip back UP the trail. On the way back they encountered a green vine snake (oxybelis fulgidus) that was in a small tree hanging off the side of the mountain. By the time they reached the top Matt was five minutes behind Steve, too many crevezas I think! Laurie drove with them and they dropped her off for a horseback ride through the mountains to the waterfall. For her she said it was the better part of the trip. She really enjoyed the ride, the views were breath taking.
That night Steve and Matt went out and caught two Dipsus. Bob and Fran took Wein and to my surprise Francis out for 2 hours and only found two road kills. They dropped Wein and Francis off and stayed out until 2 AM finding two more Fer-de-lances that were road kills and they missed what they believed was a Coral Snake.
Sunday Day Six:
We all had just finished breakfast when I got up and walked over to talk to Edwardo. He and I discussed a few days before our group helping him on a project. It was a new project of painting numbers on the backs of large crocodiles with an iridescent paint that they can spot at night with a special light. They had tried radio transmitters but they kept getting damaged or knocked off and lost. The Biologist who had the trapping equipment didn’t show up, so it was put off for a week and we couldn’t be involved. If this had happened I’m sure it would have been a great experience for all of us. Edwardo was telling me that three weeks before our arrival some guest at the hotel encountered a jaguar on one of the hotel’s trails. It is rare to see a jaguar anywhere in Costa Rica today. While we were talking one of the grounds keepers ran up to Edwardo and said that a Clelia had just fallen out of a tree and was eating a small mouse. Edwardo asked if I wanted to see it, I said let’s go. When we got there it wasn’t a Clelia, but a Spilotes pullatus, a snake that I breed. I grabbed it before it could make it to the woods. It had fallen from a large mango tree when it grabbed the mouse. He had already swallowed the mouse and kept it down. In the wild, snakes don’t give up a meal very easily. This was my first encounter with Spilotes in the wild he didn’t even try to bite. This animal was about 80% yellow instead of 80% black which is typical. Boy did I want to take this one home. But didn’t.
(Spilotes pullatus)
I still had been staying at the hotel and close to my room due to the chest pain I’d been having, but lucky for me one member of our group, Fran, was a Pharmacist and he had been working with me on my meds to see if we could relieve some of the pain. He had me using two Nitro patches a day instead of one. That worked pretty well but if I exerted myself the pain came back. On Sunday he suggested I try three patches. I did and I was pain free. I didn’t know how much I could push it, but I kept pushing little by little. It was the best I felt in days. By the time we had finished dinner I was feeling so good that I had talked the group into going down to the bridge and sneaking up on the big crocodiles, putting the spot light on them. Once we had them in the light they would stay and we could get some pictures. I guess I was real disappointed in not getting a chance to help in the crocodile project. So we got our gear and piled into the cars and headed for the river. We stopped at the waterside of the bridge and got out. It was very dark and we could shine the eyes of several crocs. The bridge is probably 1/4 mile long but by the end of the dry season the actual water was only a couple of hundred feet wide at this end of the bridge. The bridge was maybe 50 feet above the water. We went to each side of the road and there was no easy way down, the grade was probably 60% with loose rock and gravel and at the bottom of the grade was a bob-wired fence. If we lost our footing we would roll down into the fence. Edwardo had told me the other side was easier to get down but it was a long walk. We went to the other side where there was a bar that was closed. As we parked a watchmen can out with his big barking dog. I told him what we were going to do and he said “no problema”. We could leave our car there. I thanked him and we were on our way. The grade was only about thirty percent on this side and we took off right under the bridge. The going was okay for the first five minutes then we hit our first bob-wired fence. Well, not all of our group was experienced with climbing over or under or between bob-wired fences. It took a lot of time to get everyone through safely. Then we ran into cane grass that was over our heads then we had to go down a steep grade and then another fence and another after that. It took us about thirty minutes to get to the water and about thirty seconds for the crocs to swim away. No pictures at all, they just went under or swam to the other side. Oh well! Now we had a thirty-minute walk back. In the meantime a whole herd of cattle came up behind us to see what we were doing. Matt being a Chicago boy just knew they were going to stampede us any second. We had to watch out for each other and try not to step on a cow pie or a Fer-de-lance. We managed to get back without any mishaps.
They dropped me off at the hotel on their way to the evening hunt. I felt great even after being humiliated by the crocodiles, but I didn’t know if I could take another two or three hours on the road. Steve and Matt caught a Dipsus, a sibon and an Imantodes. They also found a few road kills. Bob, Laurie and Fran had a good night; they caught two Rainbow Boa, a common boa and Imantodes gemnistratus(our first one of the trip). Plus they had another snake in a bag. Bob was pretty sure he had a 4 foot Coral Snake in the bag. I had brought a device that a snake bag attaches to with a rectangular opening around 6X12 inches and with a snake hook you can safely hook the snake and slide him in. Bob did that and it worked very well. They put the snake in the trunk so no accident would happen. But when they pulled into the hotel at 2:30 AM, Laurie said that the snake had escaped and got from the trunk into the car, he was up by the back window. They had to re-catch the snake and bag it again. Well! That will keep your battery charged up. The next morning the snake turned out to be an oxyrhopus petola that had pushed through the seam the night before. In Costa Rica they have a coral snake that is red and black with no yellow or white bands. The oxyrhopus petola is red and black banded an easy mistake I had made that same mistake six or seven years before.
Monday Day Six:
After a very long breakfast and just sitting around the table BS’ing most of us just laid around until lunch. I was feeling pretty good all day so far. At lunch I asked everyone if they would like to go back to Carara National Park and try to get another crack at the crocs they had spotted in the pond. Everyone liked the idea and a short time later we were in the cars on our way. Willy stayed behind he was having problems with his knees. Everyone assured me that it was an easy walk but they didn’t tell me how long it was. About 45 minutes later we came up to the path that lead to the pond with the crocs. Just before we got there we came up behind some bird watchers with a guide walking in front of us. This was bad timing you don’t want people around when you plan on messing with a croc especially in a National Park. So we walked down to the pond with these other folks, acting like tourists, which I guess we were. But we had a plan if any of us saw the crocs we would not mention it. We looked at the birds and just kept walking around killing time. Steve and I started walking around the edge of a dry area trying to find something. We headed back to our group, the other guys were gone and we had the place to ourselves. Matt had already found one of the crocs he tried to catch him and missed. He had spotted another just as I came up, he pointed him out to me and I moved in for the grab. The croc started moving and I only had a shot at the tail, which I grabbed with my right hand and quickly got my left hand on his neck. Well! I was full of mud but I had caught my first Crocodile. I caught my first alligator in the Everglades when I was about 12 years old, my first Caiman many years later in Costa Rica and now a crocodile. I have to say it felt pretty good. We took our pictures and everyone got to hold it for their picture, we let him go, mission accomplished.
(Crocodylus acutus)
After dinner everyone was anxious to hit the road this would be the final hunt, tomorrow would by a travel day, first to San Jose and then to Miami. We all felt a little sad that night having to leave paradise and go back to the real world. But we weren’t done yet. That night Steve and Matt caught an Imantodes gemnistratus and found a few more road kills. But Bob, Laurie and Fran came back with two snakes they caught that I had never seen before one looked awfully familiar. But the back of he head was a bright white/yellow color if it hadn’t been for this I would say it was a Leptodeira. The other snake was a small brown snake with black dots all over its back and sides. A week later both snakes were identified as Leptodeira septentrionalis the one with white on the head. (Juveniles some time have white on the head that changes to brown as an adult).
(Leptodeira septentrionalis – photo by: Bob Herrington)
Tuesday Day Seven:
We all ate a hearty breakfast because we would not eat again until we were on the plane and believe me their meal leaves a lot to be desired. We had two different departure times. Steve and Willy were flying Delta to Atlanta then back to Miami. The rest of us were going direct to Miami on Martin Air. The Delta flight left at 2:PM and Martin Air left at 4:30PM. So it was decided that Steve, Willy and Bob would go in one car to San Jose where they would stop by Serpentario Nacional. After they were through there they would drop the car off at Budget and catch a ride to the airport. Steve and Willy would catch their flight and Bob would wait for us.
Laurie, Fran, Matt and I would go in the other car and stop in Grecia at the “El mundo de los serpientes” (World of Snakes). Fran was elected to drive we had plenty of time so it was OK that he was driving the speed limit 80 klm an hour. Well! 80 klms on the highway is only 50 miles an hour. I started to coaxing him along a little. He wouldn’t even pass on the double lines and we weren’t even in the mountains yet. Finally he got the message when everyone passed us, he ever passed on a curve from behind a slow truck by the time we made it over the mountains you couldn’t slow him down. He was driving like a Tico. We made it to the World of Snakes and met Robert and Marcel the owners. I was quite impressed with the size and cleanliness of the operation. They had huge glass front cages with only one or two snakes in each one. The cage had natural plants, rock and ponds. They had a nice variety of Costa Rican and exotic herps, they are primarily breeders and sell to wholesalers worldwide. We were all glad we made the trip it was worth seeing.
From there it was about 40 minutes back to Budget where, after a small delay, they drove us to the airport. Another hour in line and we headed for the gate where Bob was waiting for us. An hour later our wheels lifted off the ground, 2 hours and twenty minutes later we were safety on the ground in Miami. Clearing customs and immigrations was no problem we all said our goodbyes and exchanged phone numbers and email addresses. Then it was over, an experience we will not forget for a long time, probably never.
Jim Kavney
Note:
The snakes on this list is probably not complete as we saw some snakes on the road that we were unable to catch, they made it off the road and into the jungle before we could stop them. Also all road kills probably not recorded specially the last couple of nights. This list doesn’t include the numerous other forms of reptiles and amphibians we came across on this trip. This list was compiled by: Jim Kavney.
Each of the Herpers on our trip has a few things to say about their personal experiences.
The following information was provided by members of our group, of our trip to Costa Rica, May 2001. Each member of the group was asked to send me an email in their own words describing their impression of the trip. I asked them to make it in five words, five lines or five paragraphs. I thought five pages would be a little much. Here is what they had to say:
Jim; I really enjoyed the trip to Costa Rica. Now that I’ve learned to pronounce the name of the country, I’m really enjoying it. The food was great. The birds, bats, flowers, orchids, herps, insects, fish and the friendly people all combined to make me want to retire there when I grow up. Thanks for inviting me.
Willy Poddick
It’s a great pleasure recommending Jim Kavney’s Hiss ‘n’ Things Herping Adventures in Costa Rica, I do with fond memories! First just a little about Jim. He has been an ardent herper and breeder from his early teens and is one of the most knowledgeable snake breeders I know. Jim shares his knowledge and experience in a way that is most beneficial and informative to novice and serious herpers alike. In other words you will learn and enjoy your trip. Now, about the trip. There are not enough adjectives in my vocabulary to adequately describe all the flora and fauna of the Costa Rica Rain Forest. We encountered 18 species of snakes with a lot of redundancy in most species, plus crocodiles, ctenosaurs, iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, geckos, anoles, lizards, frogs, toads and turtles. Also many of Costa Rica’s numerous mammals were sighted.
There is plenty to do for the non-herpers also. Costa Rica is an ornithological smorgasbord with 830 species of birds. Fishing is great, snook right from the beach! Hiking, swimming, horseback riding, sightseeing, Carara National Park, Villa Lapas Skyway, Water Falls, etc. and souvenir shopping in the great little surfing town of Jaco’, about 15 minutes by car.
Villa Lapas is an ecological and all-inclusive resort on the Tarcolitos River. The rooms and grounds are very neat and clean. There is a pool with a Jacuzzi, mini-golf, game room, butterfly garden and more. The food was out standing, fresh fruit every day and your choice from a nicely varied menu. The fish is excellent! The bar with its fresh fruit drinks is a cozy spot to relax anytime or to pick up a drink and head for the pool.
Please feel free to email me. I spent 31 years traveling all over the world. I highly recommend this trip.
Steve Brito
smjbrito@webtv.net
Dear Jim and Helen,
It’s been 2 days since we talked and I JUST now plugged the computer in!! So here goes my version: The first thing you notice is the heat-it’s incredibly hot, but after the first day it doesn’t matter anymore- You’re too busy being awed by the country. After spending the first night in the city (San Jose), we took the rental cars over the mountains to the Pacific shore. The beauty of the countryside on the trip down was second only to our home for the next 6 days, a lovely little all-inclusive resort nestled in the middle of a rainforest! All the food we could eat, drinks we could drink (and the bartenders thought nothing of concocting ANY strange combination we came up with!), and all the Iggys we could play with! The iguanas are used to humans and are really little beggars-we had to get extra from the buffet just to satisfy them! The trails to walk on, the beautiful rocky stream running alongside the hotel and the chance encounters with the native fauna were incredible. Everything came together beautifully for an enchanting trip. The climax of the trip for me was something I have only dreamed of doing-I went on the horseback trip down the side of the mountain to see the grandeur of the waterfall in its entirety. It was incredible, exciting, scary, and I would do it every day if I could! The guide understood my limits (sedentary, non-exercising lifestyle) and gave encouragement the whole way. It was a 45 minute horseback ride, then we left the horses tied at a little covered area and continued on foot 2000 feet down-and I do mean DOWN; then, of course we had to come back UP 2000 feet. There were moments when I thought, I couldn’t move one more step, but Victor, my guide would tell me about his 5 day old baby girl, or tell me a joke, or tell me one of the many legends his people have about the mountain and before I knew it we had gotten back to the horses. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything and can’t wait to go back and do it again-maybe next time I can talk everyone else into having the experience of a lifetime!
Laurie Livingston,
Middleburg, Fl.
Sorry Jim-I got a little carried away-the place is wonderful!!!
Laurie
I have to say that the trip was everything I was hoping it would be. Everything went as smooth as possible. We saw so much in the time that we were there that I can’t wait to go back. The snakes, crocodiles, birds, monkeys, etc., were amazing. I saw things that I would normally have to go to a zoo to see. I could not have picked a better group of people to go with. We all had different backgrounds and different levels of interest in reptiles and wildlife. We had a blast. We almost always ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together and shared stories of what we did the night before or earlier that day. I have not stopped talking about this trip to my family and friends since I got back. They are all ready to put me back on the plane. I have never done a trip like this before where I didn’t know the people I was going with. The first time I met everyone was at the airport. I would tell anyone that is considering going on a trip like this to go for it. This was an awesome experience that my words just can’t do it justice.
Matthew J Giandonato -Chicago
The highlight of my week in Costa Rica came with our decision to do the skyway canopy walk. I had previously heard of others visiting the Costa Rican rain forest and taking in a tour of the forest canopy, but my only concept of how in fact this was actually accomplished came from having seen the movie The Medicine Man, with little rope slings that one would pull on or release to ascend or descend on rope trails slung through the tree tops. I was firmly convinced that the only canopy that I was likely to see would be that pulled down around me if someone actually thought that it was feasible to pull my 300 pound frame any height up into a tree. Then Eduardo, the resorts resident eco-biologist, informed us that there was no need for concern as he had been successful in taking an 86 year-old woman on that very tour the week before. Well, that was it right there, I was more than willing to pluck down my twenty dollars just to see how these folks accomplished the task of getting an 86 year old over one hundred feet into the air amongst the tree tops. Never would I have believed what we were about to embark upon without seeing it myself. As our bus approached the entryway to the skyway, we were able to see a large, tall metal structure erected amongst the trees. The pessimist that I am, now my concern turned to how they expected to get this height fearing fool to climb that tower. After a few stops to gaze off the mountain side over the seaside vistas, we began a march out across five amazingly crafted metal grate suspension bridges that zigzagged back and forth between adjacent mountain sides, over ravines of thick forest, at one point 135 feet above the bottom of the ravine below. With visions of helicopters dangling large pieces of support towers and miles of steel cable, it wasn’t long before Eduardo set us straight and informed us of the sixty men who spent six months hauling all of the materials and constructing all of this on site on the hillsides. The running commentary and first hand observations of this remarkable biodiversity, both plant and animal, made this an experience that I will not soon forget…
Fran
The first Costa Rican experience was a great trip. I was a little leery of traveling and spending a week coupled up with people that I have not met before but all my fears were gone within the first few minutes with “the group”. Herping was great and lots of new species to add to my life’s list. You wouldn’t have to even be interested in herps to enjoy yourself. The lodge setting is magnificent and even if you never left it, you would have a great time. During our trip, the insects were much less bothersome than the mosquitoes in my backyard in Georgia. I highly recommend this trip to everyone who has wanted to do it but just haven’t gotten around to it. DO IT!
Bob Herrington
Professor of Biology
Georgia Southwestern State Univ.
Americus, GA