Book Details

"Tell us all about your life in the jungle," they asked me again and again.

"I don’t think I can," I answered. "It was such a different world—how can I possibly explain it?"

"Well then," said a soft-spoken little friend in the front row, "just tell us some stories."

And so I did. Some were funny, some were sad, and some were…well…you’ll see.
-Ron Snell

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Mighty Push 13
Chapter 2Yarinacocha 29
Chapter 3 Air Knockers 39
Chapter 4 Timpia 53
Chapter 5 Midnight, Matso and the Managerie 71
Chapter 6 Arturo & Maria 85
Chapter 7 Canoeing the Tushmo 107
Chapter 8 Man of the House 117
Chapter 9 Spam Stampede 131
Chapter 10 Yellow Brother, Yellow Mother 145
Chapter 11 Bats & Rats & Status Symbols 167
Chapter 12 Lonely Souls 181
Chapter 13 Riding the Flood 199
Chapter 14 The Posse 219
Chapter 15 Yarinacocha to Tingo Maria 233
Chapter 16 Tingo Maria to Lima 251

Chapters

Introduction

I wouldn't trade my childhood for any other. Conceived in the Amazon rainforest, I learned to walk and talk among the Machiguenga Indians
who, to this day, call me "Rani."

The "Machis" were my first babysitters and friends. From them I learned to tie a house together, eat monkeys and macaws, and make dugout canoes. They laughed at my log rides down rampaging rivers and caught exotic pets for me. Life was one great adventure after another. After all, what could be more fun than perching in thorn trees at night to escape a herd of stampeding pigs?

The Machiguengas adopted me and my family into theirs. As they touched our lives we discovered what it would cost us to touch theirs.

I hope this first book of the "Rani Adventures" will bring you laughter, tears and a new perspective on the old cliche: "It's a jungle out there!"