Day 74

I woke up before dawn broke, feeling restless, and quickly climbed downstairs. As I walked down I found that it was a very humid, almost sticky feeling. I dried myself when I got to my lower hut and started a fire and cooked up a small breakfast for Lupe and me. It was filling and the spice of the bird beast meat cleared the last of my sleepiness. I walked out of my hut and stretched my arms, I wasn't going to let anything stop me now, and started gathering all the things I wanted to bring, my big knife, my tree saw, a stone pot, and a bunch of meat. I've found I can pretty much find and craft anything else I need along the way, Christ I've become a one-man construction company, in a day I can cut down a tree, turn it into a hut, and make tools and utensils, and even a bed, just in time for dinner, as long as I have a water source... and trees or rocks.

I started dragging my boat back to the river for the last time, ready to set sail, Lupe following along, jumping around the trees and chasing the little squirrels and such. We made it to the river and I started doing some last-minute checks, making sure I had everything. This was probably going to be my longest journey and the furthest I've traveled. I planned on going far down the river keeping right at whatever forks I came across so I wouldn't get too lost. I had already sealed my hut and my bedroom uptight, leaving small vents so they can breathe and not get too moldy.

Lupe hoped into the boat, and I started pushing it in, the rope on it starting to pull tight. I hopped in and with one last push, slid the rest of the way into the water. I grabbed the rope and infused it with slipperiness, or more like frictionless-ness, regardless the rope slipped off the tree and I was able to pull it to me, as the boat quickly pulled away. I started steering with the rudder and guided us to the quickest part of the river, picking up more and more speed. It was impressive really, the speed difference from the edges of the river to the center. We were speeding along, wind whipping at our faces, and everything passing in a blur.

We sped along like that for an hour or two, before I started steering us away from the center, back to the right edge of the river. It took some time, the river felt like it was pulling me to the middle and was fighting me. But I eventually got there and pulled the boat out of the water and laid on land with Lupe. We both seemed ill, the motion of the river had made us both throw up and I had finally spotted a good stopping point on the shoreline, and landed the boat there.

I cut a few branches off a tree and dried them immediately, starting a little fire to warm up some meat and water. I've heard that room temperature/warm water is good for stomach aches, and it seemed to help, even if it was just a placebo. I cut down a thicker branch and made some rough bowls and cups for me and Lupe and started eating my warm meat and water. It seemed to help, and soon enough we were back on our feet, and I picked up a struggling Lupe, and quickly got the boat back in the water.

Instead of going to the middle of the river, I stayed near the edge and found that although it was much slower, I didn't feel as sick, and Lupe seemed to be fairing a little better. I laid back in the boat and relaxed before I got the idea to tie a little bit of meat to the rope and cast it into the river. It soon dragged behind me and I would occasionally tug it, while I played the rudder, keeping us near the edge of the river. Lupe seemed to fall asleep after a while and started snoring. It was pretty relaxing overall and eventually, I drifted into a daydream.