because she wasn’t taken anywhere else and only escaped via the boathouse with Josef’s security pass.’
‘Correct. Salina was scouting both areas in an attempt to gain entry. We were able to acquire a security key from an employee who refuses to undergo any more testing on behalf of the company. He’s feigning sickness to avoid going in.’
‘I’m assuming Salina is armed?’
‘Of course.’
Martin shakes his head. ‘I don’t have a good feeling about this. She would have been in contact with us by now if everything was okay.’ He pauses for a moment to assess his options while Luke waits on the line. ‘I’ll organise for police backup to be on standby in Bled, just in case. Meet me at the hospital and we’ll agree next steps from there.’
Alexa
A n environment as rich, thick, colourful and bountiful as this is difficult to describe. It’s as if we have arrived in the midst of the heart and lungs of the earth. It’s overwhelming. Everywhere I look is teeming with life; foliage is the greenest of greens; the flowers and multicoloured birds are brighter than anywhere I have seen. It’s as if I’m seeing everything for the first time through a special fluorescent lens. I have the sense of suddenly feeling like an insect in a land so vast and massive that it’s almost impossible to gain any perspective. The sounds of the jungle almost drown out our voices, as if we are rudely interrupting nature’s conversations when we speak. I breathe in the intoxicating freshness of the air. My lungs have never experienced anything so pure; it immediately energises my body, which is hungry for more of this invisible feast.
Leo has built a small village of elaborate and luxurious huts scattered around a main building which resembles the other Avalon I visited at the end of my weekend with Jeremy. There is no ocean here, we are embedded in the fertility of the dense jungle which is littered with streams and tributaries that no doubt lead into the massive river system that feeds the mighty Amazon river. The sound of water trickling is never far away, like tiny bells tinkering in the wind. I feel like I’ve landed in the jungle version of the Faraway Tree and half expect to stumble upon Moon-Face or the Saucepan Man. This place is pure magic, its energy flows right through my body, enhancing my mood and enlightening my spirit.
Surprisingly, we settle in very quickly to this new world. We go for walks on tracks that need to be remade and hacked out with machetes after each wet season and we are situated near the most gorgeous water hole to swim in, already a favourite pastime for the kids. It has a waterfall and a natural water-slide and is surrounded by water lilies and the vibrant sounds of nature. The water is cool and fresh and provides great relief from the humidity and heat of the day.
It’s difficult for me to consider the imminent threats I faced in my old world as I eagerly immerse myself in this one, happily distancing myself from any potential danger my children and I face. Every time the headlines in Madame Jurilique’s letter pop into my mind I resolutely push the thought aside. There’s nothing I can do about it now. I’ve put my trust in Leo and allI can do is see it through. Who knows, it may have already begun and I’d be none the wiser, so I continue to embrace this ‘unreality’ while it lasts.
Our diet consists mainly of fish, vegetables and fruit sourced from the jungle, with plentiful treats such as sweet berries fetched from the trees … and we’ve even adjusted to the bitterness of the chocolate made from cocoa beans. Our food looks like a festival dancing on our plate with so many rich, diverse colours competing for attention. The kids love the taste of maracujá ice cream and tapioca and are having a ball climbing to reach the purple grape-sized berries from the açai palm trees. They haven’t asked for any fast food yet so hopefully the abundant supply of papas fritas , otherwise
‘Correct. Salina was scouting both areas in an attempt to gain entry. We were able to acquire a security key from an employee who refuses to undergo any more testing on behalf of the company. He’s feigning sickness to avoid going in.’
‘I’m assuming Salina is armed?’
‘Of course.’
Martin shakes his head. ‘I don’t have a good feeling about this. She would have been in contact with us by now if everything was okay.’ He pauses for a moment to assess his options while Luke waits on the line. ‘I’ll organise for police backup to be on standby in Bled, just in case. Meet me at the hospital and we’ll agree next steps from there.’
Alexa
A n environment as rich, thick, colourful and bountiful as this is difficult to describe. It’s as if we have arrived in the midst of the heart and lungs of the earth. It’s overwhelming. Everywhere I look is teeming with life; foliage is the greenest of greens; the flowers and multicoloured birds are brighter than anywhere I have seen. It’s as if I’m seeing everything for the first time through a special fluorescent lens. I have the sense of suddenly feeling like an insect in a land so vast and massive that it’s almost impossible to gain any perspective. The sounds of the jungle almost drown out our voices, as if we are rudely interrupting nature’s conversations when we speak. I breathe in the intoxicating freshness of the air. My lungs have never experienced anything so pure; it immediately energises my body, which is hungry for more of this invisible feast.
Leo has built a small village of elaborate and luxurious huts scattered around a main building which resembles the other Avalon I visited at the end of my weekend with Jeremy. There is no ocean here, we are embedded in the fertility of the dense jungle which is littered with streams and tributaries that no doubt lead into the massive river system that feeds the mighty Amazon river. The sound of water trickling is never far away, like tiny bells tinkering in the wind. I feel like I’ve landed in the jungle version of the Faraway Tree and half expect to stumble upon Moon-Face or the Saucepan Man. This place is pure magic, its energy flows right through my body, enhancing my mood and enlightening my spirit.
Surprisingly, we settle in very quickly to this new world. We go for walks on tracks that need to be remade and hacked out with machetes after each wet season and we are situated near the most gorgeous water hole to swim in, already a favourite pastime for the kids. It has a waterfall and a natural water-slide and is surrounded by water lilies and the vibrant sounds of nature. The water is cool and fresh and provides great relief from the humidity and heat of the day.
It’s difficult for me to consider the imminent threats I faced in my old world as I eagerly immerse myself in this one, happily distancing myself from any potential danger my children and I face. Every time the headlines in Madame Jurilique’s letter pop into my mind I resolutely push the thought aside. There’s nothing I can do about it now. I’ve put my trust in Leo and allI can do is see it through. Who knows, it may have already begun and I’d be none the wiser, so I continue to embrace this ‘unreality’ while it lasts.
Our diet consists mainly of fish, vegetables and fruit sourced from the jungle, with plentiful treats such as sweet berries fetched from the trees … and we’ve even adjusted to the bitterness of the chocolate made from cocoa beans. Our food looks like a festival dancing on our plate with so many rich, diverse colours competing for attention. The kids love the taste of maracujá ice cream and tapioca and are having a ball climbing to reach the purple grape-sized berries from the açai palm trees. They haven’t asked for any fast food yet so hopefully the abundant supply of papas fritas , otherwise
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