The Ultimate Survivor.

On December 12 1969 I went for a tramp in a hot and muggy jungle in Nepal for nine days.  On the first day I had to run down a steep hill, but when I was running I tripped and lost my pack.  I only had a knife, mirror and a spare shoe lace.

Firstly I went to find some materials for a shelter and also some firewood.  I managed to use the last of the sun to reflect off the mirror to start the fire.  It was starting to get dark and cold so I had get my fire started.

Secondly I had to construct a shelter to sleep in overnight.  To make the shelter I had to find a good site that had a branch hanging over a flat dry spot. I placed sticks against the branched and then covered them with leaves and more small sticks.  My fire and shelter were done, now I had to find food and water.

I remembered that I had a spare shoelace so I made a sneer to catch some small game.  Now to find water, there were no sources of water.  There was a lot of mud though and I made a filter with some bamboo, charcoal from the fire and a bit of fabric that I cut off my shirt.  I shoved the charcoal into the bamboo, wrapped the fabric around the top and used it as a straw.

I slept well.  The next day I went to check the snares,  I got small hare and I skinned it on the spot with my knife.  I took the meat back to my shelter and fire pit and cooked it.  This was the first food for two days.

In the middle of the day I saw a helicopter in the sky.  I used my mirror to signal it  by reflecting the sun between my two fingers to the pilot.  When the pilot saw my signal it landed near me.  I was rescued.

Thomas Barrett-Walker