Learning to survive

On New Year's Day Arthur and I watched several episodes of Dual Survival, one of our new faves on Netflix.  Dual Survival pairs Dave, an Army ranger, with Cody, a barefoot hippie who specializes in primitive survival.  Occasionally their personalities and backgrounds clash so it is a little bit like Survivor but more legit.  As we sat in our warm home with it snowing outside we have watched episodes about surviving in underwater caves in Belize, jungles of Laos, volcanic and desert valleys in Peru, and the swamps of Louisiana.  So far we think we have learned to navigate looking at the directions the branches on trees grow and could maybe start a fire with a camera or flashlight.  While they are eating snakes or iguanas we were chowing down on popcorn and baked apples with ice cream.  In the episode we are watching right now they just tried to kill an alligator after walking barefoot in a swamp infested with water moccasins.  Arthur commented, "How hungry would I have to be to take on an alligator and try to kill it with just a pointed stick?"  Hopefully we won't have to find out.  Now we are headed to our cozy bed-- not made out of sticks  and leaves with a fire to keep away large predators (although we have a headboard made from large logs).  Omnia Vincit Amor.