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106  AN EXILE OF THE MIND        THE RIVER OF LANTERNS                        107


































                         Howler monkeys could be heard in the jungle.


              My  funds  were  still  in  limbo  produced a red square of cloth from
           when  I reached  Mexico  City  a  few  his pack, two wine glasses, and a
           days later. A dozen letters collected  bottle of wine. A little touch of finery
           and not a single banknote to slip out  to brighten our day as we sat in the
           from their envelopes.                dust. A treat planned for Christmas a
              David, a Canadian geologist with  few days later but the cork was now
           a long red beard, looked lost under  popped to celebrate Day One of
           a huge backpack on a street corner.  David’s hitch-hiking career.
           He  was all ears for the  tiny  Carib-  We emerged ghostlike  at the
           bean country tucked  away  behind  border  from  a  truck  load  of  flour
           Guatemala. So we joined forces and  with  people  pointing  and shouting
           set  off  to  hitch-hike  across  Mexico  angrily at  David.  Perhaps spooked
           to the Colony.                       by our ghost-like appearance.
              On a desolate Mexican road, David          ‘I LOVE GUATEMALA’
                                                emblazoned across David’s tee shirt
           Dense jungle of British Honduras.    was  the  culprit  and guaranteed  to
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