Dave Looks for Plants

It’s August 2021 and I am missing these trips terribly!  The damned Covid 19 virus has taken away two years of my travel life and at 75 years old, I don’t know how much longer I will be able to make these adventures.

So I have started updating this travel blog, completing the stories of the previous trips and reminiscing about exploring the jungles of Central and South America looking for Costus.  I have a lot of work to do to catch up on writing about 34 trips, 15 years of travels, but like any trip, you have to start somewhere.  I started with the first one, Costa Rica 2005, and I am slowly working my way forward, so tune in here from time to time to check on my progress.

Below are some of the highlights.  Click on a link below or use the menu to the right.

• Costa Rica, June-July 2005: my first time in the jungle and I am hooked!
  
• Costa Rica, May 2006: I learn all about riding buses (and horses).
  
• Costa Rica, August 2006: my wife learns about mountain rats (in bed with us).
  
• Costa Rica, November-December 2006: “Friends of the Osa” are friends of mine.
  
• Ecuador, May-June 2007: mud, mules and my escape from the Shuar Indians.
  
• Costa Rica, January-February 2008: a little monkey named “Sweetie” is in love (with me).
  
• Peru, June-July 2008: Heliconia Society International conference and tours.
  
• Panama, October-November 2008: seeing everyday family life in Panama home stays.
  
• Ecuador, October 2009: I tour the country from one end to the other (with friends).
  
• Singapore & Borneo, July 2010: Heliconia Society conference and tour in Borneo
  
• Costa Rica, June-July 2011: at long last, I re-discover a nearly extinct species.
  
• Guyana, August 2011: overnight deep in the mountain jungle with a drunken Indian.
  
• Brazil, November 2012: my “luxury tour” and first Chamaecostus in habitat
  
• Panama & Colombia, July-August 2012: Heliconia Society conference and Colombia tour.
  
• Peru, January-February 2013: a long treacherous ride through the summits of the Andes.
  
• Costa Rica, September 2013: a visit with my friend and super plantsman Reinaldo.
  
• Brazil, January-February 2014: Thiago and I find Chamaecostus cuspidatus in habitat.
  
• Colombia, April 2014: exploring the beauty of the Colombian Chocó and eastern mountains.
  
• Mexico, July 2014: I find Costus and coffee, two of my favorites.
• Ecuador, February-March 2015: exploring with father and son – Marco Jiménez Sr. and Jr.
• Panama, November 2015: Carla Black and I search for the elusive Costus vinosus.
• Costa Rica, July 2016: Visiting the type localities of C. glaucus, C. nitidus and C. curvibracteatus.
• Costa Rica, September 2016: A near tragedy, rolled my car down the mountain.
• Peru, November 2016: Following Ruiz
• Dominica, January 2017: The most beautiful island in the Caribbean
• Bolivia, March 2017: More discoveries
• Mexico, August 2017: A new species found
• Holland, October 2017: a visit with Paul and Hiltje Maas
• Peru, March 2018: 
• Trinidad, June 2018:
• Guatemala, July 2018:
• Mexico, August-September 2018:
• Colombia, December 2018:
• Brazil, February 2019:
• Brazil, April 2019:
• Panama, July 2019:
• Honduras, September 2019:
• Brazil, January 2020:
• COVID!  2020-2021

This travel blog is a part of the website with detailed decriptions and
thousands of photos of plants in the family Costaceae.