Dave’s travel blog
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

thousands of photos of plants in the family Costaceae.