Trapped In The Damas Cave - Costa Rica: My Costa Rican Nightmares, #1

By Dusty Pilot

Author Dusty Pilot draws you into a realm of terror when he takes a quick look inside a vace leading far beneath a Costa Rican rainforst. After entering the cave he becomes lost, and the cave becomes a prison infested with thousands of bats, millions of cockroaches, huge spiders and centipedes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dusty Pilot
• Release date: Jul 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386257844

Book preview

DEDICATION

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TO MY WONDERFUL Costa Rican friends who treated me as one of their family, guiding and helping me navigate the roadmap of purchasing land in their beautiful country, building my three houses, and best of all introducing me to their families and cultures.

Also to Shirley and Jack Hanawalt and their family (all American expats) that had moved to Costa Rica 15 years earlier than myself and settled on Playa Bejuco. When I arrived in Costa Rica and purchased land on the same beach, they adopted me as a brother and graciously insisted I, and my little dog, Petals, move into their home during the building of my first house.

PREFACE

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PROFOUND CURIOSITY ABOUT most everything has gotten me into many strange situations, some humorous, some not so humorous, and many beyond belief for most people.

It led to my being investigated by the Secret Service for counterfeiting. Under 24/7 surveillance in a communist country. Having my phones tapped. Stalked by three different scary individuals. Held at gunpoint by police, suspected of being a burglar in my own house. The list goes on and on.

Friends I shared the stories with tried convincing me to write a book about my experiences, but my mind was set on selling my businesses and retiring to Costa Rica. How could a move to another country, along with building a house or two, allow time for writing?

Surprise, surprise! Things changed overnight, producing one more unexpected experience — losing my entire life savings in an instant when a private bank in Costa Rica went under overnight. Without the substantial near 28 percent yield on my investment, paid in cash monthly, life took another turn. I remained in Costa Rica long enough to sell (or nearly give away) my houses and properties. It was a buyer’s market. Thousands of other expats did the same, for the same reason.

Now, back in the States reestablishing myself, I decided it was the perfect time to write about those experiences people encouraged me to share. I settled into a modest studio apartment, bought a computer and began writing my memoirs entitled A Life As Perplexing As A Rubik’s Cube, to be published in 2019.

There are times I encounter writer’s block on the memoirs book. When that happens, I take a break by writing short narratives for My Costa Rican Nightmares book collection based on happenings during my 11 years living in Costa Rica. Presented here is the first book in the collection.

INTRODUCTION

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"LIFE IS A banquet and most people are starving to death. Live life to the fullest, Dusty, and follow your dreams," my mother Mimi began telling me at an early age.

She taught me to be hungry as did my father — not for food but for knowledge. Acting on their wisdom, I raced out onto the metaphoric playing field and took my place at the plate.

Like my mom, I developed a passion for life. I was never content just reading about it, hearing