Leaving The Jungle

Letty was fifteen and I was nineteen when we all left Paraguay for Europe. Our house was located about three miles from the tiny air strip from where the small single engine plane was to take-off . One thing to realize, is that when I say air-strip, there should be no similarity in anyone’s mind to an airfield. Our air-strip was a long patch in a field that had been cleared for a small one engine plane to utilize . Actually, the field was a pasture with grazing cattle, that was occasionally used for planes to take off and land. Of course a pilot had to contend with numerous “cow patties” and very large ant hills. And, if one was to be a passenger then that person had to chase the cows from the air-strip to allow the plane to land. Of course, our family was no exception, and with the help of our pilot diving low above the cattle we were able to “persuade” the cattle to abandon their eating area. Personally, I thought it was a lot like herding cats. You would never know which direction the cows would run, or for that matter,if they would remain in the place where you shooed them. However, Letty and I where fortunate, because when we arrived at the air-strip the plane had been able to land without our help and the plane and pilot were ready for us to board.

Because there were nine in our family it would take four trips in the tiny plane to get all of us, with our luggage, to Asuncion. Once at the Capital ,we would eventually board a ship bound for Europe. Letty and I were to be the first of the Staengl family to leave, so Papa loaded us, along with our luggage , onto the wagon, “giddy-upped” the horses, and off we went. Following the cart path we traversed the few miles to the tiny air-strip . The plan was to do the same until all the family made it to the Paraguayan Capitol. For Letty and I, everything worked perfectly. The plane was waiting, and after boarding with our luggage, the pilot cranked up the plane. I mean that he literally “cranked” the propeller to get the plane started! The pilot skillfully avoided the ant hills, and soon we were flying high over the jungle. Although I anxiously anticipated the flight, I must admit that when I saw the jungle beneath us, I thought it looked like a huge cabbage patch. I could not help but wonder what would happen if we were to fall from the sky. But, in spite of my thoughts, there really was no fright. We merely relaxed and enjoyed the experience of soaring like birds. Everything went well, and we arrived safe and sound at the hotel. After our arrival, all we had to do was wait for the arrival of the rest of the family.

The plan had been for a trip to be made daily from the jungle on the little plane until all the family made it to Asuncion. Sometimes, or maybe even often, our plans do not go as smoothly as we expect. The weather turned bad and it became impossible for the little plane to land. However, Papa would load the wagon with the next group, hoping against hope that they would be able to board the plane for Asuncion. Each day they would have to load the wagon, hitch up the horses, travel the slow bumpy cart path to the air-strip, just to watch the plane unable to land. And, each day, they would leave the air-strip, return to the house, rewash the children’s clothes, make sure they were all bathed, reload the wagon, harness the horses, and once again travel to the air-strip. Just to watch the plane circling overhead, unable to land, because of all the water on the landing strip. You could shoo the cattle from the air-strip, and even avoid the ant hills and cow patties, but water on the landing area made it impossible for landing.

Papa and Mama were worried about Letty and I being alone in Asuncion. They were concerned for our safety. We however, were having the time of our lives enjoying a freedom that we had not been permitted to have up until then. It was several days before the rest of the Staengl family were able to arrive at the hotel. In the end, they were not able to take the plane, as the weather refused to accommodate them. Instead, they had to catch a “lancha” (shuttle boat) to bring them up the Paraguay river, to the Paraguayan Capitol.

Even though Letty and I were free to enjoy our unsupervised adventures, we never left the safety of our hotel. The streets were really unsafe for two young “women” alone in Asuncion. In fact, our hotel was surrounded by a high wall with barbed wire and broken bottles on the top, as a precaution to keep unwanted “guests” on the outside. The point was well taken, and in spite of feeling some relief of having shed the shackles of community life, our confidence was not great enough to shed our common sense, and general fear of the unknown. We stayed put inside the safety of the hotel walls.

During our time alone in Asuncion, Letty and I had to wash our clothes in the sink and hang them out of the window to dry. Bad choice! All our underwear was stolen! We were in the civilized world! We were even in the confines of a “safe zone” inside the hotel walls. Imagine that! Still,” all’s well that ends well”. Papa gave us money to buy new underwear. What an unexpected treat! We not only were allowed to buy new underwear, but were also able to buy our very first “new” blue-jeans. We felt, at last, that we were ready for the voyage to England.