Read n seed 4: Third quarter of "Man vs Wild"

For the third quarter of "Man vs Wild" I read chapters 4 and 5. These chapters are about survival in jungles, and deserts. Now I realize how unlikely it is that any of you would ever be in a desperate situation in one of these places. Therefore, I will just highlight a few of Grylls's techniques, and try to bring out some things that can relate to everyday life.
When it comes to being in a jungle, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed. This can be linked to the roots of the phrase "urban jungle", because of the seemingly sinister and complex force that makes everything seem as though the cards are stacked against you.  A jungle can be the same way, there is so much going on around you, that if you're not paying attention you will be lost quickly. The first rule of the jungle is to stay alert. Fear is a very common reaction because of all the new things around you. Imagine spending all your life in a small town, then one day just dropping into the middle of New York City, it would probably be overwhelming for most people and fear is the natural reaction. But Bear Grylls points out that fear won't help you, so you have to remain alert to overcome the situation.  One important technique that Grylls covers is where to put your shelter. It is important to sleep off the ground, the ground is covered with snakes and other creep crawlers, which might carry venom, diseases, or just bite, and that can quickly become a deadly situation. Grylls suggest building an A-frame pole bed.
Lets move along to deserts, as I don't want to bore you too much.  He says that deserts are probably the most hostile of place on earth. This is because of the defining element of their character, that there is no water. His most important advice of this chapter is really important I think. That is, stay away from the desert. This is something I take into consideration frequently, I stay out of situations that are that bad. Too often people fail at whatever it is, because they did not understand what sort of situation they were getting into. That being said, if you do ever find yourself stranded in a desert, the first thing you want to do is get out. Get out of the desert, find your way to water. To find water look for vegetation, cacti can be more helpful than you think, it is fairly easy to get water from a cactus.  Also follow animal trails, they usually lead to a water source. Gullies are fairly common, and they usually lead to a stream, then to a river, and then rivers will almost always find their way to civilization.

Think first - Act later