I’d crawled out of the bush after a gruelling hike which saw me sporting a leech bite. Only meant to be a short hike but the trail had been badly maintained. I’d nearly passed out on the trail because I’m not great with the sight of blood and leeches bring a fair bit of the stuff as they are pulled off. The deep scrub had been claustrophobic. My fellow hiker and I had been walking for hours on rocky volcanic valley floor. Eventually we found a point of escape, and climbed out of the valley onto an easier to manage plateau. I’d fought a panic attack for hours. Subduing it with stern words to myself. Not helpful to panic. Just focus on getting out and staying calm. It was the hike that broke me. And I didn’t want to lose my love of being out there on a trail. So, my fellow hiker and I took a gentle, easy walk around Griffith’s Island the next day. It rained. Gave me all a photographer could want in terms of mood and atmosphere. Restored my faith. Healed my temporarily broken spirit. But leeches? They still make me shudder(!)