The glow slugs

“How was your camping trip”, I asked the two ladies at lunch. We were on a small ship cruise in Alaska and they’d just returned from an overnight stay in a camp on an island in Yes Bay, Alaska. They responded enthusiastically, recalling their campfire, feasting on Alaskan king crabs and story-telling.

The elderly of the two remarked that there were many slugs on the island. “They were all over the place! Gross!”

“Hmmm… pity it wasn’t a full moon night”, I said.

“Why?”, she said.

“The slugs on that island are famous the world over. Didn’t anyone tell you that?” They shook their heads in unison. “They’re glow slugs that live in the trees. However, they only glow when there’s a full moon. When they do, they light up the trees. Being there, with the light from the moon and a soft glow emanating from the trees… I can imagine it’s like being in an enchanted forest. I didn’t join you on the island because, well, it wasn’t a full-moon night”.

The two ladies looked at me, their eyes wide in amazement.

“Did you see Avatar, the movie?”.

They nodded.

“The story goes that James Cameron, the producer/director, spent the night on this island and that’s how he got the idea for the enchanted forest scenes in the movie.”

“That’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard!”, one of them proclaimed whilst the other pursed her lips. I could almost see her complaining to the guide for not telling her anything about the glow slugs.

“Yes, the island has been shortlisted to become the next UNESCO World Heritage site in Alaska and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World”, I added for good measure. As soon as the words escaped my mouth, I broke into a smile and the smile turned into a guffaw. They looked at me, then started laughing. One of them reached across the table and playfully slapped my wrist.

“Ok, that was a good one! You really had us fooled you naughty lad!”

I love making up stories – I probably inherited that trait from my Dad. Read about the ice cave, another tall tale from Alaska.

Have you ever fooled anyone with a fantasy travel story? Or have you ever been fooled? Please share them in the comments section below.