# Jungle Aussie in 'horrible lizard' chase



## Colin (Sep 5, 2008)

*August 27, 2008:* 
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/ju...le-lizard-chase/2008/08/27/1219516528229.html

Jungle Aussie in 'horrible lizard' chase

An Australian man who spent 11 days lost without food in a South-East Asian jungle is improving in hospital, his mother says.

Lynne Sturrock says her son, Hayden Adcock, 40, is in a stable condition in Bangkok Hospital after being rescued from dense jungle in Laos and evacuated to neighbouring Thailand.

A new drug administered on Sunday seemed to have had the desired effect and slowed the bleeding in Mr Adcock's severely ulcerated stomach, Ms Sturrock said.

"It's so far so good with the new drug," she said from Bangkok.

"He's starting to lose less blood, which hopefully means the blood is clotting."

Ms Sturrock, who was on her way to visit her son this morning, said Mr Adcock's doctor gave her the good news last night.

"If this continues on in the next couple of days then that's a very good thing and he may not have to have surgery to move part of his intestine," she said.

Ms Sturrock said her son was admitted to hospital in Bangkok in a delirious state with an ulcerated stomach and oesophagus, wounds all over his body, pneumonia, kidney failure, a body temperature of 25 degrees and low blood pressure.

Mr Adcock's ordeal began on July 31 as a simple, hour-long hike to a waterfall in the Hinboun district of Laos's Khammouane province.

The experienced walker then decided to go on to a second waterfall, but ran into trouble when confronted by a group of large lizards, his mother said.

"From what I can gather he saw a beautiful rock formation and it was all colours and really something special," she said.

"It was in a bit of a ravine and he went to have a little look a bit closer and [he's] gone off the path a bit.

"Then these horrible lizards, almost komodo dragon size, came out of nowhere ... and started chasing him and he had nowhere to go but over the cliff so he went over the edge to escape them and of course lost his footing ... so he tumbled down and down and down and he said he thought he landed in a creek."

The Victorian-born Queenslander then spent 11 days lost without food, buffeted by flash storms and torrential rainfall.

A small search conducted by local authorities around the first waterfall did not find him.

Ms Sturrock said the Australian embassy was not told about his disappearance until the wife of an official found out by chance.

A search on August 8 failed to locate him and it was not until two days later, when the embassy and the Red Cross organised a helicopter search, that he was found.

Ms Sturrock said she had to wear rubber gloves to hold her son's bandaged hands, to prevent infection.

"We had a little moment of touching hands to fingers," she said.

"I felt that was another milestone and something I'll always keep in the memory bank and treasure."








> Ms Sturrock said she had to wear rubber gloves to hold her son's bandaged hands, to prevent infection. "We had a little moment of touching hands to fingers," she said. :lol:


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## MrBredli (Sep 5, 2008)

> "Then these horrible lizards, almost komodo dragon size, came out of nowhere ... and started chasing him and he had nowhere to go but over the cliff so he went over the edge to escape them and of course lost his footing ... so he tumbled down and down and down and he said he thought he landed in a creek."



:lol: 

Sounds like the guy went bushwalking whilst high on acid...


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## caustichumor (Sep 5, 2008)

Yes that's why you don't eat the mushrooms you find out in the jungle...


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## cris (Sep 5, 2008)

As if these things are scary






(pic found at www.bayareareptiles.com)


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## mysnakesau (Sep 5, 2008)

Awww that is just too cute. Wow. So these lizards respond to attention do they? Obviously not worried about the little bloke cuddling him


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## herpkeeper (Sep 5, 2008)

those asian house geckos are pretty feirce ! LOL


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## Renagade (Sep 6, 2008)

what a sook.


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## Creed (Sep 6, 2008)

i want to know where they planned to move his intestine?

removing is one thing, but relocating it?


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## mebebrian (Sep 6, 2008)

lol, THE DRAGONS!!!! THEY"RE CHASSING ME!!! Wicked mushies


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## rodentrancher (Sep 6, 2008)

Who Cares, says she back from the wilds of Bali???


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## rodentrancher (Sep 6, 2008)

Whatever????


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## rodentrancher (Sep 6, 2008)

Sorry! Maybe from other Wilds? But who cares??? Not me. Cheers Cheryl


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## raxor (Sep 7, 2008)

GIANT LIZARDS CHASED HIM dudes that is freaking scary!! Everyone knows jumping off a cliff is better than having a monitor run at you.

Also, that is a GOOD reason to eat the mushrooms that turn blue when you pick them ;-)


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## lozza_rae (Sep 7, 2008)

i reckon that's the best he could come up with when they had him on the morphine. It's all a story to cover up the fact he went out bush to deal cocaine with renegade Columbians that had stolen away into asia


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