I came awake slowly, my eyes still closed. Something was different -- the air a little heavy, sweet and warm. I opened my eyes. A million shades of green swayed and rustled around me -- overgrown plants and vines, trees, ferns -- where was I? This was not the place where I had drifted into sleep.

I arose and began to walk. Strange sounds surrounded me, calls and cries of wild birds, other sounds unidentifiable. A translucently turquoise stream made its passage 'round some time-worn rocks, glistening and sparkling in stripes where the sun filtered through the trees above. I drank of the icy waters.

I heard sounds far off, a thousand drums filling the air with passionate rhythms and melodies. Even the animal sounds came in tempo to the mysterious music. I followed the pulses as they became stronger and richer, filling the air with some kind of magic. Entrancing, nay, hypnotising! this symphony of rhythms.

I came 'round a boulder and I saw, sitting on a tree stump in the midst of a grassy clearing, one man alone with his drum, his dark eyes burning into me with the passion of his music.