An adventure into the past

Hi everyone,

this might just be a short post - we´ll see what happens - but it´s far too hot and I´m heading to the river as soon as possible this afternoon.

For those of you who read last weeks post I headed off to the river straight after writing (notice the common theme here) and saw something pretty awesome. Walking along the river beach we saw these rather large footprints accompanied by some much smaller ones in the sand - a jaguar and it´s cub!! After we went for a bit of a swim we walked back the same way and we heard rustling from the reed bank. Now I can´t say for certain but we´re pretty sure it was the two jaguar we saw prints of.

Here´s the paw print you can see - check out the size!

...So that´s probably the most exciting thing that happened this week but don´t stop reading just there, there rest is stilll pretty interesting - I hope. 

Sunday night and most of Monday wasn´t too good as I had some annoying 24 hour sick bug thing - i swear I´ve been sick more often in the three weeks I´ve been here than the whole three months I was in India! Anyway that meant I couldn´t really do much on Monday when the kids came to visit for a tour but I walked around with them while we showed them the abandoned plane and the bamboo house, the tortoises, and things like that.

Showing the kids the tortoises

Monday also saw our monkey trackers returning from their ten days following Howler Monkeys through the forest before heading off to continue their search in a different area on Wednesday. 

Here´s a stick bird (Common  Potoo) and you can just see it´s chick!

On tuesday I was feeling slightly better - I spent the morning working out a proper schedule for the school program for November, not super interesting but it felt good to get a proper plan drawn up - then again I think someone wiped our schedule board clean to use for something else - never mind. I then spent the afternoon studying so it was pretty much a whole day infront of a computer but that was really just the start. 

I pretty much spent all of the rest of the week trying to get information for a timeline for the local area. I´m working through a couple of documents in particular which were written back in around 1600 which are super interesting - unfortunately they haven´t given me any useful dates yet but I´m sure I´ll find something. However it´s so interesting to read an authentic description of the history of Peru, during the time when the Yncan empire was growing, all about the different people and the cultures. Definitely glad I´m getting the chance to learn more about the country´s history instead of just Machu Picchu!

Yesterday started off with the same research but for the afternoon a group of us decided to walk into town, go to the river and have a swim. The water wasn´t great after the rain the night because but it was a nice change as most of us hasn´t been to that spot before. Afterwards we got ice cream from this great place in Pilcopata before walking back to Villa Carmen for dinner.

We´ve also been caring for this tiny baby bat - isn´t it cute!

Today I spent the morning doing a bit of Skyping with the other half and talking to the family - including a cousin who found me online today who I haven´t been able to speak to in about 8 years - so that was great!
I also spent a little time looking online, doing a little research for the next little adventure - I just couldn´t help it!

Well I think that´s it for now - I haven´t got my camera cable on me at the moment but I´ll photos will follow later today! 

Back to School

Hi guys,
so just as a heads up it looks like I'm going to be fairly busy here from now on so I'll definitely be posting once a week (internet availability dependant) but I can't garuntee more than that.

So this week I've been spending a lot of the time going to our two local schools in Pilcopata and Patria where we're getting them into composting and where we now have weather stations based. It turns out the stations were actually donated by Edinburgh university which is a funny kind of coincidence.
During our last school visits I was asked to say a little something about myself too (instead of just sitting quietly at the back of the room). Normally I would have no problem with this as many of you know I'll happily talk to anyone about anything, however this was a bit different - I had to talk in Spanish. Now for those of you know don't know my Spanish capabilities are pretty much zero, but I translated a little something and read it out on command and thankfully not too many of the kids laughed at me.


While we had school visits practically every day last week I still had quite a bit of free time during the day - which I've ben using to study. I've had a bit of a problem with my university work in that due to past module dates I was under the impression I could take my next course after I got back in February, apparently this is no longer an option and the course only starts in October. They told me I wouldn't be able to enroll late into the course for this term so I'm stuck officially not studying until next October. However I have a friend studying the same course this year so I now have the first lot of coursework so I can teach myself the subject now - so I can take it officially alongside my originally planned other courses from next October, once I already know the content. That may or may not actually make sense but that's the plan anyway.
I've also been spending a little time trying to start improving my Spanish but so far that hasn't been quite so sucessful.

This week the centre has actually been pretty quiet due to the fact we're missing over half the normal people here. The School for Field Science group that are staying here have their mid-term break so they're all off in Cuzco, and some of the volunteers and researchers also left for a short break.

On the other hand we had a few extra visitors here - a TV crew from a Peruvian station making a documentary about various environmental stations in the area. They spent some time just filming the place itself but before long they started looking for 'volunteers'. They needed people to pose in certain areas and look busy around the centre, and since I was one of the only people around they got me, and a Finnish guy whose here, to help out. It felt a bit silly pretending to weed or make notes on camera but at least that was really all we had to do. Apparently It's going to be on Peruvian TV in about 3 weeks if anyone wants to try and find it for me then!

Today a couple of us decided to head up to a little animal centre nearby where a little old lady looks after a few animals which I guess aren't healthy or have suffered in the wild. I'm still not to sure on the details of the place because the woman seems to only speak Quechua but it was interesting to see the place. She had a few monkeys around including a tiny little Wooley Monkey which didn't exactly look ill but looked pretty sad, there were a couple of really friendly Peccary as well the the standard Macaws and Guini Pigs which seem to be everwhere around here. She had a Tapir too but it was being kept inside when we went.

Other than that I can't think of much else that's been going on here - it really has ben a quiet week. It hasn't rained since last Sunday and the place seems to have ground to a halt with the heat, which is pretty funny considering the same thing happens almost as soon as it starts raining.

Well it looks like I've got to go - just been asked if I want to head out to the river for a swim so I'm not gonna pass up that chance. Speak to you all again soon!!

Into the Wild

Hi guys sorry it took so long to get this posted - it's been a super busy week here in the rainforest!
So after I uploaded my last post on Wednesday morning it was back to work in the medicinal herb garden. It was nice to be there just weeding away but the heat was pretty crazy making it impossible to work for too long. We didn't even try to keep going after lunch.
Instead we hung out for a while and I got the chance to get to know some of my fellow volunteers. We actually decided, because of the heat, that we would go for a couple of drinks after dinner so around 8.30pm a group of about 15 of us piled into the pickup and set off for town. We only stayed for a couple of hours but it was nice to check out the town a bit.
We also spent some time with one of the tourists called Isabel. She was in a fairly celebratory mood since she just been found after spending two days (and one night) lost in the rainforest! It seems like she accidentally got off the trail and couldn't find her way back. Luckily she knew to find the river so the searchers eventually found her just before nightfall of the second day.

On Thursday it was back to the garden for the morning but we kept having to stop digging to move frogs out of the way.
After lunch a few of us decided to walk into the town (Pilcopata) about 1.5km away. Some of the group topped up on snacks for a long hike they were going to do and the rest of us picked a couple of odds and ends.
I had planned on having an early night and had already gone to bed when one of the guys showed up and asked if we wanted to go to the town fiesta. Part of Pilcopata was celebrating its 100 or 150 birthday (I never figured out which) so there was going to be local singing and dancing and things like that. It partly turned out to be more like some bizzare talent show but we stuck around for an hour or so before I walked back with a few others in the group.

Friday went a bit differently to the rest of the week as I got asked to help with a different project. One of the guys here has been doing community outreach work with the schools and asked if I wanted to help set up a couple of weather stations in two of the schools. So we spent the morning setting this up then spent the afternoon back out trying to encourage the schools to compost - not an easy task it seems!
Some of the other volunteers went out after dinner but I decided to stay in and have an early night.

On Saturday anyone without set plans was asked to help one of the researchers with her project. She's been working on producing bio-char to use to aid plant growth and improve soil fertilisation. Our job was to plant up a field of Plantain which was all sectioned off to test different combinations of bio-char and compost. It was pretty hard going because it was raining so hard and a few of us kept falling in the mud but we eventually treated and planted up 360 plants just in time for lunch.
After lunch it was off to San Pedro which is normally about an hour or so away by motorbike. Unfortunately the bike wasn't so keen on making the trip - the chain slipped off more than once and then we ran out of petrol (so happy bikes have a reserve tank). We eventually made it up there just to find that the guy we were going to speak to had left the previous day and wouldn't be back until Sunday - typical! So back to Villa Carmen we went. By this time it was dark, raining, and there was lightening flashing across the sky but it was still fun to go along the windy roads on the bike.
We got back just in time to get some food before bed.

Sunday was a very different kind of day - a group of five of us decided we were going to hike one of the trails up to this really cool waterfall. We set off into the rainforest just after breakfast and after using this kind of hand-operated cable car to cross the river we walked for around three and a half hours to the waterfall. On the way we spent a lot of time ducking under and climbing over fallen bamboo and trees, avoiding ants, wading through streams and fighting off thorny plants but we did see some sort of monkey (species yet to be determined), loads of cool butterflies and by the time we got there it was so worth it. We all cooled down swimming below the waterfall and ate lunch there. Once I'd finished sewing up my trousers (which had ripped across the knee on the way) we set off and made the return journey in three hours. Out of the group I was definitely the least fit but the encouragement throughout the group and the thought of fresh juice back at camp kept us all going. There was definitely a cheer when we made it back to the cable car and upon return to camp.

Yesterday (Monday) saw us back in the schools checking in on the weather stations. Patria school seem to be all ready to go now at least. In the afternoon we went up to Huacaria (I have no idea how to spell that one, sorry!). There's a small community there that live a much more traditional lifestyle, tracking, living self sustainably for the most part and making jewelry out of bamboo and other natural materials. We went to get some photos of an area they're hoping to built on and to discuss some matters with the chief, although it turns out we actually ended up talking to the shaman instead...I think.
After a quick cool down in the river it was back home to Villa Carmen just in time for dinner - pasta with tomato sauce and stir-fry - yum!

So I think that's a pretty good round-up for the week. Now just to post this then see where we're going today!

On the Buses

Hi guys,
this isn't going to be a long post cause I'm writing just before bed in the hope I can post in the morning - internet connection depending.

So I finally made it to the volunteer project! I arrived a day late but I made it on Monday night.
The plan had been to leave Cusco by minivan around 5-6am Sunday (they made it so early because of their elections taking place the same day). However after I finally left the hostel by taxi (it was late) I made it to the area where I was to meet the van....except I couldn't find the van. It was getting on a bit so I decided to take the public bus. But despite me triple checking where the bus was going it still went to the wrong place - Colquepata, instead of Pilcopata! After a long wait in Colquepata the bus finally got going back and after a wasted morning I ended up returning to the hostel!

Monday morning came with a chance to try again. This time I found the stop but apparently the bus was full. Eventually I got the afternoon bus and after some rough driving we got in around 11pm and I went straight to my assigned bed.

Tuesday morning was interesting. I woke up around 5am to the sound of the crickets and birds outside my window. Before breakfast I got to go out and help with some water sampling down at the river checking oxygen levels and things like that.
After breakfast one of the other volunteers showed me around then we got to work weeding the herb garden until 12.30pm. For lunch it was rice, lentils, broccoli in sauce and salad. Once that was done it was back to work in the garden. I'm hoping to do more animal based stuff in general but as a volunteer it mostly depends on where you're needed.
We stopped around 3pm cause it was too hot to keep going. Apparently it's been the hottest day in quite a while - typical  - and it never rained.
The rest of the afternoon I spent getting to know some of the volunteers, reading, and hanging out by the small turtle enclosure here.
After dinner - rice, aubergine and salad - some of the others wanted to play cards. I joined in but as it was a game I'd never played before I was pretty hopeless. It mostly ended up being Rachel, the volunteer who showed me around, and one of the students from the School for Field Studies (there's a whole group of them staying for a month or so) who battled it out in the end.

Now I just need to see if this will post! Can't add any pictures as my tablet's decided not to notice the camera cable but will hopefully have some soon.
Bye :)

Welcome to Peru!

Hi guys,
I did promise you a post from Cuzco at least and since I might be leaving tomorrow I'd better get on with it! However I've not been feeling great the last couple of days so it might be a short one.

After I finished writing my last post Pedro thought it would be nice to take me and Mac (the other volunteer) out to the desert before we left. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the Bardenas Reales but it was definitely worth the trip. Although Spain, even Europe doesn't technically have any absolute deserts its one of only a few semi-desert areas in Europe. We drove through and stayed about an hour spotting vultures, checking out rock formations and Mac even did a bit of climbing!

The following day Martin and Pedro took us along to Leurga (spelling uncertain) to a wine festival. We arrived and for 1,50€ you get a glass which you can use to try out all the local wines from a wide variety of bodegas (where they make the wine). The rest of the day was spent chilling out around the hostel and checking we didn't need any last minute stuff before we left.

Monday was mostly spent washing clothes and willing the laundry to dry in time but in the evening Marianne and Sam showed up. They're the new helpers taking over from us so we spent quite some time chatting about what to expect and past travels, as is almost compulsory when you meet another traveller on the road. I also got to Skype the other half for the last time before leaving Spain too which was great.

Tuesday. leaving day. I spent about 6 hours on buses to Barcelona with nothing particularly excitable during the trip - literally the only note I made on it regarded it being warm enough that the woman next to me was snoring louder and louder as the trip  progressed.
Tuesday night was spent in the airport, where some guy spent over an hour silently hinting at me to surrender the only visible plug - not likely.

On Wednesday I flew out from Barcelona airport to Miami - approximately a 10 hour flight then trekked through that airport to find my next gate. I got lost somewhere in the middle after some dodgey signing but thanks to a nice member of staff I got back on track - although he did come out with one of the worst 'lines' ever in the process: something about if my eyes came with that shirt or something like that - no idea haha.
Anyway - Miami to Lima was about 6 hours and after watching a Morgan Freeman narrated documentary on the back of the seat in front I decided to get some kip.
I arrived in Lima airport around 10.30 pm local time and after getting a little turned around again (they really should fix these signs) I found the entrance to departures.... where I had to wait until around 3.30am before I could go through.
I grabbed some food from - I'm ashamed to say - a certain well known fast food place but it was then that I started to feel not so great - must have been the food right?

I finally flew into Cuzco around 6am local time which worked brilliantly as the sun was coming up as we flew over the Andes - a very impressive view! I caught a local bus to somewhere near the main plaza then walked up to the hostel - rather out of breath in the end which isn't surprising considering the altitude. As it was so early I actually managed to get an hours kip and still made it to breakfast - yay!

I met a few other folk staying at the hostel including my dorm mates - two girls from England who've just finished uni. We decided to join up and together went on a walking tour around the town. We got to see the Christo Blanco ( like Rio's Christ the Redeemer but way smaller) and got taken into a woven goods shop where we got a little talk about the dyeing process before they tried pressuring us into buying stuff. We also went to see and listen to some local music but I had another 'not well' moment so figured it would be safer to stay outside - guess it wasn't the food.
After everyone else had a taste of Pisco Sours (the local drink) we finished the tour. It wasn't bad and it was free but maybe room from a little improvement...
The three of us then headed to the local market where they have a sort of canteen set up. Although I ended up with plain rice (just in case) it was nice just sitting at benches with the locals in the market. However by this point I was really flagging so we headed back to the hostel and I spent all afternoon in bed with a quick trip to grab food (soup from a little local place and crackers) before bedding down for the night.

I felt a bit better today but still didn't want to push it so I visited the Inca museum which was rather interesting although it was quite funny to see how much pottery they had on display - think there were at least 3 dedicated rooms. They also had a lot on the history of weaving, and mummies...
Next I visited the Natural History museum. It wasn't great but it did have a few interesting specimens. Unfortunately the lady in charge didn't seem to know about the animals then kicked me out after 20so she could close for lunch.
I ate in another little local place which was interesting. You generally go for the 'menu' option here so I ended up with a bowl of green soup with a chunk of potato, followed by chicken, rice and another chunk of potato and for desert son sort of jelly ( I skipped that last bit). Nice enough food and for just over a pound you can't complain. Since then I've just been hanging out at the hostel.

OK, so the next part of the trip will be off to the project in the Amazon. I can't wait b I don't know what internet will be like. Will hopefully be able to blog - if not I'll think up a plan B.
Hopefully speak to you again soon!