The week at the Ranch in Los Quemados

After my first night at the ranch I awoke to a sunny morning. I went to the office and sat down at the computers with Keith and the boss. Keith is an American also volunteering here, helping out with the marketing and publicity. He is 27, and absolutely fabulous. He is kind, always in a good mood, chatty, great sense of humor, handsome, gay, always laughing, and my partner in crime here ;)

I am working as a volunteer at the Ranch, helping them out with their marketing and publicity. I work from 9-17 Mon.-Fri., and I get accommodation and food free. So that diet has gone out the window, and I have been enjoying all the meals that have been prepared for me. The rest of the days are spent going to the local Colmado (store) to buy juice or rum:) This place has more than meets the eye, including the cockroaches taking a well deserved break (I am sure) on the counter. This is where I get my daily fix of BYEGONE (bug spray); to spray my room to make sure nothing will venture into the "gas chamber". Keith thinks it is surprising that I am still alive, considering I seem to be killing the local fauna with my intense spraying. The rest of the time I spend washing my clothes in the sink and hanging them up on the washing line I have made inside my room. I think if anyone at home saw me they would firstly not recognize me, and secondly be very impressed :) I am roughing it people, and I am loving it :)

After work me and Keith had time to sit by the stream to chat, we chatted plenty about everything and nothing, and I could not have dreamt of meeting a greater guy on my travel. He is so laid back, and chilled. He lives right next door to me, and as the walls are so thin, we even manage to talk through them :)

I went into my room to get something, and I suddenly see a huge spider up against my bed, I have never seen anything like it, it was half the size of my hand, and it was black and fury. I started screaming and must have scared the spider as it fled under by bed. No way in hell was I going to get into bed later knowing that was in there. I could just picture myself laying there with my mouth open and the spider finding refuge in my mouth....... Oh what a horrible thought. Keith came running to my rescue when he heard me scream. He had previous encounters with the monsters already so he knew what action to take..... Only problem being that it was under my bed, and it looked like it had no plans of coming out any time soon..... Keith and I moved the bed, both squealing like pigs, scared that it would suddenly be crawling up our legs or something. When we had moved the bed half way across the room we still couldn't get to it, so I tried to lure it out with my flashlight... When I pointed the light at it, its eyes actually lit up, I felt like it looked right at me and was reading for a rumble. So having located its exact position we moved the bed yet again! Keith stood ready with his weapon the shoe and on my say so, he hammered it to death. Not a very humane way to go, but what is one to do when fear takes over, and all common sense and rational thinking are gone.

After having killed Larry the spider (he was so big he had to have a name we thought), we went outside to chill on the bench by the stream. As I walk out the door, I see something behind the bush light up. I shout and yell to Keith, and grab on to him as I try to tell him there is an eye looking at me!!!!!! I thought it was another huge spider!!!!! Keith looked at me and laughed. He could not believe I had never seen a firefly before. Once my heart stopped racing, and my pulse was back to normal I took a closer look at the "eye", and it was indeed a beautiful fly the call firefly. Firefly's light up in the dark, and they are like little lanterns around the stream and forest at night. They really are amazing!

After a long night of chatting to Keith I went to bed, and I have to say that mosquito net around my bed was tucked in under my bed so tight that not even oxygen could get through properly. No way was I running the risk of having a furry visitor that night. Laying in the bed that night looking around if I could see any scary bugs I decided to stock up on bug spray for my room.

The next morning I carefully shook the netting around my bed a little, letting my feet through, and onto the floor. There were no spiders in sight, and I was so relieved. It was only in the morning, so I read some, showered and washed my hair in the very cold water, and waited for Keith to get up to go to work. Having cold showers is an art I have found, it will give you a heart attack if you shower your whole body at once, so I first do my hair, one arm, the other arm, my face, stomach, back, privates, one leg, the other leg, and run for the towel :) The only good thing about the cold shower is that you are wide awake when the working day starts!

There is a serenity and tranquility about this place (when the family isn't yelling which is most of the time). I cherish my time with Keith down by the stream just listening to the night come awake, and those same sounds lulling me to sleep a few hours later. The fireflies fly around us, and light up our night, the frogs sing such a vibrant song, that you feel awakened by listening.

Lessons learnt;
- ‘ife is what you make it.
- If you are not happy, make changes to your life.
- Patience is a virtue.
- Nature is good for soul and body.
- Be open to people around you.
- Lower expectations.
- Anywhere can become a home away from home.
- You are the captain of you destiny and dreams.

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