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Hello folks,
Welcome to another installment of my blog. This week has been a week of preparations, and small steps forward... The first of the big groups come to the reserve from Monday, and it has been all hands on deck to get the preparations done. Rather than start the English classes in the midst of all this upheaval, we have decided to wait a while until the Community project isn't in the information-seeking stage (where we are right now), and I can be more based at the reserve during the week, rather than in the internet cafe or similar, where I need to be right now. I had a big internet 'binge' in Quito yesterday, and i think I've found lots of useful information for the various Community projects, but I will take the info back to the reserve and have a look at it there. All in all, it's looking promising, and a lot of work!
On the less serious side of things, I have begun to find out information for a trip to the Galapagos Islands, which I am hoping to visit sometime this month. The change of seasons sees a bit of a drop in price,
so I am hoping my money will stretch a bit further than in April, and that the tropical temperatures will have cooled a little too! The more I read about the wildlife there, and the opportunities to get really close to all kinds of amazing reptiles, birds, mammals and fish, the more excitied I am by the prospect. I can get a bit of discount with some of the tour operators because I am a member of South American Explorers in Quito, so hopefully that will come in handy.
It's in this vein that I decided to dedicate this blog to some of the wierd and wonderful sights to be seen at the reserve (expect some funny looking insects etc). The flowers have been out in force over the last few weeks, so I am going to include a few photos of the best. I have also had a couple of close encouters with the little green toucanets (small toucans) that have moved in near the house, the most magical being last Saturday evening when a pair sat in the tree and we regarded each other for several minutes! Also, while I was working next to the Volunteer house
on Thursday morning I looked up and saw that a monkey was sitting in the tree opposite watching me! It's all very "wildlife on one" here, but they never seem to stay still when I try to take a picture, so you'll just ahve to take my word for it!!
If you are wondering how the pigs and the goats are doing, everyone is doing well. Some of the largest piglets from the first litter born when I was here have been sold, so there are only five of them left, and they are little sweeties, very curious and friendly. They especially like to sniff your hands or the tops of your wellie boots. I will be sad when they go...
Anyhow, that's it for now, got to go and make the most of this sunny Quito morning before I head back to the reserve.
Ciao for now!
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Zoe
non-member comment
Wow!
HI Anna! This is the first of your blog entries I've looked at (sorreeee!) and it's *amazing*! Ecuador just sounds more and more like a magical alternate world. Is the scorpion a permanent bathtime companion, like a rubber duck, only different? My wildlife experiences are: Gound Elder; Dandelions; lovely Patrick next door who keeps giving my garden funny looks (his is immaculate). We get the odd wild earthworm here too, so it's not all leafy serenity. Hooray that everything seems to be going so well. I'm off the read the rest of your blog now... Zx