Here is most of our group (the photographer accidentally cut some out of it) at a HUGE kapok tree. It is near the cuerandero´s (local shaman) house. From left to right: Abdon (the GVI Security Guard´s son), Tara, James, Mouse (in red), Flo (bent over), Elanor, Nikhil, Jenny (dressed like me), Me!, Brittany, Steph C., and Conor.
This was our dress-like-a-pirate day. Mouse and I were the only two to begin the day as pirates as the original plan called for. I normally did not go out in earrings and makeup!
Later in the evening, Brittany became a pirate, as did Conor. Here you see Conor and Mouse enjoying pizza and beer! (We were only allowed to drink on Saturday nights and there was a three beer limit per person.)
Back at the Kapok tree on Pirate Day! Featured in this photo are Natasha, Flo, Me, and Naomi.
Here we are at Hector´s Island receiving blow dart lessons. We started out by learning how to make the darts and then actually making them. During that time, he told us the different methods various tribes used for making the blow guns. After we made our darts, it was time to use them! He set up a target (an orange on a section of banana trunk) and we got to test our aim. Several of us (myself included) actually hit the post but no one (except Hector) hit the orange.
Here I am sitting alongside the Napo at Hector´s. I had been taking pictures of the monkey that was hanging out in the nearby trees.
Here are Flo and Nikhil (I think) picking the fruit of the cacao tree. Inside are the seeds used for making chocolate. I have photos documenting the process which I will post once I can upload from my camera. Essentially, you dry the seeds in the sun (you can suck on them first for a sweet experience if you´d like), toast them, shell them, grind them, and then you have the powder which is basically the same as the powder baking chocolate you can buy in the store!
Naomi is all for peace while I am content staring out the window of the ranchero. In the back row, you can see, or kinda see as it may be with a few, Steph T., Mouse, and Tara. In my row, Me, Elanor, and Jenny. The ranchera was so uncomfortable. My left knee actually hurt for several days afterwards due to the cramped nature of the bus. It was about a four hour ride (if I remember correctly). Poor James is 6´2¨ and had it far worse than me!
The whole group at the cuerandero´s house. We sat around for a few minutes listening to the slightly distant chanting of his voice. Finally it was our turn so we took off our wellies and headed up into his lair. He came out wearing beads and a head ornament but his other clothes were modern - t-shirt and shorts (maybe pants). He also had a bundle of leaves in his hand. I think I wrote about to experience before but without much elaboration. Once we got there, he began a chant which lasted a few minutes and then we were called one at a time to sit in a chair. He then proceeded to blow smoke on us (from a cigar looking thing that had a sort of sweet smell) and then brushed away the evil spirits with the leaves. Once he removed them, he went over to the door and flicked the bundle of leaves, as if tossing out the evil. He then came back and did a little whistling thing for a bit and went over our body again with the leaves, as though he were giving us good to replace the evil he had removed. The majority of us left the place feeling totally relaxed. I suspect the sweet smelling smoke had something to do with it but it´s nice to believe that the lack of evil spirits in my body gave cause for the relaxation.
Me and the millipede! We had been out looking, well listening, for screaming pihas and stopped to take a snack break. We disturbed this little guy but decided to play with him anyway. It felt totally weird crawling around on my hand and arm. His legs/feet were really tough and there were a million of them just scurrying around! At first I was a little hesitant to touch him but finally decided it would be an interesting experience I might never have again. I ended up loving it!
Hanging out at the comedor. I can´t be certain but judging by the items scattered around, I´d say this was right after our weekly supply of vegetables, fruits, and other food items arrived. We´d have to walk down the stairs to port with our packs empty. We´d then fill them up and bring the provisions back to camp. I don´t know why but there are no wellies hanging up. Those little posts under the comedor are where we´d hang our wellies upside-down after using them. This allowed them to dry or simply air-out without scorpions and other bugs finding their was into them. Wellies are not allowed in the cabin or on the walks as they tend to be rather muddy which is why it is peculiar that there are none hanging even though there are several EMs clearly not wearing them. I guess this could have been taken as soon as we arrived at camp for the first time. I actually think that makes the most sense. Now that I look, the packs have covers on them as they did for transport. It must be the first moments in camp.
First Aid training. I´m holding Steph T.´s head in place as we move her on to the gurney. She had a spinal injury and we had to save her without causing any further damage! I am proud to say she had a full recovery with no residual effects and went on to record many more screaming pihas!
Here we are on a hike. I am in the khaki shirt second from the end of the line. I´m not sure exactly where we are though. 
My favorite of all the activities!!! This is how we did our amphibian surveys. We´d wear our head torches and some would carry torches in their hands as well and we´d walk through the water in search of frogs or other cool things! You can see the water could get quite deep at times. We weren´t usually this grouped together. It must have been one of the earlier walks when we were still scared of splitting up a bit! I loved this so much that I think I went on most every one, even if I wasn´t on the schedule to! I´m going to miss them more than anything (aside from just the friends I made there).
This is just off the Ridge Trail overlooking the road. A couple of years ago someone decided to put a road through the reserve, completely fragmenting it. The road connects Coca and Tena and apparently it was much needed as before that there was no direct route between the two towns. So, if ever you see a road in these photos, you know what it is. In this picture, Flo, Brittany, Me, and Steph C. (I think) are heading out with Steph T. in search of screaming pihas. This was the day I we first went way off the trail and I got to use the compass to navigate our way back to the trail.
Brittany with a Hypsiboas calcarata (or Hyla depending on your source) a.k.a. the convict tree frog due to the stripes on his sides and legs. Sadly, this convict was on death row as are many of the frogs we catch. I think I explained before how we need to get their DNA for research purposes so we collect them (no more than a total of 10 per species throughout entire project, not each expedition), euthanize them, then collect the tissues needed (thigh muscle and liver). Then they are tagged and carefully arranged on a flat surface where they will undergo rigormortis. Once they are ready, they are placed in formaldehyde.
Three monkeys, you know the rest!
Morpho Man!!! Conor quickly became the thing of legends with his butterfly catching capabilities. It is confirmed rumor that he caught FIVE morphos in ONE day! WOW!!! What an amazing guy! The picture is actually pretty cool too. He is at the cascada. When we were there on our last photo walk, there were either several blue morphos flying around or one or two that kept circling around. They are the most stunning butterflies ever! I found it hard to capture them on camera though, at least when they are fluttering around. If I actually got them in the image, they appear as a blue blob. 
Ridge Trail again but this time the photo was taken from the road, looking up at us. It´s actually quite a long drop to the road.
One of our many canoe rides. I don´t know if I clarified that they are motorized canoes. Apparently there has been some misunderstanding on that part. I liked the canoe rides! They were very cool and relaxing (when I wasn´t worried we were going to capsize). Canoes are the main source of transportation (aside from feet, of course) along the Napo. Due to the large number of canoes and pollution of the water, there are no river dolphins or manatees in this section of the river.
Flo at Yachana Lodge overlooking the Napo. We´d go to the lodge weekly to take our recycling. While there, we´d take a little break and hang out there and maybe have a cold soda or something. Then, it was off to Mondaña for our weekly football match!
Naomi not looking very happy. I actually think she was having a very serious conversation with the bird, or possibly a stare down with him. There´s no telling with Naomi! This was one of the birds we netted, banded, and processed. They were released unharmed with a nice little ¨bracelet¨ each time!
James and the little girl at Hector´s Island ( I can´t remember her name). She was the daughter of the teacher that was there. Funny picture!!!
Waiting on dinner at H.I. Left to right: Naomi, Elanor, Me, Jenny, and Conor. Note that Conor has his journal (not to be confused with a diary). He was always writing in that thing! He´d tell us stories about how years, centuries from now, people were going to read it. He even has plans to validate it with his thumb print once he´s filled it up. There were rare occasions when he´d read us excerpts from it. It was quite amusing!
Me and a cute, I mean adorable (cute isn´t a good word according to Conor) manakin we netted, banded, and processed. By processed I mean we measured it, noted several different things such as feather wear, molting, brood patch, etc. All was recorded along with the band number, and then the bird was released.
ARRRGGGHHHH!!!! A group picture of Pirate Night. Many of the lesser pirates had already removed their pirate attire. Back row left to right: Nikhil, James, Jenny, and Tara. Others from close front left to right: Abdon, Steph T., Susan, Flo, Jenny, Steph C., Naomi, Me, Conor, Brittany, Elanor, and Natasha.
