Fast Update from Coca

Wow! Time is flying! I can´t believe that I have less than two weeks left. It makes me kinda sad but I REALLY miss my family. If I didn´t have my family to go home to, I am afraid I would just have to stay here. I have really become quite fine with the lack of electricity and hot water. Now when I see a huge spider or bug, I just ignore it (if it´s one I´ve seen before), grab my camera, or ask someone more knowledgable about such things what it is. Things still catch me off guard and startle me from time to time and I did have a minor heart attack after nearly being attacked by a trantula before Tara trapped it and moved it away from our room. Oh and then I guess I did freak out over the coral snake (identity technically unconfirmed but matched descriptions) afer spending several minutes just inches from it trying to identify it (I learned that the little rhyme we were taught [red and yellow, blah blah blah] doesn´t necessarily hold true here).

We just left Hector´s Island after a weekend of fun (and work) and have a short time here in Coca (about 45 more minutes before I head out to lunch) before taking a very long drive by Ranchero (a very tiny bus built for little people) back to camp (or close to it). To get to Hector´s Island we took a two hour canoe trip down the Napo to Coca where Hector met us and we switched canoes and took another 45 minute ride to his island. Hector has this island that he has turned into a refuge of sorts for indigenous animals, primarillary monkeys. Instead of keeping them in a zoo or facility with cages, he brings then to his island where they can be free but safe due to the boundries of the island. I will go into more detail when I am not limited on time. We helped create a Capybara habitat there where we cleared out a small part of a lower area where they can have lots of water. It was thick forest and we went in with a bunch of machetes and cleared out the brush and a few of the smaller trees. I hated to chop so much but it wasn´t that huge of an area and the Capybaras need a place for living and breeding. I found out I can weild a pretty mean machete! I didn´t know I had it in me! Of course now my arms are sore. We also learned how to make one of those traps that when you step in it, it tightens around the ankle and catches the victim, we made blow darts and learned to shoot them, we practiced using a spear, learned to weave a basket, learned about (and tasted) the edible foods in the forest, and so much more.

Well, I have just realized I need to get some shopping done before lunch. I must go. I will try my best to write more often. It is just so hard to find time, we keep so busy! I do have so much to share. I still have to tell about carrying potato bags full of rocks the size of my head from the river up a hill.

I´ll be in touch!