Luckily we had endless supplies of Costa Rican coffee to counteract the effects of the porridge which formed our staple breakfast diet.
We all took turns at cooking meals for the team which resulted in some excellent food and some which was not so good. Rice and beans formed a substantial part of the diet and without any refrigeration, the weeks supply of fruit and veg did not last long in the hot conditions.
On my last camp duty stint - on the last day before the shopping trip - we managed rice, beans and veg for lunch and veg, beans and rice for dinner. Have definitely lost weight in the last 5 weeks but Linda has warned that I will have to arrange a less dramatic way to ensure next year's detox!
Thursday 28 January 2010
Cabinas Princesa
Mid term break this week means that we have three days off. While one group headed off to the mountains for white water rafting, we decided to settle for a couple of nights in Tortuguero. Recommended to Cabinas Princesa which has a great location on the beach, a pool, hammocks under the trees, cold beer and caribbean food! Music at the bar seems to alternate between country and reggae. Sun still shining and the rain has all fallen at night.
After three weeks in bunk beds it was great to have a double bed last night - although Linda insisted that I shave off the three weeks of facial hair before I was allowed in.
Think we may come back here after we finish!
After three weeks in bunk beds it was great to have a double bed last night - although Linda insisted that I shave off the three weeks of facial hair before I was allowed in.
Think we may come back here after we finish!
Ants in your pants
Early in our stay at Jalova, we were warned to shake out clothing before dressing after one of the staff was bitten by a poisonous spider - fortunately it was a dry bite with no ill consequences. Then someone else came across a small scorpion in a sweater which had been left on the floor.
Despite these warnings, Linda managed to grab a pair of trousers off the line and put them on without checking. After a loud scream she took them off again as the ants - which had been searching out a sweet wrapper left in the pocket - crawled all over her legs. Luckily she only got a few little bites and has almost forgiven me for falling about laughing.
Despite these warnings, Linda managed to grab a pair of trousers off the line and put them on without checking. After a loud scream she took them off again as the ants - which had been searching out a sweet wrapper left in the pocket - crawled all over her legs. Luckily she only got a few little bites and has almost forgiven me for falling about laughing.
It aint half hot here
Áfter my last post, the sun came out and has shined everyday for the last two weeks - daytime temps have been between 25 and 30deg and down to about 18 at night and hardly any rain.
This made the Jaguar walk a real ordeal. Walking 15 miles on soft sand with 6 litres of water and 5kg of kit would have been enough but throw in hot sun and temperatures pushing 32 and you will understand why I thought I was going to melt by the end! Have never been so happy to have an umbrella as a parasol.
After pouring a litre of cold water down my back I was able to manage a cold beer and a chocolate brownie to help recuperation!
We followed jaguar tracks for 13 of the 15 miles but no sign of any turtles - still at least a month before they start arriving. Now working on a plan to try to capture some pictures of the Jaguars on the beach with cameras hidden in plastic debris - if 'whispering Dave' can have dung cams to film tigers why not?
This made the Jaguar walk a real ordeal. Walking 15 miles on soft sand with 6 litres of water and 5kg of kit would have been enough but throw in hot sun and temperatures pushing 32 and you will understand why I thought I was going to melt by the end! Have never been so happy to have an umbrella as a parasol.
After pouring a litre of cold water down my back I was able to manage a cold beer and a chocolate brownie to help recuperation!
We followed jaguar tracks for 13 of the 15 miles but no sign of any turtles - still at least a month before they start arriving. Now working on a plan to try to capture some pictures of the Jaguars on the beach with cameras hidden in plastic debris - if 'whispering Dave' can have dung cams to film tigers why not?
Friday 15 January 2010
What it says on the tin!
When you come to the Rain Forest, the one thing you have to expect is Rain.
We arrived on Friday evening after a couple of light showers and woke to clear blue skies on Saturday. However by early evening the rains started and kept going with no more than the occasional 15-20 min break until the following Thursday afternoon. Even the locals think this is unusual since this is the wet season and not the wet wet season.
A good test for the waterproof gear and my favourite piece of kit is definitely my poncho.
In addition to everything being damp, it is difficult to keep your feet dry and warding off trench foot is going to be a challenge.
Still - it is warm, there hasn't been any snow and the sun is shining today!
We arrived on Friday evening after a couple of light showers and woke to clear blue skies on Saturday. However by early evening the rains started and kept going with no more than the occasional 15-20 min break until the following Thursday afternoon. Even the locals think this is unusual since this is the wet season and not the wet wet season.
A good test for the waterproof gear and my favourite piece of kit is definitely my poncho.
In addition to everything being damp, it is difficult to keep your feet dry and warding off trench foot is going to be a challenge.
Still - it is warm, there hasn't been any snow and the sun is shining today!
Greetings from Tortuguero
Well, we made it to the camp at Jalova after a 4 hr bus ride - last 45 mins on dirt tracks - and 2 1/2hrs on a water taxi. We are the first group at the new camp so there is a bit of work in getting things finished around the place. Accommodation is on the basic side of basic but we have been so busy that bed at 8.00pm and breakfast at 5.30 seems completely normal now. The camp is based at an old farmhouse with a number of outbuildings surrounded by a coconut plantation. Rain forest surrounds everything on three sides - the fourth side is the Caribbean - dark sand beach and very stormy seas for the last week. This is the second most important beach for green turtle nesting in the world and stretches for about 18 miles. I am on the rota for the jaguar walk on Sunday which involves a 15 mile walk along the beach looking for signs of jaguars and predation on the marine turtles.
We both managed to pass the Bird and mammal tests at the end of our training - so on to the surveys which start on Saturday.
Friday is our day off, so we are in town today ($20 water taxi ride) to use internet and phone, do a little shopping and perhaps pizza and cold beer for lunch. Even managed to find the laundry so that we can get clothes washed and dried - 95-100% humidity at camp means that everything is always damp.
The wildlife is amazing - mostly birds so far - we have seen most of our survey species just around the camp. Slightly worrying to find that our boat landing beach is also a crocodile breeding site - fortunately not the right season now. However we did see a big 2.0m crocodile on the river bank this morning.
There are about 26 people on camp -including staff and volunteers - not surprised to find that I am the oldest in the group. Think the average age is around 27 and the youngest is 19!
Will probably only get to town weekly or less but there are occasional extra trips.
Food is also basic but keeping us both well. Big bonus last night when a local fisherman brought us a bonito which was cooked for supper / breakfast. All those years of January detox are standing us in good stead!
We both managed to pass the Bird and mammal tests at the end of our training - so on to the surveys which start on Saturday.
Friday is our day off, so we are in town today ($20 water taxi ride) to use internet and phone, do a little shopping and perhaps pizza and cold beer for lunch. Even managed to find the laundry so that we can get clothes washed and dried - 95-100% humidity at camp means that everything is always damp.
The wildlife is amazing - mostly birds so far - we have seen most of our survey species just around the camp. Slightly worrying to find that our boat landing beach is also a crocodile breeding site - fortunately not the right season now. However we did see a big 2.0m crocodile on the river bank this morning.
There are about 26 people on camp -including staff and volunteers - not surprised to find that I am the oldest in the group. Think the average age is around 27 and the youngest is 19!
Will probably only get to town weekly or less but there are occasional extra trips.
Food is also basic but keeping us both well. Big bonus last night when a local fisherman brought us a bonito which was cooked for supper / breakfast. All those years of January detox are standing us in good stead!
Friday 8 January 2010
Italian food, coffee plantations and American Tourists
After our first full day in San Jose we found an excellent Italian restaurant and decided to treat ourselves to a hearty meal before we start our diet of rice and beans in the jungle. La Piazzetta at the Sabana end of Paseo Colon was very smart, the food was excellent and they had an extensive wine list. Only problem was the Maitre d' who was slightly more fawning than Basil Fawlty - tried hard to push the expensive red italian wines - but conceded gracefully whem I found the slightly more reasonable Rioja at the other end of the list.
Our trip to the Doka coffee plantation was great - found that they still operate a water driven coffee mill which was installed by J Gordon & Sons of London in 1909. The coffee plantations really dominate the higher ground on the sides of the volcanoes around the Central Valley. They also had an enclosed buterfly garden which allowed us to get close to some of the more common local butterflies such as the Blue Morpho which had a wingspan of at least 5 inches.
The tour included a couple of other stops which were designed to allow for souvenir shopping - biggest problem were the 6 US tourists on the bus with us. Conversations ranged from odd - such as the first young couple who had done Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica by bus in the last 4 weeks and gave us chapter and verse on the problem of toilets without paper - to the inane chatter of three young spanish americans from LA. Next time we do one of these tours I will have to make sure I have my ipod plugged in.
Driving back into San Jose this evening through the rush hour made me yearn to be in the rain forest already. Think this will be the last internet access for a week or so.
Our trip to the Doka coffee plantation was great - found that they still operate a water driven coffee mill which was installed by J Gordon & Sons of London in 1909. The coffee plantations really dominate the higher ground on the sides of the volcanoes around the Central Valley. They also had an enclosed buterfly garden which allowed us to get close to some of the more common local butterflies such as the Blue Morpho which had a wingspan of at least 5 inches.
The tour included a couple of other stops which were designed to allow for souvenir shopping - biggest problem were the 6 US tourists on the bus with us. Conversations ranged from odd - such as the first young couple who had done Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica by bus in the last 4 weeks and gave us chapter and verse on the problem of toilets without paper - to the inane chatter of three young spanish americans from LA. Next time we do one of these tours I will have to make sure I have my ipod plugged in.
Driving back into San Jose this evening through the rush hour made me yearn to be in the rain forest already. Think this will be the last internet access for a week or so.
Thursday 7 January 2010
Bienvenidos a Costa Rica
Arrived in San Jose safely last night after a long - 11.5hrs - and uneventful flight from Madrid. The flight was full, service limited and food was best forgotten. What makes anyone think that three slices of white bread and two slices of cheese constitutes an inflight snack?
Staying at Gaudy's backpacker hostel which is interesting - very friendly and helpful - but basic. We have the room with the balcony - which allows us a view of the traffic and the Crowne Plaza Hotel - where Linda thinks we should be!
Last night I slept in my eighth bed in 2 weeks and surprisingly had the best sleep for nearly a month - perhaps having no plans to remember or worry about was the major factor - it certainly wasn't the matress or the traffic noise.
Spent our first day sightseeing and doing some last minute shopping - had to get Linda some wellies for those jungle walks- also visited the National Theatre which is a fabulous building in the style of the Royal Opera House that looks out of place in the centre of San Jose which has the architectural style of 1960's Philadelphia.
Booked for trip to a coffee plantation tomorrow - decided to avoid anything strenuous prior to our departure for the rain forest on Friday.
PS - interesting to note that Starbucks has arrived in Barajas airport in Madrid. Managed to avoid the temptation but did not the location for our journey home.
Staying at Gaudy's backpacker hostel which is interesting - very friendly and helpful - but basic. We have the room with the balcony - which allows us a view of the traffic and the Crowne Plaza Hotel - where Linda thinks we should be!
Last night I slept in my eighth bed in 2 weeks and surprisingly had the best sleep for nearly a month - perhaps having no plans to remember or worry about was the major factor - it certainly wasn't the matress or the traffic noise.
Spent our first day sightseeing and doing some last minute shopping - had to get Linda some wellies for those jungle walks- also visited the National Theatre which is a fabulous building in the style of the Royal Opera House that looks out of place in the centre of San Jose which has the architectural style of 1960's Philadelphia.
Booked for trip to a coffee plantation tomorrow - decided to avoid anything strenuous prior to our departure for the rain forest on Friday.
PS - interesting to note that Starbucks has arrived in Barajas airport in Madrid. Managed to avoid the temptation but did not the location for our journey home.
Monday 4 January 2010
Sin Hogar
4th January
That means Homeless in Spanish!.
All packed and ready to head for Heathrow. A new adventure begins...
Meanwhile, Linda has seen her boss this morning to tell him that she won't be going back to work in April and we have agreed to give our tenant in the Barbican a lease for a further year. Have also agreed to get Moyhill back from 1st May and plan to be there for a year or two.
Probably would have been easier if we had made the decision before we packed up, but.....
Thankfully we can put all this behind us for the next 12 weeks as we enjoy our rainforest experience. We will try to keep in touch along the way with tales of Caribbean sunsets, exotic birds, caymans, jaguars, cold showers, mosquitos etc.
Happy new year to all our readers.
That means Homeless in Spanish!.
All packed and ready to head for Heathrow. A new adventure begins...
Meanwhile, Linda has seen her boss this morning to tell him that she won't be going back to work in April and we have agreed to give our tenant in the Barbican a lease for a further year. Have also agreed to get Moyhill back from 1st May and plan to be there for a year or two.
Probably would have been easier if we had made the decision before we packed up, but.....
Thankfully we can put all this behind us for the next 12 weeks as we enjoy our rainforest experience. We will try to keep in touch along the way with tales of Caribbean sunsets, exotic birds, caymans, jaguars, cold showers, mosquitos etc.
Happy new year to all our readers.
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