I've decided the mosquito net over my bed is not so much a mosquito net, but a spider net. Got to bed last night to face 4 Eduardorian residents staring at me from various corners of the room. But that isn't the problem...that comes when they disappear and you can't find them...then there are the cockroaches...and odd looking centipedes...and this is before you even get outside! I woke up this morning to a large spider sitting on my wall beside my head...spider net I tell ya, SPIDER NET :)
Steve, Simona and I got up to the station yesterday afternoon after a 45min bumpy ride that started out as a road...but then turned into a muddy path that the driver somehow navigated. The rest of the volunteers were out in town as it was sunday, so we had lunch with the station workers and set up our mossie nets on our beds then lay around in hammocks reading, looking out over the beautiful San cristobal forest and out over to the sea...super amazing views and no noise save the birds...(Caroline...you would looooove it here!)
Dinner is at 6pm, so around 530 all the other volunteers arrived from their Sunday in town...we are 21 in total! I was introduced, then immediately forgot all their names, but am assuming names will come in time. There are English , German, American, French and Aussie peeps here - I'm the only kiwi so far. We heard about their weekend diving and snorkeling adventures...and I am just dying to get in the water.
This morning (Monday), we had orientation with Ceaser, the director of the station, whilst everyone else donned mossie head nets and gumboots and went out to cut down invasive raspberry vines with machetes...let me at those machetes!! Ceaser gave us a history of endemic species and plants, and some info about what we are expected to do....plant native seeds and seedlings, help in the 2 large gardens used to sustain the centre, cut down invasive vines (clearly!) and any other invasive plant life, join the rota for kitchen duty, and work on other projects that we will learn about along the way.
We lunched at 12 and started work at 2...and I got to swing a machete!!! We are clearing huge areas of invasive vine in order that the endemic species can grow and populate the island. It was soooooo satisfying plowing through huge vines and undergrowth with a newly sharpened machete, mossie head net and gloves. I think there is something wrong with me...We wandered down to a waterfall afterwards and had a freezing swim..that's the shower done for the day then.
Currently sitting on a hammock, thinking about a yummy dinner with new mates, hard work complete and a nice sleep ahead...not to mention about 10 games of cards...
X
Ps. There are millions of mossies here but they seem to be small like sandflies and I've not had too many bites yet...they are however, v v annoying. A month of this? Sheeeeesh.
Pps. Yep, still hate spiders...they are everywhere...
Ppps. I miss my friends desperately :-( I love you guys X
