jet lag

I have been very jet lagged! also woke up wondered where the hell i was thinking i was still in peru and which hotel room i was in, i got even more confused when i switch on my satnav(which was on my beside table) and it pointed to Taunton.how could it say taunton wheni was clearly in peru!!!! oh dear!! this was not a dream cos when i got up my sat nav fell on the floor out of its case!

photo album here

bush babie back from the jungle

I arrived back home in taunton at 11pm last night, nearly missed the coach back as flight was delayed. jet lagged, but glad to sleep in my bed and use my wonderful shower!! sorting pics so will post some soon.

1 sept Cusco

A very chilled out day. John got his bus to arequipa at 6 am. Both of us have a tummy bug so i was on a diet of immodium and hot water.

I was changing rooms later in the morning to a smaller one, so went to get some dollors out of the atm and drop some washing of at a laundry women as well as get some extra immodium incase i still have the tummy bug on the plane. didnt have much energy, so chilled out most of the afternoon on the hotel once i moved rooms. Later i went to the market to get some food to cook later in my room as it has a kitchenette as well as take some pictures.

Cannot upload my own pics here no usb port

machu picchu 30th Sept

We got up after 4am and set of walking in the dark, it was 30 mins along the road then 1km up the montain on a very steep trail to the entrance of MP. By time we reached the start of the trail, it was light enough to see. took over an hour to climb the path through the cloud forest into scruby forest, while listening to the dawn chorus.

Got our tickets and passport stamped, then headed into MP. The clouds were cloaking the mountains above MP, making it quite atmospheric. But there would be no dramatic sunrise. Its a fantastic place, photo points around every corner.

We then met our guide back at the entrance and had a tour for 2 hrs. I was listening half the time or was taking photos of MP, flowers, birds and other wildlife. We decided to walk back down the trail rather than catch the bus, to see what we could see. saw a few birds, but no rare things. Some nice humming birds, as well as some other birds i cannot ID.

Both John and i had thought it was a day later than it was, so we had no hotel booked in cusco, but by the time we got on the train we had phoned and booked one. Got the train back halfway to Cusco, then a mini bus rammed with tourists back to Cusco.

Arrived at the hotel at gone 11pm, iut was not expecting us, but still had a room free, we waited a short while, while they made up the room, which was an ampartmnt.

lake titicaca tuesday 28th Sept

We got the transfer bus to the port and Puno, and met our guide on the boat for 7am. First we went to the Islands of Uros, which are grass islands, well made from rushes. base is blocks of rush roots, then layers of rush straw. so islands are about 3m thick. most things are made from the rush - canoes, boats, houses. They wear colourful bright clothing and speak there own language.

Lake titicaca is at just under 4000m above sea level, and quite cold its the same size as puerto rico and can get 3 m waves

the tour boat then took us 2 hrs to tacqile island, another seperate race of people decendent from the spanish, live on this island. we climbed the hill to 4200m to the main plaza. was hard work in the thin air. They have there own traditiona costume. We went for lunch to a hours 10 min walk from the plaza. Had some coca tea with another herb from the island.

Got the tour boat back to Puno in the evining and waited for the over night bus back to Cusco. It was a posh bus with club class reclining seats.

tour to Puno 27 sept

We left cusco on a tour bus to Puno. It was going to stop at 4 places on the 300km drive to cusco. We stopped at church in a village, but both of opted out of going in and looked round the main plaza and tat stalls. Next stop was a inca ruin of a town, which was quite cool, lots of peasent women tend sheep as well as ruins.

We then stopped for lunch about an hour up the road, very gringo fied! We drove one block from the lunch stop, to be stopped by the police. The coach had a problem in their eyes. Lots of number plates get stolen or copied. They said ours was stolen. We got kicked out of the bus back to the resturant and waited 5 hours for anothe bus. we nipped to the town centre for an hour while we waited. John was chatting up the local girls so he could get some coca leaves. He pissed them of and got a drink of fermented grain or bean! The girls looked over 70 and had most of their teeth missing. Saw a bit of wildlife, birds i dont know what they are, a falcon nest at the inca ruin

got to Puno late evening. didt stop at gringo spots, just the loo stop. Hotel room ok. John gate crashed a wedding party at a local bar and brought them all drinks. I was too tied and stayed at the hotel

a selection of photos a bit rushed to download so not the best

arrived in cusco 26 sept

Well nearly missed the bus to cusco, seconds to spare. I didnt realise the bus station was on the outskirts!!! Luckily me amigo Juan Carlos gave me a lift on his motoX bike, My big rucksack on my back and my day pack on his chest we set off across town. some streets closed with road works, but the bike got through, had to lift up a bit of tape to drive under and drive over a few mounds of earth! Then through bustling streets of the centre and out to suburbs.

The bus has no loo on it! eeek 12+ hours, luckily i had not drunk anything for couple of hours! its a just over an hour across the what is left of the low land jungle past gold mining camps. Then head up up and up, foothills first. well bigger then ben nevis foothills. The road this side of the andes is not finished, so parts are diverted onto dirt tracks, so it is slow going in a coach.

At 1 am we came to a stop, thought might just be a bit of jam, but as the hours rolled on it was a closed road! finally got going again about 6am. Was able to nip to the loo in in a culvert pipe down the road in the 6 hrs wait and have a few cat naps too. That is i cat napped on the bus not in the culvert pipe, bit smelly in there, lots of people needing the loo, not just a pee either ;o)

It was hard to sleep on high andes as mostly hair pin bends, so got a bit of a kip in on other side, woke up to see a girl selling corn on the cob on the bus. bleary eyed i had my breakfast at midday!

Taxi dropped me off ot the hotel, then John who i am travelling with for next week, came back to hotel. He has gone of to get his trousers sown!! Then its a huge meal for me and phone up to organises trips to machu and lake ticicaca

hope to post a few pics now, only a few taken 5 gigs worth so far. JOhn has his lap top and there is tinternet in the hotel.

Gaint Otters of Manu National Park

6 Sept to 24th Sept

HI guys



I am back from the jungle in the same hotel as before. Survived 2 and a bit weeks camping in the jungle. This is just a quick blog. went to over dozen Cochas as they are known here or AKA ox bow lakes. Having to hack paths through the jungle. Seen about 25 otters in 2 weeks, losts of monkies, parrots macaws etc etc. stacks of butterflies.



Giant otters fishing, playing, grooming, snorting, squeaking and begging for food.



blumin lot of mozzies too! from midge size monta blanca ( white blanket) which cover you like one! Punta roja (red points) which leave a red blood spot under the skin. and normal ones that bite through thin clothes drawing blood!



Some the people in a boat 5 mins ahead of ours had arrows fired in close to the boat by the native indians ( non contact tribes) the arrow was 5 ft long point make from wood!



But mozzies a side i have had a fab time seens stacks of wildlife nearly 200 species that i could name, probably 200 more that i couldnt! lots of pics taken 5 gigs worth.

My next field Trip-Monitoring gaint otters in Manu

Hi guys

I´ll b in Manu camped on a river bank by time you read this! I am there from 6 to 25 ish Sept and hope to fly back to Cusco the next day. Dont know if i will blogwhen i get back from Manu and before i get to cusco, certainly will not be from Manu!

Its is about a day and half travel to Manu from P.Maldonado by boat and car. The boat is a bigger motor canoe this time, plus inflatables for surveys.

Once there we will camp in one place on the river bank for a few days at a time. We will then survey the ox bow lakes from the different camps. For monitoring we carry an inflatable canoe from the river bank to the lakes. We then look for signs of otters: Latines, dens, campsites and scratch walls. Gaints are twice the size of otters in the Uk. Their foot prints are neatly has big as my hand! Once we hve looked for signs if we have time we will try and film and photograph there throat markings to ID individuals. Each otter has its own unique markings.

There are 6 surveyors and one photographer who is not surveying but doing his own thing.

1-6 Sept Puerto Maldonado

had quite a good night´s sleep on tuesday in the guest house. Woke up early and un packed my stuff to air and dry it out as well charge my camera batteries. I had my first shower for a week washed my hair it felt soooooooo nice to be clean. We had to stay the guest house last night as we were back a day early ( left pampas early as it was too sun after the fires to monitor much wildlife) After a quick stop at the office that morning and breakast in the main Plaza I went and booked into my room at Cabaña Quinta Hotel. What a nice hotel. But my room t is overlooked by recpetion and a little of the street. The curtains are only net curtains and i have named the the shop window room!! I am staying here until monday morning. There are lots of NGO conservationists staying in town at the mo for conferances etc. I went to a talk Rob gave at the Uni here on gaint otters yesterday. Also helped set up a photo exhibition. It is saturday, might be going on a day field trip oday, but i could do with going to buy a cushion and a spare head torch!

Tuesday 31 August. Rio Heath to Rio Madre de Dios

We were packed up and on board lobo at 6am, hard boiled eggs for breakfast again. We made good time with less weight on board- food eaten and no camera traps and little more water in the river. We didnt have to drag the boat over as many shallow bits or tree trunks. We made the national park guard post by 10am. The fuel for the last leg was loaded on board and so was the bigger engine.

We had a quick stop at antony´s farm which is just before the end of Rio heath, there was a harpy eagle nest there. It is the biggest eagle in the world one of its feet is as big as my hand. However i did not get to check this out my self as the last chick had flown the nest.

Only a few km to go till we were back on Rio Madre de Dios and where we could leave the hauling of the boat behind us. However the last 200m was the shallowest of the whole rio! it took us half an hour to haul, rock and drag, sometimes 30m in one go. Finally out of Rio Heath we stopped on a large sand bar in middle of the massive Rio Madre de Dios to chagne engines to the bigger outboard motor then made a stop on opposite bank to passport control.

By this time it was 4.30 pm and would be dark by six. I asked if we would camp at dusk but we were to go on in the dark. The wide river being a bit easier to see on at night. We would go full speed till dusk then less than half speed when night fell. Its about 2.5 hours in the day light to get up stream to P.Maldonado. Antony was laying on the front of the boat with a torch looking for hazards of sand bars, rocks, logs and other boats. I was worried about not seeing well enough in the dark, especially when there was no light from the moon!

In the end it took us nearly 5 hours to get to P.Maldondado so we had spent almost 15 hours on the boat that day. We unloaded the boat and got a mototaxi to the guest house. My arse has never been so sore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have a boney bum, my seat bones are virtually through my flesh. Well that what if feels like. Typing this up 3 days later its still uncomfortable sitting on a wooden seat!

monday 30th August, back to rio Heath

AT dawn I lighted the camp fire to boil the water for the day. The lads would need it when they got back form setting the rest if the traps, a couple of hrs later i started to feel a little dizzy/cold sweats. Rob suggested we both set off back to the boat before it got too hot, the rest would follow when they got back to camp. Rob did a few shuttle runs with his stuff accross the Pampas, while i waited in the shade at edge of the jungle. It was very hot and humid in the jungle. I set off pn path through jungle once Rob got to the edge of jungle. He said to stop if i didnt not think i was going the right way! Which i did 1k in. You dont want to get lost in the jungle on yr own! Thankfully i was on the right path and Antony and Julio caught me up after half and hour. We go to the boat and Rio. I had did what i had been dreaming of for 2 days! a swim and wash in the Rio!! back on Rio Heath We made good time down Rio heath. I discovered you could pass time on board the boat by doing chores to take yr mind of the fact i had been sat on a wooden plank for 3 days on way to pampas. my arse still was not ready for another 2 days. It has never been so sore. I wish i had a big flabby bum! my boney bum felt like to bones were poking out, No matter what postion i sat in i´d end up numb and sore. AT that point in the time the thing i really wanted was a cushion! Back to those chores washing up the dishes from the boat with instant access to a huge washing up bowl -el Rio. Scouring pads - sand from river. Washing machine for clothes, you guessed it el rio! At dusk we go stuck on a tree for 10 mins, but managed to get free and to a beach just before dark to make camp. It was cloudy and there were claps of thunder, looked like rain was on the way. I pitch tent quick but it was trying to blow away in the wind, so used exra long tent pegs - 6 ft long palm stems. I had by first proper wash since leaving P.Maldonado in the river in my bakini next to the boat, it had never felt so good to be clean!!

Sunday 29th August, Pampas Del Heath

Woke up at 5.30 ish after not much sleep, my imgination getting the better of me, also heard an animal calling and got excited wondering if it was a maned wolf, but it turned out to be an owl. I´d pitched the tent in a hollow and felt like i was sleelping on slope, so dicided i´d move it to another pitch tomorrow.

my first attack by a creature.....
After breakfast i went back to my tent at the new pitch to get my water bottle which was outside. I grabbed it and felt a sharp searing pain in my finger. When i looked down i saw an inch long ant scurrying away! I suspected it might have been an bullet ant, so named because the sting feels like you have been shot like with a bullet! However it must not been a full sting as it felt a bit worse from the time i got stung by a wasp back home last summer. I checked wih rob and it was a bullet ant! Time to move pitches again!! My finger throbbed till at least 3pm that day.

Field work
We started to get the camera traps ready. These are remote auto cameras that take pictures of anything that passes. They are put out in pairs at a station, then there is a station every 500m. There are 8-10 stations in a line and 2 lines 500m apart.

The Pampas del Heath was in a sorry state. There had been fires a 1-2 weeks before. The grass had started to sprout but there were still palm trunk smouldering and ash & black dust. The Breeze was hot dry and dusty. My trousers and feet were black already.

On the way to the first station point Rob heard a male maned wolf calling. We set up the first cameras strapping them to trees, both facing the same animal path. You then have 5 mins to get out of there before they activated. We split into 2 teams. We used GPS to find and map the location of each station. It was mid day by the time we got to station 3, there was no shade and it must of been 40C. Eddy found in a hole in a hummock a small anaconda only 6 ft long. However as much i wanted to see them catch it i was feeling the heat of the midday sun.

I went back towards the last station and waited in the shade of some palms the lads said they would come back for me after they had finish setting the traps. After an hour in the shade i had a look in my binoculars for the lads and saw the camera traps 100m away. I decided to go back to camp after leaving an arrow made with brash by the camera so the lads could see i had headed back. On the way back i bumped into Julio who lad lost his team, we waited at the first station and then headed back. Antony said he´d heard Eddy and JC calling for me, so i was worried they had not realised i had come back. They came back to camp 20 mins later.

There was now time to chill out, so i moved pitch, 3rd time lucky! by the time i had moved pitch i had missed Theo and Antony going back to the boat and river to get more food. So missed out a swim and bath in the Rio! I had a wet wipe wash insead.

Eddie and JC had caught the anaconda and brought it back to camp to photograph as well as rescue from the blistering dry pampas. but dont worry it was onyl a baby at 6ft long!

The plan was to leave the pamas in the morning a day early, most of the pampas had been burnt, so there was not to survey. The rest of the traps would be put out and first light.

Saturday the 28th Rio Heath to Pampas del Heath

Saturday the 28th Rio Heath to Pampas del Heath
I woke up late after first light, so had to pack up quickly. We had breakfast on board of pre hard boiled eggs, yoghurt drink and cereal bars! Should I tell you the this next bit or not….After a hard haul over some rocks we saw that the Lobo had a 1mm split in her keel! But the crew didn’t seem too worried so neither was i, honest ;o) ! Apparently these things happen to them all the time, and the keel swells. It was not letting in water and didn’t not effect the structure of the boat.

We arrived at the start of the path that lead us through the jungle to the edge of the pampas. Unloaded the boat and took what we needed for 2 days camp. It was nearly 2k through the jungle and then 1k across the pampas to a woodland where the base camp was. The wood would be welcome relief to the mid day sun of 40 C.

Friday 27 August, Rio Heath

Friday 27 August, Rio Heath
I didn’t have a good nights sleep which the heat, first night camping in the wilds and being paranoid about things like jaguars roaming camp at night, especially if I want to go to the loo at night! I woke up with mild tummy bug and had to rush out of tent wild animals or not!, but there was nothing there on the beach only my imagination! We set off at first light and made the national park guard post for 8ish and swapped engines, off loaded the scaffold tower and bigger engine.
After the guard post the river got very hard going, lots of shallow bits and also what can only be described as tree grave yards. Lots or small or huge trees and logs strewn about the river like a tangled maze. We had to navigate round through and over them. Sometimes taking a run onto a log or tunk Theo was driving and Antony guiding the front of the boat. At one point Rob n Eddy had to swim and lift back of boat. Most of the time the lads balanced on submerged branches or logs to haul the boat over the trunks. Its like off roading for boats!! They are tough boats having to come up against rocks as well as trunks.
We made camp in peru this time on another beach. After supper we went looking for camen´s eye shine with our torches and Antony caught some bait fish to try and catch tomorrows supper of giant catfish.

Thursday 26 August, Puerto Maldonado to Rio Heath

Thursday 26 August, Puerto Maldonado
Up early again at 6.30am, actually that is the normal time here. Its first light then and goes dark at 6pm, to make most of daylight and cooler start and end of days. We loaded the large 12m long motor canoe with all the gear. It was very full with food for 5 days for 7 people all the kit for field trip too! 2 huge barrels of fuel, wheel barrow, scaffold viewing tower, food, tents, bags and loo roll, smaller 2nd engine for the shallow river etc etc.
We joined the main Rio Madre de Dio which is 200-1000m wide it as 2 hrs on this Rio to Rio Heath which is the Peru/Bolivian border. I was in the company of Rob (guy who runs the projects in Peru) and also other staff and volunteers: Julio, Juan Carlos, Antony, Eddy and Theo. Juan Carlos made lunch aboard the boat. Rob asked me to record the wetland bird species seen on Rio heath.
We had to stop at the Peru passport control before we headed down Rio Heath. The river is only 20-50m wide and there has been a drought so the water levels where low. Within 5 mins we had to get out and drag the boat to deeper bits. This was a regular bit of exercise. The canoe only needs 1 ft to float, but some bits were less than ankle deep. We carried on up stream and make camp on a river beach at dusk, while trying not to be bitten by mozzies!! The tent I was given had a broken pole so 2 of the lads shared a tent and gave be one of theirs, so I had somewhere to sleep! Juan made supper of pasta and sauce, which he had prepared on board on way up stream. Oh yeah the beach was in Bolivia, on their river bank. It was the nearest we could get to before dark!

testing schedule of posts

i hope that i can drip feed you my posts as other wise you will have a weeks in one go, so its the 1st of sept and i hope thta this post will be posted at 1330! humf we will see. I have a week in P.Maldonado just back from the Pampas del Heath, but still typing it up! What an adventure!! aparantly Rob reckons it is the hardest field trip he has done!

Wednesday 25 August

Wednesday 25 August, Cusco-Puerto Maldonado

A long but scenic journey going from the dry mountains on the west, over snow peaked Andean mountains and down into the more humid eastern side of the Andes starting with cloud forests then into jungle. The mountain pass was 4700 that is meters so nearly 15000ft a bit bigger then ben nevis! So lots of different habitats with different climates and altitudes

The road is very new and still being built, so sometimes was diverted onto dirt tracks. We set of at 6.30 am and arrived at 7.30pm, covered 270 miles and saw 48 species of birds from the truck. We did stop lots to look as stuff and have breaks.A long but scenic journey going from the dry mountains on the west, over snow peaked Andean mountains and down into the more humid eastern side of the Andes starting with cloud forests then into jungle. The mountain pass was 4700 that is meters so nearly 15000ft a bit bigger then ben nevis! So lots of different habitats with different climates and altitudes

The road is very new and still being built, so sometimes was diverted onto dirt tracks. We set of at 6.30 am and arrived at 7.30pm, covered 270 miles and saw 48 species of birds from the truck. We did stop lots to look as stuff and have breaks.

field trip to the Pampas Del Heath

I was asked if i wanted to help survey the Pampas del Heath in Bahuaja Sonene National Park along side Rio Heath and the Bolivian border for a week before i go to the jungle to survey giant otters. If you google map look for Puerto Heath in Bolvia and follow the Rio Heath south. We will be in the brown patchs to the west of the river. But dont be alarmed it is actually in Peru depsite what google says! I will be there until about 2nd Sept then will have 2 nights in Puerto Maldonaldo before we head up Rio Madre de Dios & Rio Manu.

Tasks: The work will invlove survying and mapping the micro habitats, checking methology for hecatare transects to survey birds such as grass crakes. The flag ship animal is the maned wolf, which is a long legged fox like canid that eats rodents. It needs its long legs to walk through the 1m tall grass. We are also going to try and find new base camp sites for future surveys that have water. We will also be putting out 50 camera traps, ie, remote auto cameras that take pics of anything that passes.

Getting there: It is a 6k walk to the base camp from the river. We leave Cusco wednesday 25th at 5am in the pick up truck, head up over the andes, passing snow peaked maintains. Going from dry mountains to lush cloud forests on the other side of mountain pass, dropping into lowland jungle Its a 9 hr drive. We will spend the night in Puerto Maldonaldo (the gateway to the jungle in south Peru and Boliva and Brazil. On Thursday 26th we take the boat down the Rio heath which is also the border of Boliva. Dont worry aparrently there are national parks both sides of the river that are bandit free! The main worry thouhg is the drought has caused the river level to drop and we have a lot of kit on the baot, so may have to get out and push. Rob hopes it will take a day to get up the river, but it may be longer! We will camp in tents using a gas stove for cooking

WIildlife: There will plenty of jaguars to see too! Rob wreckons very good chance of seeing one and if we dont i have brought a curse with me! The maned wolf, giant otters, grass crakes, macaw licks, cabibari, large ancondas.

The only downside to the field trip is i will not have to time do the inca trail, but to be honest i am glad i am going to the Pampas del Heath insted as might record some new species for Peru! inc a rare wild cat

Monday 23 August 2010

My First blog in PERU!

28 hrs after leaving my home i arrived at Rob´s house. due to delay on first flight missed my conenction to long haul flight. Luckily managed to get on enxt one hour later. But seat was double booked when i got on plane! the other people then got bumbed upto first class, think cos they wore posher clothes!!

only 26 hours to go till i leave for Peru. I am getting coach to heathrow, then flying to Madrid. Fly out of Madrid at midnight. Then stuck on plane for 12 hours to Lima followed by quick flight to Lima. I have the important items for my hosts- bisto gravey powder and chocolate orange and a newly published book on otters by James Williams

My bag is packed off for a meal with my folks. They are taking Bosley back with them up north.

Only a 6 days to go still got a few things to get! currency, chocolate & gravey supplies for my hosts! will have to pack to see if i can reduce what i need to take! New camera is fab too!!

kitting up

hi

i have got most of the things i need for Peru, long sleeve t shirts/shirts, trousers, mozzy ney, insect repellant, hat, head net. hmm seems a bit of a theme! anti mozzy stuff! Also getting my camera this week! a canon powershot sx20!! 20x optical zoom for closeups of otters and wildllife!

Rob Williams has just told me the plan for my volunteer work. I will be in Manu National Park from 4th Sept to 25th Sept. I will also be helping out on the Inca Trail & Machu Pichu surveying the interpretation along the way! fantastic!!

Just been brushing up on my spanish vocab with a good Peruvian friend

Wildlife i hope to see in no particlar order or likelyhood of spotting them!

• condor
• vicunas
• giant otter
• jaguar footprints
• andian bear
• macaw salt lick banks
• sea lions
• slothes
• humbolt penguins
• tucan
• harpy eagle
• viscacha
• puma
• strangular fig
• poison arrow frogs
• parana
• manned wolf
• andean wild cat
  

I hope to be getting a plan of what work i will be doing soon, but its mostly with gaint otters i thinks. At the end of project work i will be travelling via lake titicaca, machu pichu, arquipe and nazca back to Lima if i get chance. I will be based in Cuzco when i am not in the jungle!


Bosley is having a seaside holiday with my parents while i am away

My arm aches now after having my yellow fever jab, ordered my anti maleria tablets today. so thats nearly £200 ouch

http://www.giantotterperu.org/en/index.php

http://www.zgf.de/?id=65&projectId=59&language=en

http://www.chaparri.org/en/

my first blog ever

Hi
I have about 40 days left till i fly out to Peru for 6 weeks where i will be volunteering in Manu National Park surveying wildlife, probably inc giant otters how cool is that! I may also be helping with an andean cat project up in the mountains.

Most of the time i will be camping in the jungle on the river banks so will not have access to the internet, but hope to be able to blog when ever i get chance! Hopefully my spanish will improve while i out there.