Again, the sky was threatening when we started out this morning. The fog was so thick and so humid that, as we rode to Mrs. Choc's, those of us riding in the back got our faces soaked. The fog was still hanging heavy when we drove to Yalbac, however, during the course of the day, it cleared up and was sunny most of the day. It is amazing how the weather operates around here. Clear skies in the morning usually bode rain by the afternoon and thick, ominous clouds clear up into sunny skies. Strangeness, just strangeness.
I took Hannah and Chris with me into the jungle and we collected plants and mapped with Cleofo. It was quite the task and it took us nearly the whole day to finish up one map that we were working on and map a smaller chunk with the smallest plants on the jungle floor. Then we started off again- trying to go another 500 meters into the jungle. We made it a total of 750 meters before I called it and we went back to Yalbac. Our daily hike just keeps getting longer. It takes 15 minutes to hike in 500 meters. And, at the end of this adventure, I intend to be 11 KM in, which means a daily hike of ........ 5.5 hours one way.........? Um.......I think we will spend our entire time hiking by the end of this.
Anyway, we were out there from 7:30am until 2:30pm with a 30 minute lunch break and a lot of pauses to let the brain slog through functioning amidst the heat, humidity and mosquitoes. Actually, another blessing, the mosquitoes were lots less intense today. I couldn't tell if they really were less obnoxious today, if it was the sunny skies, or if I have turned myself into the deet monster. Maybe all three!
We made it out alive and went back to Banana Bank. We had a 10 minute clothing change/try to get the mud off/try to actually smell decent/grab your stuff and we were off again. Actually, Dr. L had a flat tire and Ernesto, who had driven the guys home, changed it. We cheered for him afterward. In town, I bought a couple of gorgeous looking mangos and Steve wanted to get another field shirt, so, I bought 2 clothing items and we got a deal on all three. We also got lost on our way to Brodies to get all my needed supplies, because Steve took the short-cut :) It was an awesome adventure and I was in a bright mood, so, all was well. Unfortunately, not all were in the same mood. However, we finally made it to the little shopping area around Brodies and Dr. L's favorite hangout- Perkups, with 15 minutes to spare. In that time, I acquired all my needed plant pressing and preservation items as well as a Klondike bar (which ended up melting on the ride home because I was riding in the truck this time and Dr. L has a strict no food policy. On the way back from town, we met Dr. L's former grad student: Jane, who is now over a resort and a professional Yoga instructor.
We had dinner, which was simply lovely, and then I pressed plants for an hour and 15 while listening to the Decemberists and Flight of the Conchords before Molly wanted to go to bed. I finished notes around 10 our time and then had a chance to chat online a bit- while writing the blog :) Still no time for e-mails, I will get to them and Facebook.......soon........I hope!
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