D Day has cometh in a wet tshirt of all things
I cant say I slept well at all. It was expedition day and also I had 10 new bites (Damn the blasted cat) but they were in the most annoying places of all up underneath my tricep and 2 right on the crease of the armpit exactly where the rucksack straps go. 2 in particular are very red and hot and with a almost burnt look to the skin. They dont itch but Im slightly concerned Ive not had bites like these so far so Im hoping its just a bad reaction to Druts friends and that something with big fangs or a worm of some sort didnt get me in the night.
Well it was the usual 5.30 start and wandered down to C&S expecting everyone to be waiting for us but we ended up waiting for them. It had started to heat up so after much debating I exchanged the waterproofs for water. I packed as lighlty as possible. Carlos,Vero Calito and the grey horse and myself set off on a slow walk to the route.
At a few stages early on Carlos asked if I wanted to ride the horse but knowing I had already walked this bit I declined adament to walk at least to where we did before. We took it at a steady pace gradually getting higher. We stopped at one point which I was convinced was the point I gave up at last time but couldnt be sure. At this point the heavens let rip. There was the usual Jujuy ingredients of thunder lightening wind rain. It was at this point I wished I had the waterproofs with me and not water. For 2 hours we got soaked. If I ever thought I had been soaked before it was a mere shower to this. For the first time in a long time I had hands like prunes and not through lying in the bath. Literally everything was wet, a good day for wet tshirt competitions. I had water sloshing around in my boots and even after ringing both pairs of socks out and emptying boots they soon refilled and it didnt stop the ticks.
After getting to the stage of in a minute Im getting on the horse, Carlos tied it up, 25m later he was showing me the hole the Toucans were feeding through. YAY Id done it!! Despite being cold wet bitten to death Id got myself there nothing could wipe the smile from my face, Id conquered the walk I had a toucan nest we were getting pictures from inside the nest WHAT A DAY nothing could wipe the smile from my face..
The others caught up and set about setting up the digiscope to look inside, it was about 14ft up the tree and the scope went in. Unfortunatly it was the only thing in the nest. One week on and they have buggered off or been eaten. Anyway they aint there no more and the poo pile that was there? Washed away with one of the mini rivers that had appeared. Needless to say the smile went. Carlos Vero and I all wore the same expression of being sick to the stomach with dissapointment.
Lucho and co carried on up to the parrots the funniest thing was the sight of Luchos arm waving madly as he was being pulled behind the grey horse round the corner and off into the distance.