The email updates part 1

created: Sat 03 February 2007 22:03:00
last updated:

From: "Phil Davis"
Date: Thu, October 5, 2006 11:05 pm
To: everyone

I have a day off in Baraloche today, which is about 50km from our camp. I am still alive and well and have not suffered illess or misfortune :)

I have spent the time with GVI over the past few days on various projects. First we split into 3 groups, there are 11 in mine.

The first 3 days were spent on a long trek, we hiked up into the mountains with tents and food to last us. I think we all took too much stuff for this part becase my pack was about 30kgs and i didnt need half of it. It was very tough going, with those awkward boots, but by the end of the 3rd day I was feeling much more comfortable in them.

The next 3 days were spent near a condorera where we received training in first aid and basic research skills to help with the research. We are monitoring numbers and habits for local universities who will write papers on it. Here we were sleeping in an old school (still in our sleeping bags on camping mats) which is very small, but comfortable.

The next 3 days were spend in base camp learning more skills like navigation, map reading, lighting fires, using machettes, chainsaws and hatchets (its possible we may have to clear paths through forests in national parks for tourists. Actually our group probably wont be doing this as we are in the national parks last and hense they will already be clear)

After this we have 3 weeks each at condors, trekking and national parks in that order.

The scenery is beautiful of course and i´m really glad to be here. Its different here of course, the stars are totally unfamiliar and the trees are still bare, some are coming green. The people are great to be with and i´m getting them to pick up phrases like ´catch yourself on´ heh.

Its not too cold here by the way, its warm and sunny when its sunny, about 20+ degrees, but when the sun goes behind a cloud it drops to about 10. At night it hovers about zero but not much colder, maybe in the mountains it will be colder. My sleeping bag is very warm and so are my clothes , gloves etc so don´t worry.

Actually was in the mountains the other night to monitor condors as a one off and in the morning there was condensation on my sleeping bag. I took it out of the tent and left it on a rock to air a bit. The condensation turned to ice so I just brushed it off!

By the end of the year I expect it will be very hot.

==
phil davis