August 20, 2009: Rara Avis

Owen: Sorry for the short entry yesterday, and sorry to disappoint again but this will be another short one tonight. Early in the morning we woke up to a super freezing, rocky mountain glacier temperature shower. Sean and I took one, but Liam didn’t want to, and remained stinky for the day. Anyways, we went down to breakfast at 6:30ish and had the usual Gallo Pinto. After, we embarked on our hike, which was sure to be a long one. We didn’t see much wildlife because we were to busy looking at our boots (our welly’s/wellingtons as Dan and Cally call them). We progressed slowly over treacherous terrain and got to a river where Liam slipped and got all wet. Then, we got to the fairy pond. It was a pool of shallow water with MASSIVE plants growing on the sides. They looked like skunk cabbage on steroids. We shot a video of Liam pretending to catch a fairy Legend of Zelda style on the Mino. After the pond, we reached the Man-Eating Mud pit, which I don’t need to explain really, just knee high muck for a couple hundred meters. After surviving with both boots, we reached the jumping stones, where you jump between stones. Who woulda thunk it. Finally we got to the End of the World (after 2 hours going only 2 and a half KMs, it felt like forever) waterfalls and canyons, some of which have never been explored fully. We hiked to a pool and swam for about an hour, and started hiking back. Upon returning after slightly over 5 hours, we ate lunch and planned on going swimming. That plan was quickly changed by a DOWN POUR of rain, the most I have ever seen. And I live in Oregon…

So we played assorted card games and when the rain cleared up a bit, Sean went on a hike to a rear by waterfall with two others. As soon as they were out of sight, the rain came down ever harder than before! Even indoors, the rain was giving us a beating. The roar of the rain falling thunderously on the roof made it hard to hear others. At least I got to work on my lip reading.

It was then around 3:30, time for the soccer game. The rain was still coming down. Our tour group leader didn’t show up for it, but Sean, Liam, Dan and I were ready to go, so we started without him. It was GAP adventures vs. Rara Avis Crew. Let me describe the setting for you. It was coming down cats and dogs, Saint Bernards and Panthers really, and the game was to be played anyways. The field was sloped, with rocks scattered along one side, and a wall of forest plants on the other, and a big clay pit in the very middle. The goals were tiny and about 25 meters apart from one and other. Near the goal we were defending, there was a giant mud pit, where one could sink in all the way to their waist (which happened several times to each person). Anyways, this game was insanity. Everyone was sliding a lot, except one guy, who we call the Gazelle, because he could play like he was on a normal field! He had four goals. Early on, Sean fell into the mud pit and cut his heel horribly on something down there. I am pretty sure a mud shark bit him. He got that cleaned up and went back to the room. Towards the end of the game, which ended in a defeat for our team, I was pushed over and cut my hand in several places. The game ended and we got cleaned up, more or less, and headed for dinner. After dinner, we headed back to the room very early, got packed up, typed the blog for the day, and now we are going to try to fall asleep. Buenos Noches.

Liam: When I woke up I heard the sounds of Owen and Sean coming from their cold showers and thought that was not the fate that I wanted. After a quick breakfast we started on our hike, it was very long and after I slipped in some water and got my socks wet I decided to get as muddy as possible. Through the whole hike instead of following the guide and the group through the shallow mud I would trek though the deepest mud I could find. By the time we got to the swimming hole and waterfall my socks were beginning to turn a brownish color. The hole was awesome; there was a rock that was about 7 feet tall that we jumped off of into the water. We also swam upstream against the current to get to some falls were we sat and hung out. Not everyone could make it up, only the elite few could hang out at the waterfall. On the way back to the hotel I kept up my tradition of going to the road less traveled. When we arrived at the hotel my (previously white) socks were a darker brown then the Nike shirt I was wearing.

After lunch we played a harsh game of soccer, it was a not so good field but it was amazing never the less. Usually I don’t like soccer but in this game we were tackling each other, there were no rules for this game. The one goal we had was by me on the luckiest kick of my life. But the majority of the game I was aiming to knock people over into the mud and bushes. The game ended 6 to 1, we lost but it was very fun never the less.

When the soccer game ended we all washed off the mud that was caked onto us and got ready for dinner. Dinner was good and after we ate we sat around and talked with the other members of our group for a while. Some of the French Canadians taught us some French. After talking for a while we went off to our room, packed, then got ready for bed. Bon Nuii.

Sean: I think the boys rediscovered their blogging passion today. As there is not much to add to their tale. Instead I will elaborate on what I did without them.

The five hour hike was supposedly only 5 meters but Im not sure that I believe that. We walked briskly and even with the harsh conditions I believe we covered far more ground than that.

Anyway, after lunch we sat around and played cards for a while. The boys were still wet and muddly and not much in the mood to go back out into the wilderness. So I let them stay and play cards under the roof while I headed out with Joshua (the head of the station) and Sheri. As soon as we left the dining area it started raining as hard as anything I have ever walked through. It was like standing in the worlds largest shower, with your clothes on. Within seconds I was completely soaked. We walked for about 15 minutes to a view point looking out at an enormous 2 level waterfall. It was spectacular! It was made even more memorable by the presence of an incredibly bright blue jean poison dart frog. By the time we headed back large pools had formed on the trail and road. At one point we were wading well past our knees. All in all, it was an extremely fun and memorable hike.

When I returned to the dining area it was time for the futbol match. I mostly stayed back on defense because the rest of our team wanted to be goal scorers. After an early goal we held our own for quite a while. About an hour into the game disaster struck. I got tangled up with one of the staff members as he was coming in to try to score a goal and we both went into the mud pit. I think I went in about up to my waist and on the way down I felt my right foot hit something. It stung quite badly and when I managed to crawl out of the hole I noticed I was bleeding. I limped to the side and then Danny came and helped clean me up as the game was paused. I had a nice 2-3 inch slice on my heal. Once cleaned up by Danny I headed to the room to take a shower and get some Neosporin on my injury.

I am currently walking with a limp and worried the wound will reopen. I am very much hoping that nothing gets infected. The boys informed me that after I got off the field, some metal wire was pulled out of the pit. Im not sure how long since my last tetanus shot but it has been a long time. I must remember to get a booster when I return home. In the meantime, keep you fingers crossed that I heal up quickly and without incident!! J the only thing making me feel better about the match is that after I left the defense fell apart. We were only down 2-0 when I left and by the end of the game it was 6-1…

Once I was all cleaned up I sat in the dining area and played some strange form of dominos with the Canadian girls, Emily and Evelyn. The rest of the evening I felt very tired and somewhat worried about my injury so it is off to an early nights sleep!

NOTE: It has been very difficult to take pictures here in Rara Avis. It is very wet and muddy and we do not want to risk our equipment.