Today is my first full day in the Amazon area today, with a full day of activities planned, including a 6.30 start to go bird watching. But first a catchup on last night's dinner after yesterday's post.

As darkness fell, the place got incredibly noisy with insect noises, and as there are no windows, only fly screens, I was hoping that my head adapts and ears turn off quickly as I did to the QB's engine etc noises .

On the way to dinner through the dark (thank goodness for my travel torch) I met some of the Norwegian group who have arrived and who I will see more of tomorrow. They were very friendly, as was a chap who I walked back with, and as they head to the Galapagos next they were keen to hear my impressions.

However I didn't get to sit with them for dinner, poor Alfonso had me to himself, though we managed to find heaps to chat about covering a wide range of topics! He has plenty to tell, and there is a lot I want to know about - Lol. Dinner was delicious, Ecuadorian food and my wine tab is underway with nice Chilean wine.

Douglas (owner here and brains behind the work of the foundation) gave a short talk after dinner and introduced me to the other group (and warned them I would be joining them for some activities), then covered much of what is on the web re the why and what of his work here .mmore on that later.

Then to my room, tucked into my next Jack Reacher novel for a sleep inducing end to the night, praying that the larger nocturnal beasts would stay away.

I woke before 6 am and checked the weather, which looked like it would be OK for bird watching. However by 6.20 it had started to rain so I had time before breakfast at 7.00 for a read. Breakfast was pretty standard Ecuadorian fare, and the porridge was delicious.

Alfonso and I then got a lift in one of the trucks to the start of our next hike for about 2.5 hours, this time through an area of primary rainforest, which was noticeably different to most of yesterday's excursion, in particular with larger trees, less bushes on the ground and a very high canopy - lots of variety in the tree species, including the Coca tree, which of course has many medical uses, including as a tea to overcome altitude sickness, was used in Coca Cola and of course grown commercially in several other closely countries and used to produce cocaine . Where large trees have fallen there was a significant break in the forest's density and lower, bushier plants were growing. As we walked we saw lots of interesting things and my very knowledgable guide went to a lot of trouble to find and explain things to me. I have attached pics to explain most of the following.

Some of the larger trees figs and other types have massive buttress roots that branch out and run across the surface for 10, 20, 30 metres and even further. Other types of palms don't have a central root and are supported by a series of roots that prop it up. We saw several types of these and one in particular is called an Ironwood or sometimes the 'Walking Palm'. Yes the wood is very hard and used to make spears and some people think that because of the way the roots stick out, that the tree can move across the forest up to 15 cm per year, though this has not been proven.

We also saw lots of nuts on the forest floor . The pic of 4 nuts in my hand shows one nut when it falls from the tree, the next showing the outer layer peeled away and the edible flesh (yummy), then one we found that had recently been chewed, and yet another that had germinated.

Alfonso pointed out lots of insects - many spiders too small or quick to photograph, many millipedes, army ants and a termite nest. He also picked up part of quite a big pile of earthworm poo (see pic of one bit) which suggests the earthworms are quite large. Yes indeedy, one was photographed near here recently which was around 175 cm and correspondingly fat!

We also spotted bush mangoes, first by noticing one upon the trail that had been chewed. The indentations on the one in the pic are about the same size as my front teeth, so from a sizeable animal - not sure what but I will check. Then I saw plenty of the same fruit in trees - they sprout off the side of a tall, skinny tree (sorry, it's a sideways pic) .

While walking we also heard many birds, but did not see more than a handful (not like the (galapagos), but did see a yellow headed vulture and some smaller ones that moved very fast. One other interesting find was a small, temporary pond formed from a curled leaf. The water was teeming with very small tadpoles, on their way to increasing the local frog population!

After the hike I had time to catch my breath and un-sticky myself in what is a very humid environment before lunch which was first a delicious chicken and vet able soup, rice (standard), beans, a local potato cake type of dish, red beans, pork chops (but skinny) and vegetables. For dessert we had grapefruit halves. Plus coffee.

After lunch I joined the Norwegian group and we went across to the Yachana Training Centre to hear about the program here. I won't bang on about the training culture philosophy of this what is essentially a 'Project' whereby the profit from the lodge + donations fund the work that Douglas McMeekin is doing here - but it while wasn't what I expected to find here, I am very pleased to see how an entrepreneurial fellow is preparing kids from the community to be employable and to give back to the local communities .

The most impressive thing for me is how he is using technology to support the educational training enterprise that he is running. So as well as seeing the 'teaching by doing' spaces for cooking (general commercial cookery as well as bread and pastry making for sale locally), carpentry and welding workshop (the fit out of the cabins was all done onsite with local timber), a massive computer lab (with a nifty central server to get around the issue with continuous electricity) to prepare students for life in general as well as having to do their final state exam by computer (and the students from here score highly) and dorms (students are in residence 3/4 weeks) we also saw new facilities under construction or just completed....

Including:
A new toilet block with a new type of composting toilet, with the treated liquid waste from toilets and hand washing fertilising a bank of vegetables.
An aquaculture set-up.
A hydroponics system .
Solar cells for powering lights and hearing water using new technology for the collecting panels.
An experimental building incorporating green walks, bamboo flooring and a vented ceiling, which will become a science lab.
Use of ozone to purify water (and in the lodge, where the water is great), which in turn improves the life of lodge linen due to fewer soap crystals left behind to damage linen during drying (I can explain).

And using innovative teaching techniques combining mathematics, physics and horticulture - such as the 'banana circles' which teach about the practical use of the formula for the circumference and diameter of a circle, recycling and growing more banana trees per square meter. One of many ideas on Douglas' list. He also has a volunteer program whereby people come and work here for several months - so if I disappear one day after improving my Spanish, you might find me here.

Back to the Lodge, with a bit if time before dinner - so I will post this and cover 'after dinner' tomorrow morning as Alfonso is taking me on a night hike after dinner.

Night and I hope you are warm too.

J