Due to start my cake course on 1st October I had a few weeks to spare. And all I could think about was the monkeys. And so when Vicky at La Senda Verde emailed me and said they were desperately in need of volunteers I booked my flights within an hour!
The journey was long. Three flights and about 24 hours long. In fact longer than that, as I managed to miss my connection in Miami due to rain and a five hour delay. But this meant a day in Miami with Gio's brother and family so it turned out pretty nicely.
Next day I landed in La Paz and started my return journey to La Senda Verde in the 'Las Yungas' valleys. The landscape on the journey was more beautiful than I remembered, and when I finally crossed the bridge to the refuge the beauty, and the excitement of being back were both overwhelming.
The view from the minivan out of La Paz.
The view from the minivan out of La Paz.
The next day a group of school children arrived for a two night camping trip. All of their luggage proved to be just too tempting for Wara who was in heaven searching their luggage.
Then a couple of days later I was enlisted to babysit. Not the kids, a monkey! I had to babysit the new red howler monkey, Lokoto (3 months old) for the night. He spent the majority of it asleep in my tshirt! Not your everday task!
Oh the adorable Lokoto. Although try getting a monkeys tail in to a nappy when he doesn't want it!
Baby Chocolate - one of the newest spider monkeys. A very shy little monkey who every new and then would love to hang from the trees and pull your hair!
Me, Sambo, and Camelo - everyone seems to want my water container!
Nina (the spider monkey) says hello to the new Lion monkey - yes very small for a lion...
One of the many lovely cuddles from Nina - and one of the many reasons I will be back!
Marcelo - as always covered in monkeys. A true inspiration.
Vicky - even more of an inspiration, running the refuge, the hotel, charity work and teaching. Every animal from the monkeys and her beloved bear to the tortoises are treated like her children.
Lunch for the baby capuchin monkeys - on my lap, in my hair - over my face...
Mmmmmm pineapple, I got a little jealous of the monkey's diet after a while!
Wara found her way in to my bed at 5am - apparently I had a warm foot. I couldn't complain - it's not often you get a monkey stealing your covers. Unless you count Gio...
The usual suspects waiting outside of my room, Limon and Jimmy (the squirrel monkey)
Elvis - looking cute but actually nibbling my hand!
Oh the cuddles with Trufa (baby spider monkey)
The adorable Limon and Borris in their usual spot on my bedroom floor.
Mr Biggles - my first encounter with a hiccuping bird. He liked to crawl up the back of your chair at breakfast and then sit on your shoulder waiting for his breakfast. Every time that first hiccup would make me jump!
Kantuta the Coati, making herself comfy. In fact at one point she was so heavily asleep she dribbled!
Wara - just double checking the doors, as always. She wants to be inside and causing trouble at all times!
The birds still preferred walking to flying! Lots of time is spent trying to look after the birds, especially the ones still in cages - any ideas for entertainment will be appreciated. My next plan is to send them mirrors! Vicky is hoping to buy them a radio too!
The view out of the window of the taxi on my way back to La Paz - typical beautiful Bolivian countryside. I am sure I will be back. I don't know how or when. In the mean time I plan to help from afar be it trying to raise funds to help this amazing cause or sending anything out that might help. But for now it's cakes and not monkeys until I find a way of combining the two for a job!!
