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2005-04-08 - 7:55 p.m. - highlights from Los Llanos Second entry for today. Given that I'm in the grading mode, if I had to grade the last entry on a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 2. This one...a 7. Maybe even a 7.5, and it's significantly better given that nature of the subject matter - my vacation. Here's the review I sent to my guide for his tour review book. I've changed some spelling's (i.e. replaced the letter "i" with the number "1" in order to not get some many google hits with names). A certain degree of anonymity is good... Highlights from Los Llanos Day 1: Easter Sunday, March 27, 2005 Alan�s name opens doors.... When it happened, the nine of us were told to go down a couple of blocks to the local liquor store where Alan normally stops to buy beer and drinking supplies. �Just tell them you�re friends of Alan.� Well we did and what do you know, the locked bar door separating the patrons from the workers was opened and we were allowed in �behind the scenes� where there were blowing fans to cool our faces and ice cold drinks to quench our thirst. Here it is on Easter Sunday and I�m in a liquor store chatting it up in my broken Spanish/Spanglish with the locals. Freddi and his co-workers are an amusing bunch, and needless to say we had a great time. Another half hour before our new transport arrives? No problema, Alan. When life hands you a lemon, you made lemonade, and Alan knows how to serve up some great lemonade � a near endless supply of ice-cold beverages on a very hot day. Day 2: Monday, March 28, 2005 Alan�s funniest joke� Always bring your camera� Now I already said how the Washer Machine rapid was an adrenaline rush, and seeing Alan pull that caiman out of the water got the adrenaline pumping again as well. What previously felt like a waterfall of adrenaline was a mere drop in the veins compared to what happened next. Shine that spotlight in the brush, yes we are approaching our next reptile species � none other than�the Anaconda. Eagle-eye Carlos had spotted it and brought the rear end of the boat (where I was sitting) right up to it. But not satisfied by just having us look at it, he reaches out and starts pulling it into the boat!!!! What is it with these guys??? I stood up wide-eyed while a voice in my head silently screamed, �there�s an Anaconda right behind you, wrapping itself around your boat driver!!� Carlos leaps out of the boat and onto the sand while at the same time trying to release himself from the Anaconda�s grip. Alan ran over to assist and together they were able to unwrap it from Carlos� arms. �Who wants to hold it?� HAHAHAHAHAHAHA�. o.k., I do. It was about 2 meters long, perhaps a little more. Alan put the middle part of the snake�s body behind my neck. I could feel the sand on it rub against my skin as the lower part of its body and tail were draped over my extended left arm. Alan showed me how to properly hold its head with my right hand and use my left hand to support its neck. Did I tell you I did not have my camera? Fortunately others did, and one person was kind enough to take my picture on his digital camera and has promised to email it to me. I�ll say it a second time�always bring your camera. For me, holding a wild Anaconda at night on the banks of the Apure River is an experience I will never forget. Day 3: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 The title of our tour� Further down the road, we saw the pink river dolphins mating, more caiman crocs, capybaras, red ibis, various kingfishers, each of the three main types of storks (no babies!), heron, egrets, snake birds, spoonbill, Venezuela�s national bird � the turpial. Alan must have pointed out well over 30 different species of birds to us throughout our three days. He also has a talent for talking to the animals � he �iieeiieeiiee��s at the dolphins and has another call for the giant river otters (although �Roopee, Roopee, Roopee� works best). Having trouble with your camera or aren�t sure of the best shot � hand your camera to Alan - he�s a wildlife photographer and has been doing this for over 300 tours now. Like to look at flora as well? Alan will share with you his knowledge of the plants as well as the ecosystems of the rain forests and cloud forests. �What out for that piranha� now has more meaning for me other than just being a line of lyrics from the B-52�s song, �Rock Lobster�. When you have one dangling at the end of your fishing line and still chomping your bait to bits, you don�t want to get to close to its razor-sharp teeth. We�ll let Alan take care of it. Don�t worry about sleeping in the bush in hammocks. Drink enough rum and coke and you�ll pass out in one � eye glasses on and all. And when you wake up in the middle of the night and hear heavy breathing and some grunting in the trees above you, don�t be alarmed. It�s just my favorite bird � the Hoatzin. I call it the punk rock bird since its Mohawk plumage and tree/stage diving (it doesn�t fly too gracefully) are reminiscent of some concerts I have attended. What�s even cooler is that it may have some link to Archaeopteryx given the claws on its wings, but genetic studies have linked it to the Cuckoo. In any case, it�s in a family all its own. Day 4: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 The weirdest animal of all� A few last words� By now, most people have heard of the �butterfly effect� which describes physicists� idea of chaos theory. "The flapping of a single butterfly's wing today produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. So, in a month's time, a tornado that would have devastated the Indonesian coast doesn't happen. Or maybe one that wasn't going to happen, does." (Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos, pg. 141) This is basically saying that it is impossible to make predictions for complex systems, especially when you have so many factors interacting. Such can be said about predicting your enjoyment on any wildlife tour you may choose. But when you have Arassar1 Trek as your tour company, Carlos as your boat driver, El Cap1tan Samuel as your white-water lifeguard, all the wonderful cooks at the camps and drivers of the vans, and most importantly, Alan H1ghton as your Los Llanos guide, I guarantee that no matter how many times that butterfly flaps its wings, if you go in with an open mind and adventurous spirit, you�ll come out with memories that will last you a lifetime. I know I sure did. Thank you, Alan, for sharing your vast wealth of knowledge, spreading your contagious enthusiasm, and providing me with the trip of a lifetime. Peace, teop � oreos - 2005-05-29 � |
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