Our first visitors arrived at the campo even though we were not prepared. Intentions were to have the house completed before they arrived but the rain squelched all those plans. So Karmen and Jo had to survive some of the trials we experience in the jungle.
Our friend, Dionisio, was kind enough to drive us in to the community so we did not have to ride the local micro. We could leave during the day and walk in when it was light. The road showed all the effects of the floods -- many washed out areas, many areas full of nothing but mud. The trip took an hour longer than usual but we were able to drive to within a kilometer of the house. Although Jake had sent pictures of the mud, I was still amazed at the condition of the road. For about 2 kilometers there is nothing but silt dunes. Imagine meter high snow drifts but instead it is all silt. You can walk on the top but just under the surface there is nothing but wet clay. The men from the community were laying tree trunks across the road to built a road for the tractor and combine. The rice is ready to harvest and timing is important or the rice will fall. We walked about a kilometer to the house and we won´t dwell too much on the shape of the house.
First job was to get some lunch ready and Jake still had some soup left over. Jake harvested some fresh moringa so the girls had a taste of that in the soup. I thought it was a bit heavy with moringa but Karmen said that she liked it.
After lunch the girls rested and talked while I organized the kitchen. Most of the women have left the community. There are only 5 people living in Patajusal 2 and the girls said they could understand why they left.
The truck was thoroughly stuck in the mud so Jake, Jose
and Dionisio spent the afternoon digging it out. Talk about muscles and patience. Jack it up, put boards under it, jack it up, put boards under it -- until it is level with the road and it could be driven out a few feet. Something was broken on the front wheels and oil was leaking so Jake returned to Yapacani with Dionisio and the women stayed at the house.
Having only women in the house was probably a good thing. Supper was -- you guessed it -- rice! But with sou sauce and with sugar and cinnamon. We played some cards but soon it was time for bed. Following a sponge bath in the bathroom with the tile floor we were all ready to crawl into the tent. Since Jake was not home we all slept together in the tent and the girls did not have to use the mosquito nets! I think they were relieved.
The next morning we had a wonderful breakfast of Grand
ma´s scrambled eggs and real ketchup! Our morning walk was interrupted with more rain and it continued for about two hours. Yes, it interrupted the walk but worse, it made things worse for the men who were trying to repair the road. Will it ever end!! In the afternoon the girlds decided to bake a delicious chocolate cake from Grandma Siebenga´s recipe.
Jake and Dionisio returned and quickly fixed the truck. Everything was working but Jake would not drive out the truck since there are a lot of parts of trees sticking out and he doesn´t want to damage the truck. So he stayed in the community to help with the road and wait for the tractor to compact the road. Then he will come out. The girls and I returned to Yapacani with Dionisio on a road that was much worse than the day before.
So much for impressing Karmen and Jo with the community and the work we do. They wondered what I did all day and they found out that it was much easier to get homesick out there without any communication and not much to do when it rains. I wish they could go back to Canada with a better experience.
Our friend, Dionisio, was kind enough to drive us in to the community so we did not have to ride the local micro. We could leave during the day and walk in when it was light. The road showed all the effects of the floods -- many washed out areas, many areas full of nothing but mud. The trip took an hour longer than usual but we were able to drive to within a kilometer of the house. Although Jake had sent pictures of the mud, I was still amazed at the condition of the road. For about 2 kilometers there is nothing but silt dunes. Imagine meter high snow drifts but instead it is all silt. You can walk on the top but just under the surface there is nothing but wet clay. The men from the community were laying tree trunks across the road to built a road for the tractor and combine. The rice is ready to harvest and timing is important or the rice will fall. We walked about a kilometer to the house and we won´t dwell too much on the shape of the house.
First job was to get some lunch ready and Jake still had some soup left over. Jake harvested some fresh moringa so the girls had a taste of that in the soup. I thought it was a bit heavy with moringa but Karmen said that she liked it.
After lunch the girls rested and talked while I organized the kitchen. Most of the women have left the community. There are only 5 people living in Patajusal 2 and the girls said they could understand why they left.The truck was thoroughly stuck in the mud so Jake, Jose
and Dionisio spent the afternoon digging it out. Talk about muscles and patience. Jack it up, put boards under it, jack it up, put boards under it -- until it is level with the road and it could be driven out a few feet. Something was broken on the front wheels and oil was leaking so Jake returned to Yapacani with Dionisio and the women stayed at the house.Having only women in the house was probably a good thing. Supper was -- you guessed it -- rice! But with sou sauce and with sugar and cinnamon. We played some cards but soon it was time for bed. Following a sponge bath in the bathroom with the tile floor we were all ready to crawl into the tent. Since Jake was not home we all slept together in the tent and the girls did not have to use the mosquito nets! I think they were relieved.
The next morning we had a wonderful breakfast of Grand
ma´s scrambled eggs and real ketchup! Our morning walk was interrupted with more rain and it continued for about two hours. Yes, it interrupted the walk but worse, it made things worse for the men who were trying to repair the road. Will it ever end!! In the afternoon the girlds decided to bake a delicious chocolate cake from Grandma Siebenga´s recipe.Jake and Dionisio returned and quickly fixed the truck. Everything was working but Jake would not drive out the truck since there are a lot of parts of trees sticking out and he doesn´t want to damage the truck. So he stayed in the community to help with the road and wait for the tractor to compact the road. Then he will come out. The girls and I returned to Yapacani with Dionisio on a road that was much worse than the day before.
So much for impressing Karmen and Jo with the community and the work we do. They wondered what I did all day and they found out that it was much easier to get homesick out there without any communication and not much to do when it rains. I wish they could go back to Canada with a better experience.
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