Plans

Having just got back from dinner with the 'ant team' and some of the Peruvians, Im too tired and its too far past my bed time to find my diary and type up the stuff. Instead I will post some images of the past two weeks with a small commentary.

This is the preparation of specimens I have collected. They all have to be pressed ready for drying when I return to Cuzco.
The views looking down from the canopy are impressive, the camera really doesnt do it justice.
This is one of the waterfalls on the walk to the Plot at San Pedro. Thankfully this wasn't the one we had to climb to reach the plot.
This is one of the most impressive Bromeliads we have collected, a beautiful Guzmania growing at mid-elevations
Another view looking down from the canopy. This time one of the large figs growing at San Pedro.

Two weeks in the field - The Trocha Union and San Pedro

I returned to Cuzco again yesterday after an adventurous two weeks in the field. This time our destinations were the legendary 'Trocha Union' and the 'Platforma de San Pedro'. They were two very different experiences.

The Trocha Union

This is a trail running down a ridge of one of the many spurs of the Andes. The ridge contains a series of 8 plots. Transport took us as far as Tres Cruces, then we were walking, carrying everything (minus the things we forgot!) to the campsites in plots 4 and then 8. Our food was limited to the things in our bags, and water was collected by 30 minute walks to mountain springs. This was the first time I have camped for a few years, and combined with carrying all our food and equipment, living on the Trocha was difficult. Thankfully we were in a group of 6 to 8 at all times, and the company, combined with some excellent cooking (along with my secret supply of chocolate) kept spirits high. I had time only to research two of the eight plots, but found some spectacular species of Bromeliads! We were lucky that the rain held off until the last day, as walking the trail of ridges, tunnels and muddy ground was difficult enough in the sun (even harder when we were late getting to plot 8 and arrived in the dark!). I think the Trocha, with the camping and heavy packs caught me slightly unprepared and I was glad to finally hit the road to San Pedro. This picture below shows me after having not washed or changed clothes for 4 days. We had packed away and walked one hour when we emerged onto a ridge with superb views. I thought it presented a great chance to pose for photos...

San PedroStill camping, but under a large wooden shelter, San Pedro was the life of luxury compared to the Trocha. It also seems to represent the start of the animal life of the Amazon, we were kept company variously by monkeys, mice, squirrels, otters and and amazing array of birds. I also took my first ride on the 'camions', the big lorries driving the trecherous mountian roads, as I went to re-stock food in the nearest town. The plot itself at San Pedro is located up a mountain stream! This meant the morning routine included a 10 minute stretch wading though the bottom of small stream up the hill. Again there were some amazing Bromeliads, and I got to climb a big fig tree, the tallest I have managed so far!So in all it was a successful two weeks, I learnt a lot, and feel much better prepared for future trips. In the next day or so I will try to post some comments from my diary, as they give a better taste of what life was really like.

Drinking, walking

I figured I needed to do some walking yesterday to prepare for going back to the Trocha, so after work in the morning I went out of Cuzco on the 'tourist trail' to look at some of the Inca ruins. I went back to Saksaywamaan, then carried on to Qenqo and finally Puca Pucara. The first ruin is definitely the best, the others are much smaller and much less significant. Still, it was nice to be walking and the views, especially in the late afternoon were spectacular!

I also have been out for the last two nights to sample the local nightlife. Firstly it was Andrew Collins' last day, so we went and ate at Los Toldos, which does excellent chicken, then for a few beers. Then last night I met up with Sarah M from Wake Forest, a resident here for about 10 months, and I had my first Pisco sour!

Tomorrow I go back to the field - to the Trocha Union (camping in the forest), then to San Perdo (camping on a nice platform) until the end of the month so I will be out of contact again for 2 weeks or so.

Diary extracts from Wayqecha

Ive been hard at work in the University in Cuzco in the last two days. And apart from the discovery of a shop that sells proper coffee (and freshly baked pastries) around the corner there isn't much to report. So here are some short extracts from my diary while I was at Wayqecha:
Day 8 "...soon we hit the proper mountain roads, climbing steeply and turning frequently. The views got more spectacular the higher we rose ... There were some remarkable things to note from our journey. The first was the extent to which people go to farm land. In some places it seemed impossible to stand up, never mind tend a field of maize! The second was the change in vegetation, from the arid Cuzco things got drier and more desert-like until we suddenly came over the top of the mountain and reached the lush wet cloud forest"
Day 11 "...my day started with a 6am wake up to do some birdwatching, sadly it was a cold, damp and misty morning and few birds were seen...I walked to the forest in full climbing kit, and we prepared to climb a pre-rigged tree. [After 4 hours] this was the situation, the tree contained 2 50m ropes with the wrong ends suspended at 20ft, one complete throwline/throwbag and box, one more throwbag and a role of tape on 10m of string...and it was raining by this stage. We saved the day by taping together 2 bamboo sticks and the catapult head, and retrieving the bag/box/line set, then rigging and climbing. After 5 hours we had got back to square one"
Day 14 " Today we made our first serious attempt at collecting bromeliads. The first was a short climb to a pretty little Tillandsia. It was successfully bagged, tagged and I felt really pleased... With some innovative rope usage and more climbing we quickly aquired 11 specimens"
Day 18 "Professor Miles Silman and his class arrived. With them came bread and chocolate cake." In the field the chocolate cake was a particular highlight because sweet foods were generally off the menu. Hence chocolate cake was the cause of much joy.

Day 19 "Wayqecha is literally on the side of the Andes and the thought of actually playing football seems ludicrous. As it happens there is a flat rectangle of ground 200 yards down the road. So 8 Peruvians and myself set about some 4-a-side on a pitch with 50% grass cover, but the remaining grass was half a meter high! It was tiring but fun, I scored a goal but my team lost in the dying seconds!"

Day 21 "Today was my last full day at Wayqecha and it started perfectly with Quinua porridge and cake! ... Wayqecha has been a great place to meet the forest, easy enough to work and test ideas. The food and hot showers give this place a feeling of luxary and it has been nice to adjust to waking and sleeping in sync with the sun"

Back from Wayqecha: 2 weeks in the field

I returned last night to HQ in Cuzco, to sort through my first set of data and prepare for the upcoming camping trip in the forest.Two weeks in the forest were fun, there are loads of bromeliads everywhere and I initially was wondering how I was ever going to record any data. Eventually I figured out a plan and got some good data collected (I think).The views from the fieldstation were awsome, looking down the valley into the Amazon, we could spend the day watching clouds forming in the lowlands and slowly rising up the valley until in the afternoon we were surrounded by the clouds.

Life at the Wayqecha fieldstation was very enjoyable, with meals cooked (including a boxed lunch) and hot water, life was surprisingly easy. Although electricity was only on from 5:30 to 8:30, which meant I rarely stayed up past 8:30 and would get up with the sun around 6:30.

I will post a few more stories from Wayqecha in the next few days. Now it is well past sunset and my bed time...