Far far away…

Once upon a time, I wrote here quite often. However, events change, and so, after some months, here is my new update…..

I needed to check before where I left here with my writing…

So, after being sick all the time, I finally started to work on my internship/research. The first few weeks I worked mostly for Carlos (prof) to summarize documents, literature and more to use for the development of the Yasuni-ITT proposal. Summarizing, reading and understanding Stern in one weekend (680 pages) is pretty much you know. However, I also helped Carlos out by writing the proposal, trying to answer the hard FAQs and more. Through this, I could understand quite quickly and fully how, what, who, when, where the proposal is all about, which gave me some good background information for my thesis. After some weeks, I started to settle in at the university, with Carlos and a little with my thesis.

Meanwhile, sure, I went on trips and not only working on my thesis. You know, sometimes you need a break from that thing. Anyone who wrote one can understand, and if you don’t: try to imagine, working everyday (or at least trying to) on an at least 80 pages long document, which is not only descriptions, but also hardcore theory about philosophical stuff like Marxism, Critical Theory, Environmental Justice and so on. So, indeed, one needs a break once in a while.

Thus, one Saturday, before Jamie left, I went with her and her Ecuadorian boyfriend to Papayacta: a place 2 hours from Quito, with natural hot baths in a beautiful, scenic, mysterious (Mysterious Nynke and Mom.. ) mountain area with mist and fog. It was very nice indeed. Furthermore, every Friday going out and getting crazy on cheap cocktails (getting quite tipsy after 2 due to the altitude) and salsa dancing.

Since this website is called ’sportclimbing’ and involves sport climbers, of course I need to write about that a little. I started bouldering after the last time I wrote here at the gym; hard stuff, but getting stronger and stronger with the days. However, sometimes some old injuries come up, so couldn’t really climb every day you know. So, once there was this awesome 5 day competition: the international sportclimbing olympics. There I met some people, also the ‘boss’ of Petzel here and of the climbing gym. He asked me whether I wanted to come along that weekend to the Cotopaxi park to hike around there and climb some rocky mountain. Obviously, I couldn’t resist. Actually, I was planning to climb that Cotopaxi volcano thing, with some guide, but I was happy I did that first… I will explain why:

We went by bus there; nice views and so. We set up our tent in the park; a park with lots of wind, cold (come to that later), not much vegetation, but wild horses and other animals. And, our tent was on the lookout for the Cotopaxi, however, we couldn’t really see it the whole weekend (sometimes) since the’re lots of clouds around it. So, after setting up the tent, we went for a stroll in the park; beautiful: some kind of swamp with horses running through it. Like as if you’re really in the wild…. hold on.. I was! Anyways, we kept walking around for 3 hours, and made some nice dinner. read: for veggies in Ecuador its hard to survive: some lovely soup (yeah it was!) and plain pasta….is what you get.. However, they had lots of nuts, so I kept to them. That evening was horrible. Okay people, I will explain: I don’t like to be cold! Like, love, skiing, trekking and so, but then you’re warm… but in a tent, with even my best sleeping back for like minus 30, I’m still freaking cold! Which meant; I couldn’t sleep the whole night. And owh yeah, one funny anecdote when I was peeing into the wild: went there, totally in the dark, between some bushes. Than I heard something coming up to me… though it was a human being. However, when I saw first 2 eyes, not really on the height of a human, than some kind of big thing with four legs, I flew with my tail between my legs (actually; with my pants still halfway down). Later, at the campfire, some kid said he saw a coyote there in the bushes; just were I went peeing. However, I realised it was only a curious cow, who probably came up to me at the sound of some water clattering on the ground; thinking: maybe it’s some hot chick cow.  I probably frightened him more by running suddenly away (cause he ran away as well) than I was..

So, after being scared in the bushes, cold and without sleep, we woke up at 5 and started to go to climb that rocky mountain. Walking up there.. and walking up.. and walking up, in windy, cold weather, 5000 meters… and me being a Dutch person; it was hard. Also since it wasn’t only nice grassy walking. After some time, we came under the mountain and had to walk up steep, loose grind and stone. Well you know, it’s a volcanic area, so loose rocks and so is normal. Not funny when it’s very very very cold, windy and incredibly steep. After a while, I ended at the very back, got a little moody, but kept on going. My hand were freezing, couldn’t feel them anymore, as well as my feet, although I had gloves, and wore 6 layers of clothes. Climbing slippery rocks, and on the both sides you can look down several meters… Finally, we arrived at the top: we couldn’t see anything cause it was cloudy. So, I placed one of my little dutch flags into my hands, made a picture, chew on some food, and we left again. Going down is my thing; running most of the time.. and arriving finally at a little stream near the camp to put my hot face and tired feet into it was lovely. However, here it comes: as you can imagine and just read: i don’t like cold, climbing up a mountain for only being up there, without a view, than going down like a crazy person is not my thing. So I was happy to have done this, without paying for the guide and climbing up the Cotopaxi (which is obviously a lot worse) and not being happy about it. Again it was clear: don’t like alpine climbing; I’m a lazy sport climber.. need to be comfortable weather, able to be at the rocks in a few steps, that’s it. But, I indeed to like hiking; being able to see different views (to actually see something) and being in the wild, almost alone (except for scary coyote/cows… whatever it is) and sometimes, only to have a better view (and thus when it’s only nice weather) climbing up a mountain.

So, that was that weekend. Then, I went to Banos again once; rafted the same river, only now it was not level 2 but level 4/5!!! Imagine: dirty water from the eruption of a volcano near by, rain, very heavy and hardcore rafting, through the jungle! Thus: awesome! We had a blast, specially when Stephen (one of my dear friend here) after one stroke of our peddle, ended up in the river, dragging one of our other mates with him. Stephen ended up 3 times into the river… and we all went once together since it was so forceful the river, the boat went upside down, me under it! Kind of didn’t know what to do, thought for a moment, meanwhile breathing under the boat, decided maybe it’s better to go under water, and swim next to the boat. So I tried, twice, and didn’t see anyone out there. . suddenly saw everyone, turned the boat, all climbed into it (which isn’t easy you know: hardcore river, with rocks and waves everywhere) and had to keep on peddling. It was a blast! However, swallowing all that river water isn’t good, so Stevy ended up with heavy stomach problems (spare you the details) while we, some Kiwi’s and two Americans and I, went up to a nice (see that? nice…) view on top of a mountain, in some nice steam baths, with a nice beer and meal till the stars lightened the sky. Suddenly electricity went of, which was making it even more special. Next day, I was sick as hell; felt horrible; it was Giardia again (yeah.. had it in Nepal, China and India.. lovely, spare you the details again).

Yeah yeah, know what you’ll gonna say: you don’t had/have to work or so? on thesis maybe? Yes I did during the weeks.. and still do. I’m quite progressing actually (should be obviously) and it’s going very well.

The proposal has been approved and is supported by the German government, and it’s official now. Will add it here somewhere when everything is finished.

The approval of the German government was when Carlos and some other delegates were there in Europe, and I…. yes guess what? Went with Stevie to Colombia: Cali, to visit my dear brother Markus! What are the odds: he, me being in S A the same time?! He was there since he’s the physio of Holiday On ice (yeah laugh please: HOI in Colombia: ice skating in Colombia.. I had too first, still do;)). And no people, Colombia wasn’t dangerous for me at all! Was a little uneasy with the though I had to cross borders alone, but then Stevie ended up coming with me. Crossing the borders was not a problem at all, but for me it was hard to walk across the bridge, twice since.. something happened back there in Quito just 2 days before I left:

Went bouldering, and wanted to get some water. Stepped off the matres, ended up with my right ankle (weak as that is due to gymnastics) between two wooden logs. Yeah: cracked it like hardcore. I stood there, not knowing whether I had to say or shout something like: AAAAAAAAAAUW.. so I didn’t say anything. Had to concentrate to make the decision of puking or fainting; didn’t do neither. Than..decided maybe it’s better so sit somewhere..tried to walk: didn’t really work. So jumped over and asked to one of the lovely employers there whether she maybe could help me. The big boss came later (Roberto) and asked what the *** happened. Okay, so we went to the physio near by, iced the thing; it was a giant numb instead of an ankle than, and put some cream on it. I had actually an important interview with an important person at 5, so I had to jump around and went there by taxi. Obviously it was a sight. Luckily, I went to Colombia, and Markus could work on me and advise me about the thing. Guess what? by stepping off a matres you can seriously tore apart your alignments of an ankle. So, what I did in Cali was pretty much nothing, well this: Markus stayed at the nicest hotels there, so I could stay there for free: they had a swimming pool, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, a gym and satellite tv. I didn’t need much more with, being a cripple. Seeing HOI in Cali, Colombia was awesome! Loved it, when Markus had to work. Stevie and i went one time into the jungle,not far from Cali, with platform, driven by a motorcycle on a train track through pouring rain. Great fun it was!

Went back to Quito, worked 2 weeks straight on my thesis and went to Yasuni for a weekend. Okay, I know what you all think: see is never at one place… and so.. and seeing all these lovely things, but  hey; I’m here, and I need to see what I’m writing about and Yasuní is the best place I ever went here until so far. I went through the University of San Francisco de Quito at the Tiputini Biosphere Reserve Station (there’s the Yasuní park: 1 million ha, and the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (the UNESCO part) of 2 million ha). The station is with 600 ha, and 8 hours by bus from Quito, 2 hours by boat, 2 hours by bus, 2 hours by boat. The way to it was already lovely, however, seeing many oil companies burning the oil on poles, and other things are not such a lovely sight. The station is, as you can imagine, in the middle of no where: very peaceful, some bungalows and you step right into the jungle from it. That evening I saw my first wild animal there: a big tarantula on the path to my bungalow. Next morning went to have an interview with one of the people working there for 2 hours and later went into the forest with one of the volunteers there. Saw nothing but nice trees and all. Next day, we went for big hikes: first to a lagoon. On the way we saw 4 different monkey species, some mammals, birds and so; saw a lot! Went on the lake with a canoe, and there are supposed to be the threatened giant otters; didn’t see them. Went into a tower, which goes all the way up until above the last tree; and you know: trees in the Amazon can be huge! On the way up there, some woolly monkeys crossed our paths above us through the trees: awesomeness!

Later that day we went to another tower: saw a hawk,sitting there for ours, monkeys, Macaw (one of the very colourful kinda papegaai). It was so peaceful to just sit there at the station as well, reading a book, listening to insects and the ‘wild’…. went actually fishing as well! only caught bushes and twigs, but hey; did try!

On Monday I had to leave.. bummer. But on the way to the first bus, 2 hours by boat we saw: an ant eater, a giant ANACONDA of 4 METERS on the shore, the driver of the boat went closer and closer to it, (me in front of the boat standing) and bumped onto the shore; i was 1 meter away of it. Bumping to it, the ANACONDA went away as fast as it could into the water! Than, later, saw a glimpse of a dolphin… some monkeys in trees and more. It only occurred to me when I was on the second boat back to this awful city called Coca, that I could’ve asked to stay longer at the station. I had my usb with me, so I could write my thesis there as well. However, it was a good idea I didn’t cause jungle trekking through mud, slippery stuff, and so on isn’t really good for a torn apart ankle.

So here I am, back in Quito. Writing thesis all day long and so on. Today we’ll go into the mountains to watch some stars in the night with a telescope…

Than, some more interviews, writing, Galapagos still to go to, Mexico, and Europe..

Will probably finish that thing (referring to thesis) around October, so I decided to take some on line biology, species, ecology, earth science courses since after Yasuni I decided to go to such a place more often, but then I need to know what I’m watching at…

Pictures you can see on my Facebook: check the ANACONDA!

Till… some months later