Lyanda: A wild day–I went off with the two other volunteers (Helen from Scotland, and Egbert from Holland–I suppose Tom has posted photos of them somewhere, and I truly like them both), and Peter (on the Colobus trust staff) to do a Colobus census about 15 miles down the road, though it seemed like 50, riding Kenyan-style in the back of a pickup down the dusty, bumpy trail in the hot sun–totally gorgeous, through the coastal forest, views through the trees of the beach, and local people bent over their fields. The road ended at the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen–more astonishing even than the beach here–edged in mangroves, yellow-billed storks, an islet full of egrets, and that amazing turquoise water. I had rather imagined us leisurely wandering some nice nature-trail, looking treewards for monkeys, but instead Peter took us bushwacking straight through the tangled forest for 2 1/2 hours. SO much fun–I later found out that Helen was pretending to be Jane Goodall, just like I was. The forest here is both unique and endangered, a coral rag forest, covered in a layer of fossil coral, and populated by trees with shallow root systems, since the coral is so hard to penetrate. Tangles of enormous boabab roots reach across the forest floor–they have giant trunks in which God is said to live (they also say if you walk around one seven times, which would be a long walk, you will change sex!–I told Tom to be careful), and spreading branches, with large green-velvet-covered fruits hanging all over them like jewelry. Eleven endemic animal species. Really an astonishing, wonderful place. Egbert is an entire foot taller than me, so crawling through the viney forest was a little difficult for him. The going was slow enough that I could observe the many butterfly and dragonfly species, and even make a few sketches whenever Peter stopped to wield his machete and hack us through a particularly impenetrable patch. We emerged drenched in sweat, twigs in our hair, and decidedly sans monkey (though on the drive out we found several). A great way to spend the morning.

In the afternoon we completely shifted gears, as volunteers get Friday afternoons off–One of the Colobus Trust board members is associated with an atmospheric, European-tourist-catering hotel down the road. Not overly fancy, but very nice. So the Colobus volunteers are allowed to use the pool whenever we like. We get there by mutatu–rickety small buses that sweep you up from the side of the road. It’s a beautiful pool, and felt so refreshing after the hot morning–after a dip we enjoyed beer and wine while Claire swam to her heart’s content, and then had a glass of fresh pineapple juice. Vervet monkeys everywhere.

And now, in the quiet cool evening, I’m completely exhausted. I’m not a good blogger (prefer paper and privacy), but Tom is doing such a good job with it, I am trying to do my part! Thanks again, everyone, for keeping us in your thoughts.

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