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Hi all, This is the last episode for today. Well, I've done 2.5 days work and now I've taken a day off to go to Cochabamba to get my 2nd Rabies injection, and the bloody section of the hospital where I've got to go is not open on Tuesdays.... and guess what??? Today is Tuesday. I`m spewing, just been on a bus for 4.5 hours. But I think I might just stay overnight and go early tomorrow morning... better to be safe than sorry. Thankfully all the animals in the park have been immunised against rabies and most of the volunteers haven't even bothered to be immunised at all. I was bitten badly by a monkey on my first 1/2 day. I was supposed to be touring the park like a tourist, but they put me to work in the afternoon with the birds. There was someone with me most of the time, but he had to go to the police station in town (15 minutes walk away) with another volunteer. Cedric was only gone about an hour and a half or so, and he said if any monkeys come by, just yell at them to go away. So I did, but then one a monkey got on a cage behind me while I was attending to another one. The one on the table that I was shouting at jumped on my shoulder with claws and teeth in my shoulder, and I have marks there and on my back. But that's not the bad bit. The other monkey, the one on the cage, I tried to shoe away with my hand and he jumped down and got a firm hold on my ankle. There was blood pouring everywhere forming a river down my flip flop. I was screaming so loudly, I can't believe no one heard. Anyway, it's really swollen and full of fluid all at the back and around the base of my foot all the way to my big toe. Also my other ankle has swolen up a bit, but I don't know why. So I can hardly walk, let alone work. It's worse in the mornings and evenings, when I'm just sitting or lying and then stand up. When I'm working during the day, it hurts, but it's bearable. The worst bit is walking on uneven ground which is a pain, 'cause the park is like the jungle on a hill, and there is no even ground. Both ankles feel quite a bit better today thank goodness, 'cause last night I could hardly walk at all. The work is okay. I`m with the birds in the afternoons, and I have to clean about 12 shitty averies, and clean their trays and give them fresh food, and I've just started to water the plants, which doesn't seem to have been done before. The guy on the birds morning shift lets 3 Crimson Macaws (Polly, Rosa and Watson), 2 Parrots (don't know their names), and 1/2 a Toucan (Touci) out of their cages for the day, and while we work, we have to keep an eye on Touci because he's got a broken leg, his wing and tail feathers have been chopped off, and he's only six months old... he's really small and funny looking. He looks like half of him is missing, which I suppose it is. We have to be careful because the one of the house pets, Osso, which nobody knows what type of animal he is, he always tries to eat Touci. Osso is like a weasel or a land otter or something, he's really cute. We also have to be careful to lock all the cages so the monkeys and these other mammalian animals can't get in and steal the birds food. They all eat the same stuff, fruit in the morning, and veges at night. Locking the cages is an absolute pain in the ass because half the locks don't work from rust or whatever, they just don't close. And if the lock isn't locked, the monkeys can easily remove it from the door. So most cages also have a wire hangs on the cage and we have to secure the other end on the door. This alone is not enough, you need the lock as well because just having the wire is too loose. And then when you're cleaning and feeding, you have to dip your shoes in a tub of water and iodine outside each cage so you don't transport germs across. Personally I don't think it's very usefull, 'cause you carry the brooms and buckets and all in and out of cages without dipping. But them's the rules. When cleaning, there's a seperate bucket for putting food scraps, and a second bucket for the swept up dirt (the cage bottoms are sand) and shit and stuff. Only the hawk and falcon's cage has a concrete floor, but that's always covered in ants where they poo and drop their meat from their branch. We also have 3 beautiful owls. One of them is white and called Manuel. The other two are typical owls, but I don't know what they're called. They hate me cleaning their cage because they're trying to sleep. But they can't sleep 'cause the other birds are so noisy, and all the cages are adjoined. But Cedric is building a new cage for them. And Cedric only has 1.5 arms. Yesterday morning was my first assignment with the monkeys. I was given Max, who usually hangs around the house, but he's been too naughty lately so they put him on a cord and he now has to live in the monkey park. The other monkey is new to the park, I think he arrived 2 days ago. He's called Arbel, named after a current volunteer. He's got a toe missing, and the stump is badly infected. Both my monkeys are Cappachinos. They're very cute, but Max cries a lot. He's been very spoilt, and now he hates being on the cord. The new monkey prefers to sleep than run around and play, it might take him a bit of getting used to. I have to feed them and take them on a walk where ever I want. This was difficult, 'cause I can't walk fast at the moment `cause of my ankles, and Max always wants to run, and I have to pull his cord... and he hates that. The other animals in the park are Spider Monkeys, Squirel Monkeys, Osselots (medium sized cats with leopard spots), a Puma, a Jagua, a couple of Pampas Cats (except one escaped and they can't find him), and Tortoises. Two days ago there was a big break thru, where the girl who looks after a big cat got into it's cage. For the past 6 or so months, since the cat's been in the park, you couldn't go anywhere near it or practically it's cage 'cause it's so agressive, after having been abused at it's previous home. Most of the volunteers are Israeli. I'd say probably their are 15 Israelis, a guy from England but his Mum's Israeli, myself, Cedric is from France, about 4 other Pomms, and a couple of Kiwis. You pay a 100 Boliviano ($USD15) deposit, and then about $USD 3 per night for accommodation. Food is your responsibility. On my first 1/2 day, I went to town and bought some crackers and jam, bananas, cornflakes and powdered milk. That night a monkey got into the kitchen and took my crackers, bananas and cornflakes. People get angry `cause the monkeys cause such havock, but it's the people who leave the door open or even closed but not locked, and the monkeys can just walk right in. Sometimes someone makes a meal for everyone and either charges to cover their costs to a maximum of 5 Bolivianos, and the left over money goes towards the park. That's the only money the park gets.One girl from Canada (before I arrived) raised $USD700 by making and selling bread, bracelets, and dinners and stuff, and used the money to build a new cage for the Puma. Now their building another cage for the Osselots, and it's about a half hour walk in good conditions to the location. It`s not an easy walk, very unsteady, and steep up and down, and they have to get all the tools and materials there themselves. So for every person that brings something, some sand, cement, bricks, whatever, they get a home made cookie. I took some sand up the other day, but I filled the bag probably less than a quarter full, and it weighed heaps. A really hard walk, and the humidity is unreal! My glasses kept fogging up, my ankle wasn't in great condition, it was hot, I could easily ring the sweat out of any part of my shirt. Boy did I earn my cookie!