Santa Lucia Volunteering....
Trip Start
Jan 12, 2006
1
132
188
Trip End
Ongoing
Santa Lucia,
Ecuador
Friday, August 18, 2006
Just finished 8 days volunteering at a clouforest doing conservation work here in Ecuador.
I didn't have electricity for the week and to be honest I didn't miss it for a second! They had gas for cooking and hot showers (with the absoloute best view of the cloudforest) but that was about it!!! Awesome.
The week was great, I got there on Thursday afternoon and chilled out with the stunning cloudforest in view!!! We were at 1920 metres above sea level so the views were spectacular!
On the Friday we did some trail maintenance work and then the weekend was mine to just chill out, laying in a hammock, sleeping, reading and researching the next part of my trip....
Clearing paths...
. Brilliant and just what I needed after being robbed in Quito the week before.Monday and Tuesday was more trail maintenance and on Wednesday and today we got down to what I really wanted to do.... Plant some trees!!!! We planted about 60 or 70 Palmito trees in the cloudforest. Brilliant!
Most nights were filled with eating and playing cards with other volunteers or tourists that were there followed by early nights to bed for work the next day.... I had great time and feel so good about it all... was hard work but well worth it.
On the way in i passed through Nanegal which seemed to be a cool little town. On the way out i passed through a Tiny town called Marianitas, it was tiny, houses surrounding a football field. I sat in the middle of the field and people watched. Brilliant!!! I spent the night in Delicia before my bus to Quito in the morning. the connections are not regular.
HOT TIPS for travellers:
(1) If you want to Volunteer at Santa Lucia check out www.santa-lucia.org. The contact is Carolyn when you click the email icon. $15 per day includes 3 meals and share accom. Highly recommended.
