The dead lady with missing legs (and other short stories)

Parted company with Dutch Frank in the Jungle at Merazonia ..now feeling as fit as a butchers dog after much lifting and tottering down narrow awkward trails stacked up with building materials. Had a cracking time helping out there and even got an exploratory trek to the outreaches of the area and a strange spooky place. Frank explained a year or so ago the remains of an old lady (minus her legs) were discovered high on the jungle covered mountain a coupla hundred meters from the place we were working. The police were called and a uniformed man arrived on a motorbike with a large hand gun in the back of his trousers. After proceeding to the remains, they discovered a large eagle screeching high in the trees and Frank claimed it was the only one he had ever seen in the area and had also been there on the discovery giving out the same solitary warning.

The policeman apparently was more interested in the eagle and asked if he could shoot it ……beautiful. They carted off the remains (which were mainly bones and clothing) and Frank had to accompany the officer on his bike to wedge the old girl between them to get her back to the station.

When we got to the place where the woman was found the Eagle appeared above us albeit hidden by the canopy of the jungle and started screeching out as if issuing a warning to leave that sacred place. We looked around the floor where she had lain and we found a button and an earring which had been left there. There was a real aura about that spot and it felt a bit mystical. The Eagle kept screeching till we left. I put together some parts for a song….. working title could be “The Eagle and the Indigenous Lady”…. sounds like a Bob Dylan song

I am gonna miss the cockroaches on me toothbrush.

Just got off a bus ride from Tena, Ecuadoria´s white water rafting capital. Did some class 4 stuff which if you dont know is fairly technical and just an all round great buzz. There was still an element of danger which was missing though… I think Kayaking is the future…its where you are in your own little boat dancing about through the waves and being tossed about like the proverbial pancake (Is there a proverb about a pancake?….dunno).

Did some walking up waterfalls and had a bit of a trek along a Jungle river which lead through some bat caves. The bats were fairly huge compared to back home and they flew centimetres away from our heads. It was pretty smart but I had been “through the eye of a needle” shall we say, all morning and so had to find a secluded spot on the river when the moment rapidly came upon me. Hanging over a log doing the business isnt the most graceful position especially amongst large carnivorous insects …..needs must.

Currently firmly on “The Gringo Trail” so have been on a train ride along a stretch of line called the devils nose… a steep mountain descent where passengers can ride on the top of the carraiges. It was essentially a bit of a tourist trap and at one point cueing travellers almost started fighting about who was gonna be on the roof. Played impromptu outdoor gig and generated some interest from locals… bewilderment was the expression on local faces…very friendly though.

Heading to Cuenca tomorrow.

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