All work and no play...12L have a day off

Since the VMs arrived things have been pretty busy with lots of project planning and preparation, so it was definitely time for a well deserved day off.  That's not to say that too many of the group were in the mood for a snooze or a good book - no this lot preferred to go off white water rafting.

LHS - Barney, Natalie, Katie, RHS - Joss, Tracy, David

A bus journey through spectacular countryside led to Rio Pacuare, listed by the National Geographic as one of the top 5 rafting rivers on the planet.  Suitably attired our intrepid rafters hit the waves and succeeded in staying afloat. Apart from the time that they deliberately jumped ship to float down river, at one with nature, looking up at the rain forest canopy overhead.

LHS - Florian, Karen, Martina RHS - Phil, Clare, Tracey

At one point there was a gridlock incident between two of the rafts, very literally stuck between a rock and a hard place.  But thankfully raft number three came along and shunted everyone free.  That's teamwork!

LHS - Sarah, Pauline, Charlie RHS - David, Vic, Jim

After all that effort and adrenalin there was a chance to dry off and get some well deserved lunch.

Pauline and Martina enjoying a scoobie snack

Spinning around - Rafting and Burn's Dinner

After another hard week of training, the task masters at Fieldbase kindly gifted the weary VMs a rare day off. Jolly decent of them, and a decision well received by all. The substitute for a day of labour: a trip rafting on the Rio Pacuare; recognised by National Geographic as one of the top five most beautiful rafting locations in the world. Surprisingly, there were a mere two incidents of VMs overboard – congratulations go to Miss Lucinda Ryan, as she fell out on a flat stretch of water in an over-exuberant attempt to splash a rival boat.... You have to admire the commitment to anarchy.

The previous night was also an evening of note, as HQ celebrated a belated Burns supper. As I’m sure can be appreciated, haggis is somewhat difficult to source in Central America, nonetheless an outstanding spread was put on by the irrepressible Sandra, heavens knows what we’d do without her. All the traditions were observed including some interesting (awful) Scots accents in the group dictation of ‘The Immortal Memory’, alongside fine toasts to the Lairds and Lassies by Caroline and Ross respectively (token Jocks). In true spirit, dinner was followed by a ceilidh, Gay Gordon’s and Dashing White Sergeant’s attempted with mixed success, in some ‘remarkable’ fancy dress costumes.