BLOG

Home > About > Blog > Ecuador 2011

I saw Raul in Norwich through Greenpeace 27/7/10 talk about the threats to Ecuador's ecosystem and his own efforts to make a diference with his rainforest reserve and from then on wanted to visit in order to help as a volunteer, which I was unable to do while working. There was a reshaping at my work and I took voluntary redundancy.

Pretty soon I was on my way to Ecuador:

Set out from my mums thinking how cool my waterproof boots and waterproof bag were, just down the road the heavens open and I curse the lack of waterproof clothes. Caught the train to London and at Kings Cross where I go to Northfields Hostel.

At 4am I am outside waiting, no taxi. I phone them as they thought it was 5am I wanted picking up. They get there quickly and am at Heathrow in no time. Customs was quick and I wonder why I didn't have more sleep.

The flight to Washington was fairly boring 8 hours. Had to do customs check and not enough time to get to the next plane, the security staff kept saying there would be enough time, not really! Ran, nearly passed out. Small personal jet to Houston. Then 737 to Quito. More mad customs. Then taxi to hostel.

A day in Quito, quite boring. Then onto Puerto Quito. Raul says that there is a German man going on the same bus. We arrive and Raul picks us up.

My first view of the house and the small forest around it.

The Choco region where I arrived to is a ecological hotspot. The area is mega diverse in plant an animal life which is due partly to the fact that there are no winters, therefore no down time in reproduction.

Palm oil and biofules

The vast areas of Afrian palm are planted to produce palm oil which is put into our food as it is cheap and makes the product seem bigger. It is not good for us. <Wikipedia: Palm oil, health>

The forest is also torn down for biofuel production and can be produced from palm oil.

Next >>