Leaving Parque Machia

My last few days at the park were spent training two new Israeli guys, Tomer & Idor to walk safely with Sonko. It now seems an age away that Helen & I were here in the rainy season before Sonko moved cage, and when he was having issues in going home at the end of his day (sometimes leaving us out in the jungle till 9pm in the darkness and the rain) For a quick second I wish I was walking Sonko when he was only a happy cat, but then I realise that you've got to take the rough with the smooth in order to fully appreciate life. Those days were amongst the hardest I have ever had to conquer, but I stuck with it and that made my relationship with Sonko even more special.

Leaving the park was much more painful then I envisaged, quite literally! On my last work day I woke with a pain in my sternum which by the time I had eaten breakfast was getting to a stage where it was difficult to breath deeply. All the same I climbed up the mountain path to Sonko's cage tensing my muscles on the way up as it seemed to help with the pain. As I arrived Tomer & Idor were standing by Sonko's cage and he wouldn't come out (he has never done this to me before, he always wants to come out of his cage) But when he saw me he came out. Looks like he was waiting for me to arrive! Aw so sweet! Once I was there I realised that I wouldn't be able to walk Sonko for the first walk because of the pain so sent Tomer & Idor by themselves (it had been four days of training and about time they did this alone) They lasted about 20 seconds when Idor fell and wacked his knee and Sonko jumped Tomer, they called for me and I jumped out of the hammock and was there in moments. I ran to help Tomer who was behind a tree. Sonko took one look at me and meowed! He was a little excited seeing Tomer all by himself and jumped him, but now with someone else (me) there too he quickly calmed down. Idor turned up behind us a few moments later in a bit of pain (welcome to the jungle boy!) So I walked with them both up to Candy Cane junction and down to the first creak where Sonko is usually much more relaxed. They carried on and I took a shortcut back to the cage (the rest of loop 1) where sat in the hammock waiting for the guys to return.

They returned at around 2pm but the pain by this point had gotten worse so I had to lay the last walk out as well. I am truely sad for this :( By the time they returned I was having trouble breathing and was in a lot of pain. The Ocelot walker Alize always passes nearby on her way out of the jungle at the same time as we finish up for the day so I called for her to wait for me as I genuinely needed help (I actually didn't know how I would get out) Every step hurt like hell! Alize took my rucksack and followed close by on what is usually a 10 minute run across a hill and down what we call 'The Mountain' then down 'Frenchmans Hill' till we reach the bird enclosure. This took around 30 minutes and took every ounce of strength in my body & soul. By the time I got to the vets I was ready to pass out. Nelly was the first person I encountered (she works with the vets) she took one look at me and went to get help. The vets took one look at me and went to get a car to take me to the hospital. Frank (the volunteer coordinator) and Luis (one of the vets) came with me.

At the hospital we had to pay them before they would look at me, and then they took some blood to check for any infections. After they gave me a lovely sedative and asked me for a stool sample to check for parasites. After around 4 hours in the hospital they returned with an answer that I had parasites and gave me a prescription for some tablets. Luis through it away and gave me some proper tablets form his surgery. I was still in a lot of pain but had calmed down a lot. the following day the pain had not really let up so I decided to leave early to Santa Cruz where they have proper hospitals. I left that morning and arrived at a hospital in Santa Cruz around six hours later where after I paid them some money they gave me a similar prescription but intravenously and I started to feel better.

I spent two days in a wonderful Santa Cruz hostel surrounded by great people, hammocks, toucans and better food. Then I was to embark on two six hour flights to get to San Francisco. It wasn't terrible but I wasn't able to eat anything on either flight, however the flight attendants were very nice and caring. I arrived in San Francisco just before midnight, quite excited, a little thinner with no appetite.

Please stay tuned, the next part of this story will be typed up tomorrow :D

A new beginning!

Today Aure arrived at Parque Machia. He is a crazy French guy who walked Sonko last year. Sonko absolutely loves him! With Aure we now have a totally new cat! It´s almost like he saw Sonko and changed the sim card on the cat. With Aure on cord we went for a proper run! We did the mega long trail today followed by the long trail and got back to the cage by 16:25, earlier then ever before but with walked/ran over twice as long!! I did my very best to keep up with him and Sonko but he is in a different league! I was never too far behind though and I hope I will find it easier to keep up in the coming weeks.

Running down a massive muddy hill in the jungle was almost the scariest thing I´ve ever done! But after Aure practically disappeared before my eyes I had to go for it! Drops that I would normally hang my legs over and let myself down were dealt with in a single leap down followed by another and then another. I walked out of the jungle today covered in sand and dirt with the biggest grin on my face so pumped full of energy! I´m just glad I´d already spent 4 weeks with Sonko and Helen walking through and finding my jungle feet. Looks like it´s time to find them all ogver again!

An intensive parkor lesson has just begun! For the next 5 weeks I really am running with a puma! I was offered my first day off in 4 weeks...I´ve turned it down. I´m not missing one day of this! Way too much fun! We have a new puma people and his name is Sonko! He is one happy cat and I´m about to learn how to really handle him properly! I´m just so happy I could scream!

In other news I cooked my first meal today (very bad as I´ve been here over a month, but eating out is so cheap) I´ve been craving vegetables so much! Not much else to report but there will be in the next few days as I go flying through the Bolivian jungle like a wild cat!

Be safe, sound and happy. And if you ever get the chance, go walk a puma, it will just take your fucking breath away! xx

A slight case of under drinking

I have spent the past 2 days in my room recovering for dehydration. really socked it to me. I am feeling much more human now and even have my appetite back! Although because of it Sonko hasnt been walked whilst I have been unwell as there is no one currently trained up to deal with him (also he takes a while to get used to new people so it is not a quick process) However today I am feeling much better so I went up to his cage and let him out on his runner for around 4 hours and sat with him. He was so happy to see me and meowed all day craving affection! I think he might have missed me! I certainly missed him a lot!

So I was sitting under a palm tree reading a book with Sonko always close by looking at me and meowing for attention and affection. Can life get better then this!! I must be dreaming! I have a Puma that misses me when Im away and wants to be near me always. Im so happy I could bounce! What a gift I have been bestowed!

Tomorrow Helen I I will walk Sonko again (He always needs two people to walk him as he is so big) and hopefully life will be back to normal. That was my first day off for a month, working 7 days a week. Its just a shame I had to spend it in bed feeling so unwell.

And I still have five weeks left here! I couldnt ask for more in life! Except to come back for longer.....

Sometimes I think of all my lovely London friends, I miss you all so much, but I will be home in june and promise to see all of you and fill you with my many exciting and wonderful travelling tales!

Till then I wish you all the sweetest of dreams and the liveliest of days

Paul xx