Trauma at the Tacugama Chimpanzee sanctuary

Being ecological tourists - we must see the sights that are "must see" - based on this - a decision has been made to spend a day and a night at one of the Eco lodges in the Tacugama Chimpanzee sanctuary. Not just a night - not just any night - a night in one of the more expansive tree huts ... a treat which is designed to inspire the romantic mind, to be breath taking in its sights sounds and feel.

You must take a packed dinner - whilst one can be cooked and brought in - I hear the echo of a voice in my ears that said - "wouldn't it be so much more better to cook our own" ... and with some supplies from a shop  on route the plan is laid.



The "friendly driver" had mentioned that the merc would not make it up the last road to the sanctuary .. my cousin was outraged by this suggestion and our solution of hiring a 4x4 to go to the sanctuary for the day .. it was like the driver had suggested his children were incapable ... anyway long drive into the bush where the sanctuary sits on 400 acres of reserved jungle - and an attempt or two to get up the last hill ... of course at the bottom of this hill sits a warning sign .. " this hill is only for 4 x 4 use - do not attempt it in a normal car ..." so we did and failed about half way up ... and nearly wrote the car off in reverse down a huge ditch trying to get it back to the bottom.

In short - Mr "friendly" was correct - and  we had to hand walk the baggage up what is a serious 200 Yards of hill track.

So that knocked the first thought of romance out of any ones head !!!

Our hut not ready yet - we sit and wait in a nice area for 2 other huts - and book to go on the 4 pm tour around the sanctuary. In the goodie box (shopping on route)  were some partly cold beers - so cracked one open - and then another ... and finally the hut is ready.

A bit of a trek to the "special" eco hut ... but its just stunning. a kitchen toilet and shower down stairs - a bed room upstairs - with its own tree balcony and stunning views of part of 400 acres of jungle reserve. But noticed no fan - no Air conditioning - no plug sockets - but hey - its the jungle then !!

Drop the stuff, then onto the tour. It was such a good thing to see the chimps, the hand painted signs for things like how chimps talk, and act, and the history of the sanctuary. Then over to see the chimps being re-conditioned from their smoking habits, their drinking habits, their human captivity hang ups whatever they are, and the ones who have now being released back into the reserve but still come back twice a day for some free food.

I wont bore you with facts - but chimps are quite funny about other chimps being introduced into the pack, so the process of release is often over a year of slow introduction. If they don't do this in this way - the chimps wait until everyone has gone - take them into the bush - and kill them. So its a slow process.

Tour was good - said that - lots of information - lots of chimps - and then back to the hut for the night. Still day light we sit on the balcony, open the wine, and relax ....

the night is falling and its time to put on some lights and make some food. I remember pointing out that the lights must be like a free food sign for insects as there is no other light for a few hundred miles around - laugh laugh - giggle - giggle.

So lights on - gas cooker lit - and time to cook canned tuna and couscous.  The night outside gets darker and darker - the noises of insects, crickets, chimps, and strange rustling around the hut - gets louder and louder, and the tinned food ... did I mention no fridge !! .... is ready. Well its no feast - but its food and wine.

Finished eating - its time to sit on the balcony and relax ... again ...

Its then that you realise the joke about being a neon sign for insects comes into reality. Not just any insects - some of the most huge, and loud buzzing things I have ever heard or seen. One of these had made a call - it was coming into the hut. Whatever we did - it smashed against the door repeatedly with the weight and size of a small car ... I don't think you need much more detail than this - except the fact that we didn't hang around to argue with it. Imagine what you see when Spielberg try's to show complete terror and panic in a crowd of people who have just discovered that a world ending asteroid was going to hit the earth ....

Now times that by 10 !!!!

Anyway - we are not going out - cant - the creature from the black lagoon was still banging at the door trying to get in. So its an early night ... just needed to squash another huge thing,  less aggressive, that had got into the hut .. check .. flip flops .. nice invention ... now bed.

The night is hot, there are mosquito nets on the windows up stairs ... so at least some air in the hut ... but no lights - mosquito nets wont stop the lagoon chap if he wants through them...

Morning - so go on the tour again? No - lets go for a nice walk .... or at least that's that voice again making what I think is a good idea ... a walk to the dam ? well not so keen as it seems to be a less trodden track - but hey - survived the all night attack of the huge insect brigade - so why not ... why not indeed !!!!

The track was as it seemed. More akin to the edge of a jungle trail, with dangerous overgrown paths, drops down into dangerous bush land - and insectopia .... about 2/3rd of the way down the path, the thoughts of leaches and whatever having a free meal - its time to turn around. Anyway - time is running out - and the driver is due soon. And quite honestly, too many battles with insects ...

Back to hut - get our bags - and off - down South ... to beaches, bars, civilisation, and cooked food...

I should point out that - this was the only blog entry written in the UK !!! I must have been so distracted by the events of the night that I totally missed writing about this ..... blanked from the memory ..

Bareguitarists are not big on insects !!!!