Got up at 5.30. Breakfast at 6, then out for a walk in the jungle of Mindo. We'd gone about 2km when I realised that I only had one film, so I ran all the way back to Guadual for a film and the long lens. When I got back, Dad and Oli were sitting on the roadside watching a toucan. We walked on for three or four kilometres up a good track. On the way Oli and I caught a green snake about 18" long and Dad photographed it. We also saw parrots, parakeets, humming birds, loads of butterflies, more toucans, some birds of prey, and some woodpeckers.
 
 
 

The view back to Mindo	Pathfinding	The Enriquez family

We left the main track and followed a path through the jungle. The cock on the rock had gone out for the day. We stopped to eat one of our cheese sandwiches, which Elizabeth had prepared, and a Tango (Wagonwheel). At this point we noticed that our "Jungle Gel" anti-mosquito and sun block cream actually seemed to ATTRACT mosquitoes! We crossed a river and eventually found ourselves in a field surrounded by barbed wire! We sat on a log to watch the wildlife for about 20 minutes, and didn't even notice 2 cows behind us! When we crossed the fence at the top of the hill, the path became indistinct, so we found ourselves deep in the jungle again. It was a steep climb which led us to a woodcutter's clearing. A large tree had been cut into good planks. These were in groups of threes and fours, with the last couple of inches between planks unsawn. This was to allow the woodcutter to carry the planks down the hill through the jungle without letting them slip apart.

On the way down we met the woodcutter and his two dobermans. We scrambled down, seeing a small tree lizard on the way, and came to a waterfall. The woodcutter re-appeared and led us past his house to the main path. We had lunch and took a leisurely stroll back to Mindo.

After supper and a shower we had a few drinks with the Enriquez family and friends. We met Eduardo (from the Banco Central de Ecuador) and his Spanish student, Urs, who is a Swedish accountant. We drank some "Mindo whisky". Dad went off to bed whilst Oli and I walked Luis (an Ecuadorian sergeant major) back to his billet on the other side of the village.

Returning, we met some of the friends from the earlier party at Guadual. They were now sipping Ron Cane (sugar cane rum) which they invited us to share. We stopped for a chat and had a beaker full each. It is very strong, but we were told that Tropico is even stronger.