Hi Everyone,

An unusual Catagory for this update but there is a bit of a tail (no pun intended) which I know you will like because its consequence was suffering on my part ,that normally pleases most people!

24/07 - the following day we were due to go horse riding around the Ranch but due to the extreme temperature it was put off until the late afternoon. the day was spent deing at peace and enjoying the surroundings which hopefully you will have got some feel for from the photos. the Ranch acts as a bit of a sanctuary for rescue animals in particular, birds.

there currently several very badly damaged Parrotts and Toucans which have been horrible injured by egg thieves. One Parrott is particularly distressing as it has had its tail and wings cut off. It's so sad to see such a magnificent bird in such a distressed state. The Toucans have also been disfigured, if that is an apt way of describing them, having lost tails, wings etc.

there is also a sancturary for all the baby tortoise, of which there are simply loads. I found 2 in the grass and handed them to the staff, they told me that on average they only find 2 per week so finding 2 in one day was pretty good going I thought. if they are not separated the adult malesappear to want to eat them. Mind you all I saw the males doing was humping, or attempting to, and eating, no change there then!

Inside the main bar area are two very large tanksone containing a 6' Boa Constrictor, the other a very large lizard. We were allowed to handle the Boa on the first night but it took a fancy to one of the girls. Handling the lizard was not on my agenda, as there are 2 massive Iguanna in the grounds and that was as near as I intended to get to any such creature.

there is also a small pool near the bar in which is a baby Croc, turtles and various fish with and without teeth. apparently there is a much larger Croc in one of the outside pools but I never saw it. The Monkey enclosure houses youngsters made orphans and there is one adolescent female acting as mother to a really tiny baby. nearly all are 8in some form of trauma states and can be vicious so handling them is out of the question. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just leave these animals to their natural habitatand let them be?!

Still it is good to see that there are those who care and are prepared to do something to help.

At 5.00pm, having signed our lives away, we took to our mounts and were led out around the ranch. This is a first for me , riding wise that is. Well the first comment I have to make is that I dind not realise that trotting can be SO uncomfortable for a chap! The 'bounce' was just a tad painful and I was not the only one to comment! Still my mount held up well under the immense weight and I thoroughly enjoyed it, apart that is from the bruises testicles! Do horse riders have specially padded areas in their jodpurs? Do they wear super padded jock straps? Or are they high pitched naturally?

we encountered a loose and very stubborn Bull which had wondered onto the bridleway, it clearly did not want to move and no amount of swearing and shouting from our leaders was going to change its mind. a diversion was set up and this meant manouvering the old nag. Now this sounds easy for those of you who have experience of horses, not so easy when the instructions are in Spanish and the horse clearly speaks no English either! Our kate came into her own and told everyone how to do this and that and we eventually negotiated the diversion and got round the bloody great bull. Heaven only knows what would have happened if the thing had decided to go for us, more bruised balls I guess!

we continued along the well trodden trail and the horse needed no input from me. the guides gave us a demonstration of rounding up cattle and taking down a steer. It was all a bit too energetic for my liking and everytime they bouced up and down on the saddle I just winced.

To finish up, those who could went fro a gallop, those like mejust went for more of the bruised ball option!

in the evening we were severed a really good bit of supper by two of the team. The only problem was that they managed to use just about every pan, pot, utensil, plate, etc etc and the washing up took 4 times as long as usual. We were very delayed getting to the bar! we then had to play catch up the result of which was a cracking night which went on until 2.00am when we were politely told to leave because we had all the staff up dancing and they had to be up early in the morning - light weights!

Catch you later,

Chris