Sweetheart from Venezuela - Harry Belafonte

 The Colombian leg of what was proposed to be an extensive trip, as portrayed via last Sunday's Post, went like a dream, but why wouldn't it when someone else is doing the thinking and organising. It was only after the second stage inVenezuela, also guided privately, that we 'slipped the leash' and was left to our own devices that things went a little 'pear-shaped'. Being a none believer, the fat lad with the long white breard and the red Burberry and enough venison to keep him going for a lifetime, never even came onto the radar but arriving at the airport in hopes of a flight to Quito, Ecuador it was found there wasn't a seat to be had in any direction. Lucky then the the final words of my previous guides David Ascanio and his sidekick Bruno were still ringing in my ears as saying, "if you have any problems at all ring this number". Arriving at the hotel within the hour the suggestion was to spend a week at the Wildlife Lodge that is

HATO PINERO

some 3 hours drive into the heart of the country where the welcome committee were awaiting

BUFF-NECKED IBIS

and a cold beer before

David (left) and Bruno returned to the capital leaving me in the capable hands of
Complex Manager Alex (right) followed by just a few of the goodies on hand across that week.

BLCK-COLLARED HAWK

RUFOUS-VENTED CHACHALACA

numerous

CROCODILE

ELEGANT TERN

SCARLET IBIS

BAT FALCON

COMMON PAURAQUE

caught in the headlights and on the same night drive the find of the visit

O.K. not Cecil B. DeMille
but hands up if you have ever seen an
OCELOT
in the wild at such close quarters.

COMMON BLACK HAWK

PIED WATER TYRANT

MATAMATA

TURTLE

BAR-BACKED WRENs

the rather showy

SUNBITTERN

CAIMEN

RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMA

HOATZIN

the only Bird in the World with a Prehensile Claw.

CAPYBARA
(the largest Rodent in the World)

WHITE-TIPPED QUETZAL
and why this should come into the mix, as a resident of Asia, to end this Magnum Opus, if we dare to be so bold, the best
SPOONERISM
in the Avian World the

SPECKLED PICULET
not to be comfussed with the

PICKLED SPECULET

Thanks go to William Archibald Spooner

At the end of one of, if not 'the', best week of my life a cheuffer, in full livery, came to drive me back to Caracas in the largest and shinyest shooting-break in the world. En-Route we had to stop for fuel when he offered the bargain of him covering the 'bunkers' if I was happy to pay for the coffee - a good deal indeed, until the truth be told. These were the days when Hugo Chavez was still Presedent and afforded all his citizen the incentive to vote for him at the next election by providing FREE petrol / deisel at the pumps!! Democracy at its Finest and me out of pocket!