Week 2, IPR

Day 8 and 9 (Hitch Hike and Hatfield Square)
1 of 2 day off to begin the week with! A generally lazy day, with a 20 minute trek to Petronella (the local shop down the road), which ended in a cheeky hitch-hike back in a truck! We were all offered a lift in the back of an open air truck when they saw us walking out of the drive way. 2 guys driving vs. me, Amy, Gemma, Ollie and Liam? Hardly a likely outcome thus we all climbed in and got a lift straight back to the sanctuary! Always a great thrill, having my first anonymous hitch hike :).

The evening was spent playing spoons. Basically a violent but incredibly fun spoon grabbing card game that left volunteers with bent back fingers and scratch marks on the back of hands. Apparently me and Charlotte were the 'dark horses' of the game, being the quieter yet most lethal players? Hardly agreeable! I was just a tad enthusiastic with the grabbing but surely not violent :).

Day 9 saw typical volunteer duties such as observations of little Cornelius, top-ups, 3:00pm wash and dinner wash. 7:00pm (well in relaxed South African timing of 8:00pm) came the taxi for the first night out in Hatfield Square to mark the leaving of Paul, Evelyn and Amy. Basically a very studenty square surrounded by bars, restaurants and clubs. A very fun night out that marks memorable moments such as Liam's 'sweet curry sauce' incident, a visit to McDonalds at midnight, Ollie's throwing up down his shirt, Liam's proposal to Evelyn, candy floss drink, and a very annoying black coat wearing creep who wouldn't leave me, Bryony and Charlotte in peace. Always typical in this kind of setting though hence the reason I'm not a clubbing/drinking/bar type person ;). We arrived back at the sanctuary 2:30am, highly pitying poor Ros and Liam who had morning feed duty at 5:30am.

Day 10 and 11 (Thimone Monkey Time & Worst Dinner Ever)
Duties and more duties :). Having stayed at IPR for a month, I'd estimate that it takes about ten days to settle in fully and have voluntary duties in your stride. I remember feeling just a little homesick during these days, thinking of family and trivial things such as who is winning of The Apprentice. Day 10 marks the occasion of The Worst Dinner of International Primate Rescue Ever. I remember being really quite hungry and getting quite a lot of rice with stew. The rice was good. Then came this odd, bitter taste. Then the smell of sewage. Then just general distaste as you ate more. Then the appearance of the stew strikes you as odd. Just extremely greasy bubbly water cooked with a hint of ye-olde moulding carrots and chicken skin and bone. Dear me, Teenie (the cook) and her stews. This night marked an occasion where food standards reached a new low. The sewage stew became a new exemplar of dinner standards and marks a transition in Auri as the new, lovely cook. The sewage stew became a good horror story for newer arriving volunteers who've yet to experience the sanctuary dinners :).
Day 11 saw the departure of the sweet Australian couple, Paul and Evelyn :(. Other then volunteer duties, I had Monkey Time with the beautiful Thimone and my Facebook buddy Lauren arrives roughly 11:00pm to be the next victim on the bunk below me of my crazy tossing and turning :). (Hardly my fault though with the 1cm mattress, staying in any one position too long would result in morning aches!).

Thimone <3

Day 12 and 13 (WORK)
Just meh for days 12 and 13! A few things worthy to mark these days include:

- Holding onto the most cutest puppy in the world.

- Being covered in rust and wire scratches from wiring in trap doors in the enclosures.

- Playing the 'I Have Never' game, when 99% of the time I didn't need to drink seeing as most things mentioned were along the lines of drunkenness, relationships or general misbehaving.

- Chino being in a very cuddly mood

Day 14 (Mel's Leaving Party)
Day 14 marks Mel (really hard working long term volunteer) leaving after two months at IPR due to eye problems. A beach party commerced at 7:00pm lit by candlelight, decorated with bits and bobs brought from Petronella and enhanced by volunteer creativity such as cut out crabs, sandcastles, fish, surfboards, kelp and sea creatures. We played drunken sequence games such as counting frogs and a vague attempt at 'fuzzy duck/ducky fuzz' or whatever it was called. Then commerced the Ring of Fire, I joined in, in spirit of the party despite not being a drinker. Worst of all was the chibuku African beer placed in the middle. I was pretty unlucky with cards, always getting the '2' which entailed drinking 2 fingers of the awful yoghurt-like beer in the middle. Then came the general teasing with the guys choosing me for the 'Mate' card to drink. Then the whore card for all girls to drink. It all became a little too much for me. I'd like to reiterate that I really don't think I vomited! (Everyone insists that I 'projectile' vomited across the Ring of Fire) I just gagged on the horrible drink while trying to force down 2 fingers worth and accidentally spat it out everywhere 0=). I remember feeling really quite awful after that night and retired to bed soon after. All in all though, a great send off for Mel :).

Ring of Fire with Chibuku.......

Beach party theme