Caldera Report

I just got back from the Gran Caldera Expedition. It was definitely the most incredible thing I have ever done! I saw so many monkeys! Erythrotis, Pogonias, Red Colobus, and I even saw one Drill! I didn't want to leave, I loved it so much. The 2 day hike in was pretty intense, at first we hiked down this really rocky disheveled "road" from Belebu to Ureca. Belebu:

Then we hiked from Ureca to Moraka Playa, which was a lot of up and down in the forest and it was mixed with a lot of hiking on the beach.

We stayed at Moraka Playa (the beach camp for 4 days). I did primate census there, and got my first good looks at erythrois and pogonias. Pogonias:

Then the first group of us students hiked up to the Caldera. It was definitely the hardest thing I have ever done! There were so many steep up and down inclines. At one point I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did. It was sooo worth it! Hormigas Camp was so beautiful, I loved it! It was like camping in the rainforest. I got a really good look at a group of Red Colobus, one of my best experiences to date.

A couple days later we hiked up to North Camp, which is the highest point in the Caldera. We only stayed there one night and didn't get to do census, but we did do census on the hike back down and that was awesome. I saw a red colobus jump across the trail and the tail of a preuss's guenon. We stayed one more night at Hormigas, and then hiked back down the Caldera. Then we stayed at the beach camp for the remaining nights. On the last full day there, I requested to do this one trail called Etepo, and it turned out to be incredible. I saw a drill! And the lunch checkpoint was so amazing!!!

We got to take Cayuco boats out, so we could see the island from a pretty awesome perspective. I'm back in Malabo now, but I leave for Moka soon. I don't know what my internet situation will be like there, so get in touch now :)

Caldera is Saturday!!!

So basically we have been hanging around the city and learning our way around. Having so much fun! In two days we leave for the Caldera expedition, and I'm a little scared because it's going to be intense. We have to hike 30 km and swim across 4 rivers with our packs just to get there! I won't have internet for 3 weeks starting then, so get in touch now if you need to :)

This is the National University of Equatorial Guinea, where our classes will be when we get back.

This is as close as I could get for taking a picture of the kids playing soccer at the playground.

Mass packing taking place. Apparently 60 people are going to be on the expedition.

Liz cutting my hair off before we start packing our bags...

I'm in Africa!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the first few days. Explainations will come later...

I'm kind of bummed because the government restricts taking pictures...

I met up with these guys in the Madrid airport. L to R: Kadeem, Liz, me, and Ryan.

This is our whole study abroad group. L to R: Ryan, Liz, Kadeem, me, Elliot, Gretchen, Evan, and Nabil. We have a really great group! 2 other vegetarians and 2 other people who don't drink!

This was taken before we learned that it's dangerous to take pictures in the city. One of the many disheveled streets.

We celebrated New Years at this huge concert with a bunch of different acts. There was some really awesome music and dancing!

This is the walkway to our house! The little area in front of our house is so neat! And we have a monkey grave yard in our backyard.

The next couple of pictures were taken on the "Hash run," we participated in. Basically it was a little hike on the oil compound near all the oilers houses. There are so many different kinds of awesome lizards!

I loooove the trees here!