• Day 212: Monday July 30th



01:30 Just had a final send-off for SL and I - where SL returned with PS then we drank whilst hanging out with the two cooks for almost the last time together. This was both great fun and one of the saddest moments in San Miguel, though PS would be replacing me under the same role in the station so the cooks would have a new person to bond with closely. I was requested by SL to take straight rum and ended up finishing the bottle and once I finish this entry I need to engage in some drunk packing.

During the day I worked in the lab with DL and in the afternoon I went on a hike with the Harker students to the upper stream. I was not planning on creating a new route but because of a fallen tree I had to divert the existing path which proved interesting without my trusty machete. Once I had cleared the way I discovered that the "Tarzan vine" (a long liana hanging down from the tree canopy) had fell down. M discovered a really cool Electric-blue Shrimp and some interesting Crab claws. All the students made it to the waterfall and so I was happy about that. The pool below the waterfall was strangely different as the "seat" (log) that stretched the whole width had moved, the shrimp here were gone and the pool was very blue as well as deep as the storms had flushed all the leaf litter etc. from it - so it appeared the best I've ever seen it.

I played a good few hours of the card game Slam with M which was worth it, very funny as I managed to win all the games - keeping me distracted from the forthcoming departure, and was great to bond with him more. 

A video I made of my room before I started packing can be found here - Video 166.

After dinner there was one of the best lightening storms I've seen where some bolts lasted 2 to 4 seconds as they darted across this beautiful night sky - who needs fireworks to add to my send-off!