Our trip to Chile in September is both to volunteer and to travel. Andy turns 40 in September, and had made a promise to himself that he would visit Easter Island (with all those famous huge stone heads - moai) before he was 40 ... a long held dream .... he'll make it there with 4 days to spare! But after the birthday celebrations, we will be heading north in mainland Chile to spend some time volunteering in conservation - specifically habitat restoration and chinchilla protection. Chinchillas are the cute, small fury rodents with the amazingly soft fur .... unfortunate for them on both counts as they have been hunted to near extinction in the wild for the fur and pet trades. However, a few survive in nothern Chile and that is why we are heading there. Part of the project involves restoring native plants, so Andy's experience (and Evan's too !!) with his thesis research with the endangered plant on Red Mountain, California will come in useful.
We are also busy building contacts for our return to Nepal next year, and are hoping to spend time at the rehabilitation/leprosy hospital and with the Nepal Leprosy Relief Association as well as at the orphanages and Seeing Hands clinic.
Evan's mom visited for his birthday - we made a fused glass plate together and toured Vancouver. Andy's mum and dad will be here next week too.
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"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
(Seen on a ferry terminal poster in Vancouver while waiting for the ferry to dock this weekend)
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