Bones

In the morning we went for a trek to scout for more Inca ruins. Some good whole pieces of pottery were found, as were pile and piles of bones. Better than that we also found some burial chambers packed full with skeletons and more bones!

The rafting was largely uneventful for most of the day - except for Ana who got whacked full force in the face with an oar as it bounced off a rock. A wee concussion later and she was fine. Well, until she removed her helmet and shades in the afternoon. It seems the impact had burst some blood vessels sending blood running into her eye sockets, giving her some very superficial but a very impressive looking set of black eyes!

The afternoon saw us set up camp, not just on Inca ruins, but on pre Inca ruins! All around us were fine examples of Inca architecture, buildings still standing, walls intact. We found not just pieces of pottery but whole bowls and urns. More bones littered the site as did several sets of human skulls and dismembered skeletons.

As you know, I'm British and I've been lumped in amongst a group of Americans. Now this hasn't caused much of problem but on this night the difference really reared it's ugly head. It's been common place for them to massage each other round the fire place but on this night they decided to start what they called a "Massage Train"!? They formed a line and sat down one in front of the other. Then every person massaged the shoulders of the person in front. (Obviously the person right at the front gets a good deal and the one right at the back gets a bad one.) This was all waaaaaay too touchy feely and just plain weird hippy'ish for my liking so I was happy enough to sit opposite and empty my hip flask instead. Until they started calling, "Hey Skipper! Why don't you come over and join us?"

With a wry smile and a tip of my flask I answered, "No thanks, I'm British!"

Posted by Steve Eynon