I have been thinking that I really ought to write another piece about what I’ve been up to recently, but I could never think of anything really special to write about. Well that’s not totally true because how often can you say that you went gardening high in the mountains with a view over several huge valleys, with parakeets flying past you, and vultures riding the thermals at eye level and below you. But in comparison to any other day here in Durika, that’s just the norm. So, when I realized that I hadn’t written about my day goatherding, I couldn’t understand how I had forgotten.
At dinner on Sunday I looked at the schedule to discover that the next morning I was to be attempting to guide the goats to new pastures whilst trying not to let any of them get the better of you and looking as though you are in total control when anybody is looking (if nobody is looking however, you can fret and sweat as much as you like, hehe). In other words, shepherding. But no, I wasn’t worried anymore; I’ve already got through the ‘fret and sweat’ stage. The only difference between this time and the others was that I was going to accept the challenge I set myself last time, and take another route. I would have been a little more comfortable with it if I had been able to walk it before hand, but the rain had meant I would just have to go with what I could remember from my first day here.
The pen was opened, the goats were shouted at, the ‘7 terrors’ were all present, so… I was on my way.
It definitely makes life much easier when the goats know exactly where they are going, having walked it countless times before. In fact for the first 30 minutes I found myself being led down a lovely trail along a ridge without having to raise my voice once (not that it ever helps).
By the 3 hour mark I had experienced very relaxing stops, amazing views, vultures flying over my head only 2 meters above me, warm sun on my back and no near heart failures. The route is along a ridge with thick forest lining it so there is very little opportunity for any doubling back. That along with the fact that there was plenty of food meant that it was simply a 4 hour leisurely stroll allowing me some time for myself and to take pictures.
So instead of this being the challenge I had set myself, I found that the 1st two sessions had been the actual challenge. So it was a very chilled out day and I was very willing to do that more often.
Ok I have to tell you about one moment in the 4 hour that required some frantic waving of a stick and shouting ‘VAMOS’ at the top of my lungs. It seems that here in Costa Rica that barbed wire is almost a house hold item. It is sometimes used to mark a boundary, but not to stop animals getting in or out, it was just the cheapest way of marking out an area.
So when I came across such an area on my travels I assumed it was simply one of these situations. Not to mention there was a large area of thick grass on the other side so I wasn’t too concerned when the goats started ducking under the wire. Well, to be honest I was actually quite pleased with myself to have found yet another good grazing area.
It was only when I saw the banana plants with one or two goats looking hungrily at them, that I came to the rapid conclusion that the barbed wire had been placed there for its proper use… keeping hungry goats out! Oops, it seemed that I had let my goats break into the neighbour’s banana plantation. As I said, the stick was waved frantically and I hurriedly chivvied my hairy comrades back into friendly lines. Thankfully, I had spotted the plants at a similar time as the goats had, so only one or two leaves had been nibbled (just like those in the Wallece and Gromit movie ‘Shawn the sheep’). So no harm done really, but I was just hoping that I wasn’t going to hear the sounds of baying dogs, bellowing farmers and the sharp clap of gun shots. Hehehehe
