Sunshine!

Well the sun finally came back! We've had barely any rain since Wednesday. So that means we've been in the field, which is wonderful. I missed the gibbons and the smell of the marshmallow trees! The impact of the rain was obvious when we went to the W territory on Friday, the pond that was dry when I arrived has filled about with a foot or two of water! The river has also risen significantly. The reservoir is coming back to more normal levels, but our water is still a disgusting, murky, yellow-brown color. I have been in much better spirits since we've been able to be back in the forest and I have started running again after taking a week off. Today on my run I went past two monks on the road. I am not sure if I have mentioned it before, but me running is quite the tourist attraction apparently. People wave excitedly and lean out their car windows to photograph me as they pass in their cars. I think maybe the blond girl running is more interesting than the wildlife, or maybe they just haven't seen much wildlife. Anyway, the two monks both had huge cameras and as I got closer the one switched the direction of his camera and pointed it right at me. He waited until I was only 3 or 4 feet away before snapping what I'm sure was an incredibly attractive close-up of me using that huge zoom lens. Anyway, I decided that after that I'm definitely not going to feel rude or like an obnoxious tourist if I should ever decide to snap a photo of a monk.

My first day back in the forest I got a nice leech bite on my butt. Okay, just above my butt. Anyway, as usual I had no idea it was there and he didn't drop off until I showered I guess. I still had no idea and I put on my clothes, made lunch, and it wasn't until I went to the bathroom and noticed blood all over my shorts and underwear that I realized it. I was really traumatized about why my butt was bleeding for a few seconds before realizing it was a leech. Yeah, imagine the thoughts running through my head...anyway, that makes leech bite number three. every time I am amazed at how much those suckers make you bleed. Leech bite number one from four weeks ago still itches once and a while so I really hope this one isn't the same.

Anyway, besides that, the last few days in the forest have been pretty uneventful, so I am just going to post a few photos.

 Chao groomed by Chinda

 Baby climbing on Chinda's head. "Mom play with meee!"

 C group infant hanging around by mom and dad

 Chinda and infant

 Chokdee, looking worried.

 Finally got a non-blurry photo of a barking deer or munjak.

 So pretty!

 The leech that attacked my butt Thursday and fell off while I showered.

I found him still creeping around in there Friday morning, so I sprayed him with 40% deet and he regurgitated my blood. Revenge.

 William :)

The river is raging now!