Media Centre for Volunteer in Ghana

Ariane Jackson

The day started with my first experience of trail maintenance on the Cascada Trail. My favorite trail. Having sneakily avoided having to carry a machete until now, I was shocked when I realized I WAS BORN TO WIELD A MACHETE !!

I was in charge of demolishing any large tree fall across our path. This was very satisfying but also tiring and I got two blisters.

I like the Cascada Trail because it has a lot of exciting variety – open, towering primary rainforest, claustrophobic secondary rainforest, the glimmering gem of the trail; the waterfall and then a nice flat walk home through a thicket of beautiful palms.

After completing the hard physical work we rested at the waterfall, ate apples and biscuits and had a little dip to wash the sweat and mud off.

As we set off home on the lovely Agua Santa Trail, we came across my favourite insect ,the bright green knobly one. He saw us coming and got into his defensive position which involved standing on his back legs in a kind of delicate-kung-fu-balance both front limbs held high above his head, ready to chop.

As we set off again I felt a sudden moment of rapture as I realized that it was nearly noon; I was really hungry and we were heading back to camp for lunch.

Ariane Jackson England