Little Moon Village

My recent blog absence owes itself to our decision to spend one month of our time in South America volunteering on an organic nature reserve in the Yungas of Northern Argentina.  This served the purpose of stretching our vanishing money over more months, whilst allowing us to embrace the long lost sensation of feeling settled.  Particularly after all the Bolivian-induced stress of late, we were looking forward to some time away from cities and enjoying the unfamiliarity of, once again, having a routine.  I will save you from the boredom of explaining our life at Aldea Luna (though not boring for us, one could not often differentiate one day from the next).  But that was what we were in need of to recharge our long since empty batteries.  So instead I have put together a list of some of the things we learnt during our time in the “Little Moon Village”.

-How to dig a hole.

-How to make bread (and cook it without an oven).

-How to make gnocchi.

-How to make jam.

-How to plant vegetables.

-How to save your organic veggies from preying bugs.

-How to survive showering only twice a week.

-How to make compost.

-The correct ratio for making cement.

-The secret to becoming a ‘Cluedo’ master.

-How to heat water without the use of gas or electricity.

-How incredibly beautiful the stars are. (Though we already know this, it is easy to forget when they are so often blocked out by big city lights).

-Chickens are evil.

-If you eat beetroot daily and in large quantities, things come out the other end a rather startling shade of pink.

-And finally, how to live without...plug sockets, a fridge, an oven, meat, dairy, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, internet, any communication with the outside world, washing machines and washing ourselves!

We had a wonderful time and have learnt a huge amount, but are very glad to be on the road again for the final two months of our epic adventure and showering daily once more.