After the collection of numerous seeds we started
our return trip, certainly not for the faint hearted; the steep
descent seeming more hair-raising even than the climb. Several times
we almost careered off the edge of the road but we finally made
it back to the hacienda before sunset.
The last account described a cold mountain area
of the Andes, yet only a few kilometres away we had a totally different
experience, a visit to one of the last remnants of virgin tropical
forest left on the western plains of Ecuador. Some 25 years ago
most of this area was dense jungle, only visited by a few Indians
who travelled by canoe on the many rivers in the area. This changed
suddenly when it was realised that this land was suitable for the
culture of Bananas, cacao and later oil palm and rubber.
Kiwis In The Mist
