GirlVentures

We become paleo-detectives, hot on the tracks of dinosaurs in Sucre, Bolivia.

Behold, the noble and fierce monkey!

While working in the clinic at the Inti Wara Yassi animal refuge, I gained a great affection for the monkeys for which I cared. Each one has a distinct personality and unique background, and no matter how they treated me, I felt they deserved my respect.

The cage fight was far worse than the monkey bite: a gash that received two stitches versus fang indentations that will probably disappear. Such are the risks of working at Inti Wara Yassi, a refuge for Bolivian animals who have been saved from the illegal pet trade.

Our entire trip has come with warnings and ominous advice — including the well-worn refrain of “Don’t drink the water.” Everybody has told me this, in one variation or another. Don’t drink the water. Don’t use the ice. Don’t brush your teeth with water from the tap. Don’t let water from the shower splash your [...]