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I can't quite believe I only have 4 more days left here - as everyone warned me, the time has disappeared in a flash. Today was my last trip in to town - it's strange now how I don't give it a second thought when I have to clamber in to the back of the 'bakkie' amongst hundreds of loaves and cabbages to go shopping. The centre has an agreement with a local supermarket that in exchange for a small amount we are given all of their food waste for the monkeys. Doughnuts and iced cakes strangely seem to get lost enroute. It's amazing what foodstuffs you can make the most amazing pillow out of - sprouts, stale bread or fruit loaves.
Recently we had to deal with the mishap of the babies' cage mistakenly having been left unlocked. Needless to say all of the monkeys escaped but fortunately didn't go far. It was 20 minutes of madness as we had to stop the alsatian from attacking poor Lola the samango and retrieving all of the babies before we were lynched. Lola is a biter and I have been subjected to a few of her nibbles which more often than not draw blood and are pretty painful. She certainly got her cumuppence as she looked terrified, running for her life from Huntcher.
The month here has certainly gone in a flash but I have ensured I have taken a ridiculous amount of photos and I am sure I will rely a lot on the other girls' memories in the future. I have made some good friends - both animal and human - and hope to at some point again return to Riverside. In the meantime, I will have a few little reminders back home of my time with the animals - the black ostrich feather which I use as a bookmark, the nibble marks on my watch-strap and the coke stain on my travel guide (caused by one of the monkey's little wobbles.) I'll miss not buying a regular supply of dried apple rings for Malco (I never realised anything or anyone could get quite as excited as him at dried fruit!), being a human climbing frame for the babies and having banter at each mealtime with the rest of the girls.
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