On Friday, we rolled out of bed and attempted to get to El Ray National park. Sadly, the rain was not on our side. The road to El Ray is a 47km dirt track with many river crossings, and our guide - who was in a real 4x4 - didn't fancy doing it in the driving rain. Instead we headed for his local birding spots, and on the way back towards Salta he demonstrated the realness of his 4x4 (and the fact it wasn't a chelsea tractor) by pulling another car out of a ditch on a flooded road. The rescue was very Argentina - everyone stopped, and half the local males got out, started running around in rain and the deep mud helping, finding rope, tying it to the car and to our 4x4, and in the end pulling the car and passengers to safety. The other half of the population lent on their horns - we've even seen drivers toot at the cops here (The garda would find a reason to arrest you if you did that). Final twist to the rescue was our guide producing a Crocodile dundee knife to cut the rope off the front of his car. (Final final twist - Laura found a online review of a tour near Salta that described a mostly silent guide leading his party deeper and deeper into the forest, slashing at vegetation as he went. I'm pretty certain I've seen that movie).

Anyway, he took us birding, both by the lake and into the cloud forest. He was fantastic and we saw a lot. Photos I'm happy with:

Spot the hummingbird in the last frame :-)

The whole album. We got to spend a night at Selva Montana Ecolodge which is a great place and has fresh milk - the first we've had since leaving Ireland. If you're wondering - we went with Mario from clark expediciones - well worth it!