direction of the house. We are now driving up-hill. I decide second gear and keep it in the whole way up. The jungle is incredible, the plants and flowers like I have only seen in my RHS book, and the scents are like the palm house at Kew. Great brightly coloured birds fly by in groups and the air is full of damp and the drops sprinkle us below, it's started to rain, fine warm drops.
Our Landy gets to the summit of what was a long climb up our side and as I stop at the apex the return downward journey is very steep. “Let’s go back Tharie.” Daniel says sitting up to attention and puts his hand on my leg, and his sunglasses on his head to let me know he's serious, “we don’t want to get stuck here.”
“Oh yea of little faith, this Landrover laughs at little descents like this.” And putting it into first gear, I tip it over the edge, “Hold on Daniel.” I tell him and he complies immediately without any hesitation holding onto the grab bar on the dashboard (his car has an air-bag there, can't hold onto that). All feet off the pedals I sit back and let the old car take itself down the hill very controlled and slow. “I love Landrovers, and now you see the sense in them?” I ask, not expecting an answer, I still marvel at the control they give you, even driving through thick filth.
“Unbelievable!” Whispers Daniel, his eyes open wide in surprise, “safe and sound what a brilliant feeling coming down this steep hill. It would have been hard on foot at this extreme slope.” His face is alight like a kid at the zoo, though not me, I hate zoos and always have done. “How did you know, will my Range Rover do this?” kidding? Please, it has a Landrover badge doesn't it?
“Yes Daniel, it will, though yours has a little button to press for going down hills.” Why? “The clue is the little picture of a Landrover going down a hill, and there’s a matching one for up too.” I humph in disapproval, what’s wrong with a great clunking hard to use lever? I may have just answered my own question.
“I wondered what that button did.” Bloody hell.
“I’ve always had one, and I’ve taken a few courses, off-roading and recovery, you know, just the essentials.” I laugh. “Never driven one of these though,” I change gear with an audible and reassuring clunk, “and I like it.” I steer along the track, “and, yes your car will do this too,” he looks very satisfied.
We arrive in perfect order at the bottom and the path goes west, or is it east, it's left...I Think. I drive along the track toward 9 O'clock, notice much fewer ruts here, in fact no ruts, whoever drove here before was put off by the gradient of the hill. Ha! I cheer to myself, visitors one, locals zero.
Fly change and ride a 20 metre circle on the other rein.
It’s raining a little harder now, the track will get slippery. Stopping the car, the view is incredible, the atmosphere is hot, damp and close. It’s quite difficult to breathe, but the surroundings are worth every short breath of damp hot air. We step out of the Landrover into the heavy humidity of the forest. Intense greenery and glossy leaves dripping with rain, unfamiliar calls from brightly coloured birds fill the air and I feel suddenly damp to my skin and haven’t walked anywhere yet. Layered canopies stretch far above us all fighting for their turn in the light, they branch like giant broccoli. Tropical flowers smell intoxicating and I let my senses be filled with the place. I wonder if George and Harry would like it here. Plenty to eat, none of it grass though. Daniel points to a tall flat surface which could be rock a little in from the track with some markings on it. “One of the markers the Professor was telling us we should find?” I nod agreement.
We walk over to the standing stone, now we're there, it's much taller that it looks from the car at least eight foot tall and as we brush away the plants from its surface, it's covered in markings and symbols. Some we recognise from our study of the tattoos but others are different, new. A velvety surface from lichen and soft moss coating it camouflages the stone somewhat, but some of