Data collection can be a very dull process. My job on the site consists of moving a rope 25cm along a tape measure whenever my colleague Igor has reached the end of the rope with his machine (I will take a photo of this so you can visualize it). This process is repeated for hours and hours on end (from about 7am to 1pm). What makes it bearable, in fact, what makes it wonderful, is the sea breeze, the pelicans flapping by, the jokes with our local colleagues, the coconut breaks, cups of water after feeling burnt and sweaty, the view, the quiet, the funny dogs (with ragged ears and thin puppies) and the knowledge that we can do the same tomorrow.
Today we did some ethno-botany in between rope-moving. The locals tell us which plants they use to make medicines and teas and what is good for hangovers, stomach aches, heart problems etc. Menno pointed out some wooden logs which Belto named as: guayacan, piňi piňi and cohoban. All three are tropical hardwoods. All 3 are extremely heavy (and make excellent charcoal). On the outside they look like dessicated old dead driftwood, but inside they are dark browns and reds and smell very fragrant. These woods grow nearby, and would have grown nearby a thousand years ago also, and would have been used in the construction of houses, canoes, fences and sheds and used for craft production and cooking, just as they are these days.
So, as you can see, the monotony of data collection can be relieved in a variety of ways, and leave time to investigate things we otherwise would be too busy for.