"we can´t go over it, we can´t go under it, we´ll have to go through it"

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So up early to head off into the wilderness and the unknown on Saturday, on one hideously uncomfortable 10hr bus journey on what can only be described as mud tracks...argh.....Hannah also took the window seat cos she gets travel sick, which meant whereas usually I can lean against the window and sleep the entire way, I was rather uncomfortable on our bumpy bumpy bus...Nevermind, I had my music! Had copius supplies of ritz biscuits, oreo wannabees and juice....not exactly the healthiest diet, but its all the corner shops seem to offer when it comes to travel food...no M&S sandwiches here... Into Coca finally at 5pm and to our hostel. Coca, however, is not the friendliest of places and we felt very out of place....it´s an industrial oil town, which has very much the air of an industrial town, and one that doesn´t need tourist or tourism. So we found a restuarant eventually, in the dodgyness, we found the poshest place going, of course with the highest prices, but everywhere else we felt like animals in a zoo. Hmm, so back to the hostel and to bed.

Thankfully we were picked up from that hostel (which was nice being situated on the river) on the Sunday, so we only had to go back to the same place as the night before for brecky, where it turned out they had capybaras and parrots running wild in the back garden. V cool. Anyway, collected at 11 by Carlos, a guide who could actually speak English, which made a nice change it must be said, however his testosterone levels must be sky high cos he didn´t STOP hitting on Hannah & I the entire time! Headed off in a canoe down the Napo river, and then up the Manduro tributory to the camp...and it was amazing, both flying along the main, vast river and slowly motoring along the tributory to the camp. The place was pretty empty when we arrived though, only a Puerto Rican and an English lady there, very secluded. After lunch we headed out to the "Two Branches" Trail where we started to learn about the uses of plants (forgotton almost instantly!....there was something for cuts, something for snake bites...) lots of butterflies flying around, especially a huge blue one which was mesmorising! Back for dinner before heading out on a night walk with our trusty torces....we went to Sapococha lake which was just beautiful. It was a really clear night, with stars above us, then the lake was covered with fireflys, and as we shone our torches around we could see Caimen (type of crocodile), their eyes glowing red in the light of our torches, very cool. Really relaxing just punting around the lake (we weren´t doing the hard work mind!) We had Carlos and Hermillo, (Hermillo is a local indigenous guide who knows the facts and Carlos translated). The sounds of the jungle were amazing too, the frogs were making a right racket, bats flying over our heads skimming our hair.....On the way back I spotted a Taipir on the edge of the lake....was very very cool to see him roaming about....A pretty perfect night.

Monday was the day of rain, and also the day we went on a swamp walk....bad planning or what!! It bucketed it down like I´ve never seen before....but we still headed out...not many animals out either it has to be said....but nevermind. The walk was described as "around the swamp" however, with the amount of rainfall it was really a case of slap bang through the middle of it. Also to make things even better, I had been given midget boots, which came about half way up my calf, and were a good 2 inches shorter than Hannah´s, Carlos´and Hermillo´s! ARGH! Suffice to say, I got very very very very wet! Carlos was supposed to be lending me a hand when I got stuck in the mud, only he almost fell in himself, very funny, so my confidence in his balance wasn´t overly strong! We were shown the paradise flower, which the indigenous use in festivals, and it was really cool...matched the poncho...ohh yess!!!! Anyway, I got so hideously wet, water and mud poured over the top of my boots, and at one point I stepped off a branch by accident and went in upto mid thigh....delightful! Was somewhat releived when they said we were heading back to the main base...phew! Camera however emerged from the jungle in a sorry state....it stopped working....I got very very stressed....but Hannah convinced me to put the hairdryer on it (Laura take note!) and despite my reservations that it might fuse, it dried it out and full functioning of the camera was resumed...so close, so very relieved! That afternoon Brenda and Amy joined us (Aus & NZ), Amy was taking Spanish lessons, but Brenda joined us that afternoon to head of to a nearby lake, observing woodpeckers, other birds, and trees, including the walking tree which grows roots from half way up the trunk and can move up to 20cm in a year to enable it to reach the light. We also saw the Bambill tree (penis tree) which was much cause for hilarity, but did actually have a proper use, which I forget now....Back to the lodge to chill out and watch the squirrel monkeys on the feeding platform they set up within viewing distance of the lodge.....loads of the little beggars, very cute!!

Tuesday we headed off with Brenda again, stopping to talk to a spider monkey, David, in a cage who was being "rehabilitated for the wild", and Edwardo a baby Howler monkey who was to be set free when he was a little older. We also saw two ocellots who were being kept because they were endangered and they had been making pests of themselves near a local village and the villagers had wanted to kill them, so they rescued them....very cute...I even touched one on its paw....Anyway, we headed off on the walk to the Bird Watching Tower, learning about more trees, and getting to swing tarzan stylee from a vine...The bird tower was fabulous, just above the main canopy and as far as the eye could see there were trees....didnt unfortunately get to see any parrots, tho Carlos did with his binoculars...but we did see some pretty yellow and black birds, (have forgotton the name) and some pretty blue and yellow birds. Really relaxing being surrounded by the sounds of the forest and just chilling out. At lunch we were joined by two Quebecan guys, Samuel and Marco, and Amy joined us too, so the 6 of us plus guides headed out to the lake we´d been to the previous night excursion....we found a tortoise, lots of frogs, millipedes, and we climbed a slightly smaller bird tower which overlooked the lake, gorgous weather, lovely setting. On the way back to the canoe also we spotted some pigmy marmoisette monkeys, tiny little things, but not in the least bit scared of us, was really cool to see them all swinging around. In the canoe on the way back too we spotted loads more squirrel monkeys hanging out in some trees and bushes, very cool.

Wednesday was our last day at the lodge, the time flew by quickly, but we couldnt afford any more since we had decided to cheaper version was too close to Columbia for our liking, and we´d heard too many bad stories, so we paid more for safety. Anyway, we headed off to meet an indigenous family, Hermillo & Carlos painted our faces with the Manduro plant, and we struck up some fantastic poses with the machette!! From there we wandered around their land while Hermillo explained their use for all of the different plants....cotton, lemon grass, cinnamon tree, coffee plant, yuka root, and glorified stinging nettles which "improve circulation" but they had to be tried out apparantly, and we all came up in very white rashes...where´s a doc leaf when you need one hey!! We then were invited into the families home where we were told a bit more about their way of life and we had the opportunity to ask questions...they have huge families, 9 kids or more usually, 6 day weddings (....think i´ll be having one of those!) and lots of other traditions about helping each other out and schooling, education. Very interesting, didn´t think I´d like it, but it was good fun. They had crafts to buy, so of course I bought some.....and then we went outside to try and use the blowgun...their weapon of old...I came close to hitting the lemon first time, but it was beginners luck because I was shocking after that!! Nevermind....Anyway back for lunch before chilling out in the lodge until 3pm when the boat came to take us away back to scummy Coca, quite upset to be leaving....Ohh well. Spent a few hours at the hostel playing cards before going to dinner and then getting on a bus at 8-15 for 10 hrs to Banos...woohooo!! Hannah loved it...not!

The bus wasn´t great, although we were searched and had to show ID on the bus which, we couldnt decide was a good thing or a bad thing....its either very dangerous, or its good that they searched and everyones been checked...hmm! Nevermind, one even bumpier bus ride we ended up towards Banos, unfortunately the amount of rain which had fallen had caused landslides, meaning we sat and waited for about an hr outside Banos for the road to be cleared....wasnt too bad though. Stopped for brecky in Banos at about 7-30 before pushing on to Ambato (1 hr away). However we got mightily stuck in traffic....mudslides this time from the volcano had covered the road....we sat and we sat, and eventually everyone decided to walk over it and hitch a lift the other side...so Hannah & I reluctantly with our bags, did the same....was wierd walking over it....some water still running down it....we´d been walking for about 20mins when the road was opened again and our bus came through, so we flagged it down and jumped back on....phew...was a mission and a half to where the traffic in the other direction, and thus the lifts, were! The rivers had all turned to mud as well, very surreal. Into Ambato about 12, Hannah feeling pretty shocking, but we decided we didn´t want to hang around, so we bought tickets for the 6-7hr trip to Cuenca at 12.30, and thanks to Ecuadorian time, when the bus arrived at 1pm, Hannah was feeling a little better. It was a mission and a half to Cuenca though, argh...so glad when we finally arrived!

That´s all for now folks, hasta luego, xxx

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