Heaven is the Amazonian rainforest. . . .

Hello my loves,

Well we are back from Kapawi and what an experience that was!

We caught a minibus from Quito and drove south east for 5 hours to a place called Shell - named after the oil co! From there we caught a 10 seater two propeller plane (an Islander) to fly 50 minutes into the rainforest. Flying in a weeny plane is great - scary and fun! The rainforest from the plane looks like one of those nasty 1970s lumpy green carpets (apologies to anyone with a green carpet of any kind) and it just goes on and on and on . . . We landed in somewhere nameless where we caught a motorised canoe for 25 minutes up the Pastaza river - a trbutory of the Amazon - to Kapawi.

We are in the territory of the Achuar who took a decision not to take the money of the oil or logging companies but to develop eco tourism in their province in order to be able to maintain their way of life and preserve their environment. The Kapawi lodges - part of a series of lodges throughout the province - were built by native Achuar using traditional materials. They are basic but comfortable. The bedroom is open on two sides with just mosquito mesh from floor to ceiling so you feel very much part of the forest all of the time. There is a balcony with hammocks - joy!!!! and once a day they bring you a big plastic bag of water which they have left to heat in the sun which you hang up and use as a shower. Sometimes it's very hot, sometimes not .... sometiomes one person uses too much and the other person just gets a dribble - but since when was life fair.

The food is fab, and you have four activities a day - the first at 6.30 is usually a bird watching activity. After breakfast is a two to three hour trek into the rainforest to learn about Achuar medicine, or the use of palms in constructing houses, or the spirit of the forest and how they connect with it etc. We were a group of 5 - two Americans (who although they were both doctors asked an endless stream of remarkably stupid questions), a young German woman who was great, and us - you can make your own minds up on us. . . we were always accompanied by Mateo - an Achuar with a big machete who cut a path for us when it got too dense, and David - a naturalist/ecologist.

After lunch was fun time!!! We kayaked - Ian was behind me and much to everyone's amusement did virtually nothing while I laboured away at the front, another day we fished - I caught a fish but put it back coz it made me too sad to watch it die. . . . it also made me think about turning veggie again . . . we'll see. . .

We also did some target practise with a blow pipe - they are 2.5 to 3 metres long you know, and the Achuar can blow darts up to 30 metres, but we were very proud to hit the target from 15!

There is a lot more to say about Kapawi - so we're going to do separate blogs on Achuar life, the flora and fauna, and odds and sods - so it's up to you just how much Kapawi you want....

Besos (Spanish kisses)

Allison

Ps. Thanks for the messages you've sent us - we love getting them so please send more. . . and more . ... and more.

Pps. We will add photos as soon as we can - promise!

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Part of trip: Allie and Ian's big adventure

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