The llama who died of horniness, sliding down major waterfalls, having my lunch stolen by monkies, and other adventures...

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Finally! Back on the internet again. Ridiculously hard to get here. Anyway, so a LOT has happened since my last entry, including risking my life for rather questionable reasons 3 times in 3 days, or 4 times in 5 days... But first, for anyone who actually knows Ecuador and wanted to know where I actually was, we started off in Quito, went to Otavalo, then on to El Boliche (the forrest), then Chugchillan (where the Cloud Forrest was) to Quilotoa (the laguna), then off to Rio Bamba which is where I think I left off and where the story of the horny llama comes in (I know you were all waiting for me to get to that =P ).

Anyway, so Rio Bamba, for being a pretty big and well known city, is pretty overall boring. Not a lot to do besides the train ride into the countryside, which we did take (more later), and for being able to watch the smoking volcanos that ring it (yes, I took pictures). So how come a llama? Basically the hotel we stayed in was like someone took one of those little trinket stores, bought everything inside, and put it all around a bunch of individual buildings and called it a hotel. There were trinkets *everywhere,* including on top of the non-moving car turned into furniture, little model houses that lit up the walkways at night, a Santa head adorning our bedroom door, and in our stained glass (yes, as in like in a cathedral, more or less) windows. If that wasn´t interesting enough (it kinda felt like we were sleeping in a church...), there was no door to the bathroom. That´s right. And no shower curtain either. So... yeah. I think we pretty much lost all privacy and modesty at that point and figured that after med school, what else is new, right? Anyway, in this interesting hotel, which was family owned and run, there was this really ugly little black with white spots French bull dog. You guys know I usually love dogs, but really this thing was just ugly. And smelly. Not good. Apparently, though, before this little pet they used to actually own a llama, which they would let roam around the grounds. Obviously this was quite a curiosity, but unfortunatetly, this llama had a bit of a species problem because it assumed that every guest was also a llama, and not just any llama, but a female llama. Obviously, this became a bit of a problem, as the llama began to try to... er... ´monter´I believe was the verb our host used, every single guest. This was... embarrising to say the least, and so they decided to put a collar on the llama, to keep it from disturbing everyone as they tried to relax in the Gilligan´s Travel´s type atmosphere in the garden. Unfortunely, though, the llama was not just... erm... excited, he was also very stupid, and thus while trying to get to one particular guest one day, managed to actually choke himself to death. So that was the end of the llama. Note that this was a *male* llama.... Anyway, enough of that. And I would like to say, by the way, that I was very proud of myself for understanding the major points of this story, told entirely in Spanish, within a week of my starting classes. Amazing how much hand signalling helps, isn´t it? =P

Anyway, besides amusing animal mating stories, we also took that train ride that I mentioned earlier. Now, if you´re like me you were probably imagining some Amtrak type thing, or at least like the commuter rail. I really should have known better, this being Ecuador where half the time we don´t even half hot water in the sink. What it was, instead, this major attraction of a major city, was one very old, very diesel-smelling (like the rest of Ecuadorian travel) car, which was filled entirely with tourists, about three quarters of whom were over the age of 60. The scenery was beautiful, though, despite the mode of transport, and as is one of my favorite things about travel, I other interesting travelers, including a barn carpenter from Toronto, and a guy from England who runs programs for refugee children! Anyway, the train took us to Alausi, and then another very bumpy and standing on the bus for 2 hours experience later, went back.

Off the next day for Banos, which, I have to say, I love. $20 for an hour long massage and half hour facial, $10 for a half hour of reflexology, volcanoes to see, hot springs to sit in, rafting, zip-lining, canyoning, and horseback riding, all there. How awesome?! This was, of course, my first near death experience, when I went canyoning (aka climbing down, or as in one case, sliding down, roaring waterfalls). The day before was zip-lining, which was also really fun but not really as scary, except that I am, of course, afraid of heights, and I figured that if I was going to do this thing at all I might as well do it being hung up by my torso and hips so it´s like I´m flying, rather then the typical sitting stance. Very exciting, but a bit of a rip-off considering we only got to go over a river so it only took maybe 5 seconds and cost $18. Anyway, the next day (after a *very* nice massage... - did I mention you don´t tip in this country?) decided to go canyoning with Yush. We almost didn´t go because it was pouring rain in the morning and *freezing,* but after much negotiation that failed we ended up going anyway. Probably one of the sketchiest things I´ve ever done, and definitely the scariest. First of all, we climb into this car with our wet-suits, harness, and spare clothes, with our guide and one other guy. We were supposed to have special climbing shoes too, but they said we were going to pick them up along the way. Which we did. From some random guy´s house. And the ´special shoes´? Keds. Yup, Keds. Needless to say, there were many shared looks between us along the way. Then we get there, and now we´re starting to get a bit scared. This is a real waterfall, with several.. er.. falls? along the way. Our guide, Alex, made all the usual guide jokes (´Is this your first time? Oh good, me too.¨etc) and spoke, interestingly, mostly Spanish... (locals talk so fast!!) Anyway, if Yush and I hadn´t had mountain-climbing experience, we would both have been freaked out of minds, instead of just scared to death, because experience with harnesses and belaying, as well as mountain-climbing itself, turned out to be huge advantages. First we ´practiced´, which involved his putting our harnesses on, and then showing us twice how to loop the rope in to the cabana before saying ´See, it´s easy, now go´and then basically leaving us on top of the waterfall as he went down to the ledge first. Yush was brave and went first after him, and after seeing her all in one piece, I went, sliding a couple of times and pretty much freaked out because you´re basically holding all your weight in your left hand while your right hand is both the break (when held behind your back, as you lean backwards into your hand and go down the waterfall backwards) and what you´re supposed to use to get extra rope to lower yourself down. It would have *really* helped, had Alex bothered to mention that if you don´t move your hands at all, the rope is looped in such a way that you won´t fall. But no, he failed to mention that one little point, which we didn´t figure out later when he told us to let go with both hands as wel leaned 90 degrees over the edge and... didn´t die, basically. Anyway, after getting ourselves down to the ledge, we were then told that we were going directly down the falls, hanging in midair as he lowered us. Basically the cliff curves in after a meter or so, so the water falls through the air for several stories, so there wouldn´t be anyplace for us to put our feet. Yush again went first (major props for bravery), after the whole ´let go with both hands´incident, and then me. Definitely scary, especially as Alex threatened to let me down really fast (you also lower yourself at the same time) because ´that´s so much more fun.¨ Pretty awesome, but also a bit daunting, especially when you finally reach the bottom and have gallons of water litterally pounding onto you as you scramble to unhook yourself and cross to the other side. Once there, though, it turned out that Alex wasn´t coming with us, but wanted us to hike back up to the top, while he gathered the rope. All well and fine, except that there wasn´t a path up to go. Basically there was a mud wall, going straight up, with one foothold, and about 5 feet 7 inches high. A bit of a problem when you´re only 5 foot 4 inches and all the handholds you try don´t hold. Again, thank goodness for mountain-climbing experience, since I finally managed to find a bit of root to grab onto and hoist myself up. Then after getting ourselves lost, with Alex trying to shout at us from the other side and on top of the waterfall (since, obviously, there was no trail once we climbed up either...) and after climbing under a barbed wire fence, we got back up. Then, apparently we were going down a smaller waterfall on our butts.... Yups. He basically lowered us down, which was all well and fine, despite again the gallons of pounding water on your head, until Yush came back up and he told us that *she* was going to lower me down. Erm.. right.. Thank goodness for belaying (rock climbing thing where you make sure your partner doesn´t fall while descending) experience! After that was the waterfall slide, where we slid down a rock slide directly next to the waterfall into the pounding water a the bottom, and then finally we descended a waterfall on our own. Alex wouldn´t even come back up to check our rope ties!! Obviously we both made it out alive, but seriously probably the scariest thing I´ve ever done. Especially since after every waterfall we had to climb back up, on super slipperly, almost goo-covered rocks, with no attachments on us, which meant slippíng would mean falling into the waterfalls. Alex took lots of photos for us with his water-proof camera (which we of course have to pay $5 for) and I was hoping to look at them today and maybe load some up for you guys, but this computer has no CD drive! And, even though I´ve literally taken over 500 photos, I didn´t bring the cord, so no pictures till I get back I guess!

On Thurs we left Banos for the teeny tiny town of Misahaulli (mis-a-wall-ee), which is in the jungle. Yes, I can now say that I´ve been in the Amazon jungle! Woohoo!! And finally, finally some hot days! Of course, being the jungle aka rain forrest it was pouring when we arrived, but it cleared up soon enough. Once there we grabbed some lunch, or at least tried to, because Misahaulli is overrun by little monkeys (they look like the same type in Moussori, India!) who steal food and cameras! I´d been warned, but really literally out of nowhere I was eating lunch and suddenly this *thing* pounces from nowhere and steals all of my fries and salad! It was so shocking! And then it then had the nerve to sit there staring at me after my exclamation of fright like it was curious about what all the noise was about! Rather sad, too, because that was the only part of my lunch that I really wanted... apparently steamed fish is not a smart thing to order in the middle of the jungle... Anyway, besides the stealing they really are rather cute and I´ve got several pictures. They´re really smart, too! Apparently they steal bottled water too, as well as cameras...

Anyway, I gotta run. It´s almost 8 pm and we still haven´t had dinner. Still have jungle hiking (near death experience number 2), tubing down an Amazon river, hiking down what in the US would have been a closed trail for safety purposes to see another waterfall (near death experience number 3) cave exploring with bats and finding ´medicinal mud´to talk about, but might or might not get the chance... Leaving Wed for the Galapagos!! SO excited!! =) Hope all´s well back home!!

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Photos

Local girls
They dressed up in traditional festivities to dance for us on our last night

Cloud ring around the mountain
Taken from the bus on the way to Rio Bamba

Cuy! (aka guinea pig)
Traditionally a delicacy. Very tasty if you like meat, a bit like pork, but with quite a few bones to pick out. (Being served with potatoes and avacado)

Rolling farmland
Taken while on our train ride

On a break
Taking a picture break from the train ride (left to right: Yush, me, Sue)

Alive!
Both still breathing and no broken bones! =)

Comments

[anonymous]

Wow.. so many adventures! I can't wait to see the pictures! Poor llama...though they are amorous creatures. One of them (also male) fell in love with Doug and tried to make out with him. Wow...I don't know how you do all these cool and crazy things!!! Anyway, can't wait to hear about all your adventures in person when you get back!

[Maria]

I like how you specify that it was a *male* llama