http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Ecuador , East , Tena en-us Sat, 05 Dec 09 15:48:57 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 09 15:48:57 +0000 Travelled to the ShangriLa lodge in the jungleAte soup at a roadside diner on the way one of the girls had a surprise when she found a pigs tooth in itFantastic views over the Rio Napa from the lodgeDidnt see too much wildlife apart from bugs a few millipedessnake spiders etc plus the usual sandflies and mozzies. Did see a lot of indiginous animals at a wildlife sanctuary though.Stayed in wo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-457710.html 31.10.20091530Vive la vidaGefuehlte 60C im Schatten Schwuele nun faengt sie an die Schwitzerei.Nach dem relativ kuehlen Cuenca auf 2550m ueber NN und dem fruehlingshaften Baos auf 1500m bin ich nun nach vierstuendiger Busfahrt im Tiefland auf der oestlichen Seite der Anden gelandet dem Oriente Ecuadors einem Teil des AmazonasRegenwaldgebietes.Platt wie eine Flunder liege ich in einer H http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-449796.html Wow... The Amazon was great we went on some long hikes through the jungle in very humid conditions hard work but interesting and the views were well worth it. To get there we took a 3 hour bus journey to a town called Tena from where we jumped onto a pickup truck literally 5 of us rode in the back for 30 mins to where our canoe was. The canoe ride was very relaxing all in one big lon http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-443095.html To me one of the most interesting things about the indigenous Quechua is their use of jungle vegetation for medicinal purposes. When I was with the Sani community our indigenous guide Miguel would constantly stop to point out various plants and their medicinal purposes. I am seriously dumbounded about how they figured this all out So upon arriving in Tena I set out to a small Quechua vi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-443038.html Eh my stomach is no bueno. But I guess this is not the way to start a blog. So lets see...I havent written in ages. Soo sooo sorry mom and dad. Where was I the last time I wrote something I think I was in Bolivia writing about Brazil. Now im in Ecuador writting about Ecuador. The first two weeks I spent looking at the marvels of the galapagos islands and let me tell you they are freakin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-442771.html After finishing at the Santa Marta rescue Centre we continued our travels by heading to Tena the white water rafting capital of Ecuador. We were hoping to do a multiday rafting trip which would mean camping alongside the river as we made our way along...No the bees and mossies of Noel Kempff had not put us off life on the wildside. After checking out multiple agencies we found one that was wi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-406590.html Amazon River Rio Napo Our first two day stint on the Amazon was along the Rio Napo about 67 hours East of Quito near the town of Tena. We stayed in a Jungle Lodge Cotococha Lodge along the banks of the river and used that as the base to explore the jungle visit some of the local Quichua families. Our first afternoon was a visit to one of the local families to try lsquochicarsquo wh http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-396303.html Week 5We have come so far...our final week was here. In a week where work was besieged by rain here are a medley of photos showing the highlights of our last few days on and around camp. We thoroughly enojoyed working with the GVI staff our fellow volunteers and the Ecuadorian people. It was the perfect way to discover the rain forest and contribute something worthwhile whilst learning a great de http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-385144.html Week 4The week started with Duncan and Connie teaming up for their first teaching expererience....very daunting for them but highly rewarding. After the working week fininshed we were rewarded with a trip to Hector's island. Hector is an ex guide from the Yachana reserve who bought the island. It acts as a nonreintroductory sanctuary for monkeys where they can live wild without threat from hunter http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-385128.html Week 3 As part of camp duties Duncan Dan and Alan had voluntered to be the maintenance team and during this week they decided to put in some new steps across a particularly boggy part of the camp. Their work was cut out for them and as she watched the boys toiling Sima came up with the idea that everyone in camp could saw a step in exchange for getting their name carved into it. The idea was a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-384495.html Week 2.Our second week on camp began with an enjoyable weekend exploring the local Agua Santa market where we indulged in all the treats wersquod been missing including chicken crisps and sweetsThe market also provided beers for our Saturday night pub quiz run by Catherine and Mark. On Sunday we all travelled over to the Yachana College to watch the boys play football with the local students. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-384170.html Von Quito in 1 12h Stunden zu erreichen. Die mit Abstand schoensten Termas die wir besucht haben auf unserer Reise. Damit wir wieder fit fuer den Urwald sind goennten wir uns 2 Tage in dem exclusiven Hotel.In einem huebschen Bungalow fuer 4 Personen mit Bodenheizung kein Wunder heisses Wasser haben die ja im ueberfluss einem riesigen Bad und einem Chemine laesst es sich leben. Neben den Term http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-383155.html This was a welcome stop off town where we got our washing done and stayed in a hostel which was a change from the jungle. We used the day to update our travel blog and stayed in the internet cafe for hrs. It was worth it right...right We went for lunch in a little cafe by the river and Stefano had a beer with vanilla ice cream and pineapple chunks in it...thats right what a combination.In th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-347303.html Macas is a pretty remote jungle town. However I liked it as it is relaxed has a nice climate not too warm not too cold lies inmidst rolling green hills and has good food and friendly people. My main purpose to visit was however unrelated to the book project a visit to a local Shuar family. I went to the family of Daniel Ayuy who live about an hour outside of Macas next to a river in th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-346981.html When I drove up from the coast I went directly to Banos. I took a route up the middle of the country driving a road I had never been on before. I thought the road conditions would be better than those along the coast but I was mistaken. The good news is that I had company while making the 10 hr drive I had met Mary while I was managing Mandala a gal from California volunteering for a month i http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-344827.html Buenas tardesSo ive gotten way better at spanish now. im able to basically communicate. the rest of sunday was fun. swimming and such. then we went back to rio muchacho. monday night we made chocolate from scratch so cool. edgar picked the cacao fruit to show us and inside you take a bean thats coated in this white slimy stuff thats actually really tasty sweet fruit. you suck on the fruit http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-333698.html Well I lied about not having internet here... I guess it would be tough to do research up at the station if there wasn't any... The field station has been pretty awesome so far despite the freezing cold and rain every day I am currently wearing as many layers as I brought down here. It is really beautiful up here and its been nice to have time to just hike around read in a hammock sleep etc http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-324302.html Before I delve into my most recent experiences I want to recap my last week in Chichico Rumi. Our last week in the jungle flew by. We started a new project in Putachincta on Monday building a chicken coop. This was no small farm chicken coop. This was a two room chicken mansion. We built the entire thing from the ground up including the outer structure the roof the cement walls the do http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-310205.html I am back in Quito now after a great last week in the Jungle. I will start off this blog from where I left off last weekend. We spent the night in Tena last Friday and explored Tena all Saturday. I went shopping with my friend Pam who is am American that is studying International Development at University of Pitt and she is teaching English in Chicico Rumi for the summer. It was her 25th Birth http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-304475.html We are back in Tena again after a long week in Chichico Rumi. The week was absolutely amazing. We arrived in the village Sunday afternoon and used our free time to tube down the river. In order to do so we had to take a water taxi up river to a small town where we got our tubes. The water taxi is basically an extremely unstable covered canoe with a motar. This is also our daily transportat http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/East/Tena/blog-301591.html