Amazon Adventures

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Last few days we have managed to continue the happy nature vibe in The Amazon Jungle.

We left Quito in our little group bus, about 15 of us in total in the group, everyone is getting on really well and easily, big age range and good mix of people.

We left the city early for an all day bus ride to get to the Amazon in the East of Ecuadour, travelling over a high mountain pass and back down again to the steamy jungle. A long, steep, cloud covered climb up to the high jungle first was interrupted by a visit to the hot springs for an hour. Just what I needed after the previous three days hiking pretty hard. Soooo relaxing and soothing. Then the journey got super bumpy and rough on a dirt road, very high scary roads that I tried not to notice, dark tunnels and landslides covering the way made it a long trip. The mountain views were worth it though. Misty clouds hanging low and hugging the deep blue mountains. We drove through villages of straw huts as we travelled through the middle jungle, definitely feeling out of the city it was great to be reminded how simply so many people live and how indulgent our lives our.

We arrived just before sunset at a river tributary of the Amazon river. Into wooden canoes we hopped, cruising down the cool river as the light changed to night. Our lodge without electricity was alight with candles but so luxurious it surprised me. Rustic style buildings, wooden everything, carved animal figure chairs. Touristy, but perfectly natural and earthy with the dense jungle filling every space around it.

The food was incredible and my fear of not being able to eat has been quite the opposite, eating like a complete piglet, really healthy food. Then we spent the night sitting around the fire listening to the very heavy rain. So good to see rain that has been falling since that day and is still drizzling where I am now in Banos. The jungle is noisy, you can hear so much more at night, everything comes alive, birds, monkeys and the river nearby.

Next day we went on a jungle hike through the muddy lushness. Very intense greens, flowering plants and weird palms that even walk towards the sunlight! We visited an animal rehabilitation place as well that was caring for animals that have been injured or smuggled in bad conditions and rescued. Very touching but great to see the work being done. Weird giant guinea pigs, ocilots, spider monkeys, macua birds, toucans and jungle cats.

Then we spent the afternoon in the river chilling out in rubber inner tubes. They took us upstream, the river is so strong that it just takes you away pretty quickly and over some small rapids. So for two hours I floated along looking at the jungle from a whole new perspective as it all just moved past. LOVED it.

Every day is so full of life I can´t really begin to capture it all with words. Happy just doing it!

Spent all day yesterday travelling again to get further South to Banos, a cool little town surrounded by mountains and a very recently active massive volcano dominating the landscape. Had my first BIG night last night at a weird little disco place. We all went out for a groove and the music was an odd mix of English music like a bit of Reggae and sad eighties with Spanish Salsa thrown in. $3 margaritas was a bit hard to refuse and we all got really into it. Dancing in hiking clothes is definitely not attractive though. By the end of the night we all thought we could Salsa with the very short locals spinning us around. Too funny. So the hike I planned today hasn´t happened AT ALL, feeling lazy, still raining and just hanging out.

That´s it for my update, having a great time, thinking of you all and sending you lots of love
Kris
xxx

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