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Published: November 12th 2007
On Tuesday morning we all met at the bus station. We got on a bus and drove to Tena for about 7 hours. They played some crazy movie about these killer sheep that would bite you and then you would start turning into a mutant human-sheep. It was so funny but really creepy. I think I might have developed a near fear to go along with clowns and brushing teeth: Sheep!! Hahahaha. The bus ride was fine but a few of my friends took generic Ecuadorian drummamine and slept a lot and one guy got really sick from it. Just say no to drugs huh? We arrived in the city of Tena and got in truck. I sat in the back with four friends and the drive was 45 minutes long. It started pouring down rain and we were getting so soaked. As I was trying to get my jacket out of my bag, I was wearing Evan´s hat from Ireland and it flew off. We yelled for the driver to stop so I ran and ran and ran through the rain to rescue his hat. By then, without my jacket, I was soaked through all my clothes. But at least I rescued the hat. We had a great lunch at the Cabañas Aliñahui (I´m probably spelling that wrong) and were able to go change our clothes. We were going to go on a hike but since it was raining so much we just stayed at the cabñas and layed in the hammocks until dinner. At night we found some crazy huge grasshoper in our room that was the size of my hand!!!! Sam very nicely took it out for us.
On Wednesday morning we ate breakfast and then got in a truck to go hiking up to a cascade. We wore rubber boots which are helpful for all the mud and puddles but have really bad traction. A few people slipped but no one really got hurt. The hike was crazy but so fun. When we finally reached the cascade we were so dirty and hot so we jumped right in. But as we were getting into our swimsuits there will little red ants everywhere so I was afraid they were going to bite me. Luckily, they didn´t. We jumped in and Ray and I slowly made our way over to the cascade. We went under it but it was really powerful and the water hurt a lot when it hit our backs. After swimming for a while we got back into our clothes and hiked back down on an easier trail. Our guide opened up a cacao plant and we sucked on the part around the seeds that make chocolate and it was very very sweet. We ate lunch back at the end of the river and then waited for a public bus to pick us up. Now, the first few days I was in Ecuador I had such a hard time dealing with no seatbelts. Then I moved on from that and had to get comfortable sitting in the back of trucks. But, it only got better. The bus showed up and it was packed so some guy goes, oh, just jump on top! I was like, what??!! HAHAHA, you are joking. No, he wasn´t. We literally climbed up this little ladder and sat on top of a public bus where they usually put the luggage. What an insane ride. A few people got whipped by some branches and I swear we were going to get decapitated!! Somehow we made it with all our heads attached only to be welcomed by some crazy monkeys in the plaza. While we were walking away Carissa went to go see the monkeys and she got kind of close so it jumped up on her and bit her arm!! It didn´t go through, it was more of a nip but that made me really scared of the monkeys. We walked to a butterfly house where we also saw a tarantula. Sarah was going to hold it because I guess they don´t bite unless you bother them. But she got scared and didn´t want to hold it. I can´t blame her, I´ve seen Home Alone!! Afterwards we had some free time so I went to some cabinas to try and call Evan for our 4 year anniversary but the phone lines were down. Very sad. I sat down and watched the monkeys from afar and one ran off into a panaderia (bread store) and stole a piece of bread with its tail!! The store owners didn´t do anything and I don´t blame them. Those monkeys think they are humans!! One also stole a couple water bottles from us. I thought, screw this, time for ice cream. So I got ice cream and walked to the river with everyone. We took a truck back to our Cabaña and relaxed for the rest of the day. Luckily, at night, Antonio said he had cell phone service at his Canaña so Evan and I were able to talk. Happy (late) 4 year anniversary!! I love you lots and lots, Evan!
On Thursday we hiked down a trail to the river and got in a long canoe. We rode for 45 minutes to a local community. We went into a woman´s house where she made us a drink with Yuca that was alright. But it was fascinating watching her work. Her kids were really cute too. We went back in the boat and went to a wildlife reserve where we saw toucans, monkeys (yikes!!), pumas, tigarillos, and this humungous hampster!!! I don´t remember the name but it was huuuuuge and scary. Kind of like a hampster on steroids to the max. We jumped back in the canoe and stopped at a place to eat lunch and lay in the hammocks. After lunch our guide took us into a museum there that had displays of all the tools and mechanisms that the local people use to catch animals to eat. It was very interesting. Then they offered us some drink that was so strong. I didn´t actually drink it and I just let it touch my lips but it burned so much! After the museum we had a blow dart competition and our team, The Toucans, kicked ass!! We totally won. I can´t believe that I actually hit the styrofoam parrot. Then we got into our bathing suits and went tubing in the river through some calm areas and a few tiny rapids. It felt sooo good and relaxing. Then we headed back to the cabañas and relaxed again until dinner.
On Friday morning we went on the hike through the primary forest (that we were supposed to do on Tuesday). Our guide made me a bracelet out of the same plant that is used to make Panama Hats (that are actually from Ecuador). We went on a swing that was made from the vines of a tree. Later we saw a baby vulture in a tree that was growling at us. Still not as scary as those monkeys!! He also showed us this plant that is spikey and can be used to brush your hair; it really worked. Then, craziest of all, he broke open a branch off of a plant and showed us these little tiny ants. He hit the branch on his hand, the ants came out, and he licked his hand!!! They were lemon ants!! I was so freaked out but everyone was doing it (hello peer pressure) so I went for it. It was crazy delicious!!!!! I love lemon ants!! How weird too because I am so picky about food but I will eat lemon ants... hahahahaha. Later our guide asked us to turn around because he was making a present. So we turned around and when he was done he had made a crown out of some leaves and there was some wrapped up present in some other leaves. He had us all pick a number between 1 and 8 and Carissa got the number right. She put on the crown and opened up the present. It was a penis made out of the wood from a tree right by us. It was sooo funny and of course we giggled about it the whole way back. We hiked back to the cabañas, showered, and packed our stuff. After lunch we drove back to Tena and barely made it to the bus. We made it home fine. Sarah, Sam and I took a cab together but the cab driver tried to charge us $10. I laughed and laughed. I told him that cabs never cost more than $6 and we weren´t going to pay over $5. What a heated argument!! We finally settled for $6 which was pretty good because it was pouring down rain and there were 3 stops. I loved the jungle so much and it was really good to be gone from Quito for a while. Now it´s time for class so more updates will be coming soon. Thanks again to everyone for all the messages!! Ciao!
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Sylvi
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No puedo esperar
hasta ver todas las fotografias que vas a traer, me encantaria probar las hormaigas de limon tambien, y pasear en el rio mmmmmmmmm que relajante, se ve que te estas divirtiendo muchiiiiiiisimo que alegria. Cuidate mucho y bueno me encantaria escucharte y ver fisicamente tus expresiones va ha ser una experiencia increible.!!! Besos Sylvia