Ecuadorian Amazon Experience Bueno

Hola,

This is my first official blog from South America. We just returned from a trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon. We had to fly out of Quito to Lago Agria, a flight we almost missed as we were allocated Gate number 0, later learning that it was not a gate that we boarderd from but instead a bus on the tarmac so it was a close call. Also all the screens only displayed when the flights had been closed not when they were boarding.

Once at Lago Agria we got in a mini bus for like a 2 and a half hour bus trip, meeting two other Aussies in the process, a really friendly and fun couple from Perth called Clint and Naomi. A 4 hour boat trip then followed to get to the national park where the primary rainforest. Our boat was basically a long canoe with a motor at the back, we had seats to sit on, pretty cool but 4 hours causes numb bums.

Our huts were pretty cool, Bron, Jane and I shared together. We meet two germans, Tomas and Johan, and an american, Steve when we arrived, they had extended their trip as it was quite a trek to get there, we flew from Quito to Lago Agria, I am currently waiting for an 8 hour night bus to take us back to Quito, that is how the others arrived making it like a 20 hour trip to get there.

On our first night we went for a jungle walk to look for insects, we saw a scorpian spider, tarantulas (we had one residing on the front of our hut for the four days), fruit bats and other ones that now escape me. It rained for our day jungle walk, which meant that we were walking in like 2 or 3 inches of water and mud in gum boots, fun was had!! Riberto (Ribert´s Spanish name) had his photo taken with his cousin, an Amazonian tree frog, which we got to hold, we were shown different plants and their practical uses by our guides Paula and Messy. I closed my eyes and had a millipede placed in them and proceeded to drop it. We tried sour cane, lemon ants and coconut grub, which is an insect larvae that tastes like coconut.

Additional activities included piranha fishing, most people in the boat were successful and about 3 got their dinner, Bron & I just feed the piranha, unsuccessful cameon hunting, but we did see tucans, scarlet macaws, king fishers, vultures, red dolphins and monkeys (howlers & squirrle).

Yesterday we went to a house and made traditional yuka bread. They had a pretty tame monkey that liked Jane. While we had lunch it sat on the shelf above her and played with her hair.

As we are pushed for time that is all the Amazon experience we could have for now. Like I said we are on our way back to Quito waiting for the night bus. Last night we had a farewell fiesta with the guides and crew, it was mucho fun!!!!! There was singing and dancing and flaming pineapples.

We have two quietish days back in Quito before we fly to the Galapagos, which all the awesome guys on our Amazon tour said has been the highlight of their holidays, so next post will be in about a week or so with awesome stories of our Galapagos adventures.