Rainforest - Day 1

This morning we left Banos at five thirty. It was a three hour bus ride to Tena where we picked up our guide, he bought food and drinks for the trip and then we set out, with our cooking and cleaning staff, to the river. When we arrived at the Napo river, the food and staff went in the first motorized canoe and all 14 of us plus the guide piled into the second. It was crazy to be in such a narrow boat on such a giant river. It was about a twenty minute canoe ride downstream to the lodge we were staying at. After arriving and walking up one hundred stairs or so, we made it to our home away from home. It was BREATHTAKING! We got assigned to rooms and then had an hour to look around before lunch. There were five hammocks under a covered area, cocoa trees, a bonfire pit, and the bugs were crazy! We saw ants biting off pieces of leaf and then taking them back to their colony. It was like National Geographic. After lunch we had an hour to digest and rest before we took off on a three hour hike into the forest. I packed my poncho, some water and a ton of bug spray and I was ready (not to mention the huge rubber boots everyone was wearing). It was so hot and muggy. But the trek was very interesting. Our guide showed us medicinal plants and insects, we learned about different trees and he gave us some information about the indigenous people of the area. When we got back to the lodge we were hot, sweaty, muddy and hungry. So everyone showered, using brisk rainwater, and we ate. The lodge only had electricity via generator between the hours of six and ten pm. After dinner we sat around until ten to see how dark it would get. It was pitch black! We wanted to look at the stars but it was cloudy so we headed to bed. Tomorrow we have a long hike!