On the road to Misahualli
Trip Start
Jun 01, 2008
1
3
22
Trip End
Jul 27, 2008
Tena,
Ecuador
Sunday, June 8, 2008
The bus trip (6 hours) was incredible.Our bus went on roads not designed for anything but 4WD´s! Unsealed roads, potholes, landslips, vertical drop offs, single lanes - we´re talking public transport in a bus the size of a regular Aussie coach. Beautiful landscapes though - volcanic, moutainous, green and lush, through cloud forests.
Went through the capital of the area, Tena, and then on to Misahualli which is a port town and gateway to the jungle. The hostel (Hostel Marena) wasnt the best (hot shower = electric element suspended below the cold running water......safe.....maybe not! The dead cockroaches in the cupboard were the icing on the cake really but anyway, we were tired so slept well. The town is very small and all centres around the town square. Caught up with a group of boys playing soccer in the school grounds and they were very happy to pose for the gringo´s!
Next morning headed off to the jungle. A short trip in a motorised canoe and then a 10km walk in GUMBOOTS through the jungle to our jungle lodge (very palatial). We had a great guide who talked us through the plants and animals of the area which was great. Caught up with a local family who showed us their traditions. Had a swim in the river (no pirhana´s - not that we felt anyway) which was running really fast. Went to visit a school and the kids sang a song for us in their classroom. Standards are pretty basic - makes our schools look like palaces. Still, everyone seems happy and really friendly. Practiced some body art using a fruit from a tree to create a henna like look. The kids had a ball painting our faces and arms (and any other piece of skin they could see).
Fed us like kings - rice, beans, tuna salad, plaintains, more rice and more beans.........! Had a great night with everyone around the camp fire singing really bad songs.
Next day we did a bit more walking and then tubed down the river for around 30 minutes, through a few sets of rapids - great fun as the river was up after overnight rain. It´s hard to believe that we´re in the Amazonian Basin, in the jungle. Took a motorised canoe back out of the jungle - a 2 hour trip and back to the ´lovely´ hostel.
All good, heading off to Banos (which, incidentally, in Spanish means toilets.................mmm..........will reserve judgement!).
Catch you soon
nic & Pam
