Amazon

The journey to get to the Amazon was quite interesting. We set up this trip through our hostel in Quito, and we were told of the wrong date after waiting at a sketchy bus stop for about an hour. So we had to stay an extra day in Quito and took off for the Amazon that night. It was a two-hour bus ride to a small restaurant where they dropped us off for a few hours, got onto another smaller bus to drive two hours to a little shack on the river where we hang out for a bit and ate lunch. Then it was a two-hour boat ride to the little lodge we would stay at for the next few days in Cuyabeno.

Christy and I had to most exposed room. Sitting at the very top, no windows or walls, just a roof. Many creatures entered our room during our stay, a few tarantulas roamed the room, bats would hang from the ceiling in the mornings, frogs and cockroaches all over the bathroom and our beds, it was very surreal that we were in the middle of nowhere.

They had a bunch of activities set up for us though which was a lot of fun. There was no cell service or wifi available and at night they shut all the power off the save electricity. We spent our days exploring through the jungles, afternoons swimming in the river, learning about the different animals and insects that live here, and nights with headlamps walking around the jungle. When we weren’t out exploring, we played games with the other people at the little house, shared stories, and sang songs. It was very peaceful and relaxing except when the snakes would slither onto the railings during dinner. They had a hammock room that’s also very peaceful. One day, we traveled by boat two hours to a village where there were children playing soccer, lots of little corner stores for ice cream and cold drinks, and a very immersive cultural experience. There was a shaman we met with who spoke with us, shared stories, and even performed a ritual on a few guests. Then we walked around to be shown the different crops and things they grow in the village and how they harvest them.

All in all-it was a very immersive, different experience. I’m not sure if I would ever go back because of my fear of bugs and unknown animals, but it was for sure a once-in-a-lifetime experience and i’m so glad I was able to do it.