The first day in the jungle

We just got back from our four day stay in the Amazon. It seems like a lot longer than four days, each day was so packed, so I am going to start by just writing about the first day. Hopefully the other three will follow soon.

We went to a community-owned jungle lodge called Sani Lodge. We felt a bit weird because for the last month we have been living in less fortunate areas, not knowing much of what was going on and constantly having transportation misadventures. But now this lodge organized everything for us and had a person waiting at the airport in Quito and in Coca. We met the others that would be staying at the lodge with us. Jared and Rachel, two kiwis about our age who were living in Houston, Rich, an avid fisherman from Maryland, and a couple from Chili. A very small crew, we had the lodge and the staff to ourselves.

When we got off the plane in Coca Jeremy, our guide for the duration, who has lived all over the place, has citizenship in three countries and most recently came from Portland, greeted us in English. He led us on a bus and then to a huge motor-driven canoe where we were joined by a few locals catching a ride up the Rio Napo to their houses. It was a three hour canoe ride with the sun hot and welcomed and the spray from the river crisp and refreshing. Along the way Jeremy pointed out birds, Greater Egret, something Kingfisher. Small dwellings could be seen through the thin layer of foliage on the banks of the ridiculously wide and powerful river. We passed the Sani community center, dropped some people off and made our way to the lodge storage facility where we transfered into a smaller canoe. We then made our way up a smaller river, a much different environment. Shaded by the canopy, the small tributary wound in sharp coils and errant branches drifted past our heads. I looked around to see if Ice Cube was nearby battling an anaconda.

We made it to the lodge. Breathtaking. Amazing naturally built structures right on the edge of a tranquil lagoon. We step inside for an orientation and then Jeremy paddles us to where we will be camping (everyone else was staying in cabins). The tent is set up with sheets, towels and mini soaps and is located on a large platform right on the water's edge. Ideal. Jeremy camps out here too and he comes over and suggests that we spend the afternoon until dinner taking a relaxing canoe paddle to examine the evening bird activity.

So many birds...in this one area of land over 550 species have been found. I'm not even going to try to write them all in here, however I wrote them all in my journal, Jeremy says that is the first sign of a birder...uh oh, next thing you know I'll be up at 3 sitting motionless in the forest, staring at a trail of ants for hours waiting for an antbird to show up. Mealy Amazons (A type of monogamous parrot) fly over us in pairs. Oropendulas fly in flocks to their amazing hanging nests. Frogs and birds all around us create a cocophany of sound and it is all backed up by the deep, screaming drone of howler monkeys in the distance. They sound ominous. Now instead of Ice Cube, I am looking for Jack and Lock to come bursting out of the forest being chased by the smoke monster. As the sun sets we float back to the dock being chided by prehistoric looking hoatzins (stinky turkeys). We sit down to a candle lit dinner which is obviously geared toward a gringo taste.

After dinner Jeremy suggests a night hike. Night hikes in the Amazon are a bit different from night hikes in Rhode Island or Orcas. First of all it is actually dark early enough. Secondly, you actually see stuff...lots of stuff...scary, nightmarish stuff...cute, slightly cuddly stuff. As we set off I get excited about a three inch long, black and yellow millipede. However by the end of the hike we probably saw 50 of them. They look like they are out of a Pixar animated movie, little antennae bobbing and weaving in front of their heads. As we stroll along there are multitudes of different Katydids, Grasshoppers, and stick bugs on the leaves, all trying to blend in, in their own unique way. All trying to not get eaten. We see spiders, and I'm not talking about the biggest scariest spider you've ever seen in the states, I'm talking huge, hairy tarantulas, crazy-freaky Tailless Whip Scorpions, Lycosids of all shapes and sizes, spiky abdomens, ginormous fangs, redonkulous proportions. It's true, everything is much effing bigger in the Amazon. Jeremy gets peed on by a bat that barely misses hitting Orlando's head (Orlando was our native guide for the first two days and the founder of the lodge, super knowledgable, bright, friendly, crinkly smile, intense, searching eyes.)

The night has come to an end and we join Jeremy in the canoe and head back to our campsite. We walk to the bathroom and note two tarantulas on the way. Remember to bring shoes and a light. One last treat before bed, a Black Caiman. Right on the water next to our tent is a very small (one meter with tail) Caiman, which is like an alligator. We get a good view of it but it isn't nice to shine lights in their eyes for very long and when we turn away it rapidly turns away too and swims for deeper water.

Sweating profusely but grinning wide we lay in our tent and try to fall asleep with the excitement of the day bouncing in our head and the excitement of the next day steeping in our brains.