En la Amazon!

Hola Amigos y mi familia! I sure am missing everyone! Wednesday January 11th we left Quito and headed on our journey towards the Amazon! We stopped in Baeza for lunch and I just ordered chicken broth because I still wasn't feeling well. Turns out Chicken broth in Ecuador isn't the same as in the states it is creamy and had a lot of chicken pieces in, not my favorite. We continued on.. I got sick on the bus, why not? I haven't puked there yet lol! And we finally arrived at our Lodge! We had a 2 minute walk to the main part of the Lodge. There we got an explanation about how to live, activities, and meals (best part). We found out there was no electricity and everything is very green. We walked about 2 more minutes and found our Cabin which is held up on stilts and has a palm leaf roof. Staying in a cabin with no electricity and no walls and falling asleep to the river, bugs and breeze was the best part so far! I enjoyed being able to breath and relax and just have fun with my new friends! We got to take shower by Kerosene lamps and got to bed with bugs, Awesome! At dinner we found a new cat friend and we bonded the whole trip. I got sick again which btw is no fun because my only option for a puke bucket is the one we throw our toilet paper in. Can you imagine? Thankfully that was the end of that! I stopped taking my pills the next day because they were suppose to get what was ever in there out which wasn’t much! I felt fine since and boy was I ever ready to get to eat! After breakfast now Thursday, we went to get our attractive knee high rubber boots for our hiking adventures/ tours! We walked down to our canoe and had a 45minute ride to a town where we got to see monkeys that own a village! They were amusing! then we continued about another hour to the exotic animal refuge! There we saw Toucans, monkeys, turtles, anacondas, and a spotted leopard! After our tour at the refuge we went on an hour hike through the Amazon! It was not just some ordinary hike, it was for sure an extreme sport! We climbed up and down and on a skinny path which has slippery pebbles and mud and bugs but once your in the Jungle I didn't even think about the bugs! We stopped along the river in our canoe for lunch, a warm pasta salad and a rice chicken pepper mixture Yummy, my first meal and an apple from America! We then got to swim the Amazon River! Because the current was so strong we just floated down the river, It was a blast! We then stopped at an indigenous community where they taught us how to make Yuka juice and they offered us a welcome tea very good! Then they danced and we danced with them it was funny because our boots made us even better looking. Then they showed us their Sacred Rock which was very interesting the whole story. After they showed us how they make chocolate from cocoa beans and the whole process! No soybean, which meant I could eat itJ Then we went back to the Lodge and I took a nice relaxing shower and a nap! Which followed by dinner, started with a soup that had a cornbread covered cheese ball which was so good! Then we had rice, potatoes, chicken or fish. For dessert we had a orange flavored flan, flan has not been my favorite yet! Then we sat by the bonfire and went to bed! Friday the 13^th… We had cereal and scrambled eggs with corn, cheese, and onions in it! Corn in eggs, Try it! They also brought out a plantain with cheese on top it was interesting. And the best part chocolate bread! Then we were off we went on a hike which it was raining and muddy and rocky and roots everywhere from trees. The hike was intense, we walked up through rivers and creeks and I didn’t fall down! We also witnessed a dog trying to cross this river with a strong current and the dog didn’t make it to the other side! It got caught in the current and flipped and rolled down the river quite a ways! Then we were expected to cross! I was terrified! It was by far the hardest and scariest thing I have ever done! But I did it and now I am ready to do anything. Then we made it to the waterfall! It was so worth it! It was beautiful, we got to swim in it and everything. How many times do you get to do something so cool? So I took a chance and did and now I can say that I swam under an Amazon Waterfall! HA The hike down was hilarious we were all drenched everything head to toe including clothes! Our rubber boots had so much water in it was difficult to walk. Our guide told us first one to fall has to buy the group a beer or something and Kim says ok if I fall I’ll buy ice cream, and sure enough she was the first one to fall and then two more. I didn’t fall at all! Learning about all the different bugs and plants and trees was very cool as well! One girl used a flower for nails on her hands another used them for a beak and ears lol. I got a plant in my hand and was told to tap it like a drum and the flower bud exploded! Scarred me! All the girls put their hands on termites nest and let hundreds of termites crawl all over them because it is a natural mosquito repellant. The two blondes opted out! There was no way I was going to put termites on my hands! Later we went to the butterfly garden it was so cool seeing all the different stages and species of butterflies! For dinner we had a potato soup with rice and pork rolled up in bread which was held together with what looked like a caterpillar, I couldn’t eat it! Saturday the 14^th ,we left the Lodge and headed towards our next huge waterfall! It was a workout getting to and from it but it was worth it! I even crossed a scary bridge! We got to go up to the waterfall and stand underneath the top of the waterfall! We then had lunch in Banos and had spicy nachos and lemon zest brownie with ice cream! We finally reached La Hacienda where we were staying the night! It was cool because it was by an active volcano! We can hear it rumbling and see the smoke! It’s a very cool ranch like hotel! I have learned a lot about myself and life so far and ready for the next four months of excitement! I have learned that something’s may seem impossible because of judgments but nothing bad can really happen so why not try? Why sit back and miss an opportunity! I’m ready to try everything’s and smile while I’m doing it! I skyped my Mom today and she can tell that I have a bigger smile and how much I am learning and becoming a better person. Tomorrow I meet my host family and I am beyond thrilled just got to make the 8hr bus ride go by fast! Adios!