Noelles View of The Amazon

Day 1: As we started our journey from Quito to the Amazon I was so scared of the Amazon. I thought it was impossible to come out ALIVE. But then when we got there the breath-taking views, the animals, the native guide walking around with only a T-shirt and shorts and bare feet, the many different uses for all the plants and the river, it changed it all. On the first night we went on a night walk! I have to addmit that was pretty scary! Mary, Vienna, Treava and I clung to each other and mom. But it was amazing all the different insects we found! Spiders, roaches, crickets, beattles and even a HUGE ladybug!

Day 2: In the morning we went on a really nice hike through the forest. We learned that if you get lost all you have to do is find this one type of tree and hit it as hard as you can! The noise is sooo loud that someone will come and fish you out of the jungle. In the afternoon of that day we took a refreshing swim in the river!

Day 3: brutal awakning of 5:30 am! The early wake up call was definatly worth it! We got to go out and see the pink dolphins that only live in fresh water! They were amazing, they would swim in groups coming up only once in a while for some air. I found it really interesting that this type of dolphin can hold it´s breath underwater for up to 7 min! That it a LONG time! After breakfast we went on a boat ride to go on another hike. The amazing thing about this hike was that we had one of the Native Quechua go with us! He knew 100 different medicional uses for plants in the jungle! Half way through we heard some monkey and he destictivly knew what kind they were so we set off running! If you ever try running in the jungle it is a stumbling hot mess! When we finaly reached the spot where the monkeys were we looked up and caught a glimps of them and then watched the branches swing back and forth. He then made us a broom, using palm frans as the broom part, a stick for the handle and chicken guts (this amazing vine that you can you use like string) he made us a broom! It even had duel uses, a walking stick too! We were starving by the time we arrived and the lunch site. So we ate and then took the most exilarating anfd refreshing swim one could ever want after a walk through the jungle. After our swim we took a cold boat ride through the jungle to one of the Native Villages. There we got to hold a nocternal monkey ( so cute ) and pet a wild native picarie (pig)! After our animal visitings we went and baught (fully products of the jungle) neclaces and braclets made out of a plam rope and natural beads and Pirana teeth! Then it was back to the camp and HIT the sack!

Day 4: Our finnal full day in the jungle had actualy arrived. I never thought I would say this but I wish we would have had longer. In the morning we went and paddled up stream and then fished for Piranas. The bad thing was that I had gotten sick. My head spun and my neck hurt like no other! In other words i didn´t fish! I watched everyone fish and then all of the sudden Vienna got one! Wether it was her CRAZY tecnieque of throwing her pole in the water or just her persiestence, it payed off! From what we were told it was a baby but if it bit, it would hurt like I dont know what! We fished for a while longer and Olmeado (a native guide) caught a huge one but when holding it one of the other tourist dropped it in the water... AHHHHHH! We went back for lunch and took our last swim in the Amazon. After swimming I felt even worse and didn´t have the energy to go on the hike that the group would be going so it was decided that Vienna, Mary, Mom, Treava and I would stay and rest and then meet them at the bird watching tower! The bird tower was tall REALLY tall (78 feet tall)! The jungle canopy was amazing. We took the long climb down and then got to watch Daniel ( a native guide) make a backpack all out of natural products of the rain forest. From here I remember nothing! My fever got high and I was in bed untill we left the next day! The Amazon was an absolutley amazing experince!
Noelle