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Ecuador Adventure

By : Charles Anderson
Trip Begins July 25, 2009
Trip Ends August 9, 2009

After months of planning, we were finally underway! Off to the Galapagos and then to Sacha Lodge in the Amazon of Ecuador. I can't tell how great an experience this was for our family. Thank you Adventure-Life!
See my photos : Ecuador Adventure 2009

Want to go? Eric, Letty & Flamingo: 10 Day Tour

I went to: Galapagos, Ecuador, Bartolome, Santa Cruz Island, Fernandina, Isabela, Genovesa, Santiago, North Seymour, Espanola, Bachas Beach, San Cristobal, Highlands, Charles Darwin Center, Leon Dormido, Quito, Coca, Sacha Lodge, Hotel Eugenia, Amazonas - Ecuador
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July 25, 2009
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Los Angeles to Quito

Hotel Eugenia, Quito

After months of planning, we were finally underway! However, the first day was somewhat strange. Hopefully, this was not an omen for things to come! We arrived for our 730AM flight out of LAX. For unexplained reasons, my wife's ticket would not be accepted by the computer. After several failed attempts by the ticket agent, a supervisor finally over-rode the computer and we were checked in! We switched planes in Miami and checked in for our next flight to Quito on LAN Ecuador. We were called back to the counter and asked to present our passports and then told we only had three bags checked. Strange! We arrived in Quito at 830PM after a very pleasant flight. It is strange how a small country like Ecuador can have a first-rate airline (free food, drinks and comfortable seats) whereas the richest country in the world hosts second-rate cigar boxes! Unfortunately, we then discovered that our son's bag was missing! He would have to get by for a week in the Galapagos with whatever we could purchase at the airport in San Cristobal. Never mind! All you really need is a couple pairs of shorts and tee-shirts.

We arrived at Hotel Eugenia, a pleasant hotel located in the "New Town" portion of Quito. There are several nice restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. The neighborhood seemed quite safe although we were advised to take a cab a night. We enjoyed a satisfying dinner at Metro Cafe. Ecuador is known for wonderful soups. My daughter and I had a local favorite--potato soup. Delicious!

After returning to our hotel, we discovered that a Burger King had a drive through which was located right under our window. Things start to get busy around 1AM!

One more strange thing happened that night. My phone which was not supposed to work in Ecuador began ringing at about 1AM. Our pet pug was being looked after by my sister in LA and somehow escaped and was lost! We were fortunately notified an hour later that it had been dropped off at the LA Animal Shelter. All was well! No more unusual events for the rest of the trip!

July 26, 2009
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Quito to San Cristobal

San Cristobal, Galapagos

After a nice breakfast in the hotel, our Adventure Life driver picked us up at the Hotel Eugenia and drove us to the airport. I can't complement Adventure Life enough regarding the transportation to and from the airport which was always on time. The guides were very friendly and helped us all the way through check-in.

All of the flights we took in Ecuador provided food and beverage, regardless of the length of the flight. To our surprise, shortly before landing on San Cristobal, the crew suddenly opened all the overhead compartments and began spraying insecticide, theoretically to protect the islands from foreign insects. I am skeptical that a brief one-time spraying is that effective. After getting off of the plane, our hands were sprayed with some type of disinfectant. We then passed through immigration and we were able to buy our son a few pair of shorts and some shirts. All is well!

We were met at the airport by our two guides, Pepe and Luis, who we came to know well during our week's excursion. I can't complement them enough regarding their knowledge of the islands and their friendliness! In preparation for boarding our ship, we were fascinated by the sea lions sprawled all along the pier. We would get used to this as the week progressed. Most of the Galapagos animals have no fear of humans.

After boarding our ship, The Eric, we were treated to a tasty lunch and then had a chance to unpack in our small but comfortable cabins. After a fire drill, we left for our first snorkel spot.

At least thirty sea lions were sunning on the beach. Some were nursing their calves. Others were resting after hunting for food at sea. We were taught the do's and don’ts of sea lion etiquette. As long as you don't swim between a patrolling bull and his harem all is fine! As we snorkeled, baby sea lions would swim up to us, curious to check us out. After being ferried back to the ship in our pangas, we were greeted by our waiter, Luis, with cinnamon tea. This hospitality became a daily ritual after our "wet landings".

As the ship departed for the island of Genovesa, all of us congregated on the sun deck to view the sunset as we circled around a huge rock/ash formation protruding several hundred feet out of the ocean. Some refer to it as the "Sleeping Lion". Dozens of Frigate birds circled high overhead. We all enjoyred the sunset and then went for our first briefing for the next day's activities and the Captain joined us for a toast.

July 27, 2009
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Genovesa

Genovesa, Galapagos

Genovesa is one of the northern most islands and consists of two parts. The first part is essentially a large caldera approximately 1 1/2 miles in diameter. The outer wall has collapsed, allowing sea water to fill the caldera, creating a large sheltered bay. The remaining walls of the caldera rise high above the water and join the second part of the island which is a relatively flat area of lava rock, broken up by large cracks created by the walls of the caldera which over thousands of years have been slowly falling into the crater.

Our pangas ferried us to the beach in Darwin's Bay for a walk and snorkel. The highlight of the hike included a chance to see the Red-footed Boobie. Boobies were everywhere, perched in the mangroves that surrounded the beach. Some sat on eggs while others fed their fuzzy white chicks. These boobies nest off the ground in contrast to the Blue-footed Boobies we would see in the days to come. Numerous Frigate birds were also present. They like to steal nesting material and food from the Boobies. The whole area had the appearance of a kind of Eden, teaming with life. A small inlet of water was home tonumerous small rays. Lava Gulls were perched on rocks, apparently oblivious to our presence.

After lunch, our pangas took us to Prince William's Steps, a narrow stair case carved into the caldera wall which leads up to the flat top of the island. We had a chance to view the only fur seals of our trip whichlike to rest on their sides in the water with one of their flippers pointing upwards. A Hammerhead shark and a large ray swam by.

The high plateau of the island is the preferred nesting spot for Nazca Boobies and Frigate birds. The opposite side of the island gives a panoramic view of the open ocean. Thousands of Storm Petrels raced through the sky over their nests. We tried to spot some of the owls that feed on them but were unsuccessful.

After returning to the ship, we left the sheltered water of the caldera and headed for Fernandina. The seasons at this latitude begin to change in August and the open ocean gets quite rough. Over half the guests were unable to eat dinner. Transderm Scopolamine really helped my son. I tried to eat dinner but the smell of garlic shrimp was too much. Poor Luis!

July 28, 2009
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Fernandina and Isabela

Bachas Beach, Galapagos

In the morning, we made a dry landing on Fernandina and began a two hour hike. As if on cue, a large Marine Iguana stood posing for at the start of the hike. He stood like a statue as our guide, Luis, gave us an introduction to the island. After walking along a trail through Mangroves, we emerged along a large lava flow on which were sunning perhaps over one hundred Marine Iguana. The smell of algae, their main food source was pungent in the air. Every so often, an iguana would "sneeze" a concentrated solution of salt out of its nose. This is how they regulate their salt and water intake. Males are much larger than the females and all get along peacefully this time of the year. However, in a couple of months, mating season begins and the males get very aggressive. The iguanas appear the ignore the finches which perch on their backs, feeding off of dead skin and cleaning them of parasites. Adjacent to the lava rock is a large sandy area where the females lay their eggs.

As we walked a little further, we came upon a protected inlet of water where we sat and watched a whole host of animals. Two Sea Turtles peacefully grazed on the algae just under the surface and periodically stuck their heads out of the water to breathe. A Galapagos Penguin suddenly shot across the water. On the other side of the inlet as if on cue, dozens of Marine Iguana began walking into the water and then began swimming out of the inlet to feed on algae below the surface.

On the hike back to the pangas, we spotted the dried remains of an iguana that appeared to have died perched up on a piece of driftwood, frozen like a sculpture. The only animal that we hadn't thus far seen was the Flightless Cormorant. Over thousands of years of evolution, these birds have lost the ability to fly. This doesn't stop them from flapping their wings to dry out. Suddenly, one was spotted on the rocks and our panga passed within a few feet. They have very muscular legs that they use for climbing and swimming under water as they look for their favorite food, the Octopus.

After lunch, the Eric made a quick trip across the channel to Isabela. Graffiti which dates back to the early 1900's scars the lava rock faces of the cliffs that surround the bay we anchored in. Education and law enforcement has luckily eliminated this activity. The amount and diversity of life that exists in this small bay is amazing! Almost every nook and cranny has an animal living there. We snorkeled along the tall lava rock cliffs and saw colorful Starfish, Sea Turtles and countless schools of fish. The highlight for me was when a Flightless Cormorant dove into the water right next to me. I got to watch it swim underwater as it foraged for food. In the afternoon, we took the pangas out of the bay along the rock cliffs. Blue-footed Boobies perched on the rocks, resting in between hunting. Large Pelicans flew overhead and dove into the water after fish. Dozens of penguins sat on the rocks. Two large rays over 4 feet in diameter swam right under the raft. Suddenly, the water a couple hundred yards from us appeared to boil as a school of fish broke the surface and birds began diving after their meal. We got a chance to take the rafts into a cave that had been carved into the rock cliffs. Suddenly, a head was poking out of the dark water and moving towards us. Surprise--a sea lion!

That night after a nice dinner, the ship left for Santiago. As we were warned, the ocean became quite rough at about midnight and the ship felt like "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" until we anchored in the morning.

July 29, 2009
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Santiago

Isabela, Galapagos

In the morning, we made a wet landing on a black sand beach and went for a walk along a trail while we were told the story about the previous settlers on the island who operated a salt mine. Unfortunately, goats and pigs were introduced and eventually threatened to destroy the natural wildlife on the island. Relatively recently, the National Parks service was successful in eradicating all the pigs and goats from the island. We hiked to an old lava flow in which the ocean had carved small inlets, caves and blowholes. Sea lions were resting in the cracks surrounding these holes and colorful bright orange-red crabs crawled around while Marine Iguanas warmed in the sun. Colorful green-yellow Mocking Birds landed now and then.

We snorkeled off the black sand beach while a male sea lion barked and patrolled a section of the rocks to warn others away from his mate and calf.

After returning to the ship we had lunch and a nice nap and then embarked for a place on the other side of the island known as China Hat due to the appearance of a large cinder cone on this end of the island. The landscape was quite exotic, appearing like the surface of the moon with numerous parasitic cones in all directions.

We boarded the pangas and motored up a long wide inlet between two sections of the islands and went for a drift snorkel as the current pushed us along. Spectacular scenery was enjoyed with thousands of exotic fish including trigger fish and parrot fish. I had the opportunity to watch Marine Iguanas feed under the water. My son, Patrick saw two reef sharks.

That evening at dinner, a bottle of champagne and a birthday card were brought to my wife, Joyce. After dinner, the lights were suddenly dimmed and a birthday cake was brought out. The crew and captain began singing songs. Their group is called 'The Barnacles'.

July 30, 2009
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Bartolome and North Seymour

Santiago, Galapagos

That night, we did not have to sail and slept much better anchored in a bay off of Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome. This is a beautiful location and was used in the movie "Master and Commander".

Unfortunately, our daughter, Megan got sick in the middle of the night with some type of stomach virus and decided to stay on the ship while we went for a dry landing in the morning. Bartolome is a mostly baron volcanic island consisting of parasitic cones which last erupted hundreds of years ago. Only a few plants have established themselves, some of which serve as food for the Lava Lizard. A wooden walkway has been constructed to help protect the slopes from erosion.

We hiked to the top of the highest parasitic cone and enjoyed a panoramic view of the island as well as close-by Santiago. Below, we could see Pinnacle Rock. In "Master and Commander", Russell Crowe peers through a spyglass from this very spot. The only vegetation we could see consisted of a stretch of mangrove lining a white sandy beach just adjacent to Pinnacle Rock where we were to snorkel.

This spot isanother Eden-like location. Pelicans perched on the walls of Pinnacle Rock and periodically dove into the water after fish. Galapagos Penguins raced back and forth hunting for food as well. Snorkeling around Pinnacle Rock was spectacular. I had a chance to see two Reef Sharks measuring about four feet in length. Later, a young sea lion appeared to be playing with one of the young children on the beach.

We later boarded the ship and went to a small island to re-fuel. We then embarked for a short trip to North Seymour for a hike. The highlight of this excursion was the chance to see Frigate birds both nesting and performing their mating rituals. We also had a chance to see the Land Iguana which does not feed on algae but rather eats the abundant cactus on the island. Blue-footed Boobies were also abundant and were seen nesting on un-hatched eggs. Some were also feeding their fluffy white chicks. During mating, the male Frigate birds inflate a large red pouch near their throat to attract the female. The pouches also allow them to make loud clucking noises with their beaks.

July 31, 2009
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Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Today was tortoise day! In the morning, we had a chance to see Giant Tortoises in the wild and in the afternoon we visited the Darwin Research station to view the captive breeding program.

We awoke in the morning to find our ship anchored in the harbor off Santa Cruz, one of the two main inhabited islands, with a population of approximately 20000. Most of the other Galapagos islands are largely uninhabitable, primarily due to a lack of water. Luckily, this serves to help protect the native animals and plants from human development.

After breakfast, we were ferried to the main pier and boarded a van for our trip to the highlands. On the way, we stopped at a local fish market in town. Fishermen were selling their catch while relatively tame pelicans looked on.

As we drove up into the highlands, we became aware that this side of the island is quite lush and the degree of precipitation increases as one climbs in elevation. A few years ago, it was discovered that the giant tortoises seem to prefer a particular privately owned farm which used to raise cattle. The owner of the farm was approached with a business proposition--help protect the tortoises and receive compensation from the tours that visit the farm. The owner is now doing quite well and the tortoises are apparently thriving. It is hard to appreciate just how large these animals are until you see them up close. They can weigh hundreds of pounds and reportedly can live up to 150 years. As we strolled through the lush vegetation in our mud boots, tortoises were scattered about in ponds, wallowing in the mud or grazing on vegetation. As you approach them, they sometimes retract their heads and let out a hissing sound.

In the afternoon, we took the pangas to a smaller pier adjacent to the Darwin Research Center. Here, we learned more details about the captive breeding program and the different types of tortoises on the islands. There are three general shell types, ranging from bowl-shaped to saddle-back. The saddle-back evolved on dryer islands to allow the tortoises to extend their necks and reach for vegetation higher off of the ground.

Lonesome George is the last of his species and was discovered alone on Santiago many years ago. He has been sharing a pen with two closely related females for over 30 years. Suddenly, last year two clutches of eggs were discovered and there was hope that new turtles might help start to re-populate the species. Unfortunately, the eggs had not been fertilized. Hopefully, George will try again next year!

Diego is another famous tortoise who spent several years at the San Diego Zoo in California. He was brought back to Galapagos and has helped save his species from extinction. Dogs, cats, goats, black rats and people have all managed to reduce the total tortoise population in the Galapagos from over 200,000 to about 20,000.

After visiting the Darwin Research Center, we decided to have dinner in town. Our guide, Luis, recommended "The Rock" and we had a great dinner consisting of lobster, shrimp, tuna and octopus. Many of the locals were congregated in town, playing volleyball and Latin music could be heard over loudspeakers, creating a festive atmosphere.

August 1, 2009
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Espanola

Espanola, Galapagos

The morning hike on Espanola was one of the most beautiful of the trip due to the rocky cliffs along the coast which created a fantastic vista. This island is the only place in the world where the Waved Albatross reproduces. Some pairs were nesting on eggs while others were tending to their rather homely-looking chicks. Courting pairs displayed an elaborate ritual of beak crossing, rapid beak clicking and cork-like popping, sky pointing and head bobbing. Surprisingly, they don't mate until they meet the following year.

Large waves crashed into the lava rocks below the cliffs. A blow hole periodically shot water spray 30 feet into the air. As humans are prone to doing stupid things, apparently someone fell into the blow hole a few years ago and people are no longer allowed to approach it.

Christmas Iguanas live on this island and are characterized by a reddish color on the tops of the heads and bodies.

After lunch, we had one last opportunity to snorkel off of a long stretch of white sandy beach. The sand originally came from coral reefs which interestingly are no longer found among the islands. The sand has an extremely fine texture and is quite comfortable to walk on. The usual assortment of sea lions lay sprawled along the beach. I was able to spy another large reef shark.

August 2, 2009
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San Cristobal to Quito

San Cristobal, Galapagos

After breakfast on the ship, we took our last panga ride to the pier on San Cristobal. The sea lions appeared to be sprawled out on the stairs just where we left them a week ago.

We boarded a van and were taken to a cultural center where we had a chance to view displays which summarized the history of the Galapagos.

We then had some time to stroll along the beach front street and shop for souvenirs. Next, we boarded the van for a short trip to the airport. We said goodbye to our fellow passengers and tour guides. All of us got along very well and became good friends during the trip. A Dutch family we came to know (my wife is from Amsterdam) were traveling to Sacha Lodge and we planned to see them later in the week.

Our plane flew to Quito via Guayaquil, located on the coast at the mouth of the Gulf of Guayaquil. It is actually Ecuador's most populous city (population over 2 million). The airport is quite modern. Quito is in the process of building a whole new airport which opens in 2011.

After a short layover, we made the 30 minute flight to Quito which sits 9200 feet above sea level. As we were planning on staying three days, we took diamox starting a few days earlier which made it much more comfortable at the high altitude. It's not worth it if you are only staying overnight but if you are staying longer, it helps you sleep better and avoid altitude symptoms such as headaches.

We checked back into the Hotel Eugenia and to our surprise, our guide Luis had taken a direct flight and was at the hotel waiting to escort his next tour group back to the Galapagos. We treated Luis to dinner at La Ronda, a charming restaurant that features regional cuisine. On Sundays, a musical dance group performs folk songs from the Andes region of Ecuador. Great food, great entertainment!

August 3, 2009
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Quito

Quito, Ecuador

This was our free day in Quito. Our Galapagos guide, Luis, recommended a tour guide named Jorge who gave us a tour of the city and escorted us to The Equator.

In Quito, we spent most of the day in the "Old City" region of Quito where most of the important churches and governmental buildings are located. Fortunately for us, every Monday features the Changing of the Guard at the Presidential Palace.

After strolling through the Plaza Grande, we had a chance to enter the front portion of the Presidential Palace and gaze into the courtyard. Some type of important press conference had just taken place. Presidential guards stood at the entrance in colorful blue, red and gold uniforms with tall decorated hats and ceremonial spears.

We then visited La Compania, one of Quito's world class colonial churches. Having visited many churches throughout Europe, I can say that La Campania is certainly one of the most ornate if have seen. the entire interior of the church is covered in gold leaf. Too bad you can't take pictures inside!

Next, we returned to the Plaza Grande to watch the changing of the guard. The ceremony was complete with army marching band, mounted soldiers as well as foot soldiers, all in ceremonial dress. The President stood on the balcony of the Presidential Palace, waving to his adoring citizens.

After lunch, we took a ride to the top of one of the nearby hills to enjoy a panoramic view of the city which is located in a valley. The city is some thirty miles long but only about two miles wide.

Next we were off to the Equator. After a 35 minute ride, we passed a large monument constructed by the French to mark what was thought to be the actual Equator. The site which most tourists visit (including us) is some 800 feet north on a privately owned piece of land. One pays an admission fee and tours a series of "experiments" designed to demonstrate the power of the Equator and gravity. One such experiment involves water flowing through a sink drain. In the Equator, it flows straight down. A few feet north of the Equator, it turns counter clockwise and a few feet south, clockwise. I'm not sure I am convinced!

After returning to Quito, we ate dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Zazu which features Latin American Fusion cuisine. The food and wine were excellent!

August 4, 2009
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White Water Rafting

Quito, Ecuador

To get to the river, were picked up at 7AM and traveled approximately 70 miles. A good part of the driving (3-4 hours) was spent descending into the western lowlands along a precarious winding road that travels through the Cloud Forest. The road is currently being widened but for the most part is still two lanes. It appears to be one of the major commercial trucking routes bringing goods in from the coast. Due to slow-moving trucks, passenger cars constantly attempt to pass via the oncoming traffic lane. I saw many close calls during our trip and I have to believe there must be many fatal accidents. In many locations, the drop-off from the side of the road appeared to be several hundred and in some cases over a thousand feet!

After passing through the town Santa Domingo, we took a short drive down a dirt road to a river (I can't remember the name). After inflating the rafts and a short crash course in river rafting, we started drifting down the river which contains mostly class 3 and some class 4 rapids. During the 3 hour journey down river, we enjoyed the scenery which consisted of lush tropical rain forest. On one harrowing occasion, our raft became stuck in a back wave for over a minute as we struggled to paddle free. At one point, I thought the whole raft would capsize. In fact the second raft ran into ours and two people were thrown out but were quickly retrieved. What fun!

We had a tasty lunch at our pick-up point but were unaware of the mosquitoes! They were enjoying a tastey lunch on us!

On the trip back to Quito, the vans clutch was having trouble. Our driver managed to somehow nurse the van along. After arriving in Quito, I told the driver that he is the only one to every drive over the Andes without a working clutch!

As we were quite exhausted, we ordered pizza (Papa John's!) and stayed in at the hotel. To our pleasant surprise, we were notified that our flight had been changed and that we would have a chance to sleep in until our pick-up at 10AM.

August 5, 2009
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Journey From Quito to Sacha Lodge

Coca, Ecuador

I woke up in the early morning with the worst itching of my life! Our lunch spot after the rafting trip was swarming with mosquitoes. We had been prepared for mosquitoes in the Amazon but were never warned about the rafting trip! Ironically, Sacha Lodge turned out to be no problem with mosquitoes at all as they can't breed in the black water which surrounds the lodge.

After a one hour delay at the airport due to a broken rear airplane door, we departed for the 30 minute flight to Coca. Coca has the feel of a "frontier town". We were picked up in a creaky truck with wooden seats constructed in the truck bed.

After some orientation and refreshments, we boarded our canoe for a 2-3 hour ride down the Napo River (yes it had a motor). The river is full of silt and requires constant back-and-forth maneuvering to avoid getting stuck. One can see the power of the river as evidenced by the thousands of trees falling into the river as the banks are constantly eroded. For the first hour of the trip, we watched a storm build to the south of us. Suddenly the boat stopped and ponchos were quickly passed out and we were told to "hunker down". Within minutes, the sky opened let loose. Despite wearing the ponchos, it was impossible to completely keep dry. My kids got a kick out of the fact that I was sitting near the outside of the windward side of the canoe and got the brunt of the storm.

We arrived at our landing point along the river and were met by more guides who escorted us on a 30 minute walk into the jungle. Immediately, one got the sense of entering a different world of water, sound and incredible plant life! Squirrel Monkeys scurried overhead.

We finally arrived at a small creek where we boarded small canoes and were paddled into a large black water lake called Pilchicocha. On the other side, we could make out the thatched roof of a boat house. I'm not kidding when I say that this looked like something out of Robinson Caruso!

After arriving at the Sacha Lodge, we joined a welcome reception in the sitting area of the main building which is a two story thatched structure with a quaint bar and plush wicker furniture. I was waiting for Humphrey Bogart to walk in!

Our cabins were very comfortable. I can't tell you how impressed we were with the facilities. I constantly found myself thinking about how much it must take to maintain the place which essentially sits on stilts above the water and mud.

On the evening of our arrival, Sacha hosted its once weekly barbecue at the boathouse. The food was delicious! We were all quite tired from traveling and went to bed soon after dinner. All of the mysterious and fascinating sounds of the jungle could be heard right out of the windows of our cabin. What an experience!

August 6, 2009
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Sacha Lodge

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

The days at Sacha consist of a morning activity followed by a four hour free period at the Lodge and then a late afternoon activity. There are also optional evening activities. During our stay, we were assigned a naturalist and a native guide who ate meals with us and led us on various hikes and canoe rides. Our guides, David and Poncho were excellent. Their knowledge is extensive and I am still amazed at their ability to spot wildlife in the jungle.

This morning, we took a canoe ride and short hike to a platform constructed 42 meters up a tall tree for bird watching. The highlight of the morning was being able to view a family of Howler Monkeys with one baby resting high up in the canopy. Numerous birds were spotted with the help of our guides.

After returning to the lodge for lunch, we had the chance to read, lounge in the sun or swim in the lake. The black water is actually very refreshing and supposed to be good for your skin. Fishing poles were brought out and everyone had the opportunity to fish for piranha. As soon as the bait (raw chicken) touched the water, a swarm of the fish devoured it. Don't worry---they don't bother you when you go swimming!

In the late afternoon, we took a hike into the jungle and were able to spot numerous birds and exotic insects. The plant life is amazing, such as the Walking Palm which has the ability of move up to 20cm a year to reach better sunlight. Poncho showed us many plants which have been used by the indigenous people for constructing rope, medicines or for food.

In the evening, the kids went on another hike with flashlights in hand, looking for frogs, spiders and other insects. Highlights included tarantulas, poisonous tree frogs and Scorpion Spiders. The kids returned with great pictures and even better stories!

August 7, 2009
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Sacha Lodge

Sacha Lodge, Amazonas - Ecuador

The highlight of the morning was hiking to the Canopy Walk, which consists of three towers connected by a walkway suspended high above the canopy. The structure took over four years to build and was completed in 2004. Materials were carted in by hand! Once on top, we had a great view of Toucans, parrots, woodpeckers and many other birds. We also spotted a Striped Sloth.

In the afternoon, we went on another hike and were able to photograph a Pygmy Marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world.

Sacha Lodge raises exotic butterflies and ships all over the world. We had a chance to go into the butterfly structure and photograph many species and colors of butterflies. Each type requires different plant food which is actually grown adjacent to the structure.

Late in the afternoon, we took a peaceful canoe ride along a creek which feeds the lake. The scenery was spectacular! Poncho was able to spot a young Anaconda coiled along the bank of the creek. David said that they are lucky to see one Anaconda a month!

The canoe ride was scheduled so that it would become dark on the way back. The jungle changes dramatically at night. Even the trees release different scents to attract bats and insects! Flashlights were used to find insects and frogs from their eye reflections. Yes, we even saw fireflies darting about. Caimon were spotted along the banks. What a great way to spend our last night at Sacha!

August 8, 2009
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Return to Quito

Coca, Ecuador

After an early morning wakeup, we ate breakfast and departed for Coca. I could tell that many of the guides were anxious to contact their families as we neared Coca and cell phones began to work.

At the airport, we said goodbye to David and boarded our plane for Quito. David lives in Quito and he and his wife are expecting their first child in January.

Since we arrived two hours early, we called our contact in Quito and decided to take a taxi back to the Hotel Eugenia. The hotel was now beginning to feel like our home away from home. I almost forgot about the Burger King drive-thru!

August 9, 2009
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Journey Back to Los Angeles

Quito, Ecuador

Our contacts in Quito picked us up at 530AM for our trip to the airport. We almost forgot about the forty dollar per person airport fee you have to pay in order to leave the country. I suppose it helps pay for the new Airport construction. After the new airport opens, the old site is going to be turned into a large public park. We changed planes in Miami and boarded an American Airlines jet. We began to feel at home again with the lack of leg room, lack of services and unfriendly stewardesses.

However, great memories of our trip kept us in a good mood! I can't tell how great an experience this was for our family. Thank you Adventure Life!

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