Welcome to the jungle

We've got lots of bugs.

We spent last week in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Ok, that's not entirely (or even mostly) true. I think "technically" (maybe) we were in the rainforest or at least a climate that's similar. However, we weren't exactly roughing it by anyone's standards. We spent a week in a lodge on an island in a river. The only way onto said island was by (you probably guessed it) a cable car.

Hopefully my last tarabita ride for a couple of months.

While it wasn't really the rainforest experience I had envisioned, which was probably a delusional picture of poisonous snakes, terrifying spiders and wild animals, it was a really wonderful week. We spent the majority of our time swatting mosquitoes, relaxing in hammocks, and swimming in rivers. Oh, we also spent a good amount of time attempting to learn more Spanish, but mostly it was all hammocks all the time. Our first full day in the jungle Matildo, our guide and knower of all things important, gave us a tour of the island and showed us some of the plants and insects there.

I'll admit, I'm a little bit in love with Matildo.

We had to be careful to not step on lines of ants carrying leaves through the jungle.

Jungle plant on my face.

The next afternoon, the group went to climb around in some canyons. I played with Tarzan, the puppy that lives at the lodge, and napped by the river. That night and the night before we walked to the river in the dark to look at the stars. Let me tell you, that stars were simply nailing it the second night. Slam dunk, stars.

Tarzan.

On Wednesday, we went tubing down the river. We drove up the highway a little bit and climbed down to the river with our tubes. After they were tied together, our guides told us where to sit, and we set off. I was prepared for a leisurely jaunt down the river, and for the most part it was. However, at one point Marco, my group's guide, told us to all lay down flat, and that was when we started going over the rapids. Aside from Marco falling off once or twice, we all remained on the tubes. The other group wasn't as lucky. They ran into a number of trees and at one point lost Dan to the rapids.

On our last day on the island, Matildo took us to pick yucca, a potato-like plant. Matildo also took us to find grubs in the fallen trees. Believe it or not, both the yucca and the grubs were for eating that night. Yes, I tried one. No, they did not taste like chicken.

Slimy, yet satisfying.

I think our trip to the jungle was one of my favorites from our time in Ecuador. It was really wonderful to have a week where we were able to relax and bond a little bit more. I particularly enjoyed the jungle because it reminded me a lot of home. I know, I know, the plants and the wildlife are completely different. And the bugs... ugh... the bugs are about 100 times bigger than most of what Nebraska has to offer. However, it was just so quiet. Walking around on the island's trails brought me back to all the trails I've ever walked in the muggy forests of Nebraska. Sitting next to the river in the dark with only the sound of nearby rapids placed on the muddy banks of the Nemaha River. And it was wonderful.