warrants another mention as do some things I have missed while writing,
and this is a sort of closing of the Yachana Lodge chapter.
Looking at the photos that I took of that sunset almost took my breath
away. Its not just the sunset, or the water but its all of everything
rolled into a feeling that neither a camera nor words can capture. Its
a feeling of open-ness, of ..... well, not freedom, but a heck of a lot
closer than I can find in suburban Soddy. Its as if my brain opens up
in places like this, my brain, my mind and....... (warning! soppy moment
coming!) my heart and soul. I breathe easier, I sleep easier despite
the bugs that crawled around my room at night. Here, when the wind
blows its fresh, non threatening and guavas fall to the floor all over
the grounds of the lodge. I ate myself silly on guavas every day. Lucia
says that too many guavas have the same affect as wine - maybe that's
what happened!
And when the wind or rain stops and the sun sets behind those huge
amazing trees of the original rain forests, its like a clean breath, a
sweeping of old stuff, a new start, and .... aaah - ok enough. In
short, I love it - nowhere else have I ever felt the way I do at the
Napo River.
On Thursday night - last night in Yachana Lodge, I managed to get a good
amount of internet time, but no one was around to chat so I had time to
catch up on some emails - thanks for writing - its so good to get email
when I manage to check. Not always possible to respond, but after I
disconnect, I take the computer to my room and lay in the hammock and
read away.... thanks for so many laughs.
We found a tiny gecko on the path today - I mean really really tiny -
maybe half an inch long, with little spots all over him. Kind of like I
am right now - not small, but spotted! I have insect bites almost
everywhere - most of them dont itch, but its always the one on a knuckle
or toe that itch like mad all night long. We saw a good many toucans
and strange plants with odd fruit of different colors. I waited till
Abel ate first before trying, but they were always good - or at least
interesting. Not like grubs. I am still a bit amazed that I actually
ate those things!
On the last night at Yachana, I decided to have a beer with supper..
The food here is pretty normal - eggs, meat, chicken, lots of veggies
and fruit and bread too. Some things are cooked differently but at all
times, we knew what was in them. They way they cooked the stinging
nettles was interesting though - tasted tart and round almost. Nice.
That first beer went down very well, so I got another to take back to
the cabin with me. And there I lay with daylight almost gone, the river
rushing by, in my very own hammock sipping a good cool one. I must say
it put a rosy touch to the world, that second one did. It helped pass
the evening in a really pleasant way, with frogs and birds croaking and
chirping, the occasional guava hitting the ground somewhere, somehow
important things just faded gently away into the night. Very, very nice
way to end my time there. Abel came around to bring me some tape to try
to fix my bag where they cut it - no success, but we chatted for a while
- it was really interesting to hear about the culture of the Amazon area
and how kids grow up around here. They still have arranged marriages,
although more people are fighting against it now. So many cultural
differences and yet the Ecuadorias have the same dreams as we all do. I
was good to have the time to talk apart from the 'tour time' - I learned
a lot.
When I finally lay down to sleep, I felt really good....... no no, not
just because of the beer, but because I felt good about what I am
accomplishing with myself and I feel good about who I am and where I am
in my head. I have loved each and every moment here, the thoughts, the
learning and the experiences.
It has all been so good for me so far and I am not even half way through
yet! :)
After packing up my bags, I was a little sad to be leaving but also
excited about the next stage of this journey. During this week, I found
that when I feel something strongly, if I just be quiet for a moment,
not long, and just toss it around in my mind, it finds its rightful
place and the world is right again. Well, last night I did just
this....... I sat on the edge of the one bed - yeah, I had three beds in
the new cabana!... anyway, I sat with my eyes closed, a clear mind and
let things fall into place. That worked just fine until one of those
water cricket things that look like a grasshopper on a steriods plopped
right onto my hand. Now THAT cleared my mind!
This really has become so much more of an inner journey for me than just
going to these wonderful places. I am learning so much about me, my
strengths and weaknesses and am especially finding my spark again, my
laughter and joy in everything around me.
And so this morning we had breakfast without our guide, Abel, he had
gone to pick up a tour group 4 hours upriver in Coca. While we were
saying our goodbyes to the staff there, our luggage was loaded into the
canoe and way too soon it was time to head to the bus, about half and
hour in the same direction as Coca. What a lovely ride that was. I so
love being on the canoes, wind blowing in my hair and ......its just
lovely and free.
Once we were in the bus - me with my bag firmly on my lap this time and
my passport and rest of my money snugly up against my belly, (very well
hidden, Dad! :)) I looked at some of the photos still on the camera
card. Well, next thing there my eyes started leaking and my throat
closed tighter than when it saw those grubs heading down. I could not
help it - I bawled quietly. Fortunately only Lucia noticed, but it was
quite a surprise to me. I stopped looking and carried on taking photos
of the passing scenery. Sometimes I am aware that I use the camera as a
shield between me and 'real life'. Today was one of the now rare times I
did this.
The bus filled up to almost beyond capacity. Young and old, almost
every woman either carrying a babe in arms or expecting one, or both.
They were all pleasant to each other, all respectful I loved hearing the
cacophony of the combination of babies crying, people talking from the
front to the back of the bus, the laughter and the ever present
over-loud music - cha cha style. It was sort of like a moving carnival.
I found it incredibly relaxing and I even dozed off for a few
minutes, much to Lucia's amusement.
I noticed that most of the houses here, well, out of the main city area,
still have leaves for their roofs so I asked about that. Those leaf
roofs take a lot of work to put up - hundreds of leaves that are
harvested from the jungle by hand with a panga, prepared and then
individually put up....... many days/weeks of work. But they last 20
years! The tin roofs only last 6 - 10 years.
Also, here in Ecuador you HAVE to vote. When you go and vote, you are
give a piece of paper, like a receipt that proves you have, and all is
good. If you dont vote, then next time you go to get any official
paperwork, you first have to pay the non-voting fine before you get your
papers. I think its a brilliant idea!
We arrived in Tena (pronounced Ten-ah) at around midday, dropped the
bags off at the same hotel we were at before, checked that the bags full
of pencils and goodies were still here - they are - and headed to the
place to book a tour for me while I am here. Lucia went back to Quito
for the weekend, so I am going on an overnight trip to the waterfalls,
caves, tubing, canoeing, sleeping at the house of an Amazonian family
and will see too many things for my tired brain to remember. I leave at
8am on Saturday and will be back on Sunday evening. All my stuff stays
here in the hotel - apart from the obvious, of course - that will still
be snugly up inside my shirt. The tour I am on will take me from Tena to
Santa Rosa, on to Pimpilala, Talag, Jatunyaku and Iluculin. It looks
and sounds like an amazing trip.
So Lucia left me in the tour offices, about half an hour walk from the
hotel. Well, now I HAD to find my way 'home". And I did. I came and
got my camera and went walking again - down to the river where I was
hoping to get a canoe across to see the wildlife center, but the guy was
not there - so after sitting on the big stones along the rivers edge for
a while , enjoying the cool breeze wafting around, I gave that up and
just ambled around the town. I found a little restaurant to grab
something to eat - boy was it great. Chicken and rice and good old
fashioned chips like they did in the olden days! And I watched the
people go by. Everyone seemed to be out... walking and riding scooters,
catching yellow taxis, jay walking or simply chatting. What a lovely
relaxed atmosphere! I walked around town for about three hours
altogether and then my feet said no more. I paid, in Spanish, and
bought a beer to take back to my room with me. Just one. And am about
ready to call it a night. The lights around town have all come on, the
shops are closing. I am about 40 steps up off the road and have a great
view. Yup - around forty steps to climb each time I leave this room.
So..... I will be away from Tena tomorrow and Sunday, back here for the
night on Sunday and will have internet (hopefully, if it does not rain,
if the generators are on and it the little kiddo in house number 62
behaves - or so it seems). Then off to Sinchi Warmi on Monday morning.
Its almost the same bus ride - about three hours in the same direction
until we get to the Napo River, then we turn left. Now you know where I
am for the next week? Good!
Just one more word before I close this chapter.... cold showers.....very
cold showers. I swear all that water runs through freezers first before
it gets to my shower! Yeah, I can hear you chuckling.... Its almost as
hard to hurl myself under that falling water as it was to swallow those
grubs.. I can see those grubs are going to become a measurement of
sorts to me. I will never slip up on paying my electric bill........
ever! The only time to take a cold shower is when I have done
everything I need to for the day, the sheets are turned down and I can
run and just right under those covers and shiver myself warm again.
I am going to try to attach a couple of photos to this email - have to
make them smaller first and not sure if you will be able to get them....
if not - I will post photos from home. The internet here just does not
cope with more than just standard email it seems. One is of me shoot an
arrow with a blow pipe, the other me on a wheelbarrow with Abel pushing,
The Shaman and the sunset of last night - this was the view from the
outside dining room.
Here's to a wonderful week gone by that is firmly embedded in my mind
and heart........ and on to a new adventure.
Love and light
Anje
--
www.amazontravels.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment