Quito, Ecuador Cityscape. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
I arrived back to Quito late Monday night. It felt good to be back, like it feels when you’ve been away from home for a while and you’re glad to be back to something familiar. While Quito isn’t home, I was glad to be back to my life. It’s a wandering life and Quito is as temporary a home as anywhere will be for the foreseeable future. But for right now, it’s mine.
I got a big welcome home greeting from Gloria, my host. I spent Tuesday relaxing in my favorite internet cafe and restaurant. I spent most of the time planning my trips to Cuenca, Loja and Guayaquil – my destinations after my big trip to the Amazon which starts tomorrow.
I woke up early Wednesday morning so I could unpack and repack for the jungle. While in the US, I made a trip to REI for a few essentials including bug spray and a waterproof jacket (the trip down Cotapaxi volcano convinced me of the need for this item). Luckily Gloria allowed me to leave several things at her place so I wouldn’t have to lug everything to the jungle. I had a quick bite of breakfast (fresh Ecuadorean fruit salad) and was off to the airport by 9:15.
The local pharmacist recommended I take Vitamin B to help keep the mosquitos off me. This is in lieu of malaria medicine which I detest. So, I’m going to go low-tech on the malaria regimen and hope that the combination of Vitamin B, bug spray and gin and tonics in the evening will keep the mozzies away.
Riverboats on Napo River, Ecuador. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
I took the 20 minute flight to Coca in eastern Ecuador. It was terribly cloudy so it was difficult to see anything out of the window. I was greeted by my tour company and we took a 10 minute ride through town. I assumed we’d be close to town. But, we rolled up to a pier and my stuff and I were loaded onto a powered canoe boat. And, we were off on a 2.5 hour boat ride down the river.
The boat was long and thin placing us just above the water line. There were several rows that could each seat about 4 average Ecuadoreans and about 3 average Americans. I rode with several Ecuadoreans who, I found out later, lived near the lodge.
Family in typical dugout canoe on the Napo River outside Coca, Ecuador. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
The river was just as I had seen in countless movies. It was brown in color and didn’t seem to move much giving it a glassy quality on top. As we rode down the river, I took it all in – the various trees in the middle of the river whose branches pierced the glassy surface; the various trees and other green vegetation lining the waterway. And, I couldn’t help but feel the subtle pounding of the water on the bottom of the boat. The time passed quickly and before I knew it, we docked.
Napo River in the Amazon, Ecuador. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
When I got off the boat, I was immediately led on a raised platform path directly into the jungle. We walked about a kilometer until the path ended at a smaller pier on a feeder river. I got into a smaller canoe and was paddled toward the lodge. I cautiously stuck my hand into the brown water to feel the coolness breaking the glassy facade. After about 15 minutes on the river, we finally docked at the lodge. I’ve been to some remote places before, but this is perhaps one of the most isolated I’ve ever been.
View from my cabana overlooking the river. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
I was greeted by my Daniela and was given my orientation. I was treated to a rum and passion fruit cocktail and three small plates of snacks. I polished it all off since it was now about 3PM and I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. I had about and hour to go until the first excursion so I hung out on the veranda looking out at the lagoon in front of the lodge taking it all in.
Originally published May 30, 2007
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Tags: career break travel, Ecuador travel, Jeff's Career Break Blog
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