Jungle boogie, doo doo--doo doo

As my time in Ecuador begins to come to an end, I figured it best to spend my last long break away from the city and out into the Jungle. Some of the new March´08 Volunteers had some time off too, so we all planned a trip to Tena. After arriving in Tena after a 5 hour bus ride, we were quickly fitted for our new fancy footwear, ie big rubber galoshes, and whisked off to the cabañas. After a quick lunch and a little rest, we headed out on our first trek through secondary rainforest. Our guide and translator were both excellent and showed us the various medicinal and edible plants in that area. We ate a plant that tasted just like a Sour Patch Kid and one that we were later able to make into something of a pasta dish. The second day we went out on a much longer hike that included canyoning in small bat caves, trudging through river water and getting to see a good number of lizards and snakes. We ended the day tubing down one of the Rio Napo´s tributaries and relaxing as the sun went down. Finally on our last day we were able to go on a small hike and visit a community where we shared the typical drink of chicha and some more tasty plants along the way. The entire time was a mix of lengthy hiking and lengthy naps in the hammocks. At one point, a friend found a tarantula, which I later found out is probably the largest species in the world. After our three day adventure, we headed to the actually city of Tena where we saw our first monkey climbing down the stairs from a bridge. We spent our Saturday white water rafting in Class III rapids, which were just perfect for our group--not too much work but just the right amount of splash in your face. All in all, it was a memorable trip, filled with scenic views and never a dull moment.