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| This guy will kill you if you touch him |
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| The Lagoon |
If this year isn't already life changing by itself, I had a life changing trip. I just got back from another Rotary trip (yes another) and this time we were in the Amazon for 4 days. I feel safe to say that I’ve traveled quite alot all over the world and seen a lot of beautiful places and special things. With that being said, this was the most incredible trip I've ever been on. Yes only 4 days, but 4 days of enchantment. We went to Cuyabeno which is the very north part of the amazon in Ecuador. It's on the border or Colombia and Peru. Its a nature reserve as most of the Amazon is now, so all the animals and wildlife was so incredible. I literally have no words to describe what happened. It was just a really special trip for me because i finally got to get back in touch with nature. Oh how I've missed her. Coming from vermont where I'm outside all the time in nature and the mountains, and then being put in a big city is hard. Don't get me wrong i love Quito and living here, but i do miss the nature aspect of life. So where better to experience it again than the place with the most amount of organisms and life in a square meter than anywhere else on earth. ANYWHERE! Where we were was pretty much right on the equator, and its true, in one square meter theres more wildlife of all forms than anywhere else. Also in one square kilometer it has the most amount of tree species than anywhere else. So needless to say it was breathe taking. We saw tons of different types of monkeys, (actually got to hold one) tons of insects, spiders of all different sizes, including the largest tarantula there is, boa constrictor, crazy looking birds, toucans, macaws, crocodiles, piranhas (we fished for them), deadly frogs, caterpillars that if you touch them you die within a few hours, and most surprisingly was dolphins. Did you know there are dolphins in teh Amazon? Me neither until our guide was like oh hey look, its the pink dolphins, and yes they’re actually pink. So crazy.
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| Scorpion Spider |
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| Rainbow Boa |
As well as all the different trees and plants that look from outer space. The lodge we stayed at is on a lagoon, so everyday to get anywhere was in these small little boats and it was truly my dream come true. Now all the animals and wild life was out of this world, and with me going to college for marine biology and wanting a profession that deals with wildlife, this was actually my dream, no joke. But one of my favorite parts (which is really hard to say because it all was my favorite) was we got to go to a Shaman. They’re the “jungle doctors” of the Amazon. Its like a medicine man with Native Americans. They’re very spiritual beings that help others with sicknesses or illnesses with the knowledge of the jungle. They use hallucinogenic teas that are made from different things from the jungle, to see within you and see their visions that help you. It’s a very cool practice. Anyways so we got to meet with one and hear his story of becoming one, which was very interesting to listen too. We then had the option of having a spiritual cleansing by him if we wanted. I’ve always wanted to receive one of these, so when we were able I was overly joyed to have the opportunity. It was so relaxing and such a special moment for me that I will never forget for the rest of life. So anyways coming away from this trip I have no doubt I will return. I fell in love with this place and am going to try my hardest to go back and study or just live in one of the villages there.
This first week back was tough. The whole time in classes or anywhere I was just day dreaming about being back in the Amazon, I still cant get over the feeling I have within me. There are no words to describe it but it’s such a wonderfully incredible feeling. But life goes on for now, I still love where I am here in Quito and love my life here.
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| Sunrise in the Amazon |
Well they say a pictures worth a thousand words you go. enjoy
As well as all the different trees and plants that look from outer space. The lodge we stayed at is on a lagoon, so everyday to get anywhere was in these small little boats and it was truly my dream come true. Now all the animals and wild life was out of this world, and with me going to college for marine biology and wanting a profession that deals with wildlife, this was actually my dream, no joke. But one of my favorite parts (which is really hard to say because it all was my favorite) was we got to go to a Shaman. They’re the “jungle doctors” of the Amazon. Its like a medicine man with Native Americans. They’re very spiritual beings that help others with sicknesses or illnesses with the knowledge of the jungle. They use hallucinogenic teas that are made from different things from the jungle, to see within you and see their visions that help you. It’s a very cool practice. Anyways so we got to meet with one and hear his story of becoming one, which was very interesting to listen too. We then had the option of having a spiritual cleansing by him if we wanted. I’ve always wanted to receive one of these, so when we were able I was overly joyed to have the opportunity. It was so relaxing and such a special moment for me that I will never forget for the rest of life. So anyways coming away from this trip I have no doubt I will return. I fell in love with this place and am going to try my hardest to go back and study or just live in one of the villages there.
Well they say a pictures worth a thousand words you go. enjoy
So loved reading your experience after hearing about it. You have a gift for expressing the essence of what was important to you. I am so happy you did find "her" again:)
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