Helado...After a short but strenuous 8 weeks, I am finally finished with classes here in Cuenca. To celebrate the occasion, I went to this ice-cream store called Frutilado to get a one-scoop cone.
It feels so good to be done with classes. The next two weeks will go by even faster and I will be back sooner than I realize.
Today we also had an orientation meeting for our next week of traveling. I feel really lucky to get to travel to the places we are going to go. In fact, I thought I would write down the itinerary of our next week to show you where we'll be:
Monday, May 25 -- Cuenca -- Puyo
06:45 Meet at CEDEI to load up the bus with suitcases
07:00 Leave Cuenca for Puyo
13:00 Lunch in Baños de Ambato
16:00 Leave Baños de Ambato for Puyo
17:30 Arrive in Puyo, check in at the Hotel Flor de Canela
19:00 Dinner
Tuesday, May 26 -- Puyo -- Sachamazonica
09:00 Breakfast at the Hostería; buy snacks for the trip
10:00 We will leave for Sacha Amazónica, a tour led by la Comunidad Unión Venecia
12:00 Lunch in Tena or bring a packed lunch to eat on the trail
13:00 We continue the trip with la Comunidad Unión Venecia
14:30 We will arrive at our accommodation in Sacha Amazónica. Here, there will be two
bathrooms, two showers, and one bathroom outside for men in total. This
accommodation will be pretty rustic and appropriate for this Amazon region.
15:30 We will take a hike through the Napo river in order to see the gold washing process
and to swim in the same location.
19:00 Dinner that is typical of the region
Wednesday, May 27 -- Sachamazonica -- Cotococha Lodge
07:30 Breakfast that is typical of the region
08:15 Artisan and agricultural demonstration
09:30 We leave for Cotococha Lodge
10:00 Arrive en Cotococha
10:30 Prepare to take a canoe to Misahuallí
13:00 We will have lunch on the banks of the Napo river. This will be more or less a picnic
lunch.
15:00 We will return to the cabins.
19:00 Dinner
Thursday, May 28 -- Cotococha
08:00 Typical breakfast
08:30 Canoeing and hiking on the Napo River. Here we will observe flora and fauna of the
rainforest. We will also see a waterfall called Las Latas. Then return to the cabins.
13:00 Lunch in the cabins
14:30 In the afternoon we will go to the river to rest and from here we will go down the
river by inner-tubes.
16:30 Return to the lodge
19:00 Dinner
20:30 Fogata (I am not sure what this means)
Friday, May 29 -- Cotocha Lodge -- Quito
07:15 Breakfast
09:00 We will leave for Quito by way of Tena and Baeza
12:30 Lunch in Baeza
17:30 Arrive in Quito, check in at Hotel Quito
Saturday, May 30 -- Quito -- Mindo
10:30 Leave to Mindo
12:30 Arrive in Mindo -- check in at the Hostería Mariposas de Mindo
13:00 Lunch
***After lunch, we all can rest for a little bit and then later, before visiting the butterfly farm. Or instead of resting, we can hike down a trail led by Rosie, the owner
of the Hostel.
17:00 Visit the Butterfly farm
Sunday, May 31 -- Mindo -- Otavalo
07:30 Breakfast at the Hostería
08:30 Various hikes observing the flora and fauna of the region
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Leave for Otavalo
16:30 Arrive in Otavalo, check into the Hotel Otavalo, get maps, free time and later dinner
Monday, June 1 -- Otavalo
09:00 Wake up call and breakfast
10:00 Otavalo market
10:30 Leave for Peguche
11:30 Leave for San Antonio
12:30 Leave for Cotacachi for lunch
14:00 Leave to Cuicocha
15:30 Return to Otavalo & dinner
Tuesday, June 2 -- Otavalo -- Quito
09:00 Wake up call and breakfast
10:30 Leave for Quito
13:00 Arrive in Quito, check in at the Hotel Quito
15:30 Leave for the Capilla del Hombre
16:30 Return to the Hotel
19:00 Goodbye dinner
Wednesday, June 3 -- Quito
Free day. Breakfast is served until 10am. Students who are staying in Ecuador will either stay in Quito this day or will leave to their destinations.
Thursday, June 4 -- Quito
03:00 Wake up
03:30 Ride to the airport
06:45 Leave for Houston
So... there it is. If you find the wording a little awkward it is because I quickly translated the itinerary from spanish to english.
It is likely that I might not be able to update my blog until next Friday, May 29. I doubt that there will be any internet access when we are in the jungle.
I'll talk to you all soon! I love you and I'll be thinking of you. I'll be sure to be safe and smart during our travels.
--adam
