So from Thurs to Sun last week, went bak to the Sinchi Sacha cabins in Ahuano with Iván, cos he had two British tourists who spoke no Spanish an wanted me to act as a translator- in true Ecuadorian style, got half an hr warnin to run home an get clothes. Coincidentally they were i to i volunteers on a conservation project on the coast, but I´d never met them as they came out in March. THey were called Jane an Rebecca an are veternary nurses from Surrey- they were really pleased with the work I did for them, so much so that I now have free accomodation if am ever in their area!
So on Thurs wen we arrived an went on a short afternoon walk through the jungle just like we did last time focussing on medicinal plants and that.
Then on Fri, we did the long 8hr trek to the waterfalls. I ws quite surprised by how much I know about the jungle, sometimes adding to wot Iván ws saying etc! The river ws really high so we couldnt swim in the actual waterfall area an instead went further downstream to swim. Wen we got bak to the cabins, another group had arrived with Carlos, a guide who also works for Kanoa Tours. They were two Swedes, Hannes an Ellen, an an Israeli who´s name I cannot for the life of me remember.
Carlos decided we should lie in hammocks an hav a little cultural exchange round a bonfire. SO basically talked about our respective countries etc. He´s sortin out a visa to go to England an teach Spanish in a London politechnic so I guess that´s why he ws so interested in our countries.
On Sat, we did the museum- these tourists were quite good at the blow dart actually!- an then they went to the zoo whilst we cooked lunch. I say ´we´ but I just lay in a hammock cos Juan- Iván´s cousin who came along to help too- told me to, so what else could I do?! Then we went to central Ahuano an had a quick pottery demonstration an a look around the area. Ended up playin basketball in a cancha which ws a good laugh until Ellen slipped over an hurt her back a bit. Back at the cabins, the tourists went to bed really early whilst the boys stayed up playin cuarenta an drinkin foul cocktails with me watchin.
Sunday mornin, we got up at 5.30 an left an hr later. Bit of an issue gettin bak as the tourists had booked tickets on a bus livin Tena for Quito at 7.30am an the wheel on the truck suddenly got a puncture. The boys were like yeah we´ll hav it fixed in 5 mins, no problem, which I´m sure they would´ve done had it not been for the fact that extractin spare tyre from underneath the truck proved impossible. Eventually we decided to catch a taxi bak an leave the driver to struggle on. We were just in time for the tourists to catch the bus, so all ws resolved!
Tomorrow, me an Iván are goin to Baños an then onto Cuenca for the weekend. Practically everyone´s gonna b in Cuenca, it should be amazin!
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