Rain Forest

Arriving at the lodge with temperatures around 30C and humidity over 90% was as hard to adjust to as the thin air we had left behind in Quito.  Within 10 minutes of a refreshing shower it felt like you needed another.
The lodge was full, so there were nearly 50 people which meant that the routine was very regimented -  not quite our style - but since this is the only organised part of our trip we had to fit in. Our guide, Luis, was excellent with an apparently encyclopaedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area. He also knew a lot about the way the indigenous peoples had used many of the plants.

 During our stay we managed a couple of long hikes in the forest (about 4 hours each) where we could see the wide diversity of trees, plants and insects while trying to keep an eye on the monkeys in the canopy above us - Capucins, Squirrel Monkeys, Marmosets and Tamarins - at the same time we could hear the Red Howler monkeys in the distance.

We also had a couple of canoe trips on the lagoon and on the Napo river with some great bird sightings and since the water level was so low we also had a couple of encounters with the Arapaima. These fish can grow to about 400lbs and one female was so concerned that we were threatening her brood that first she bit the guide's paddle and took it out of his hand and then battered the canoe a couple of times. We tried to avoid upsetting her on our subsequent trips!
The night walk and canoe rides were fascinating since it gave us the chance to see bats fishing and also to get a glimpse of the caimans.
Ecuador is the most biologically diverse country on the planet with more species per square mile than any other and while we didn't see many of the mammals we certainly saw a good variety of birds and plants and insects. It will be interesting to see how this compares with our trip to the cloud forests.

Travelling companions

Most of the rivers which take the melt waters from the eastern side of the high Andes feed down into the Amazon basin, so our trip began with a short flight from Quito to Coca where we started our trip down the lower river Napo.
Early start on Monday morning with some last minute packing and a quick breakfast before our airport transport arrived at 7.30am.  Met two of our travelling companions in the lobby - a German couple Martina and Rudolf - and after an easy journey through the morning rush hour traffic we arrived at the airport with a couple of hours to spare. Luckily the new airport is much more comfortable than the old one - I remember being herded around like cattle in an old barn and having to play musical chairs when the flight was delayed on our Galapagos trip in 2008.
This was much more civilised - plenty of space and seats, a couple of decent cafes, a few shops and a flight that left on time.
Unfortunately we were seated in the midst of a group of geriatric Americans who insisted on acting like teenagers on their first school outing. The old dear next to me - who was dressed more like a high school student - was in and out of her seat like a jack in a box to swap body lotion, sunblock and bug repellent with her pals and then up to the locker to get her sweater and then her sarong and then her jacket because she felt cold - all this in a 35 minute flight. Linda, on my other side was extremely impressed at how I managed to ignore her numerous attempts to start a conversation.
Thankfully when we joined our guide outside the airport in Coca they were not going to the same lodge.
While our group turned out to be 24 strong as we boarded the motorised canoe for our trip down river at least they all seemed reasonably normal - in addition to our new German friends, there were a French couple, two Australian ladies, and an English mother and her 21 year old daughter , while even the Americans who made up the numbers seemed quite well-behaved!
Even with cushioned seats, the 2 1/2 hour journey was more than enough - because the water levels are so low, we had numerous stops to negotiate our way through the sandbanks - so we were all very glad to arrive at the river jetty which served the lodge. From there we had a 20 minute walk followed by a 30 minute canoe ride (paddled, this time) to the lagoon where the lodge was situated.

Just time for a cooling drink and a quick change before we were introduced to our guides and headed off for a canoe trip around the lagoon to spot the variety of birds that were starting to appear.

Higher than I've ever been without an aircraft around me

As part of our tour of Quito we started off with a trip on the Teleferiqo  - a cable car - which takes you to 13,300ft on the upper reaches of the Pichincha Volcano. We were there early on Sunday morning ahead of the crowds but in company with the serious hikers who were planning to take on the 3 hour hike to the peak at around 15,200ft.
I was impressed to see the 8 year old girl with her sister and parents confidently striding off up the trail when I could only manage a short climb to the viewing point before I needed to stop for a breather!
The views were amazing, across the City which was hidden by the cloud, to the string of volcanoes in the Andes on the western horizon with Cayambe, Antisana and Cotopaxi topping out at 18,500 -19,500ft.

Our guide/driver for the day then took us to the San Juan viewpoint above Guayapo to see the route across the mountains to the Amazon and then to the top of Panecillo where the huge statue of the winged virgin looks out over the city.

We followed this with a walking tour of the centre of the colonial city - which has more than it's fair share of large ornate churches.

Decided to skip the last couple and headed home for a glass of beer and a pizza after a brief stop in the Plaza Grande to see the Sunday afternoon crowds.
Time to pack up for tomorrow's trip to the lower Napo valley in the Amazon basin where we will spend the next few days before returning to Quito next weekend. No telephone or wifi so no contact till we get back to the city - looking forward to it.

First night in Quito

It is so good to arrive at your destination after a journey that has gone according to schedule.
Even better to arrive in bright sunshine and 21C after a very comfortable journey with KLM - they treated us very well, and fed us some excellent food and wines - as good a flight as any other I can remember.
However it was a long flight - 11 1/2 hours in daylight  - there are only so many movies you can watch and we were both glad to arrive at our hotel in time to have a stroll around the city centre as the sun was setting over the mountains that surround the city. Unfortunately, our plans for a leisurely dinner went by the board as we headed for bed early - could only managed the aperitif.
We are staying at Patio Andaluz - a historic monument converted to a hotel about 10 years ago - we were here in 2008 and enjoyed it so much we had to return. It may not have all the bells and whistles of a modern hotel but it is comfortable and friendly and a great location close to the Plaza Grande.
Up early for breakfast followed by a morning of gentle sightseeing - we are booked for the full city tour tomorrow but decided to take in a couple of interesting museums - followed by lunch. Quito is about 8500 feet above sea level so it takes a little acclimatising - even a short incline can raise the heart rate!  
Did notice that most of our fellow guests are of an age where they are enjoying la vida de jubilado like ourselves - at least it makes a change from the coach loads of Chinese tourists who we seem to be encountering on a regular basis - whether on the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan or at the Hyatt Place in Schiphol.

Our first night - the Hyatt Place at Schiphol - another airport and another airport hotel - has everything you expect including some decent local beer and an excellent Indonesian chicken curry - just a bit soulless.
Hopefully the next leg of the journey will go as well as today - all according to plan - a pleasant sunny day for the drive to Dublin, easy trip through the terminal including the obligatory pint of Guinness in the departure lounge and a flight that left and arrived on time!
We are here for less than 12 hours so the only things that really matter are the very efficient shuttle bus service, a comfortable bed and a good shower, hopefully the breakfast will match up to our expectations on our way back to the airport for an 11 hour flight to Quito.
Realised as we landed at Schiphol this evening that it is nearly 18 years since I was last here and more than 20 since I was here on a regular basis, Obviously it has changed and like many of it's counterparts it looks more like an extremely large shopping mall with excellent transport links.
However while the UK government continues to prevaricate over new airport capacity for London, it appears that Schiphol is about to start a new phase of redevelopment and expansion.

Silver Wings shining in the sunlight, Roaring engines headed somewhere in flight

Last year it was a Joni Mitchell song - or was it John Denver? This year since there is no taxi involved, I think it is Merle Haggard's turn although the rest of the lyrics don't really suit.

We are off to Dublin in the morning for a flight to Schiphol with a direct connection to Quito. Schiphol was a regular stop in one of my previous lives - there were a few memorable sessions in the bar waiting for connecting flights but the details have grown hazy over the years!

Flying with KLM this time - a change from BA mainly because they couldn't offer us a routing that didn't involve Miami or Houston - looking forward to the experience.

Linda finally finished her clothes selection at about 5pm this evening after 8 days of deliberating. Bags were packed by 6.15 pm and I am pleased to say that even with smaller bags than last year we still had a little room to spare! Maybe next year it will be hand luggage only!!

Just a few last minute jobs to finish up in the morning and then get the house closed up and on the road.  After the last couple of weeks of preparation it is definitely time to get started.

Hopefully our next post will be from Quito where we start off with a weekend's sightseeing in the old colonial city and perhaps even a restaurant or two.

It's that time again

If it's the beginning of January, then it must be time to get the travel bags down from the loft and dust off the holiday gear.
This year we are off to Ecuador and Costa Rica for about 7 weeks - apparently it is good to 'stretch one's comfort zone' so a few weeks of speaking Spanish should take care of that. I still remember my efforts from an earlier trip where dinner consisted of a plate of plain boiled spaghetti with neither sauce nor any accompaniment - hopefully we will avoid a repetition this time.
We've prepared everything for the laying ducks and hens to go to their holiday homes and after what seems like months of rain there is nothing else we can do outside - apart from chopping firewood.
So the focus turns to sorting clothes for the holiday and trying to remember where we put those check-lists of essential items. Finding the essential items will be an additional challenge!
While not actually back-packing we are not planning to do any driving so we need to ensure that our luggage is manageable. Linda thinks this means two large trolley bags while I am focussing on a couple of rucksacks. Lets see how the compromise works out!
I managed to sort my clothes in about 10 minutes and 3 days later Linda is still procrastinating. Still she has another 6 days until we leave.