The Ecuadorian Amazon

Highlights:
- Seeing pink river dolphins multiple times (including on the journey to the lodge!)
- The lodge was really nice (even if very rustic) and we both enjoyed being off grid and off our phones for 5 days
- Going on 2 night walks and seeing so many insects and animals on each one - very scary though and Serena had to overcome her fear of moths!
- Seeing the parrots at the clay lick - we waited 30 minutes for them to come down from the trees but it was worth it
- We had 3 treks into the jungle, all different trails, and saw animals and learnt about loads of medicinal plants
- We went in motor canoe a few times down different parts of the river, and paddle canoe once down a narrower part
- We tried catching piranhas but with no luck, although Josh got a fish on his rod before it managed to escape once out of the water!
- Paddle boarding on the lake was a great experience, although knowing there were caiman and electric eels in there made it a bit less relaxing!
- Watching the sunset whilst seeing the dolphins, and went up on a sandbank with a beer with the group
- We went in the motor canoe at night twice and used torches to scan for eyes in the water and in the trees which was really fun but again a bit spooky
- We went on an extra trip out on paddle canoe at night and watched one of the local staff catch 3 fish using a spear which was an unforgettable experience
- Hearing the 'marching' of soldier wasps once we shouted and made them think there was an attack
- Watching sunrise from a tower built around a tree and seeing the canopy from above
- Tracking wild pigs (peccories) and hearing them squeal and run away when we got close - unfortunately we only glimpsed the movement of the leaves and not the actual animals!
- Having many pinch me moments including watching monkeys swing from trees as parrots flew overhead, and seeing the bright blue butterfly on the cover of journey to the river sea floating next to our canoe!

Lowlights:
- The overnight buses followed by 2 hours in a minivan and 3 hours on a boat were very tiring both ways!
- We were scared to sleep the first night with all the bugs and sounds of the jungle, but luckily our sleep masks and ear plugs helped us

Food and drinks:
- All the food at the lodge was really nice and better than we expected
- Breakfast was some kind of hot dish like eggs or empanadas with a side of fruit
- Lunch and dinner were a soup followed by a main (different every day!), and at dinner we got dessert too
- Every meal was served with some kind of local fruit juice, and there was unlimited hot chocolate too (although we could only have them really early or late due to the heat!)
- We got a juice coming back from the late morning activity, and juice and snacks before the afternoon activityLeggi altro