Amazing Amazon

This cheerful entry is a glimpse into my four day adventure into the jungle camp of Indi Churis in Ecuador. My chocomilk turned milkshake during the nearly two hours the bus bounced over river pebbles to get to the path leading to the camp. The walk was lovely through the jungle for about 20 minutes despite my heavy backpack. Arrived to find a deserted set of bungallows at a riverside set in beautifully maintained gardens. Unloaded the packed and went to explore with some holas and hellos much of the amusement of a big green parrot.
I've found a row of wooden houses built on stilts, each crammed with beds. Found out later that this place is on the tour agencies itinery. Groups coming on $50/day jungle tours from Banos, stay here overnight so the place is not completely remote. - After about a half hour wondering around, a young native girl turned up with a baby. She and her husband look after the maintenance. Her accent wrapped her words in a thick, spongy bundle that I had some difficulty pealing off. Got the gist on the end, she said there was no food. Well, I though what the hell, I got a packet of cookies and a small bottle of water, saw huge bunches of ripe bananas and plenty of guyabas trees, I'm staying. She said $5 per night quite clearly. Then her husband turned up. His face looked as he met Freddy Kruger behind the bushes. Bloody cuts on hi face and three missing front teeth. I dug out my firth aid kit and cleaned his wounds, gave him a pack of 600mgs Ibuprofen and $20 to go to the hospital in Puyo, the nearest town the next day. It where he was attacked and robbed of his family's food money in broad daylight. Then the girl found some food afterall and cooked some rice, eggs and plantains for dinner.

The sun was already setting behind heavy storm clouds. I wached the lightning drawing abstracts into the dark sky across the river. The air was heavy but our side didn't get any rain. The sound of thunder felt oddly comforting like a downsleeping bag made of sound, I slept. Woke up early morning to a spooky world hugged tightly by moist mist. It was beautiful.

A curious, deep machine made kind of sound called me over to the kitchen hut. It came from a round, black bird about the size of a fat chicken with long legs, shiny blue neck and greyish wing feathers. It blew his body up then released a sound slowly while deflating. Wonderful. It came up to me, pecked my fingers and squeaked a bit. I though it might be hungry. I picked a small banana off a huge bunch I found hanging on the crossbeam. The bird was happy and followed me around. We ate rice and eggs for breakfast. The girl told me the bird was a male Trumpeter. I gave him rice from my plate and made a friend for life, well at least for the duration. He liked his head and neck scratched it felt like black velour.

Senor Jorge and Senora Cecilia Vargas the owners were a native Kichwa couple. He the head shaman of the community and looks the part. Around 70, fit as a horse, his grey mane tied in along pony tail, stringed up boar teeth and a dried snake's head around his neck. Her, the mother of 14 children 11 whom are still alive. She's around 70 too I guessed. Small, wiry and beautiful. Their youngest son died about 12 years ago of an electric sock while trying to fix the lighting in the camp. He'd just finished military academy and was the apple of their eye. They talk about him often.
- The young man I nursed told them of my deed and it was punished with an invitation to stay as their guest which I've accepted. Well it's actually rude to refuse anything one's offered in Ecuador. Not that I would have. So I went for a stroll and found an other, long house that looked like a gift shop/bar which it was. See the tour groups come for an authentic Amazon experience but demand cold beer even in the jungle. So there is a fridge packed with brew and music even. Marilyn Manson was blearing out of a big boom box above the door. The young girl who was listening to it, turned out to be the Vargas' grand daughter who's at high school in Cuenca. She wants to study chemistry in university from next year. We went to pick wild lemons and a small apple sized, yellow, soft and very sour fruit called Arasa. She made some lemonade and guided me up to the mirador (look out) where his parents were working growing yuka and plantains. They cleared the area for the tourists, built a hut for the hammocks and hung a rope for swinging over the dropoff. The view is very pretty over the witches hat of the Vulcan Sangay behind the plateau. This area is at an altitude between 400 - 900 metres which gives it a pleasant climate witout the oppressive, hellish heat of lowland rainforests.
The shaman and his Cecilia returned to Puyo to visit their son's grave as it was The Day Of The Dead the next day. The camp was quiet once again. I spent the next day walking around with the young couple's seven month old baby glued to my hip. She was a the smiliest, happiest little girl and I had great pleasure showing her the beautiful flowers and letting her grab the leaves on trees.

She loved standing and laughed a lot about the smallest things. Lovely. The two skinny dogs were also very happy to get attention. They looked like a mix between Labrador and Dalmation, totally useless as guard dogs as they greeted everyone with ferocious tail wagging. The two Macaws did a better job they at least made some unpleasant sounds when strangers approached well, sometimes, Mostly they seemed to enjoy grooming, groping and 69-ing really. I fed them those small bananas too.
There was a happy little Cuchucho wrecking havoc in the kitchen whenever he was let out of his cage. This little fox size mammal has a long snout nose that feels like warm, wet rubber. He liked pushing his nose to me skin. Cute.The two meter Boa Constrictor didn't have as much fun caged up all the time taken out only to show the tourists. It won't live long I reckon. One of the native guides took it out and kept wrapping him around the tourists shoulders and scaring them by throwing it in their way. One Norwegian guy had a go at holding the snake but grabbed too far from the head. It bit the guy on the wrist...my first aid kit came out for the second time in three days. Running low on supplies though I haven't used anything for me yet except the tiger balm for the bug bites. Anyhow, Boas aren't poisonous which is sadly not the case with some of the people I met.

This trip was a good one though so far. A bit lonely at times as solo travelers are few and far. - I left Indi Churi yesterday with the Norvegians. Small world, I met them in Guayacuil where they work at a project with street kids. I made them lunch while they went to the mirador and the guide let me join the last day of the tour in return. His name is Dolphin. The native Kitchwa on the photo with the snake. We had some fun with the monkies at a wildlife rehab centre run by a swiss guy near Puyo. The monkies were very friendly. Searched all our pockets very throughly for snacks. I had drawn some lines on my arm with the juice of a furry fruit that have a red sap. A monkey licked it off, cleaning my thoroughly. So there; "November 2nd 2009 I got licked by a monkey" Good laugh, good end to my jungle adventure. I'm now back at the Hotel El Dorado in the center of Puyo. The rain pouring down and i ahve no desire to think about where to go next or what do do. just want to watch House on TV. Luckily it's on even in the jungle.:o)