Meant to post this earlier but obviously didn’t happen…
Not even in Mindo for a full 24 hours we managed to exhaust ourselves with numerous activities. Day one brought tubing, walks into town full of misunderstandings, and comforting and varied night conversations. Day two produced a rewardingly grueling hike complete with blisters, waterfall swimming, and rides in rickety hanging baskets, followed by zip-lining through the rainforest canopy.
Day one: Arriving at Hostería Mariposas late in the afternoon allowed a short time to drop our stuff in our bungalow style cabañas and scramble to lunch. Meals were served with an appetizer, main course and desert and were predetermined by the coordinator, Narcisa (I swear this woman could arrange anything in Ecuador). I consider myself amongst the population of frustratingly indecisive humans in this world, so this meal situation worked quite nicely for me. We were give two options of what to do after lunch: touring a traditional chocolate factory in town or tubing down the white-crested river. Sneaky indecision never stood a chance as my hand shot up for tubing without hesitation.
Decked in bathing suits and various forms of all-purpose sandals our group made its way to the nearby river. There sat two rafts made of six or seven tubes all roped together. Lifejackets and helmets were distributed, quick instructions were given, and we were off. No waiver to sign or consent to be given. We each sat on a section where the tubes were tied together, our feet stabilized on the sides of hole. Holding on to two rope handles was our own responsibility but the guides assured us that if we fell in they would make sure to grab us…comforting. The make-shift raft hurdled down the river, twisting and folding as it encountered new obstacles. There was nothing else to do but clench the rope handles and laugh. Our guides were true marvels as they pushed off the sides and jumped in and out of the freezing water. The night ended with a long walk into town with a new friend, delicious food, and random conversations.
Day 2: I have a fear of butterflies. Well it’s really only a fear of being trapped in a small space with them flying at my face and this conditional fear only applies to the creepy brown buggers with eye illusions on either wing. I don’t care how “beautiful” they are when their wings to reveal a sea of deep blue spread across their back, the spindly legs and hairy bodies are too reminiscent of flying spiders. Hummingbirds, however, have found a new place in my heart. Getting up with the sun is worth the chance to be a part of their flitting morning routine. It was what I imagine the center of a beehive to be like, the constant hum of wings, each bird with an purpose unbeknownst to outsiders moving importantly from one sugar flower to the next. After snapping an obscene amount of hummingbird pictures we ate breakfast and headed out for our first hike in Ecuador.
At a fork in the road our team opted for the tough hike believing that we were well adjusted enough to the altitude to take on the challenge, fortunately for us option one was washed out so by default we set out on the easier option. Thank the heavens for the fact that the Cloud Forest receives enough rain to wash out a trail because the “easy” hike left our group sucking in the fresh mountain air. However, the views, waterfalls, and chance to ride in a hanging metal basket made every desperate gasp worth it. After completing a loop around the mountain we were rewarded with the opportunity to go zip-lining over the jungle canopy. There are no adjectives to describe the delight that flying over the treetops with raindrops whipping my face brought me. It was magic. Later that night Narcisa briefed us on what to expect with our host families and the general etiquette of being an exchange student. The next day we would board the bus and head back to Quito before making our way south to our home for the next three months, Cuenca.
