May 25, 2012-- My First Swim!

yea... not as fun as it sounds... it wasn't an intentional swim either... so for all of my friends who always talk about how they wish they had my falls documented... you should be happy... because this one is... quite a few times I might add... haha

So today started off just like all of our other mornings on the mainland! woke up bright an early to do some adventuring! We were heading off to Antisana (Ecuador's fourth largest volcano! :) ) it was about a 2 hour drive, but we stopped plenty for pictures! It was extremelyyyy windy up there... I was really super cold pretty much all day... I didn't realize how cold it was going to be exactly. I thought jeans and a tshirt with 2 tank tops underneath and my fleece over it would be enough... yea.. not so much!

Anyway! On our way up, we saw 3 Andean Condors flying above us! (Ugly birds... but HUGE! It can have a wingspan of up to 10 feet! holy cats!) It was super cool! We watched them for a little while and then decided to drive up a little more! As we got farther up (of course) it got colder and colder! So I was getting out of the van less and less (I don't enjoy being cold) But after awhile we finally saw the volcano! It was covered in clouds, so it was kind of hard to see at first...

We didn't think we would end up seeing it at all, so we continued up the a lagoon (where Joe, Jon, and I decided to stay in the van since it had started raining and none of us had a jacket, or warm clothes). So after everyone else returned, we started driving back. To our surprise, when we were heading towards the volcano again, we realized it had cleared up! We were starting to see more and more of it!

So we continued to drive, hoping those pesky clouds would move so we could see the peak! (After all, it was the reason we had driven up this way in the first place!) We gave it a little more time, and some people decided to walk even closer (crazy people...) and we FINALLY got most of the clouds to break!!

So pretty and so happy! :)

After taking a bunch more, we started to head back down, still continuing to take a few pictures! After a little way, we stopped on the road to make ourselves our lunch (a delicious avocado and cheese sandwich :) ) and we decided to walk down to this little field by a stream (we would be a little more out of the wind..) so we walk to the path and find the stream. Well, adventurous Jon and Rob jump over the stream (didn't seem too far). So of course I'm contemplating doing the same... (I seem to forget I have shorter legs). Everyone thought I could do it, and Rob reminded me of the pact we had made earlier... Just to be safe I took my camera out of my pocket and handed it to Joel (Thank goodness!!). Jon stood on the other side to grab me when I jumped... I gave myself a little bit of a running start... jumped... made it to the other side ( I'm thinking in my head... "yay! I did it!!") then... uh oh... tipped back... Jon grabbed my hand, but it didn't work... Fell back into the stream... sooooaked with water... freezing cold water... instinct was to get out... so I got out on the side I was jumping to... The wind was blowing so I was extra cold... I stripped off my fleece, and quick walked back across the stream... got out and took off the tshirt I was wearing (so I was left with my wet jeans and tank tops) and thankfully Joe and Rob both gave me their long sleeves... Still... I was extremely cold, so we walked the long walk back to the van...

Unfortunately I was miserably cold the rest of the drive, but we stopped at this really cool restaurant that only uses local food! they had a cute little playground (with a zip line) just for kids (right at the edge of the mountain side haha safe? yea I didn't think so either!) it was in a beautiful location, and the area is apparently known for attracting hummingbirds! Super cool, especially when you're at such a high altitude!

After the visit, we continued on back to Quito, where I am now sitting in my hotel room, still trying to warm up, but thinking about dinner! There will be pictures of my fall soon! haha.. We finally head to the Galapagos tomorrow! Should be there by the afternoon!! :) Can't wait!! xx

May 24, 2012-- A Day of Some Ziplining and Chocolate :)

Our last day at Bellavista! :( 

Nelson decided to take us ziplining (that’s right… ziplining in the Andes) We drove to Mindo (some more gorgeous views of the mountains; these views never get old…), which is a cute little town of about 4,000 people. There are a lot of tourist-y things to do in Mindo, but we chose Mindo Canopy Tours! It has 10 different cables, all varying in length and steepness and I was super pumped! 

They got us all harnessed up, and then we headed off! This place was awesome! Deb, Jon, and Joe all got videos of a few of the cables, which I’m super excited to see and I’ll be sure to get them up here at some point so you can see the views and stunts we did! Haha! 

First I tried the Superman! I was paired up with our guide, Nelson, and I lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist (yes… I know what  some of you goofballs are thinking… ) and I went down the cable head first! Looking down into the jungle! It was crazyyyy!!! I went down this way a few times because it was so incredible! (including the last one which was suuuuper high and suuuuper long!!) The other position I had gone down in, (one that I wasn’t really expecting at the time!) was going down the cable upside-down! This was also super crazy! But I decided not to do it again because I kept getting the feeling like I was going to slip out of my harness and dive down into the jungle. But at least I can say that I did it! :D

Then we decided to reward ourselves and all of our bravery with a nice tour of an Ecuadorian chocolate factory! :D We went through all of the steps of how chocolate is made (the good kind of chocolate, not the Hershey kind ;) ) and then got a tasting at the end! Abby (the British woman we met, who came along on this trip) dove right in and ate a bit of the chocolate set out, not realizing it was still unsweetened! Man, was she surprised! For those of you who don’t know, pure chocolate is extremely bitter! So you can imagine when you expect something sweet like the chocolate we all know and love, and you shove a glob of bitter cacao in your mouth, it’s quite the shock! We took small samples of melted chocolate (pure chocolate) and added sugar, took another and added sugar and chile peppters, and then sampled a few of the syrups made from the cacao bean during fermentation! And of course at the end we got some nice warm brownies! :) 

Then we had to head back to Bellavista for a quick lunch (soup, porkchops, salad, and cake!), packing up, and our goodbyes! Then it was back to Quito for us! So now we’re sitting back in our hotel in Quito, catching up on whatever we need to do before going to bed because we have another early day ahead! Guess who’s climbing a volcano tomorrow! ;)

May 23, 2012-- The Beastiary!

I decided to sleep in (the beds in our tree house we oober comfortable) so I didn’t go bird watching in the morning. I woke up around 7:30 to be ready for breakfast! This time we had papaya and pineapple with yogurt and granola, and then bread and scrambled eggs (they fed us so well here… it was awesome!!). 

Then, after sitting around and talking for awhile, Rob and I decided we wanted to take a nice, easy walk and take more pictures, while Josh, Joel, Jon, and Joe went off with Nelson on one of the hardest hikes at the Reserve. We were too tired and just wanted to have a relaxing walk. So we grabbed our walking sticks (didn’t bother with boots today because it was going to be a simple hike), started up one of the easy trails, took a few pictures and came out on the road! Instead of heading back after only like 20 minutes of walking, we decided to walk down to the research station to see if we could get in! Sadly we couldn’t, so we continued to walk a little way down the road and then we saw another path that wasn’t marked. We decided to check it out.. We could always turn around. So we walked a little way and saw the research station! We continued all of the way day and wandered around a little bit! Then Rob saw the trail (B-- given the name "The Beastiary") that he had gone on the last time he came to the Reserve 2 years ago! He said it was a pretty intense hike, that really wasn’t worked on or walked ever, you could barely see the trail! We decided, meh what the heck, (we eventually made a pact to make the other person do everything imaginable on the trip so we would miss out, “whatever I do, you have to do..”) 

Let’s have an adventure! 

This walk eventually leads to some pretty awesome waterfalls! It was only a 650 meter trail, but you basically went straight down the mountain! (thank goodness for walking sticks! They definitely kept me standing or I would have slid down the entire mountainside!) You could barely see the trail, the trail was super steep! And Rob also fell a few times! We definitely took it slow, but this trail was crazy!! We felt pretty awesome after we reached the bottom of the trail (fully knowing we had to climb ALL the way back up! Ugh…) and then we followed the river on another trail (Q) that was basically all mud. We climbed up one more small part (we could hear the waterfall!) and then we ditched the sticks and grabbed the rope that was tied to the side of the mountain and scaled the side of it! (that was a first for me! Even if it was only a short little drop, still scared me! Haha) but at last! We finally reached the waterfall!! It was soooo pretty!! The water was nice and cool, so the spray felt nice after the stressful walk down! 

So we took a few pictures, and then decided we should probably head back up! Let me tell you… it was a looooong hike back up! Haha.. but we finally made it! (less slips and falls this time… yayyy!) We felt super accomplished (and suuuuper exhausted!) so we walked back to the dome, ate a lunch of more soup (so good), a ham-stuffed chicken with a salad, and flan (not my favorite.. haha) and then I took a super long nap… it felt incredible! it  didn’t bother me that I had missed out on another hike, because I’m pretty sure if I would have gone on it I would have tipped of the mountain for sure! 

After waking up (with only little time left until dinner haha) we played a game of Skip-bo and then headed down. We had some soup, spaghetti, and peaches and cream! :) They guys decided that, after diiner they wanted to try the special alcohol that was sitting on the desk, so they each bought 2, and I had one and a coke (there was tamrind, blackberry, ginger, and vanilla rum; I chose the vanilla and then put it in some coke because, come on now… we all know Jordan can’t do shots!) Then we all sat and either had a coffee or tea (I chose an apple-cinnamon tea—delicious!) and we watched a slide show Deb had put together of the Galapagos and an awesome video Jon edited and then we all got ready for bed! (I got to sleep on the fourth floor that night! So we were surrounded by all glass! Freaked me out when I woke up in the middle of the night and I was looking down at the jungle, but it was still amazing nonetheless!!)

May 22, 2012- Treehouses, Rainforest Hikes, and Waterfalls.. Oh My!

6 o clock in the morning… 

Definitely not enough sleep. But I woke up with extreme excitement at what was going to happen today! So I couldn’t really be too tired! We packed up the van and started another very interesting trek through Quito. Even at 6:30 in the morning people were everywhere! The streets were busy, but the city and the view of the mountains were gorgeous! We saw the monument that marks the equator (which is apparently not in the correct spot but that’s beside the point :P) 

Driving through crazy winding streets, we drove out of Quito (which is mostly dry because of its location in a valley, not getting as much rain as the other areas) and you could immediately see the difference in vegetation (which is cool to us biology, geography, and geology majors!) We started driving up into the mountains… not just any mountains… the Andes… heck yes… I’m totally hanging out in the Andes for the next 3 days. I’m going to say this again, driving in this area is NUTS! The drivers pass when there are turns coming up, or hilly areas (you know, areas where, in the US, are solid double yellow lines, to prevent us from killing each other at high speeds) Pretty sure I clenched my seat every time that happened… because not only could you smash into a car, truck, or what not, but if that happens, you were probably going to go flying of the mountainside. It was freaky… haha.. We got incredible views from these roads though! 

While we were driving, we got to stop and get out and take pictures of a view, because of the landslide up ahead. Apparently it happened a month ago, and the crew was still working to clean it up. So it allowed traffic through every 15 minutes. So we got out and wandered down the road a little. The view… was amazing! (Don’t worry! Pictures will definitely be coming soon!) 

Then, after getting back in the van, when I thought the roads couldn’t get any worse, we turned sharply up onto a steep gravel road (which we would be on for the next 12 km.. ugh..) it’s a pretty narrow road, so lets just say you got lovely views over the edge of a mountain side! (still gorgeous though!!) 

Then… we arrived in probably the coolest place EVER!! BellaVista Cloud Forest Reserve! (I posted the link on my first post, but it seriously doesn’t do the place justice… this place is incredible!) We’ll be staying here for the next 3 days, trekking through rainforest (epic!) We walk up and are introduced to our guide, Nelson, and then shown our rooms… which I can’t even describe to you, they are the coolest! We’re in the dome on top of a mountain. This place can only be described as a four story Swiss Family Robinson style treehouse in the Andes Mountains. (ITS FREAKING AWESOME!!) The dome is circular, with a wrap around deck (all overlooking the mountain range and cloud forest).  The first floor is the dining area, where they feed us breakfast (8 am), lunch, (1 pm), and dinner (7 pm) and it also has an open bar (guess what we’re doing tonight while bug watching after dinner! ;) ); the second floor (which you take a spiral staircase up to) has single rooms all the way around.. (6 or 7 rooms total) THEN! Our part of the dome ;) extending from the spiral staircase and going straight up the middle of the dome, is a ladder. The ladder leads to the third floor, where there is a bathroom and probably 10 beds, just on the floor with windows looking out to the forest and then a deck out the back with a couple chairs on it. THEN!! You climb the ladder up AGAIN!! To the fourth floor (the top of the dome) which has three beds and is all windows! It’s seriously unreal… 

After we all freaked out about the place we’d be living in for the next couple days, we went down for breakfast (because yes, it was still only 8 in the morning… ) We had a bowl of fruit (melons and pineapple) with yogurt and granola, bread with butter and jam, and scrambled eggs. After breakfast we went to meet up for our first hike! While waiting for everyone to meet up we were standing by the hummingbird feeders. I’ve never seen soooo many hummingbirds in one area ever! And there were so many species! (My favorite would have to be the rackettail hummingbirds! :) ) and they didn’t even mind if we were standing right next to them. We even got them to land on our fingers! A couple of them thought that my “birthday bracelet of power” (haha cara ;) ) was the feeder so they were sticking their beaks into the holes! 

Then Nelson took Josh, Jon, Joel and I on our first hike! (there are a ton a trails! I’ll get a map up soon!) The trails range from Easy to Slippery/Suicidal… haha… We went on a few difficult ones, but it was so amazing! The views we had! Overlooking the Andes… the jungles! I seriously can’t even begin to describe how incredible this place is. I wish I could show you… the pictures don’t even begin to show how amazing it is! We saw a ton of different birds and plants and insects that I honestly can’t remember the names of, but we took a ton of pictures! We ate some flowers that had a bit of a sour taste to them, which Jon seemed to love! We also saw some rubber trees (which aren’t the ones we use for tires) and dragon’s blood trees! (The sap is blood red when it comes out of the tree! It has over 100 different uses, a bunch being medicinal) 

After trekking for a couple hours (and me taking a digger after trying to see some baby hummingbirds) we headed back to the dome for lunch! We had a squash soup (phenomenal) and then fresh rainbow trout with rice, as well as salad. I’m not a fan of seafood at all, but this was a seriously incredible meal! Then we had some sort of mousse for dessert (unfortunately I was super full from the first 2 courses I was only able to have a little of this amazingly rich dessert! Josh made sure they didn’t go to waste though ;) ) 

Then Josh, Joe, Jon, Joel, and I decided we wanted to hike to a waterfall (Discovery Falls). The trail (D) was pretty steep and slippery (I was pretty entertained following Joe, who slid down the trail more than he walked it haha) but we finally made it and it was pretty sweet! :) first waterfall in the Andes! Then (because the first part of D was all down hill, we had to head back up! Which I found to be a lot easier than climbing down, it was just more tiring! 

We finally got back to the dome (after walking 1.7 km up the road we originally took to get to Bella Vista).  We got to lounge around for a little while, and relax before another wonderful dinner! We each decided to have an Ecuadorian beer, Pilsner, which was actually really delicious! And then we had another type of soup, I’m not sure which kind, but it was really good! Then we had a spinach and cheese burrito with a cheese sauce, and some mashed potatoes! We had plans after dinner to go watch for insects but we were all so exhausted we decided to go to bed at like 10 pm (can you say laaaame ;) ) We did a lottttt the first day.. so sleep was definitely well deserved.. I don’t care how lame a 10 o clock bed time is haha

May 21, 2012- The Day of Departure!! :)

(wow… I’m realizing I’m going to have soooo much to talk about for every entry… I hope you all like reading.. ha)

This was the actual start of our crazy adventure! Woot! Woke up at 5 o clock to finish getting packed and then set out for Minneapolis! This would probably be the longest day I’ve ever experienced!! Traveled from Minneapolis, then Chicago, then had a 3 hour layover in Miami. Then we officially left the country!! :)

We FINALLY touched down in Quito, Ecuador (after a flight including “We Bought A Zoo”,  and complimentary wine, gin and tonics, and beer!) at around 11:20pm local time (which is also WI time!) As soon as we stepped off the plane you could feel the difference in the air pressure (you’re legs feel really funny..) Then we had to go through customs.. not exactly the first thing you want to do after an entire day of traveling.. but had a lovely surprise upon walking out of customs and into the airport lobby! After almost 3 years of not seeing him, I saw our exchange student José! SO AWESOME! :) We didn’t stay long and talk though, because we were all exhausted, so we got a taxi to take us to our hotel (Hotel Plaza Internacional).  Driving in Quito (even at night) is nuts. I don’t think I could ever figure out the roads. They just go in random directions, and… I’m pretty sure red lights are optional, at least at night because our driver definitely drove through a couple (not sure how that works!). Looking at all of the signs for all of the buildings and just the way the buildings are all set up and designed is what made me realize I was actually in a different country. I just kept thinking to myself, I’m not going to be able to understand anything for 3 months… great.. language barrier (surprisingly I think I’ll be able to pick up quite a bit of what I’ve lost, and figure out new things! By the time I get back I’ll be fluent…psh… yea right) When we got to the hotel, it was actually really sweet! Simple, and what not… but a really cool building! We all went to bed as SOON as we got there because not only did we have an exhausting day, but we had an early morning and a super eventful day that was going to start at 6:00 am..

Less than 24 hours?!

What?!

That's right! I officially have less than 24 hours until my trip begins! I KNOW I didn't see everyone I wanted to before I left (and that makes me suuuuper sad!) So please please please message me! :)

(Holy crap... 24 hours)

All week I've been thinking, "Wow, a week from today, and I'm going to be sitting in a cloud forest in Ecuador... " I keep trying to imagine myself there and it hasn't worked... I'm not sure when it will hit me. It definitely hasn't at all. Even when saying goodbye to people, I feel like I'm still going to see them tomorrow.

(24...hours...)

Final preparations all day today... It's so stressful! I'm afraid I'm going to forget something extremely essential... And even if I remember something I did forget, it is now all packed away in storage, or back in Waupaca. I don't have a car to get to either place. So that's grand. I'll learn to survive I guess. Probably didn't need it anyway, if it wasn't something I remember immediately.

(AHHH... 24 hours...)

Last night was the last night at 1015 S. Barstow! Slept in an empty room, with no bed... just my luggage...  it felt weird... Tonight I'm staying at Deb Freund's house, so we can get up super early and head out! It's crazyyyy!! (I might have mentioned this before, but I have more details of our travel plans now!) So tonight, Joe Weirich and I are hangin' out at Deb's house, attempt to get some sleep, and then we leave at 5:30 am for Minneapolis. We'll be meeting Rob Rolof, Jon Bowen, and Joel Smith at the airport, where we'll fly out at 10:55 am! Then we fly to Chicago, then Miami, and arrive in Quito (where we'll meet Josh Pletzer!) at around 10 pm. We're staying overnight in Quito and then getting up nice and early and heading to Bellavista Cloud Forest! :) (see previous post!) We'll spend 2 nights at the cloud forest! Then head back to Quito where we'll spend a day, wandering around the city! Then we fly out and fly the 500 miles to the Galapagos!! :) and we'll take it from there!! :)

I'm not sure when I'll have access to internet to write my next post and let you all know how traveling went, but I will try and do it as soon as possible! :)

TWENTY FOUR HOURS!!! :D

First post on my blog! (not quite sure what I'm doing, but I have 3 months to figure it out!) I'm creating this blog to document (wow... that sounds more professional then I'm used to) all of my travels! including ones I've previously made, as well as the ones I'm going to be making! :) It's for you, yes, but mainly for me. I'm going to like having all of my journal entries in one place! So here it goes! Enjoy! :)

Holy crap! I leave in less than 9 days! So much to do, SOOO little time... For those of you who don't know, I'm heading down to the Galapagos Islands for 3 months! (For those of you who don't know where it is...)

I'll be working in the Entomology lab at the Charles Darwin Research Station, in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz :) It just so happens that it's right on the beach! (Guess where I'll be taking my lunch breaks! ;) )

So we're leaving from Eau Claire, WI at 6 am on Monday May 21st!! We have one full day of traveling! We'll be getting into Quito, Ecuador around 10:30 pm! (No time change = No jet lag! woot!) and adventure starts right away! We'll be driving about an hour and a half north to Tandayapa, Ecuador to stay at the Bellavista Cloud Forest Resort! I would sit and explain how amazing it looks and how excited I am to go, but you should just check it out yourself! ;)

http://www.bellavistacloudforest.com/english/index.php

amazing right?! yea... I'm pretty pumped!

After a few days in the mountains, we'll head over to the Galapagos! yayayay!!

But now I'm going to stop talking about it and anticipating what it's going to be like!! I'll try and keep everyone up to date as much as possible and I'll add plenty of pictures too! Time to go organize and work on my last tidbits of homework before I leave!! (I would love to see as many of you as possible before I leave so PLEEEASE get a hold of me!! :) ) talk to you soon! Adios! ;)