Bob and Ann in Peru and Equador in 2008

Our plane to to Coca

From the piles of our luggage that were transported to the hotel lobby for storage and for the Amazon Basin, we grabbed our lighter luggage to take on the bus to the airport. At the VIP (that's the name of the airline) terminal we checked in and went through security to wait for the weather to clear in Coca before we could board our small plane. Thankfully, Zoe was well enough to travel so we were at 14 again. We helped ourselves to coffee, tea and soft drinks along with small snacks while we waited an hour to board.

Boarding our river taxi - Pat, Carlos, Ann, Kelly and Marcello

When we finally got off the ground in this 35 seater, it took us only 30 minutes to get over the Andes. We rode in an open-air bus from the airport to the Rio Napo and our dock. By 1:15 we were sized for Wellington boots and for life jackets. We boarded our motorized "canoe" and sat in rows of chairs bolted to the deck with our luggage stowed aft. We chugged up the Napo River at a good speed and arrived at the Yarina Lodge by 2:15. We were greeted with cups of lemonade and served a good, healthy lunch before we were dispatched to our cabins.

Cabins at the Yarina Lodge

Our cabin was cozy with an open shelf over a hanger rack, a small table fit at the foot of one bed for duffels, and a shared bedside table between the two mosquito-netted beds. The small bath included a shower with hot water which was available between 6 and 10PM when a generator provided power for the entire resort. A private front porch with a beckoning hammock and a straight chair completed our nest.

Nature walk near the Yarina Lodge

For our orientation walk with guide/naturalist Carlos and native specialist, Marcello, aka Machete Man, we had been told to wear our Wellingtons. We all had already applied layers of insect repellant and wore long sleeved shirts to protect us from mosquitoes. Our route was across the lagoon and a short loop up a trail where Carlos told us about critters that Marcello spotted. From grasshopper nests to a long-tailed potoo with her chick sleeping on a high branch we all slowly filed along the trail. Our hike back was faster after Terry spotted a snake below the trail, which Marcello identified as a fer du lance. We were glad to be wearing boots. Sitting on the large dining porch where we drank more lemonade, we noticed that the other guests were dressed comfortably in shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Many other insects were evident, but apparently now is not the mosquito season in this part of the Amazon Basin.

At 6:45 we again met on the porch where large bottles of beer were discovered and gratefully consumed before our healthy, caloric and good dinner.

On our evening walk around the lagoon, Cayman eyes were sighted while we tripped along the slender wooden walkway in the dark. With Machete Man in the lead to spot wildlife, we were relatively confident. After checking out some tiny frogs, a huge snail and many large spiders, we relaxed a bit and enjoyed listening to night sounds as we returned to our cabin by 9:15. After a welcome shower we lowered our mosquito nets and turned in, sleepy but pleased with this rain forest adventure.