09/06/2019 – Maquipucuna, Ecuador

We had coffee and cake at 06:15 in the kitchen area, before a 06:30 departure for a bird spotting walk. Our guide pointed out some beautiful bright turquoise, yellow, green and red birds, that I’m sure we wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint without his help. It was worth getting up for!

Morning stroll in the rainf forest.

Early morning bird watching walk.

We got back for breakfast at around 0900 – bircher muesli and some currant cake things cooked in palm leaves, and blackberry juice and coffee. Mum requested a medicinal plant walk, so our guide showed and explained the plants that are used traditionally and locally for different things such as anaemia, haemorrhage, gastritis and diabetes. My favourite plant was an ‘achiote’ – a thorn spiky ball the guide picked from the tree, cracked open and stirred up to make a chalky red/orange paint. He said it is what the tribes in the Amazon paint themselves with. We also saw loads of leafcutter ants and a plant called ‘zapatitos de bebe’ or baby shoes – the flower looks exactly like a tiny pair of red baby shoes!

Our guide sharing his knowlegde off the local plants

Our Guide.

We went back to our lodge and sat on the balcony watching the birds and insects, and I caught up with this diary. Then we regrouped for lunch before a relaxing afternoon.

Jen and Ali having fun on the balconey.

Dad had booked mum and I in for a massage! Mum went first and the masseuse lady really went for her bad ankle! My skin felt so soft afterwards. The massage started with a rock salt and oil scrub which we then showered off, my skin felt so buttery I though I might slip over in the shower. Then we got smothered in melted chocolate from the local area – mum even tasted some of hers! It did smell divine. We got wrapped in dressing gowns over the chocolate and then ushered back to our rooms to shower off. My muscles felt so relaxed I could have had a sleep after that! Dad and Josh had been relaxing in the coffee area and playing with cameras and photos. We spent some time in mum and dads room for a bit, dad spotted a beautiful bird called a motmot that landed right in front of us and we gleefully watched as it hopped from branch to branch just behind the floor to ceiling window we were sitting next to. Then we went for dinner before our night walk. Our guide somehow found and pointed out an owl up in the trees, and Josh did some long exposure photos to try and capture the fireflies and the glowing butterfly lava. We showered and went to bed, quickly soothed to sleep by the steady running water of the river and the low hum of the insects of the rainforest.

Attempted glow worm photo.