The Jungle!

YUTURI LODGEis set 5 hrs in a motorized canoe along the Rio Napo from Coca, itself a 30 minute flight from Quito. The flight cost us $50 which is isn't bad, and the plane itself wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting. We flew past two snow capped volcanoes, and as we approached Coca we were greeted with an amazing sight, the sort you normally see on wildlife programs - an aerial view of the rainforest, densely populated with trees and dominated by magnificent meandering rivers. As we got off the plane, our passports were thourougly checked before we were driven in the back of a truck to the motorised canoe. After 5 hours on the river I wasn't bored at all, I was continually amazed at the sights we saw. We passed young kids playing in the river, their wooden homes behind them, we saw huge eagles flying above us which gave me my first opportunity to use my binoculars properly. We picked up locals who used the canoe as a taxi service and dropped them off at their homes, I only realised after they'd got off that there was a young family - the children had barely made a noise in the boat. We went past a number of other lodges, indicating that if Yuturi Lodge is further into the jungle than the others it must surely be better. On lodge had a heavily armed guard protecting it; we wondered whether he'd mind having his picture taken... he looked quite young but we decided against the photo opportunity just in case he got arsey. As we approached the lodge the river got narrower, and the wildlife became more visible, as well as audible.

Yuturi Lodge is one of my favourite places in the world. 15 cabins set in the middle of the jungle along the Yuturi river - there's so much to see and do, we only had 2 full days and got up to so much.

We arrived at the lodge around mid afternoon on the friday, and were shocked at the heat and humidity. Poor sarah (again) got burnt on the way there, her sunglasses meant that her face resembled a panda, and we all found it funny. One of the most suprising aspects is the noise made by the insects - they scream constantly, it's so much louder than i would have imagined. We saw large electric Blue Molpho butterflies which would have made a fantastic photos fluttering in the sun, but they were so quick; huge hawks; 3D spider webs the size of hockey goals... The lodge itself had a bird watching hideout in the roof - i've never been a keen birdwatcher, but when you're in the company of toucans, eagles and so many big, colourful birds that i could never remember their names, it's fantastic.

That night we went on a night hike, armed only with torches. The jungle is a hive of excitement at night, particularly for insects... we met the yuturi ant, a poisonous bugger which you have to kill and then rub its stomach onto the bite if it gets you. There were also thousands of leaf-cutter ants, carrying tools 24 hours a day, and we also found a tarantula, although it disappeared down a hole after Dave the klutz stepped on a twig. I'll never know how i managed to get to sleep that night - it was SO hot, and obviously no air conditioning, but a mosquito net to protect us from the evil creatures of the night. I also heard eerie footsteps, which our guide Jimmy said was probably a jaguar, bats flew in and out of the gaps in the roof, and then the thunder and lightning started... it's a wonder we actually got to sleep. The girls were so scared they slept in the same bed - this didn't' help as they couldn't get to sleep as they were so hot, and every time they heard a noise they turned on the torch to see what it was - they didn't seem to realise that light attracts more insects!

We were woken up the next morning at 5.45, to canoe silently around the forest looking at the birds and plants; we see a toucan, bats which i scare with my cameral flash, and I generally make the most of my £34.99 binoculars. It's very misty at that time in the morning, and we see quite a few birds before heading back to the lodge for breakfast. I also noticed just how big some of the nests are - some must have housed millions of wasps, it's incredible. By 8am its VERY hot, we slap on the suncream and DEET (essential) before setting off for an amazing adventure in the jungle. Back in the canoe, we head deep into the jungle, until we are forced to stop. Why? There's a 5m long caiman (relative of alligators) ahead of us, so obviously we cannot continue. I get my binoculars out and get a fantastic view of the devil. He's huge. I also mangage to get a fairly decent photo of it in the distance, which you can see by looking at my photos section. Eventually it slides under water and we canoe past the spot where he was. I was fairly scared, although we're told he's no threat as he's just fishing. It was a black one, they're the big ones so it deserved respect. Also near the caiman we hear some monkeys screaming through the trees; we reverse to have a look and I manage to spot my first monkey - an amazing few minutes.

We finally made our dropping off point, by which point it's tipping it down. I guess this is why they call it a rainforest. But to me, it made it better - less humid, and we all had good waterproof jackets, so it was fun. In fact over the next 4 hrs or so we don't get much of a break from the rain. We just trudge through swamps, and see some incredible sights. Here's some of the highlights: Eating live ants is strange (they are lemon flavoured); eating the coconut of the jungle; seeing the biggest tree in the jungle - 500 years old and as wide as a house, with 300m roots; having a rat the size of a fat puppy run over my feet (a brown agouti); holding a massive millipede; avoiding the tapir footprints so we didn't spoil it's territory, sinking in sand; seeing a spiky tree used to tortue people; learning about all sorts of medicinal plants; our guide Midado slashing through the jungle with his machete; Midado holding a tiny frog by its legs and giggling like a girl; getting soaked to the bone... In fact it was incredible just to learn about how people survive in the jungle. Midado knew so much, every few minutes he'd show us another plant or insect which is somehow used to cure an illness, and tell us how some plants are believed to contain magical voodoo properties - it was fascinating.

After all that we somehow manage to find the canoe again and head back to the lodge - but guess who's back in the same spot - yes its our 5m caiman friend. This time it IS scary, we're within 10m of the beast and stare it in the eyes. Had i not been packing it i would have took a photo, but i thought it best not to provoke the fellow with a flash of light. Lisa grabs my hand, i've never seen her look so scared - its fair enough as jimmy later tells us that he could have flipped the canoe with his tail and ripped us all in half. At moments like this you just have to respect your opponent, and at least say its better than being bored at home in Britain. I'll never forget those few minutes, the caiman did eventually glide under water after a couple of bangs on the canoe from the paddles, but i got a very strange, scary feeling in my stomach as we passed right over it. After i feel truly privelidged to have had such an experience, and funnily enough its not the closest we come to death in the jungle...

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