The AMAZON:
The big splurge of this budget backpacking trip was well worth it. Below are our adventures with Sacha Lodge:
One day we saw a group of monkeys outside of our cabin. We couldn't resist and followed them out into the jungle. Along the way we saw the most incredibly colored butterflies a person could imagine. Shades of neon pink and blue, we never knew existed. Also a little capybara friend! ...We found out later that we weren't supposed to wander away from the lodge when we showed our guide where we'd gone... "Anaconda River"!!!
BANOS:
After a bizarre all-day hike, my travel buddy and I found our way to this incredible structure on a volcano in Ba nos, Ecuador.
Here I am on a swing that swings (with a loud creaking sound) off of the cliff, overlooking a stunning valley below. There was a separate building with a friendly volcano ranger living inside. He invited us in to show us his collection of lava rocks and newspaper clippings and to meet his cats! Cats everywhere! ...Always a good idea if you're going to inhabit a cabin. I learned that the hard way in Santa Cruz when I was in between cats and got my clothes eaten by rodents! Ew.
