I kept going up, and up and I was in farm land quick. There was a little house to my right that read, "CAFE, BAR" in big letters, in the middle of nowhere. I wasn´t even sure how to get to it as it was a couple hundred meters to my right. Then, I came to a small drainage with some suspension bridge looking thing with no way to walk across. I was able to jump over the water and I went a bit farther. There was nothing. Just a little farm house way off in the distance. I didn´t need to go there so I turned around.
I started back and all of a sudden there was a man getting water near the drianage. It seemed a little weird to me, because I didn´t see him on my way out, and I didn´t see where he might be going. He must have been going to the house that I didn´t know how to get to.
On my way back when I hit the pavement, I had a couple visitors. Two little dogs started running after me and barking. Soon after that, two more, I kept running and then more dogs were barking, then more dogs were running after me. Before I knew it, there were seven little dogs chasing me. Good thing my stride was longer than theirs.
When I arrived back to the hostal, I wondered what to do the rest of the day. Andria said that I should rent a bike for a day and ride to Puyo. Puyo is a little town on the edge of the Amazon basin about 60km east of Baños.
I decided that would be a great idea, so I went to a bike shop. I rented this junky mountain bike for $5 for the day. I didne seem to matter which gear I was in, everytime I pedaled it made bad noises. You know the noise I´m talking about, when I gear isn´t quite in gear, yeah, those noises. It almost becomes music when you are on a bike that long.
I soon came to this bridge. I was 45 mins. into my ride and I met two other girls from Austin, Marlana and Susan. They seemed pretty cool as we chatted for a bit. They were watching this man jump off this bridge attached to a rope. He wanted them to do it for $15 each. He was showing them that is was safe by jumping first. They thought about it and said that I should do it first. I replied, "I´m not doing that"! Then, he jumped.
I actually looked pretty cool after he did it. They decided that they were going to do it, but offer $10. He took it. I watched Susan jump, then Marlana. They said, "now it´s your turn Alaska Man". So, I offered him $10 also.
You wouldn´t believe me if I told you what you feel when you know you are about to jump off a bridge. You thought your first day at summer camp gave you butterflies in your stomach, nay. The adrenaline starts flowing, your hearts begins to pound through your chest, you feel like your stomach is in your throat, then... you jump.
For that split second you are weightless. Your not really sure what to think, then, you feel the tension on the rope and you are swinging on the biggest tire swing you´ve ever been on.
WOW, WHAT A RUSH!!!
After my close encounter with death, I decided that I´m ready to jump off any bridge. The best part about it, I didn´t sign one waiver.
Marlana, Susan and I rode together for a bit. After a while Susan needed to break so I split. I kept going on my way. The ride between Baños and Puyo is rather interesting. You are following the Rio Pastaza the whole way to Puyo. You can really see the flora change before your eyes. When you start in Baños, it seems pretty normal, well, to me, then, you begin to desent into the jungle and all the trees start to change. It looks thicker, more dense, and it is a lot more humid.
When I arrived in Puyo, I was pretty tired so I got some lunch. Just as I was headed to the bus terminal to go back to Baños, a bus was headed that way. The bus ride back cost $2.50 which seemed a little high, but to think that I did all that for $17, not bad.
I took it easy the rest of the night.
After my close encounter with death, I decided that I´m ready to jump off any bridge. The best part about it, I didn´t sign one waiver.
Marlana, Susan and I rode together for a bit. After a while Susan needed to break so I split. I kept going on my way. The ride between Baños and Puyo is rather interesting. You are following the Rio Pastaza the whole way to Puyo. You can really see the flora change before your eyes. When you start in Baños, it seems pretty normal, well, to me, then, you begin to desent into the jungle and all the trees start to change. It looks thicker, more dense, and it is a lot more humid.
When I arrived in Puyo, I was pretty tired so I got some lunch. Just as I was headed to the bus terminal to go back to Baños, a bus was headed that way. The bus ride back cost $2.50 which seemed a little high, but to think that I did all that for $17, not bad.
I took it easy the rest of the night.
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