The morning sees our now normal routine of 5:30am wake-up, 6am breakfast and 6:30am expedition. We hike to a 40 meter high special observation tower attached to into a 200-year old kapok tree that was built by the lodge.  The height of the Rainforest canopy is 40 meter so the observation deck was designed to be right at the top of the canopy.  It’s a straight 200 steps up and worth every drop of sweat pouring off of us.  Ashley sits squarely in the art and artistic world and lets us know she wants nothing to do with the Amazon or its array of deathly creatures. She balks at walking up 200 stairs complaining she hates birds, trees, insects, outdoors, etc. We know not every place on the trip is going to be a hit with everyone so we do the best we can to appease everyone over the course of the year. 

Sitting up at the rainforest canopy, the guide gets out his mega-powerful spotting scope and binoculars and he and Dario start right away finding toucans, macaws and parrots in the pre-dawn sky.  The scope magnifies the ones outside of a teenager’s complaint zone.  Justin and Corey get into spotting too.  Dan shows us how to take a photo through the spotting scope with our iPhone resulting in some great super close ups of birds that are actually really far away. As the sun rises, the fog disappears and the birds head down under trees canopy, where it’s infinitely harder to spot them.  It’s a magical morning memory we won’t forget.  

After the tower, we go on a hike through the Rainforest that leads us to another lake.  There is a canoe waiting for us and we head out in this lake.  This one is very different from the lake the Lodge is on; this one looks like it’s straight out of Jurassic Park or Land of the Lost.  There are trees, plants and flowers growing out of the water that we have to navigate the canoe around. The lake is a complex of narrow passageways that lead to unknown destinations.  

Dan stops the canoe and tells us on the count of 3, clap your hands and scream “March!” We follow his lead and clap and scream.  Within seconds, we hear a loud thunderous sound that sounds like 1,000 people marching.  Well, it turns out to not 1,000 foot soldiers but instead a 1,000 angry wasps.  Dan points to a huge wasp nest and tells us that when the wasps are disturbed, they go nuts in the nest and make the marching sound to scare of predators.  Ok, it worked notes Kyle, now let’s get the hell out of here. “Is it time for the spa yet???” Leanne wails out while Kyle is thinking that Dan may be a little “disturbed” after living in the Rainforest for 13 years.

On the way back, Dan stops to show us a colony of red army ants.  He picks one up and says this is a soldier ant showing us the ants’ giant fangs.  He proceeds to tell us how 2-3 the soldier ants can cut off a tarantula’s let at the joint and they coordinate an attack hacking off all the tarantula’s legs at the same time leaving it immobile while the rest of the team swoop in and dismantle the body.  He says that the teeth are so strong, they can puncture the toughest skin on your finger or hand turning it into a bloody stump.  “Is it time for the spa yet???” Leanne wails out once again.  Man, the Amazon is no joke as we have rapidly expanded our list of ways to die in the Amazon.

Safely back at the Lodge, Kyle and Leanne booked afternoon massages to relax and recharge.  Kyle claims they are a necessity as he has not quite recovered from the Inca Trail fiasco. While Kyle had a full 60 minute massage, Leanne’s treatment ended with a 20-min Amazonian bath complete with leaves in the bath that promise to energize. Perfect timing, as Leanne will be in the bath when Kyle finishes his massage. 

The jacuzzi bath is in an open air pavilion with three sides open at the entrance of the spa which is also open air with curtain dividers.  The bath is in one of those jacuzzi units you place on a back deck where you might enjoy some brews with pals. To give some context, The spa is a good haul from the rooms in the back of this remote lodge; it’s quite secluded from the rest of the lodge activities and perfectly surrounded by forest. It’s only Kyle and the massage therapists anywhere around —- surrounded by Amazonian forest.  

Leanne enters the large jacuzzi tub with tons of bubbles, jets going and milky water from the cassava leaf infusions.  She’s In her birthday suit, as they say.  When in the Amazon…thinks Leanne, although she was expecting a bit more privacy or a drawn curtain perhaps?  Oh well!

Ah, she’s having her best attempt at being Julia Roberts wrapped in bubbles in that bathtub scene in Pretty Woman.   The staff even left her chocolate covered strawberries to enjoy. She’s in naked bliss, one with nature, enjoying the sounds of tree frogs and the forest breeze.  Breathing softly, relaxing, peace and harmony, eyes closed, until… she hears  ... “Oh, hello there,” in a familiar Jersey accent. 

Startled, Leanne opens her eyes slinking further down into the water and grabbing a hunk of bubbles to cover her private upper parts. It’s Harlan, the 78-year old Harlan, immigration attorney from North Jersey and diehard Giants fan, and he’s about 8 feet away. He’s been one of our lodge buddies this week with his lovely wife Gloria.  We’ve been getting to know them at meals though fully clothed. 

“How was your morning expedition?” asks Harlan.  “Yikes!” thinks Leanne, he wants to have a conversation?  Now?  Seriously? “Good.” Says Leanne trying to give the subtle curt hint that’s she’s needing some privacy and not in the mood to chat. He takes two steps closer to the jacuzzi and gives a few highlights of his morning Amazon adventures.  He seems clueless she’s in a “treatment”. 

“How’s the water temperature?” Asks Harlan.  “Oh no,” thinks Leanne as perhaps he’s thinking of getting in the jacuzzi with her? “Fine,” a now confused Leanne says with a horrified look accompanying her face. She’s grabs another chunk of bubbles to cover her décolleté area as the first set of bubbles unfortunately dissipated quickly. 

“Where did you stay in Quito?” Asks Harlan, continuing to engage.  More bubbles don’t last long, grab new set. “Oh no! Another question!” as clearly Leanne’s non-verbal, non-confrontational communication is failing here. “Hmm, I don’t remember the name right now.  Are you having a massage way over there?”  Leanne asks trying to get him moving in another direction, any direction, as long as it’s away from the jacuzzi. Any and all relaxing benefit from Leanne’s treatment is now out the window.  She is stressed! 

“Oh yes,” shares Harlan. “Did you stay near Plaza Grande?”  He starts to lean in closer so he can hear her one-word answers better. Harlan has already proven himself to be quite the talker, so Leanne is just wondering when all her clues with click.  This might take a while and she’s is running out of bubbles as panic starts to set in. 

“No, we stayed near the airport” says Leanne, now believing Harlan has no clue she’s a few feet away from him completely naked in this jacuzzi.  So Leanne switches to less non-chalant tactics now.  The “I-am-regularly-bathing-in-outdoor-jacuzzis-maintaining-casual-conversations” mode. 

Kyle, where are you when I need you? Thinks Leanne. After a few more awkward minutes of uncomfortable conversation, finally an angel appears.  “Your massage is now, Mister Harlan, please come this way with me.”  The massage therapist saves Leanne. 

A few minutes later, Kyle emerges from his massage, relaxed as could be, and he looks to confirm no other Harlan’s are coming allowing her to rush out unseen from her “no-bubbles-left” bath!  “Did you enjoy your relaxing Amazonian bath?” Asks Kyle. “You will never guess what just happened.”

Meanwhile, Corey and Justin go fishing on the dock in front of the lodge after lunch.  Corey was hunkering to catch a piranha and he successfully reels one in.  Both boys catch and release piranhas and catfish.  

The afternoon expedition is a hike in a loop that leads back to the lake where we pick up a canoe.  We see some new creatures and creepy crawlers but the pace of new discoveries has slowed a bit.  We see a pigmy marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world. We still find the Rainforest enthralling and invigorating.  In the canoe, we branch off the lake into some side creeks.  We see a sloth in the trees and he’s…well, slothing around.  Leanne proclaims that her “inner-sloth” is coming out.

Just after, the heavens open up and water thunders down on us.  Dan distributes ponchos that are stored on the canoe and while it helps, we are still getting drenched with the strong winds practically blowing the rain sideway.  The canoe is filling with water and if someone leans too far to the left or right the canoe starts taking in water.  Leanne is not happy about this and resorts to using her water bottle to scoop the water out of the canoe and back into the lake.  “Is it time for happy hour yet???” she wails out.  Dan can see we’ve had enough for one day and takes us back to the lodge. 

A group of new people have arrived at the lodge today.  At happy hour, we make introductions and chat with our new friends.  There is a family from Seattle with mom and dad and their two grown daughters one of which has just survived cancer and they are here celebrating.  There is a wilderness photographer that organizes trips to crazy places for photographer – traveler enthusiasts.  We tell him about our trip and have a great conversations about the places we’ve been and he’s been. 

Dan joins our table for dinner.  He tells us about the history of the lodge.  A Norwegian guy bought the Lodge eight years ago and did some major renovations.  He also bought a lodge in the Galapagos Islands and tour company in Quito.  So the idea was to cross-market the three destinations. He said the lodge is profitable but the Norwegian owner had no idea how much work would be involved in running the lodge.  The rainforest is so humid and damp that it is very hard on any electric.  He says it’s easier for the lodge to bring their laundry on the canoe and boat to Coca 3 hours way than to have a washer and dryer at the lodge because appliances only last 6-9 months.     

We retire and prepare for our wakeup call and to enjoy our last day in the Amazon tomorrow.