Simple things can get complicated very quickly here. Back when this adventure started – 11 of us flew from Quito to Coca – a contingent of Mari’s friends and family (mostly from the UK). We thought we had some adventures getting our flight – but her story is so much better – so here it is.
The day before our flight to Coca, Mari planned a day trip to Coca with Patricio and her family members who were able to get there earlier to do more shopping for the wedding. It sounded simple enough – pay for a canoe and go.
Canoe #1 – the outboard motor fell off the canoe and they couldn’t find it. Transfer to canoe #2 (which happened to have gas – oh happy day). Canoe #2 broke down. At this point the rest of the family with Pato turned back to the lodge (don’t even know their adventures in getting back) and Mari pressed forward. She was able to get to a road and take a bus to a town that was on the way. Next she talked her way into a ride in a private car since there was nothing else heading to Coca. Power lines were down over the road – the owner of that land blockaded the road with trees so the power company would pay for the damage of the downed lines. Mari then left the car, jumped over the downed lines to the other side of the blockade and talked her way into a ride in an oil company truck that was heading to the next town. Finally a taxi to Coca. Makes my 7 hour canoe/2 bus trip here to Coca seem like a piece of cake.
Good news for the 11 of us who flew down from Quito that next morning, because she was able to meet us herself.
We ran around and did shopping for the wedding (what Mari was hoping to do the day before) and then all of the ATM’s and bank systems went down – so she had to run back around to the shops and tell them that she would pay them the next time she was in town. All was ok. Imagine doing that in the states…
The day before our flight to Coca, Mari planned a day trip to Coca with Patricio and her family members who were able to get there earlier to do more shopping for the wedding. It sounded simple enough – pay for a canoe and go.
Canoe #1 – the outboard motor fell off the canoe and they couldn’t find it. Transfer to canoe #2 (which happened to have gas – oh happy day). Canoe #2 broke down. At this point the rest of the family with Pato turned back to the lodge (don’t even know their adventures in getting back) and Mari pressed forward. She was able to get to a road and take a bus to a town that was on the way. Next she talked her way into a ride in a private car since there was nothing else heading to Coca. Power lines were down over the road – the owner of that land blockaded the road with trees so the power company would pay for the damage of the downed lines. Mari then left the car, jumped over the downed lines to the other side of the blockade and talked her way into a ride in an oil company truck that was heading to the next town. Finally a taxi to Coca. Makes my 7 hour canoe/2 bus trip here to Coca seem like a piece of cake.
Good news for the 11 of us who flew down from Quito that next morning, because she was able to meet us herself.
We ran around and did shopping for the wedding (what Mari was hoping to do the day before) and then all of the ATM’s and bank systems went down – so she had to run back around to the shops and tell them that she would pay them the next time she was in town. All was ok. Imagine doing that in the states…
P.s. I've scheduled posts to be published from 9/21-9/28. I'll be tucked back in the jungle at this time,
No comments:
Post a Comment