Greg Lewbart

Thursday
June 16, 2011

Today was a true early day with a 5:30 wake-up call. Breakfast was at 6:00 and we rallied at the Choza location for our 6:30 trek to the “two towers” and canopy walk. It took us about 30 minutes to reach the first tower. Diane and Johanna were afraid and reluctant, but also brave, and we  Read More 

The following travel log is a day-by-day account of our recent trip to Ecuadorian Amazonia and The Andes Mountains. We were on a North American Veterinary Conference Continuing Education Expedition with 42 other wonderful and engaged participants. Trip leaders and organizers Carol Walton and Doug Mader did a fantastic job in creating a lifetime experience packed  Read More 

Friday
June 17, 2011

Wake-up was at the more reasonable time of 6:30, although, Diane and I were both already up when the door knock came. We packed, cleaned up, and headed down for our last breakfast at Sacha. By 7:30 AM the canoes were loaded and one-by-one headed for the Anden trail and we were all soon  Read More 

Sunday
June 19, 2011

We managed to make the bus with time for some complimentary coffee in the lobby! The bus ride to the airport (there were 29 of us on the early run) was uneventful and we moved through baggage check and security efficiently and in plenty of time for our 6:40 AM departure to Miami. We had a nice view of Quito on the way out and then of some Andes peaks, including Mount Cotopaxi. At 19,347 feet it is the second highest peak in Ecuador and the second furthest point of land away from the earth’s center! Cool stat!

After a nearly 7-hour layover in Miami that included a 1- hour weather delay, we took off for Raleigh, and landed about 8:30 PM. All of our luggage arrived safely and we were nearly unpacked before hitting the sack about 10:30 PM.

We saw many amazing animals and plants. The following list only represents species that Diane and I observed for certain. Others among us certainly recorded many other animal and plant detections.

Confirmed Species List:

Mammals (10):
Squirrel monkey
Pigmy marmoset
Capuchin monkey
Black-mantled tamarin
Red howler monkey
Black agouti
Three-toed sloth
Sac-winged bat
Fishing (Bulldog) bats
Rabbit

Birds (51):
Blue and gray tanager
Chestnut woodpecker
Smooth-billed ani
Kiskidee
Vermillion flycatcher
Russet-backed oropendola
White-winged swallow
Limpkin (call)
Pale-vented pigeon
Silver-beaked tanager
Tropical kingbird
Black-fronted nunbird
Black-faced ant thrush
 Read More 

Saturday
June 18, 2011

I walked about the Termas complex in search of coffee about 5 AM, but alas, there was none to be found. I worked on the computer some and then went into the hot pool in front of our room; Diane soon joined me and we had a pleasant steamy soak before getting dressed  Read More 

Wednesday
June 15, 2011

We mistakenly received a 5:30 wake-up but I was up regardless. After breakfast our group, except for John, headed off on a 4-hour canoe trip and hike through an area known as La Garto (The Caiman). We saw plenty of plants, birds, and some new frogs.

We spent about an hour down at  Read More 

Tuesday
June 14, 2011

I awoke early and worked on this travel journal and my talks. Our official knock-on-door wakeup call was at 6:00 and we started breakfast at 6:30. By 7:00 we were meeting Paul and Wilson at the canoes to begin our morning adventure. Jocelyn and John didn’t join us for the morning hike was just  Read More 

Monday
June 13, 2011

I was up early and a couple of hotel workers generously provided me with some fresh brewed Café Americano about 5 AM. It was great! I worked on the computer a while until Di got up about 6:30. We packed, had breakfast with some of the group, and are now ready to head for  Read More 

Saturday
June 11, 2011

We took a Taxi to the airport and boarded our RDU to MIA flight at 1:15 PM, arriving in Miami about 3:00 PM. The flight was nice and pretty smooth, with good views of the Eastern Seaboard along the way. Everglades “back fires” altered our MIA approach but we were still on time, and  Read More 

Sunday
June 12, 2011

We slept well and were up and ready for the tasty breakfast buffet about 7:30 AM. At 8:30 our group rallied in the hotel lobby and boarded a large Turismo bus, which we filled, and headed for Otavalo, where the largest traditional market in Ecuador is located.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otavalo

Along  Read More