On day 11, we hung around at the Iyarina lodge. We painted our post that we had crafted earlier in the week. We used the rest of the afternoon to work on our projects for the next day and to rest. We then took canoes from the lodge over to Misahulli, a nearby town. We walked around and did a little bit of shopping. There were so many monkeys here that walked along the wires and the buildings. After we got some food to hold us over until dinner. Ava and I shared a quesadilla and some of the others got pizza. That was pretty much it for this day as it was a relaxing day. We hung out on the hammocks and listened to music to close the night.
On day 12, we had all morning to work on our projects and our video ads. I packed up all my stuff which made me so sad as the trip is coming to an end. We presented our presentation and videos before getting dinner which was my favorite so far. We had salad with mashed potatoes and a beef dish. They brought out pineapple for dessert which is my favorite fruit here because it is so sweet and delicious. It was a great last meal at the lodge. We then headed into Teña to explore there. We walked around and got chicken shawarma wraps to share before heading home. We closed the night out by looking at the starts through the clear sky. I have never seen so many stars in my life.
Day 13 was our last day in Ecuador. We are all so sad to leave. This was mainly a travel day from the lodge back to Quito to fly out. However, since our flight wasn’t until around midnight we were able to make some stops on the way back. We woke up and had French toast and fruit for breakfast before heading on the bus to leave. We drove to our first stop which was the cloud forest. We took a hike through the forest. We then got back on the bus to head to our second stop. Our second stop was a hummingbird sanctuary. We saw all these different types of hummingbirds and even got to have them land on our hand. We also took a hike up to the top of a waterfall nearby. We then drove another 30 minutes to a rest area with all these different street restaurants. I got a chicken and rice dish and them some snacks at the convenience store for later. Then we got back on the rode again. We drove to a restaurant where we hung out at. There were lamas, cows, and a forest with these really cool endangered trees. Then we got back on the bus for one last time to head to the airport. I am so sad to leave but I am so grateful for all the experiences, memories, and friends I have made through this journey. Ecuador, you will be missed!
