Banos

Banos

Flashback to the days before the Amazon trek

This place was just plain awesome. Basically I spent a few days doing some cool activities, hanging out with friends I met a month previous, testing my boundaries, and not wearing shoes!

Here are the highlights of banos.

The Devils cauldron waterfall is just breathtaking. Tremendous amounts of water tumble down powerfully into the abyss. Somehow spiral stairs have been built into the cliff side making it even more of an impressive sight.

 

The end of the world swing makes for good pictures. Although the swing is not very dangerous the pictures look as if you are swinging at the end of the world.

 

In my typical fashion I had to push my limits, the swings bounds, and use the fact that Ecuador has little safely limits or rules to my advantage. I decided to stand up in the swing. The few families shouted protests and held their breath as Sketch pushed me higher and higher.

 

We had a fun with this nice sketch found out he could spin us around. The swing became so much cooler!

New friends. Meeting Bronte and a few others in banos was a highlight. Their whole personality was awesome and just fun to be around. The hostel had a cool hangout jungle area and just a perfect place for practicing our Spanish music video dancing to taxi!

Taking he plunge. On the local bridge anyone can pay 20 dollars to jump off a bridge. No papers needed. No security releases. No double harness checks. No tour agency. Literally you walk to this bridge in the middle of town, pay an Ecuadorean 20 dollars, he puts you in a harness, fastens a rope with one clamp, helps you onto a small platform hanging off the bridge, and you jump.

No I'm not in a death wish. No I'm not fearless. I was terrified. Some locals filmed me as I sat on the sidewalk and fretted going. Bronte had to physically turn a guy's camera off when he was in my face. 

But this was a time to overcome fears. We had discussed that for the rest of the trip I was going to do whatever was offered and not back out due to fear. I stepped up onto the platform nervous. Then with a deep breath I extended my arms straight out to my side and fell forward off the platform. So much fun!

Piercings. I knew I wanted to get an Equator piercing. Weird traditions have been heard about people who passed the equator in older times and one is the tradition of a piercing. I knew I wanted my anti helix pierced but was nervous. Fear number two! 

 

Bronte, Gavin, and I headed to the piercing parlor. Bronte was going to get a flamingo tattoo that sketch had been convincing people to get. He had convinced 9 so far and she would be number 10. Her previous tattoo was infected so they rejected doing it. She settled for doing just the nose piercing instead.

She went first as I began my second round of panic. Watching the needle go through her nose and then the plastic piece until the stud got in was not a good idea. She held my hand while Gavin filmed. It seemed like forever and was very painful. Unlike lobe piercings this is not just a quick gun piercing. To do this one they had to thread a needle through the thick cartilage at an angle. Then a piece of plastic sat there until the jewelry is inserted. Because it's an awkward place this took a good ten minutes of tries and pushing through my ear. I left with a very sore ear but so excited to have it done and to not have backed out!!! 

I loved everything about banos.

P.s. I learned how to make a killer guacamole from fresh ingredients and ate it with like and chili Doritos! I wish they had those in the United States.