Jatanyacu rafting trip

For my first full day here in Tena, I decided to go rafting on the Upper Napo River (otherwise known as the "Río Jatunyacu"), with the fine folks at Ríos Ecuador. This was an all-day trip, with breakfast and lunch included, and with about four hours of river time, battling the straightforward but intense Class III rapids on offer. This is one of the best rafting trips that I've been on so far: professionally organised; most satisfying adventure-wise; and a big and a very interesting group of people on the tour.

To tell the truth, I was a bit worried when, this morning, the tour organisers warned me that I'd be stuck with "a group of adolescent high school boys" for the whole day. But as it turned out, I had nothing to fear. They were a bunch of Canadian schoolkids, most of whom were doing their Duke of Ed award.

OK, I'm sorry — my browser has just crashed, and I lost most of this blog post. I usually perspire and re-do my entries when this happens, but I'm just too tired and pi$$ed off today to do that. So here's a quick summary of what I wrote and lost:

• There were the Canadian kids, 3 Danish guys (in my boat), 3 Italian guys, myself, 5 guides (one for each raft), and myself.
• We stopped at a "museum of local life" along the way, down the river — it was OK, but not that good. Got to blow a dart out of a stick of bamboo, and try to hit a pineapple.
• Breakfast and lunch were good.
• The rafting was amazing. Not that techincal, but hair-raising and exhilirating nonetheless.
• Got to see our photos and videos at the end of the day, over a few beers.
• Only things that I really didn't like: the head guide was an annoying American, who was totally "into the indigenous culture" (wannabe native), and who wore a really wrong pair of Speedos the whole day; and the stupid company (a) wanted to charge me $5 for the CD with the photos and videos (which they eventually forgot to charge me), and (b) ended up giving me a CD with completely the wrong photos and videos, so I have no pictures of today to show you (sorry!)

Hope that covers everything. Sorry, but I spent a lot of time writing this entry, and I just don't have the time or the energy to re-write it all again. Please send all complaints and hate-mail to: 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, USA. I'm sure Bill will get back to you.