Jungle

Five hours on a bus
no bathroom
dying, about to burst
had to get off
when we stopped for more passengers.
Heard the bus belch as I relieved myself
engine turned over
emerged to see bus pulling away.
Chased it down
And now, I am:

In the foothills of the Andes
at the edge of the Amazon jungle
and in the middle of nowhere.
Backwater, they name is Tena
a dusty river town
where watching the bulldozers digging up the road
passes for entertainment
and tourists come largely in large groups
descubriendo Ecuador
by private tour.
Odd woman out here
off to pitch myself into Class IV rapids tomorrow
through canyons in the jungle
by raft
Toto not in NY anymore.

*****************

Problem.
Up at 4
no coffee anywhere in this town
before 7:30
even the instant stuff
that they think is coffee here.
Remember to add early cup o joe
to the Goddess of Insomniatic Travelers’
wish list.

******************

26K of whitewater rafting
(and some awesome whitewater kayaking in the final stretch)
through jungle canyons.
Spectacularly beautiful
mad fun
covered with sand fly bites
worth the trip from Quito.