Day 8 (1/8/20):
Driving around Guayaquil to our first destination of the day, our guide Diego provided us with some information about the city. The river that runs through Guayaquil made it a port city. People from the highlands regions of Ecuador will drive to cities like Guayaquil to sell goods such as potatoes. Bananas grown near the city are wrapped in plastic while growing since they need to be appealing for the market. Bananas that are not deemed suitable to be exported are shipped to the highlands for free in the trucks that delivered goods earlier in the day from the highlands.
As we approached the mangroves the topic of mosquitoes came up. In the mangrove region we were traveling to there is a small risk of Malaria and an excess of mosquitoes. To prepare for these conditions we all bought suits made of thin netting to prevent mosquito bites. My suit had elastic on the cuffs of my pants and sleeves to prevent bugs crawling up. It even included gloves and a hood which also covered my entire face! Our guide Diego did not have a suit but claims that the mosquitoes are more attracted to “sweet American blood”. Some research suggests that different blood types are more attractive to mosquitoes but maybe Diego is just more resilient to the side effects than us. Crab catchers who work in the mangroves can cover themselves in mud or use bark from a certain tree as a natural bug repellent. The tree bark smells strongly of garlic.
After arriving at the mangroves and dousing ourselves in bug spray we walked to a dock to board thin boats that would take us down the river. Just walking over to the boats I noticed mosquitoes everywhere. I also got a chance to see the crabs that live in the mangrove region. Looking down at the ground I saw numerous holes a few inches wide and if I waited I could glimpse crabs peaking out!
The boat ride through the mangroves was amazing. Not only did I get to see these amazing trees with their unique roots but I got to see an abundance of wildlife as well. The Roseate Spoonbill was one of my favorite birds I saw. We also saw Ospreys. These birds typically only migrate to Ecuador but have been staying year round due to climate change reducing their food supply and impacting weather patterns in their other habitats (like South Jersey).
After our boat ride we went on a short walk to look for howler monkeys. The mosquito netting was definitely necessary as there was little wind and swarms everywhere. I learned that monkeys are very territorial and was warned that they will sometimes urinate on those who walk under them. After seeing the howler monkeys we went to briefly visit a shrimp farm. The shrimp farm consisted of large ponds and automated feeding machines. After learning all about the impacts of the farms on Ecuador's ecosystem it was interesting to see them in person.
Once we left the shrimp farm we started on our next adventure for the day, traveling to Cajas located at 13,700 ft. Ascending to a high altitude can cause altitude sickness. At higher altitudes air pressure and oxygen levels decrease significantly. The change in these levels may cause hypoxia which is a lack of oxygen, this can result in a multitude of symptoms such as shortness of breath, a slowed heart rate, and headaches. These symptoms are more evident when one ascends to a higher elevation in a short period of time. We arrived at Cajas only a few hours after being in the Amazon and unfortunately I was feeling very sick due to the change in altitude. While everyone acknowledged that they felt some discomfort I felt very ill. I tried walking around for about 15 minutes but I was nervous that I would get sick or faint so I opted out of the hike. I was very disappointed that I was feeling well enough to hike but later in the day my roommate Maddi shared her notes she took during the hike with me. On the hike our group saw various plants that are used for medicinal purposes such as Tipo and Donkey Ear. They also identified the Paper Tree known for its thin flakey bark ( I was able to see this at the top of the mountain too) and the Polly Lepis tree. In Cajas they also learned about some marine life within the lakes. For example, trout is an invasive species that lives in lakes within Cajas National park but since the lakes are interconnected it is impossible to eradicate the species.
Although I sat out the hike and missed a lot I felt it was the right decision. As we headed to Paul Amos’s house, a retired U.S. professor living in Cuenca, many people did not feel well. Exercising at high altitude increased the effects of hypoxia and one student had to go to the hospital due to their symptoms. I am disappointed I missed out on an amazing hike but I know I would not have been okay if I participated.
As we approached the mangroves the topic of mosquitoes came up. In the mangrove region we were traveling to there is a small risk of Malaria and an excess of mosquitoes. To prepare for these conditions we all bought suits made of thin netting to prevent mosquito bites. My suit had elastic on the cuffs of my pants and sleeves to prevent bugs crawling up. It even included gloves and a hood which also covered my entire face! Our guide Diego did not have a suit but claims that the mosquitoes are more attracted to “sweet American blood”. Some research suggests that different blood types are more attractive to mosquitoes but maybe Diego is just more resilient to the side effects than us. Crab catchers who work in the mangroves can cover themselves in mud or use bark from a certain tree as a natural bug repellent. The tree bark smells strongly of garlic.
After arriving at the mangroves and dousing ourselves in bug spray we walked to a dock to board thin boats that would take us down the river. Just walking over to the boats I noticed mosquitoes everywhere. I also got a chance to see the crabs that live in the mangrove region. Looking down at the ground I saw numerous holes a few inches wide and if I waited I could glimpse crabs peaking out!
The boat ride through the mangroves was amazing. Not only did I get to see these amazing trees with their unique roots but I got to see an abundance of wildlife as well. The Roseate Spoonbill was one of my favorite birds I saw. We also saw Ospreys. These birds typically only migrate to Ecuador but have been staying year round due to climate change reducing their food supply and impacting weather patterns in their other habitats (like South Jersey).
After our boat ride we went on a short walk to look for howler monkeys. The mosquito netting was definitely necessary as there was little wind and swarms everywhere. I learned that monkeys are very territorial and was warned that they will sometimes urinate on those who walk under them. After seeing the howler monkeys we went to briefly visit a shrimp farm. The shrimp farm consisted of large ponds and automated feeding machines. After learning all about the impacts of the farms on Ecuador's ecosystem it was interesting to see them in person.
Once we left the shrimp farm we started on our next adventure for the day, traveling to Cajas located at 13,700 ft. Ascending to a high altitude can cause altitude sickness. At higher altitudes air pressure and oxygen levels decrease significantly. The change in these levels may cause hypoxia which is a lack of oxygen, this can result in a multitude of symptoms such as shortness of breath, a slowed heart rate, and headaches. These symptoms are more evident when one ascends to a higher elevation in a short period of time. We arrived at Cajas only a few hours after being in the Amazon and unfortunately I was feeling very sick due to the change in altitude. While everyone acknowledged that they felt some discomfort I felt very ill. I tried walking around for about 15 minutes but I was nervous that I would get sick or faint so I opted out of the hike. I was very disappointed that I was feeling well enough to hike but later in the day my roommate Maddi shared her notes she took during the hike with me. On the hike our group saw various plants that are used for medicinal purposes such as Tipo and Donkey Ear. They also identified the Paper Tree known for its thin flakey bark ( I was able to see this at the top of the mountain too) and the Polly Lepis tree. In Cajas they also learned about some marine life within the lakes. For example, trout is an invasive species that lives in lakes within Cajas National park but since the lakes are interconnected it is impossible to eradicate the species.
Although I sat out the hike and missed a lot I felt it was the right decision. As we headed to Paul Amos’s house, a retired U.S. professor living in Cuenca, many people did not feel well. Exercising at high altitude increased the effects of hypoxia and one student had to go to the hospital due to their symptoms. I am disappointed I missed out on an amazing hike but I know I would not have been okay if I participated.