Vuelta

0500 hours: A toucan croaks amidst the jungle sounds. Our extraction from Ecuador is confirmed for today. It’s time to head home. Operation Pink Dolphin is underway.

1000: We empty our hut and load gear into the first transport vessel. Motor canoe for 2 hours up the black water of the winding Rio Cuyabeno.

Boat launch

1200: Arrival at Cuyabeno bridge for rendezvous with our indigenous contacts. Load bus for the airport in the seedy town of Lago Agrio ~2 hours away.

1500: Arrival in Lago. Discover our original flight is compromised. Options are to catch a camioneta into Colombia or ride a school bus for 90 minutes to the nearest airstrip in Coca. We choose the latter.

1630: We reach Coca “airport” in record speed at original boarding time. They announce plane is going to be late then hand out refreshments in waiting area. Not a good sign…

1800: Amazing view of volcanoes above the clouds when at 20,000 feet. Arrival in Quito. The Boys dine on tortilla chips and queso. Waiting in airport continues.

2359: (Why can’t they just say the flight is at midnight?!) Lift off from Quito back stateside.

0515: Touchdown in Fort Lauderdale, USA! Another great night of sleep in airplane seats. Briefly panic when we realize Keegan has illegally smuggled seed pods into the country as part of his “treasures”. But clear Customs without issue.

1030: Traveling for 24 hours now. Touchdown in New Orleans. Rental car for the last leg, which could be the most dangerous part when operating on 3 hours of sleep.