Rest and Relaxation

June 27th

Banos, Ecuador

With the camp cleared out for the weekend and many of the translators and staff members returning home, it was time for a some much needed rest and relaxation. The next group doesn’t come in until Saturday night, so those of us still at the camp had a free day and a half to go have some fun. Today, I caught up on some much needed rest before setting out to Banos and Shell for some sightseeing and fun with Ester, Monica, and David (two camp staff and one Argentinean translator). Our first stop was El Refugio, a spa resort just outside of Banos, for some relaxation. I’ve never been to one of these spa places, much less an Ecuadorian spa, but it was relaxing….and a little different. Apparently, the attraction to this place was the Banos de Cajon, the really hot steam bath in a box. You go back and forth from this sauna up to your neck and freezing bath water to improve circulation. It certainly worked because I was feeling much more energized when I left.

The next stop on our journey was a bridge just outside Banos. The town is just really one big tourist city, especially for Europeans, so it was no surprise that they offered bungee jumping off of the bridge. There’s always a first time for everything, so I decided to put aside my fears and jump (with gear and a rope connecting me to bridge of course). It was an absolute thrill, jumping more than 100 feet into the most beautiful scenery I’d ever seen. A raging river below, forming the valley between two large peaks was what I saw as I rapidly approached the ground. Right when you thought you’d free fall into the ground, the rope and harness lifted you away, swinging back and forth below the bridge until the guides helped you land. It was breathtaking, amazing, and the adrenaline shot of a lifetime!

By then, it was mid-afternoon and David especially wanted to go to Shell, Ecuador, the site of Nate Saint’s house that I had the pleasure to visit about two weeks ago. It was a rainy drive and a fun tour. There wasn’t too much to see at the house that now stands in disrepair. However, it was cool to see the kitchen where that famous 1956 Life Magazine photo was taken of the missionaries’ wives sitting around the table. It was especially neat after reading so much about those missionaries and the work they did, and then actually getting to visit the place where the operated from. Unfortunately, it took a while to leave as our truck got stuck in the deep mud from the rain all day long. Fortunately though, an airport was right across the street and we were able to get someone to tow us out of the mess we were in.

Our last stop of the day was in Banos for dinner and a trip to the supermarket. Steak, eggs, avocado and a salad put me back a hefty $3.50 at the restaurant we ate at. A good meal inside out of the chilly weather was a great way to end such a fun day. Returning to camp was a bit lonely though. It’s like an abandoned mine town for now, with just five or six people around the huge camp (in comparison to the approximately 230 on camp the last two weeks). With the peace and quiet comes rest and relaxation before the next group, exactly what I need after a tiring two weeks.