Waking up to my last day in Huaticocha. That already tells you what kind of day it is going to be. Not really looking forward to it. I wake up totally out of it. I am as tired as ever, really zombie-ish. I can definitely tell that this was a tough month and it is finally wearing on me. So after breakfast, we are kind of just hanging out so I go back to my room and fall asleep until 12:20pm. Just then Emily and Ashley arrive from Loreto from getting our tickets, but they come back with no tickets.
After lunch I decide to go back to Loreto to buy the tickets so we can return to Quito the next day (not that I really want to. i would rather stay in Huaticocha). In Loreto we head to the bus station, and they are open! (I’m not truly excited) I go into buy the tickets. I ask for 4 tickets for the bus on Sunday morning. The lady tells me it is full and that all buses are full for Sunday except for 10:15pm and the only bus for Saturday night is 10:15pm also. I have to choose one of these times. It took me a long time to decide. Not gonna lie. I debated for a long time on what to do.
The selfish part of me told me to leave Sunday night giving us one more day in Huaticocha. That would b the most amazing thing. The reasonable part of me told me to leave Saturday night putting us in Quito early ready for go to Peru. Selfishness of course wanted to win, but in the end the reason side of me won. And it was off to Quito that night. We arrive back in Huaticocha and I have to share the news with the others. Then it was quick pack time because we had a busy afternoon ahead of us.
Once packed, we went down to cook dinner for the Jungle Boys. We made them steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and butter noodles. A pretty amazing meal if you ask me, and very American. We had 7 Jungle boys join us. They all loved the food. Especially the sandia (watermelon) we had for desert. Then we also had to eat with the family, but not as much food. Some chancho (pig), plantains and chopped up lettuce.
Then it was time for the culto (the church service). We actually started right on time at 7pm. I think that was the first on time thing all month. The church had over 30 attendees which was the most we saw our whole time there! There were songs, a message, texto biblicos (a bible memory verse competition), and special time for the gringos. I beat Bralio by 4 memory verses. He had 21 and I had 24.
After service we had to get ready to leave. Most of the Jungle Boys were there as well as Nancy and Ivan. Hugs and pictures all around. We pack our stuff into a taxi and then come the tears! Because it is finally real. I am really leaving Huaticocha after devoting a month of my sweat, blood, tears and time. Though I want to return one day, who knows if I ever will. But if I never make it back to see the Jungle Boys, one day we will be reunited in Heaven.
In Loreto we wait for the bus. Which finally leaves at 10:25 pm. Luckily we get to go past Huaticocha on the way to Quito. At 10:55pm we pass by Huaticocha one final time. We look out the window and there are the Jungle Boys outside the store waiting for us to pass!! (They waited for almost 2 hours for us to pass). We got to wave to them and see them one last time before we continue the 5 hour bus ride through the mountains.
Me and the jungle boys! Geovany, Brian Juanito, Jonathon, and Bralio.
