I could not have picked a better place for my return to civilization. Baños is a small town that is flooded with tourists. The streets are full of shops, restaurants, bars, and outdoor adventure companies competing for your business. To me, it has the feel of an incredible beach town that is essential to anyone's trip to Ecuador. The only problem is- it's no where near the ocean. It is placed in a valley and surrounded by the steep mountains of the Andes. Even if you pick and choose just a few activities here you can still have a once in a lifetime experience without breaking the bank. Bikes rent for $5 a day and it is popular to do the 60 km ride to Puyo and see the amazing peaks, valleys, and rivers that this portion of the country has to offer. A bus ride back only costs about $1.50. Baños got its name from the natural thermal springs nearby. A soak in the baths will run you about $2. We went early in the morning to beat the crowds. A great way to start the day! There are a few trails you can hike, if you want to do something outdoors but not spend any money. I went on a decently tiring hike up the mountains that ended up with a spectacular view of the city.
If you really want to get the adrenaline pumping and are willing to shell out a few dollars then Baños is your best bet. A half day trip white water rafting is $30 and you hit some class IV rapids. Try and sit in the front of the raft for the hardest hitting waves, but hold on tight so you don't get tossed out. I chose to follow this up with an afternoon of "bridging". For just $15 you can test your nerve by strapping a rope, NOT A BUNGEE CORD, to you and free falling off a bridge 360 feet above the ground. The point is to jump out as far as you can and have your momentum cause you to front flip in the air and then swing back and forth under the bridge as you are slowly lowered to the ground. I think even the bravest person might tremble a little as you stand on a platform and look directly down at a canyon 360 feet below you.
As fun as Baños has been, it's about time to move on. I will miss being able to blend in for once and not being the only 6 ft tall gringo walking around and catching stares from just about everyone. The next part of the journey will be solo. The girls will head north to work on another farm and I will head west. I need some beach in my life so tomorrow I'll be waking up early and chasing the sun across the sky. I don't know where I'll end up. I might bypass Guayaquil because it is supposed to be dangerous, as with any big city. I will keep you all posted on this next leg of the journey. Hopefully flying solo will be easier now that I have already taken a leap.
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