Rohan and His Parents

Today was one among many days of peaceful travel.  There’s something melancholic in the feeling of moving... or is it just the gentle and peaceful sound of the restless wheels flying across the endless road disappearing in the distance?   The beginning of the day was spent getting to the bus station.  Yes, I know what you are thinking:  Why does it take so long to get to the bus station?   Yeah, getting to the bus station is the easiest part!  But, excuse me, I think something got ahold of me.  Anyway, the day started in the peaceful hostel in Quito....

Rohan Silbaugh turned over in bed to looked into the eyes of a tall man.  It was his father, telling him to get dressed and pack up.  Rohan and his family were taking a bus today to a small town called Tena.  Rohan, Tim and Cat were to catch the bus in a fair sized town about a forty minute taxi ride from their Quito hotel.  Rohan hastily packed up his stuff for the long day of travel.  Soon, Rohan stood proudly in front of his room. 

“Is all your stuff packed and ready?”  asked Tim

“Ready as I’ll ever be” answered Rohan.  The family, ready for travel, walked down the wooden stair case that lead to the lobby.  In the reception area stood a women in red attire. 

“Hola!” said Belin, the hotel manager.  Tim and Cat stepped forward and explained the situation.  Belin kindly called a taxi to drive them to the town of Cumbaya, from where a constant flow of buses depart heading South.  About half an hour later, the family was loaded up in a golden SUV heading towards Cumbaya.  Quito is located in a steep, hilly section of Ecuador.  From Quito, Tim, Cat, and Rohan cruised down a steep mountain, along which, the outskirts of town loomed. 

After half the drive, Cat exclaimed, “Hey guys, look back at Quito!”  High above the road stood a line of sky scrapers.  They had left the capital of Ecuador.

Soon, the taxi came to a halt.  The driver said to the family, “Here is the bus stop, and keep your eyes on your luggage while you are waiting for the bus! Chao!”   The family emerged onto a large platform.  On a narrow sidewalk, on one side of a large street, commotion was taking place.  Every couple of seconds, green buses screeched to a stop.  Vendors hopped on with strange foods and drinks only to hop off seconds later when the bus started to move.  Passengers anxiously hopped on and off buses, or sat patiently, on a long metal bar under a plastic roof, waiting.  After about thirty minutes, an orange bus pulled up. 

 


“This is it!”  cried Mom
 
“OK,”  Rohan answered with a hint of stress.  In a flash, their luggage was under the bus and Rohan, Cat and Tim were sitting side by side in the back of a colourful bus. 

During the four hour drive, Cat, Tim, and Rohan experienced some amazing landscapes.  After the bus left the city, the road followed a deep gorge.  “Look at this gorge!” exclaimed Rohan.  His parents were staring out the window with awe.  About three hundred meters down was a roaring river.  On the side of the gorge were lush, green trees.  As the bus ride progressed, the gorge became shallower and soon the passengers had a good look at it. 









“These water flows are great” said Rohan’s father, “This river looks like the perfect level for us!” 
   
“It looks a bit big for me” said Cat.
   
“Wow!” stated Rohan. 

Soon the landscape became even more mountainous, with trees and vegetation.  “Rohan, look at that coming in,” said Cat.  Soon the bus was surrounded by fog.  Not long ere, the bus reached the top of a high pass.  “You can’t see it in this fog, but over there is the Amazon Basin”  stated Cat.  “All the rivers on this side of the pass flow into the Amazon basin, and eventually, into the Amazon River.”  When the fog cleared, the weather became hot, and the bus arrived in the town of Tena.  At the bus station, Tim, Cat, and Rohan hopped out, got their gear, and caught a taxi to a hostel. 



Tim and Cat recognized Tena from their previous visit about a year before.  After they had settled into the hostel, the parents decided to take Rohan to a special restaurant.  In that restaurant lived a sloth who crawled freely.  When the family arrived, the sloth was away sleeping.  “Wow, that is a disappointment.  Where is he sleeping, Dad?” 
   
“I don’t know,” answered Tim, “but it’s time to order.  He will wake up, and you will have a chance to see him.  I feel his presence.”  After a dinner of an amazing piece of steak, potatoes, and vegetables, Rohan was called behind the front desk of the restaurant.
 
“He’s a beauty isn’t he?” said the waiter.

“Yeah.....wow” said Rohan.  Hanging by his long curly claws from a wooden bar was a big ball of fluff slowly moving towards the public tables where Rohan’s parents were waiting.
 
 

Rohan watched the sloth for the next hour until his mom said “Rohan it’s time to write your blog! Do you have a creative idea?”      

“Oh yeah.....” replied Rohan.

Thank you for reading Rohan Geographic! 

P.S.
Tomorrow Rohan and his family are possibly taking a bus to a town where they will fly to an Amazon lodge.  They my not have internet for another week.