Tuesday, June 28, 2005 Day 1
Gather at RDU Airport Tuesday afternoon by 12:30
Continental Flight 2261V LV: RDU 3:00 p.m. via Houston AR: QUITO 10:32 p.m.
Clear immigration and customs, meet Heifer staff people and our two Ecuadorean educators. Proceed to Hostal Los Alpes, our base for the first three nights. We’ll preview each day the evening before, answer questions and provide suggestions on what to wear and bring. We will meet each evening, before or after dinner.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 Day 2
Altitude adaptation day in Quito. Meet with Heifer staff. Cultural studies in the city. Nightly Meeting & Reports-Groups share daily meteorological and cultural observations. We begin the nightly ritual of composing a daily journal entry and answering questions from students who are following along via the Museum’s website. Overnight in Quito at Hostal Los Alpes.

Thursday June 30, 2005 Day 3
Travel to the 'county' of Cotacachi. Meet with teachers and students at Morochos’ community school. Lunch with leaders of UNORCAC (Unión de Organizaciones Campesinas de Cotacachi= Union of Farmer Organizations). Visit the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, which ranges from lowland humid forest (30 m) up to paramo on the top of Volcan Cotacachi (4939 m). In the afternoon we join in the San Pedro’s Fiesta at the park in the town of Cotocachi. Nightly Meeting & Reports. Overnight in Quito at Hostal Los Alpes.

Friday, July 1, 2005 Day 4
After early packing, travel to Pichincha Province and the Mindo-Nambillo Forest Reserve, which ranges from cloud forest up to the paramo. After an hour by bus and 15 minutes by truck, we arrive at FURARE (Fundación Rescate del Bosque Tropical=Tropical/Rain Forest Rescue Foundation) Project, located in the northwestern Pichincha Province. Meet with the community. Orchid Studies. Nightly Meeting & Reports. Overnight in Mindo at the Bellavista Cloud Forest Hotel.

Saturday, July 2, 2005 Day 5
Cloud Forest Hike and Birding Excursion in the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve. We will be watching for hummingbirds-Ecuador has more species than any country in the world! Nightly Meeting & Reports. Overnight in Mindo at the Bellavista Cloud Forest Hotel.

Sunday, July 3, 2005 Day 6
Pack it up. Travel to Manabi Province, Visit UPOCAM Project. (Unión Provincial de Organizaciones Campesinas de Manabí=Union of Farmer Organizations in Manabi Province) Nightly Meeting & Reports. Overnight in Portoviejo, one of the oldest cities in Ecuador, at Hotel Quinta San Juan.

Monday, July 4, 2005 Day 7
Travel to Jipijapa (say:Heeppy-hoppah) to visit UPOCAM’s Pisloy Project and the school of Veronica Conforme, Ecuador ’04 participant. Comparison of Distance Learning Projects. Nightly Reports. Happy 4th of July! Overnight in Portoviejo, at the Hotel Quinta San Juan.

Tuesday, July 5, 2005 Day 8
Pack it up. Travel to Puerto López on the way visit town of Montecristi (Did you know that 'Panama' Hats are made in Ecuador?). Overnight in Puerto Lopez at Hosteria Mandala, located on the edge of Machalilla National Park-our base for the next 3 nights. This park encompasses dry tropical forest, coastal marine habitats, and humid fog forests on its highest mountains. Nightly Meeting & Reports.

Wednesday, July 6, 2005 Day 9
Leave early from Puerto Lopez for a boat ride to La Isla de la Plata. Marine mammal observations-will we see whales? Coastal bird hike. Closing Meeting. Reflection on the experience. Overnight at the Hosteria Mandala

Thursday, July 7, 2005 Day 10
Journaling Session at Los Frailes Beach
Travel from Puerto Lopez to Guayaquil on the Sun Road.
Dinner in Guayaquil and depart for airport.

Friday, July 8, 2005 Day 11
Continental Flight 2261V
LV: Guayaquil 12:55 am AR: Houston 6:06 am
LV: Houston 7:35 am AR: RDU 11:15 am
Back to the USA

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