I moved my attention from the small monitor in front of me to the steward taking out the last trash items from the passengers. The pilot just announced that we are arriving at our destination in Ecuador. I gathered all my things, fixed my chair and my mask, and prepared for landing.
I looked through out the window, waiting for the plane to finally land – I am not afraid of flying; however, it isn't my favorite activity either.
When the plane landed and got to our gate, I had to wait for my turn to leave as people were leaving roll by roll. When it was my turn, I fixed my backpack on my shoulders and left the airplane. I walked to the baggage claim area, waiting for my bags. Thankfully, it didn't take long. After that I had to go through security before leaving the airport. When I was able to get to the waiting area of the airport, I looked for someone holding a sign with my name on it. After a few minutes I was able to find a driver wearing a t-shirt with the name of the hotel on it. I walked to him and he smiled to me.
- Ms. Freitas? – he asked, and I nodded.
- You can call me Laura. – I said, and it was his turn to nod, reaching for one of my bags.
- My name is Roberto. I am one of the drivers of the hotel and I'll be your driver for the day. – he introduced himself. He was nice. He looked a little older, maybe in his mid-50s.
- Great. Nice to meet you. – I said, smiling. We walked together to the car that was parked outside, he opened the trunk where we placed the bags. I opened one of the backdoors of the car and sat inside, while he moved to driver sit.
- Is this your first time in Ecuador? – he asked, trying to be polite.
- It is. I am really excited. – I said, looking through the window. As I was looking to the blurry view, I was able to find some similarities to where I used to live, back in Brazil. Soon the view changed from buildings, houses and cement to green, trees and nature. It didn't take long for me to be able to see the big, mostly glass made, construction that was mixed with the forest around us. It was so beautiful.
- Welcome to Mashpi Lodge. – Roberto said.
- Thank you. It is beautiful.
He stopped in front of the main door and helped me unload the bags. I walked into the lounge of the building, amazed by how they had done such a beautiful job in adapting the construction to the nature around it.
- Hello, welcome to Mashpi Lodge. My name is Samuel.
- Hello, I'm Laura Freitas. I have a reservation. – I said walking closer to the counter.
- May I have your documents, please? – He asked and I gave him my passport. Samuel typed a few things in his computer before looking at me again. – Your room is still been prepared because of the last-minute change in your reservation.
- What "last-minute change"?
- The switch on the two beds suite to the one bed suite. – He explained.
- Who requested the change? – I asked. He typed in the computer again before answering me.
- Sarah Magalh...
- Sarah Magalhães. – I completed when I saw that he was having trouble finished the name. – Has she signed in at all? Or are there any other reservations in her name? – he looked up in the computer again, before answering.
- Doesn't look like it. I'm sorry. – I can't believe she did that to me.
- It's okay. – I said, taking a deep breath. – I'll take the room.
- Like I was saying, the room is not ready yet. However, you are welcome to wait in our restaurant, we are still serving breakfast. – he said, giving me a map pf the hotel with all the information of the floors as well as returning my passport. – I'll ask someone to take your luggage to your room.
- Thank you. – I said, returning my passport to my bag. One of the helpers of the hotel came to take my bags and I left it with him. I followed the map that was given to me to the elevator, where I pressed the button that took me to the restaurant. The place was huge, most of the walls were made of glass, allowing us to see the amazing forest outside. The elevator doors opened inside of the small lounge of the sitting area; at my right I could see the serving area for the breakfast self-service. In the back of the room there were beautiful balconies that gave us breath taking views of the trees under the glass floor.
I was feeling so overwhelmed and anxious to find out what was going on that I walked straight out to one of the balconies. I grabbed my phone in my backpack and turned it on, logging in on the Wi-Fi to be able to make the WhatsApp call. I found the needed name pretty easily since I was about to call my best friend.
- Por favor, não fique brava. (Please, don't be mad.) – she said as soon as she answered the phone.
- Brava? Porque eu ficaria brava? (Mad? Why would I be mad?) – I answered, giving a little break, before completing. – Ah, eu sei porque. Porque você me deixou vir sozinha para um pais completamente diferente em uma viagem que foi ideia sua para começo de conversa! (Oh, yes. I know why. Because you left me alone in a complete strange country in a trip that was your idea for starters!)
- E... Você ja está brava! (And... You are already mad!)
- Claro que eu estou brava! Como que você faz isso comigo? (Of course I am mad! How could you do this to me?) – I asked, taking off my backpack, leaving it by the outside couch and leaning on the safety glass of the balcony. – E eu tive que descobrir através do rapaz da recepção que você não ia vir mais?! (And I had to find out from the reception guy that you aren't coming anymore?!)
- Laura, por favor. Deixa eu explicar. (Laura, please. Let me explain.) – she asked, and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what she was going to say. – Eu passei a noite no Pedro e eu acabei perdendo o meu voo. Por causa do COVID-19, eu não consegui um novo voo a tempo. Eu não te avisei porque quando eu percebi que eu realmente não ia conseguir ir, você ja estava no avião. Eu sinto muito Laura. (I spent the night at Pedro's. I end up oversleeping and missing my flight. Because of COVID-19, I wasn't able to get a new flight in time. I didn't tell you because when I realized that I really wouldn't be able to go, you were already in your own flight. I'm truly sorry Laura.)
- Eu sinto muito também. Não deveria ter falado com você desse jeito. Mas nós não nos vemos a mais de um ano e eu realmente estava ansiosa por essa viagem. (I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have talk to you like that. It's just that we haven't seen each other in more than two years now and I was really looking forward to this trip.)
- Eu sei. Eu também. (I know. Me too.)
- Mas o que que eu vou fazer agora? Eu to literalmente sozinha nesse lugar! (But now what I am supposed to do? I'm literally alone in this place!) – I asked.
- É realmente tão lindo quanto dizem? (Is it as beautiful as they say?) – she asked, trying to make me feel better about the situation.
- É muito mais! Você tinha que ver isso aqui! (It is much more! You have to come one day and see it for yourself!)
- Eu tenho certeza de que você vai encontrar uma forma de aproveitar esse lugar. Me mande várias fotos, okay? (I'm sure you will find ways to enjoy the place. Send me lots of pictures okay?)
- Okay. Eu te amo. (Okay. I love you.)
- Eu te amo também. Eu preciso desligar, mas a gente se fala mais tarde, okay? Tchau. (I love you too. I have to go, but we will talk later, okay? Bye.)
- Tchau. (Bye.) – I said, finishing the call. I placed the phone in my back pocket, using both my hands to support myself against the glass. I leaned my head back, stretching my neck and back. I was really enjoying the view and letting the silence relax me when I was surprised by a voice coming from behind me.
- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. – I turned to see a boy, maybe a little older than me. He had light brown, a little bit over the shoulder's hair. Couldn't be 3 or 4 inches taller than me. He was holding a coffee mug in his hand, his mask – the kind that fisherman use – was hanging on his neck, he probably took it off before realizing that he wasn't alone in the balcony.
- It's okay. You probably didn't understand any of it anyway. – I said, grabbing my bag.
- Something like that, yeah. – he said, smiling before taking a sip out of his mug. – What language was that?
- Portuguese.
- Wow, are you Brazilian?
- Yes. Born and raised. – I answered with a smile.
- Nice. – he answered, smiling too. Behind him, I could see one of the hotel employees coming our way.
- Ms. Freitas?
- Yes? – I answered.
- Your room is ready. – he said, standing his arm and offering me the room key.
- Thank you. – I said, walking pass the nice guy that was talking to me and taking the key from employees' hand – It was nice talking to you.
- I'm Charles. You can call me Charlie. – he introduced himself.
- I'm Laura. Nice to meet you. – I said. – I would shake your hand but...
- COVID, yeah. – he said, always smiling, and we stayed in silence for a few seconds, just starring at each other, before I finally saying goodbye.
- I'll see you around, Charlie.
- I'll see you. – he said and I turned around, going inside the restaurant again.
I didn't even have appetite to grab anything, so I just made my way to the elevator, looking at the card in my hands to see the room number – 310 – before pressing the third-floor button. The elevator was simple but new, I didn't have to wait long before its doors opened. I walked a straight path out of it, looking left and right, searching for my room. There weren't many rooms on the floor.
My room was the last one. I opened the door and was taken a little bit by surprise when I walked into an open concept bedroom that had 3 of its walls made of glass. Heavy curtains – one for each of the walls – were opened to let the natural light in and to give me an amazing view of the forest around us.
At my right, when I stepped inside the room, I could see the bathroom – a large modern sink, the toilet, a shower with more space than I would probably need and a bath that could easily and comfortably fit two people. As I walked more into the room, I could see the king size bed against the regular wall, two nightstands with lamps – one on each side of the bed – and a drawer between the bathroom wall and the nightstand. All of furniture and the floor was made of a light color wood, the sheets were white with a grey blanket folded at the end of the bed. My bags were place on the floor, by the end of the bed.
I took off my mask and walked around, enjoying the relaxing vibe of the room around me. Everything was so clean, neat and peaceful. I walked to the bed and placed the backpack on it. I stood by the giant window, admiring the view. I grabbed my phone from my back pocket to make a video for Sarah.
-Mulher, olha esse quarto! (Girl, look at this room!) – I said, doing a 90 degree turn so she could see the room. And then I did the other 90 degree so she could see the view. – Olha essa vista Sarah! (Look at this view Sarah!) – then I turned the phone to selfie mode, showing my face. – Voce deveria estar aqui! (You should be here!) – I said, smiling, and finishing the video.
I sent the video to her, before sending a picture to my parents and posting one in my Instagram stories. I let the phone fall from my hands, hitting the bed. I stretched my arms over my head before grabbing the suitcase and placing it on the bed. I grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, as well as the underwear, before walking to the restroom to take a shower.