Welcome to the Jungle
November 15th – 26th, 2007 The Jungle, Peru
For the next 11 days I will be exploring what the jungle has to offer. We will be camping in the Amazon Rain Forest, sleeping in hammocks while cruising down the Amazon River and playing with exotic animals. If that sounds like an interesting read, I invite you to the details:
Thursday – Piura to Chiclayo to Tarapoto
After meeting in Piura city we headed down to Chiclayo where we would catch a bus to Tarapoto. Everyone is super excited as we are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. The bus ride is about as bumpy as it gets and unfortunately upon arrival one of our party lost her breakfast. Fourteen hours after departure we arrive in the outskirts of the jungle in Tarapoto, a town of 60,000.
Friday – Tarapoto to Yurimaguas
We grab a quick breakfast and then set off in different directions to run errands. We proceed to shop for hammocks which we will make good use of shortly. Most of the group bought pretty nylon hammocks, making fun of Ryan and I for buying hammocks which more closely resemble fishing nets than they do sleeping instruments. We will soon have the last laugh as we sleep much more comfortably than the others.
Lunch is had at a little restaurant with a balcony overlooking the cityscape. We dine on patarashca which is piranha cooked in a spicy sauce and served in a banana leave. It is coupled with a tater tot type dish, except that instead of potatoes the tater tots are made from smashed bananas. Along the walk back in search for ice cream we come across a vendor selling a particular type of fruit unknown to all. We buy a bag of the peculiarity and soon deem it perhaps the only repulsive fruit on the planet. It had the after taste of cheese with none of cheese´s good qualities.
We found a car to Yurimaguas which can only be traveled to by night due the fact that there is construction by day which renders the route impassable. I wouldn´t necessarily claim that the route is passable by night either. Although we left at 4pm and raced to the entrance to the highway, we were unable to enter to closer to 7pm. You have to get in line and only so many cars get the right to pass for the day. During the down time we played “mafia”, which if you didn´t play in college I feel sorry that you missed out on what is perhaps my favorite time killer. (that is of course for some reason cards are not available).
Eventually, we started down the road. It was like driving in the worst snow storm imaginable but instead of snow the hinderance was mud. We were sliding all over the place. The funny part is that this part of the trip wasn´t even the scariest part. About an hour in, the road magically turns into the nicest stretch of highway I have experienced in Peru. I guess the construction has been worth the pain. That is unless you have a madman for a driver. We are still unsure of the motive but our driver had some dire reason to get to our destination fast. He was clocking 75 mph through stretches of highway that more closely resembled the letter S than I. About an hour into the trip we were unable to talk because all energy was being concentrated in order not to vomit. Even after introducing a fairly good size boulder to the undercarriage, our grim reaper still hadn´t learned his lesson. After a few close calls with a deer, a donkey and a cow we realized he never would. Ryan said it best when he exclaimed, “I feel like I have been on the longest rollercoaster of my life.” Well, besides the Peace Corps experience in general.
We arrived at the dock around 10 PM. The dock was out of a typical storybook. Read sketchy. Therefore, Ryan and I went down to investigate. We arranged stay with the captain. The first floor was for cargo. We could string up our hammocks either on the second floor or third. We chose the third floor because it was much more open while the second seemed to enclosed and cramped.
A group of us went to fetch some Chinese take out for dinner. The boat wasn´t departing until the next day at 1pm so we would be spending the night docked. We strung up our hammocks and then debated implementing a shift system for night guard. I don’t really remember why we decided not to post a sentry. Perhaps we should have because no one slept for very well that first night.
Saturday – At port in Yurigmaguas – Beginning of the Journey down the Amazon
The port was busy starting at 4:30 AM so sleeping past 5 AM was nearly impossible. A crew went to find us some breakfast. Today was the beginning of a very chill day. We read. We played cards. We took naps. We did nothing. Although the chalkboard advertised we would be leaving at 1pm, we of course didn´t leave until closer to 5 PM. Something about mechanical problems. Sweet. We´re about to head down the Amazon River and there is a small chance we might break down.
Technically, we aren´t on the Amazon River quite yet but rather on a tributary. Nevertheless, it was beautiful as we cruised down the 2nd largest river in the world. I think I instantly fell in love with the jungle.
Sunday – Lagunas and the beginning into the depths of the jungle
We arrived early in the town of Lagunas, home to a few thousand people. Our guide met us at the dock and led us to his house where we prepared for the trip. We consolidated to one backpack per two people, carrying only that which would be essential for the next few days. There was a guide for each canoe and we started down a small tributary into a national park reserve, Pacaya Samira. I can hardly believe we will be floating down a river for 4 days in a canoe. Into the depths of the jungle.
The first day we saw all kinds of birds, a couple two-toed sloths, and a monkey here and there. We stayed in a floating bungalow. Right now is the beginning of the rainy season, so the river is really high. Apparently the river recedes during the Peruvian winter and that is when they constructed the floating bungalow. We set up our mosquito nets and sleeping pads and then when for a refreshing dip in the water.
Monday – Pacaya Samira
We wake early and pack up. Breakfast consist of fried piranha and tea. The fish was very tasty and oh so fresh. Don´t worry, you can swim in the infested waters as long as you don´t have any open bleeding wounds. Cool.
We switched guides around, since some are better than others. Steve and I went with Raul (the head guide) and took lead. Raul can spot anything. We saw iguanas, a jungle squirrel and best of all a boa constrictor. When the other groups were coming up behind us they accidentally scared the boa into the water. Raul jumps into the water and goes searching for his toy. He scares it across the river and Carlos goes chasing it in his canoe. All of a sudden, he thrusts his arm into the river and jerks out the boa by the neck. We proceeded to pass around said friend and snap photos while carefully applying pressure to the neck. Boas are not venomous but are quite strong and are known to crush the bones of their prey by wrapping tightly around the victim and applying extreme pressure. Hence the name boa constrictor.
Later that day we paddled into a very remote cove where we spent an hour or so admiring monkeys in their natural habitat. At one particular part the monkeys needed to cross the river. They would sit on the outermost edge of the tree branch and then spring across the river to other side landing in scrub brush, using the branch like your neighborhood diving board.
That night there would be no bungalow to sleep in. We found a small dry patch of land to set up camp. Our “tents” consisted of a tarp propped up by tree branches. We crawled into our mosquito nets which were stifling hot because due to limited dry space we were more than uncomfortably close. This was real camping.
Before settling down for the night, we paddled out to a small laguna where the river dolphins play. I wasn´t aware that fresh water dolphins existed. They were very similar to their ocean cousins, except of a pinkish tint. It is said that if a women is menstruating, they will ram the boat hoping to cast her overboard. We unfortunately were not so lucky.
Tuesday – Pacaya Samira
This morning we got up and prepared to set out for a hike. Most were able to wear galoshes to trek around in the swamp. Unfortunately, they did not have my size and thus I had to endure the hike in my running shoes. It was actually somewhat refreshing, although my shoes stunk like jungle swamp until my return to site where I could properly wash them.
The hike was pretty cool. We trudged through puddles and fallen trees in the heart of the jungle. Along the way we encountered tarantulas, tree frogs and several insects. Our guide introduced us to several types of medicinal plants. He taught us which trees were used for what kinds of furniture. Then we ate worms. He opened a coconut and then convinced us to try the squishy little things. The taste actually wasn´t that bad, it tasted kind of like sweet milk, but the texture wasn´t exactly appetizing. Back at camp we roasted up a bunch of the guys. They tasted very similar to roasted pumpkin seeds. I don´t know how we ever got back to camp because we had been wandering around in the jungle for hours, but Raul knew what he was doing.
We took a nice quick cool dip in the river before heading out. For some reason the water had different floating qualities. It was quite difficult to stay afloat and made treading water rather exhausting. After much debate, we decided the water was thinner. We do not know why.
Now was the trip back. We headed back for the first bungalow, searching for animals along the way. We got to witness a jungle squirrel in conflict with some sort of venomous green snake. It reminded me of that childhood story where the cobra battles it out with the ferret. We also sat under a canopy of trees and watched a troop of monkeys as they passed overhead.
That night we asked Raul if we could go searching for crocodiles. He said since the waters are so high, the crocs have receded into the depths of the jungle and that finding one would be nearly impossible. We were slightly disappointed but came up with an activity just as fun. We decided to go swimming one last time. I mean how many people have swum in the Amazon, yet alone after dark.
Wednesday – Pacaya Samira to Lagunas
After packing up we made the short journey back to the entrance of the national park reserve. This was the hardest part for the guides because there were stretches that required paddling upstream against a decent current. Shortly after lunch we arrived at the entrance were we properly thanked our guides and headed back to the agency´s office.
After a week without a shower, it felt good to be clean again. It ranks in the top ten all-time best showers of my life. We treated our guides to a few cold beers before dining in Lagunas. We were told the boat was supposed to arrive at 8:30 PM but of course it was closer to midnight when it did. We quickly set up hammocks and crashed until the morning sun glittering on the river was intolerably bright.
Thursday – Lagunas to Iquitos
Most of the day consisted of playing cards and reading and napping. Along the river we passed several little jungle villages. They were quite charming. Before service, I always fantasized my Peace Corps experience as living in a small little village in the Central American jungle. Maybe next time.
The boat serves dinner which consisted of white rice, a boiled green banana, and a small portion of chicken. Not exactly your typical Thanksgiving Feast. But we made the best of it, sharing the memories of the last year and what we were thankful for while passing around a bottle of wine I had brought along for just the occasion. Spirits were surprisingly high considering the circumstances.
Friday – Iquitos
Iquitos is the largest city in the world not accesable by road. It is built around the rivers that form the Amazon River running north through Colombia. Back in the day it was home to the rubber industry and was fairly affluent during the rubber boom. The culture of the city was quite unique. It was kind of like visiting a beach town. The city has really utilized its access to water effectively.
Upon arrival, we headed to the hostal and showered. We stayed in the back part of the hostal which highly resembled the strucutures of the Swiss Family Robinson. Lunch might have been the best of I have had in the last year. The Lonely Planet guide book raves about a Texas BBQ joint located in Iquitos called the Yellow Rose of Texas. I have been patiently waiting to dine here since I read such wonderful news. Gerald is an expat from Houston, Texas who is married to a Peruvian and since retirement calls Iquitos his home. The BBQ is for real. The first meal was smoked chicken smothered in homemade Texas barbeque sauce, coupled with homemade onion rings, mashed potatoes with white gravy and Texas beans. It was amazing. The meals were so large you only had to eat twice a day. The restaurant also serves some typical cultural food so Ryan, Steve and I ate every meal there. We ate fried alligator nuggets, ½ lb. hamburgers, bbq pork sandwiches, and smoked venison from jungle deer. Unfortunately the night we ordered brisket they were out. Gerald also has NFL Ticket so we joined him for a game or two in the TV lounge.
Saturday – Iquitos
After breakfast at YRT where we dined on huevos rancheros and the richest French toast you have ever seen, we headed out for the day. We first visited a butterfly farm and rescue center. An expat from Austria has been breeding butterflies and taking in animals in need of rescue. We got to play with monkeys as well as get up close and personal with a jaguar, an anteater and a couple alligators.
We also visited a self-claimed rescue center but were pretty upset because it quickly became obvious that these were just some folks capturing animals from the wild and charging a fee. It was like a petting zoo. We got to wear a boa around our necks and hold a sloth and other jungle animals. There was a tiny little alligator you could hold but while Ryan and I were trying to exchange the little guy, he snapped my thumb drawing blood. I was slightly disappointed because I don´t think it is going to scar.
Later that night we headed out to the discotech to get our groove on with the locals. It was your typical night out.
Sunday – Iquitos
We headed out to a golf course with an Irish fellow named Hugh we met on the boat to Iquitos. An expat from Britain has constructed a nine hole course but apparently is in a legal dispute over land rights. The first hole is in debate and legally “Mad Mick” can´t charge green fees. Therefore, we got to play the course for free. Considering we had nine people and only one bag of clubs, best ball was our only option. Even that was taking considerable time, so we called it a day after 4 holes due to the impending rain.
After escaping the rain into an ice cream parlor, the rest of the night was spent watching football with Gerald and lamenting about the upcoming return to reality.
Monday – Iquitos to Lima
We rose early and caught a flight to Lima where we would later catch buses back to site. It was an amazing trip. I don´t think I have ever traveled with a group of nine people and witnessed absolutely no drama. It was so chill yet we did so much. All we can dream about is going back
posted by Brent @ 1:06 PM
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