Quarter after 5 awake again after an amazing sleep and then a breakfast of eggs and bacon and fruit, oh the fruit! It was nice to see the site in the daylight for the first time. I found it challenging to dress covered from head to toe for our morning hike through the jungle. After a short boat ride we met at the top of another crazy set of stairs where we tucked our pants into our socks so no creepy crawlies would go up them, split into two groups and headed off. Our group, Chris and Ruth, Mike and Colleen, CA, Dave and I was lead by Jose. Celia and Ruth stayed back at the lodge as Ruth did not feel up to the challenge and poor Celia did not love the humidity of the jungle. The rest followed Elvis. I must add that although at moments some extremely questionable things may come out of her mouth I find Ruth to be really something. A 70 year old widow who has been on many adventures around the world and wanted to see Peru is admirable in my books.
Our hike rambled through the jungle for several Kilometers with many stops for nature talks and entertainment a la Jose. We saw a crested owl (yes and owl in the jungle), lizards, my house plants on steroids, massive Kapok and Strangle Fig trees, and the craziest ant colony I have ever seen.There were ant freeways trodden into the ground with traffic plodding perfectly spaced down a tree and many meters up a hill, each little vehicle transporting a piece of leaf a half centimeter squarish sized standing up like a wee green sail. In the HOV lane the emptied vehicles scurried haphazardly back for another load. We came upon a tree with bright green leaves that when torn smelled like a freshly mowed lawn. Jose mushed them in his fingers and they produced a red berry like juice which he used to paint each woman’s face as a Queen or Jaguar. Eventually it washed off in the shower.
Our tribes merged again after what felt like half a day to find it was only 10 o’clock! There were few bugs along the trek except when sitting near shore on the lake we crossed to go to the huge Strangle Fig tree. Once there we were challenged to fit all 15 of us inside. I went first and tucked into a root alcove with a root blocking me from the center area. As the others began to fill the space I felt something banging its way up my left leg. I dared not scream, nor look down, and suddenly up past my left ear flew a fruit bat. Everyone oohed and aahed and took pictures having no idea quite how horrified I had been for a moment. We did get all of us inside and Jose clambered his was to a point above to take photos. Apparently this is not usually done. I do suspect his fart jokes are a running gag though.
After that it was back to the lake raft which has quite a propelling system, a sort of oar and tiller combined which swivels on a simple wooden pivot point. This is kept lubricated with lake water from a bucket. It is maneuvered by a singe person. I tried it and can see the simplicity and good exercise value in it. We ate crackers and Grenadilla fruit aka Monkey Brains. It looked very unappealing, the texture was similar to Lychee with watermelon sized seeds filling it, all wrapped in a very thick skin. Would never be my go to fruit but it was refreshing….. desperate times, my friends.
While sitting there we dropped broken crackers into the water to see the piranha frenzy, well fuss, really. Cool though.Upon returning to shore the first of us off the raft saw the take down of a good sized frog by a Coral snake. Now that was nature in action! And i of course had a camera and cell with dead batteries. (at the lodge the charging station is only on for a few hours after dark when the power is turned on for the dining hall and bar)
We hiked back through to the riverboat and made way to camp. The stairs do seem to be getting easier now even as the heat purges my body of hydration. It is so humid though, no Chapstick necessary, double the deodorant! I think the locals really understand the effects of the heat on the touristas. There seems to be a pattern of movement and rest, hot and less hot, exertions and relaxation (in the bar or swimming hole). As well there is a noticeable gap before meals so that we are cooled down, cleaned up , ready for fuel and good company…. oh and Cervesa! The wine comes by the bottle only and thoe who want to indulge have paired up while Colin and I have enjoyed the Cusqueña Premium beer (I am bringing home a souvenir empty for the cool bottle and label) and the rum and cokes with ice (so far no ill effects).
While many went to the swimming hole or relaxed for the afternoon Jim and Lynda, Colleen and I went with Jose to the farm across the river which G owns and gets much of its fresh produce from. There are pigs and we saw a vulture, a macaw and a couple parrots, chickens and a monkey running in the trees overhead. It was fascinating to me to see the plants of so many familiar foods such as avocado (they miscarry and drop the bad fruit, it is never eaten off the ground), papaya, banana, plantains, bell peppers, custard fruit (ugly and so delicious), Noni (strange looking and tastes like the strongest of blue cheese, also known as vomit fruit), pineapple and the herbs, basil and lemon grass. The lemons were the biggest, like a huge orange.
We were to meet at the bar at 6 to listen to a talk on gators of all kinds and then go for a one hour boat ride to search for Cayman in the dark before dinner. At the exact time Elvis started his talk the sky opened up and started pouring rain. It was loud and amazing. We sat and ate plantain chips (nummy) and waited until he and the pilot of the riverboat felt the rain was passing and we could go. We were wearing our raincoats though. Good thing! We headed out and were watching the lightening in the distance. Not far along Elvis spotted a Cayman in the water along the shore and pointed his spot light at it so we could take pictures. Then everything happened at once. We bottomed out, stuck in the mud, the sky opened up again and the storm was now right over top with loud thunder and bright lightening. As a few got the boat unstuck others of us put down the plastic walls and we waited. the pilot did an amazing job getting us back to the other shore and then reversed up the river to the dock where we all trudged up the sodden stairs. It was awesomely exciting. That was what I imagined the Amazon to be like. At no time did I fear for our safety but I know some did. I do believe it bonded us, once and for all.
Dinner was once again delicious and we sat outside chatting for some time before calling it a night.
MB in the jungle
09.17.13
triumphgal 
Love reading this! Be safe sweet lady glad you are having an adventure of a lifetime!!
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