Up at quarter after 5, a quick breakfast of a very tasty maize pancake and once again coffee that even I watered down. We loaded all our gear and selves onto a private bus and headed to the airport. About a Km away I realized my camera had been left behind. I remained calm and simply asked that our CEO Nury call the hotel and have them put it aside for me as I would be returning the last night of the tour. It would have been easy to get cranky about this as I have a wee Canon that basically if I can see what it is, I can zoom in on it which I wanted especially for the Amazon. I chose to just go with the flow and as it happens C / W had an extra one they lent me.
At the airport we got in line to check in our bags and then got in a huge long line to go through security. There was much fun with strangers in the line as many of us recognized it felt much like Disneyland. I had to take off my belt and all but we all got through with no problem at all and sat in the waiting room until our shuttle to the plane. It was a great opportunity to get to know The Others even better.
The plane trip had a stop in Cusco and unfortunately none of us had window seats. There were moments of great turbulence and a door even flew open depositing trays of china on the floor, leading to a cup handle scurrying down the aisle.
During the stop in Cusco I handed around a birthday card for CA so that everyone could sign it. She, however, would not turn around and sit down so it made the whole endeavor very challenging and Dave resorted to covert actions.
Once we landed in Puerto Moldonado I tried to get several employees to hold a paper for me for a picture but finally Nury did it. CA and I were the first ones out and the greeting from the taxi drivers was intense as they kindly offered us a ride. Eventually our driver, Elvis found us. By now I was feeling pretty special given we had been transported by two Kings.
We all boarded our tour bus with our bags on top and headed for the GAdventures office. As it happened Elvis was not our driver but rather our tour guide for this part of the stay. He filled us in on much and told us what to expect all with a charming accent, good grasp of English and much joking. When we reached the office we were each given a numbered duffel bag which we were to pack with only the stuff to take to the jungle and the rest would be locked up. Wendy traded me her number 13 for my 11!
Back on the bus and through a poor shanty town on military land we worked our way to the river. The main method of transportation seems to be motorcycles. I saw whole families on one.
We arrived at the port where we had time to use the banos, I bought deodorant and coated in Muskol.
May be the best meal ever!
We loaded on board a river boat with CA and I in the front seats, and began our journey to the lodge which took several hours. Along the way we saw much flora, birds, termite nests, a beautiful cayman and a family of capybara. At our check station we all had to climb crazy steps up to a thatch building to sign into the reserve and got a beautiful leopard stamp in our passports.
It was so emotional to realize where we were! We were served a beautiful lunch in an old fashioned metal dish with lid. It was possibly the best meal I have ever had just due to the setting.
Finally we arrived in the dark and once again hiked up steep steps with bottle cap treads to the Lodge.
We were given our room keys, briefed on the evenings events and sent to shower and settle. The rooms are beautiful with bamboo walls, tile floors and thatched roofs. Mosquito nets hang over the beds. I took a purposefully cold shower and changed for the evening. Afterward we met at the bar, grabbed a Cervesa which only came LARGE and headed on a guided tour in the dark of the jungle. We saw a Bamboo Rat over our heads, many spiders of all sizes, a tarantula and a vine snake among other things. This was lead by Elvis and our second guide the naughty and delightful Jose. The part that actually made me teary was the beauty of the fireflies. I now understand why people believe in Faeries.
Dinner followed the walk and it was a delicious buffet with fresh local ingredients and talk of the next days plans. This was accompanied by another Cervesa of the supersized Peruvian beer which I very much like in this humidity. After dinner I was able to get the final signatures in the card including our three guides, purchased a locally made bracelet which was beautifully wrapped in paper from the barmaids booklet and held with staples. This was placed inside the zip lock bag of granola bars I scooped from the seat pocket on the plane when CA forgot it there. Wendy had smuggled it past her for me. Nury had arranged a beautiful cake with star fruit decorations and we used a big taper as I could not find the cake candles I had brought all the way from home. We all sang and she was much pleased, after all she had had the best 57th imaginable!
Returning to the room we tucked in for the night as morning was to come early and I will say I am ready to sleep well even with the heat and humidity. Of course I feel like a Princess sleeping under the net.
One of the stranger things I have experienced in my life was the side effect of the altitude sickness pills. I seem to be the only one as well, although I am not sure if any of The Others are taking them. It begins with a tingling in my lips which quickly spreads along my jaw and down my spine or across my shoulders. Feels as though all the blood is rushing away. I suppose it may be similar to a near faint but it is very trippy and yes I mean in a narcotic sense. It happened several times in the morning after taking my first half pill and seemed more often when we were going up and down in the airplane. After the second dose in the evening it also happened but only once.
My only frustration was having forgotten my camera. I have spare batteries, card and all…..sigh
MB on the Tambopata
09.16.13
triumphgal 