Nov 13 - It's a Wrap

Hard to believe it's over. One week is just not enough time to see and do everything you want at both the lodge and the center. Next time I'm spending a minimum of 2 weeks and I'm going to go when the water is high.

So here are my picks for various categories:

Funniest moment:
1. Falling into the water - both times
2. Bill almost falling backward in the boat while trying to take a picture of a bird

Scariest moment:
1. First leap on the zipline

Most interesting:
1. The humming fish (you can here them above the water)
2. That the deep, horrible sound I heard one night came from a tiny bird (I was convinced it was a ferocious animal - Philippe even teased me it was coming to get me)

Favorite bird:
1. Probably the white-tufted eagle, since I only saw macaws and toucans from a distance

Favorite primate:
1. Pygmy marmoset or owl monkey (tie)

Favorite insect:
1. Drusilla, the tarantula
2. The frog in the washing raft that croaked all night long

Favorite photo:
TBD

Favorite moment:
Tough to pick, I could easily list 10 things, but I'll limit to 3
1. Riding in the front of the boat on the way home from fishing, legs dangling over
2. Canoeing (probably only beats hiking because we only did it one morning)
3. Hiking (everywhere)

What I won't miss:
• Cold showers (though mostly, it's like jumping into a pool when your hot - shocking, then feels good)
• Smelling my own stench
• The buzz of mosquitoes and bees
• Sleeping to the sound of rain (i was ok during the downpours, but would wake up when it turns to soft rain)

What I will miss:
• The people - guides and guests
• Days spent exploring the jungle and rivers
• A strong arm when you get stuck or fall
• Our pre-dinner drinks on the porch, and conversation about anything and everything
• Hot weather
• Soft hair again (not sure if it was the humidity, river water, or my constant sweat)
• Sleeping to the sounds of the night
• Waking up at 5 or 5:30 to go hiking or boating (I know, crazy huh?)

Hope you enjoyed going in my trip with me.

Rainbow from first day in Iquitos

Rainbow from last day in Iquitos

This was pretty wild - saw a rainbow both on arriving and leaving Iquitos.  A reminder of God's promise?

Nov 12 - My landing deserves at least a 10 from the Peru judge

Peacock Bass I caught

Okay, I'll warn you, this is long. But it's been an adventurous last day.

Orlando is bound and determined that I catch a fish (okay, I can't give up either), so we left at 6 am for a 6 hour trip. Finally, after about 5 hours (I guess Orlando has figured out it's a long shot), I caught a fish - a peacock bass. Orlando was so jealous, he took my spot and caught a bigger peacock bass (men!). I caught several babies piranhas, which I threw back - I began to wonder if it was the same poor guy, following the boat upstream. Finally, I almost caught an adult piranha ... Well sort of. As I pulled him in and tried to get him in the boat, I overshot and threw him over the other side, allowing him to escape. I may enjoy fishing, but obviously, like volleyball, I am VERY bad at it.

In the afternoon, we went for a hike in the jungle looking for "creepy critters". But we saw lots of several other animals - a hummingbird whose wings sound like someone's stomach is growling loudly, several large bats, and a white-crested eagle (very rare find).   

Spider or Star Wars character?



Spider or weird version of the joker?



Spider or graham cracker?

Crossing similar to one where I fell

Just as we were starting our hike, we crossed a creek that had risen due to the rain, so the logs we use to cross it were wet. Now before I go on, you need to know that we have to cross this creek somewhere at least twice every time you hike, so I've crossed this creek several times. But this time, I slipped and fell, landing straddling the logs, sitting in water up to my butt (wet logs and rubber boots do not mix well). I laughed harder than I have all week. Orlando helped me out of the creek, laughing the whole time. Then I stood on one leg at a time, emptying my boots and squeezing out my wool socks. We continued on, and I only had to empty my boot one more time, mainly so I could stop squishing and alert animals to us.

After we got back, I showered and joined Bill and Dave for one last glass of wine on the balcony.



The end of the hike

Orlando and I went for inequality last hike after dinner, focusing again on creepy critters. We saw some cool insects. We were about 2/3 through the 2 hour hike when my flashlight gave out. So Orlando gave me his to carry and light the path for both of us (he's so good to me). We were going over a log in this big mud hole (which keeps us from sinking knee deep as I did earlier this week), when, you guessed it, I fell in again. This time I fell flat in the mud, getting soaked all the way up to my hair. To make it worse, I was still carrying Orlando's flashlight. I think Orlando was more concerned about getting stuck in the dark in the jungle than that I was once again soaked. Luckily it was both waterproof and mudproof. However it took us at least 5 minutes to stop laughing enough to continue.

When we got back to the center, I was walking to the bathroom for the 2nd shower of the day when I heard Orlando enter his shared room, and a few minutes later everyone burst out laughing. At least I'm not likely to be forgotten, and I had a memorable end to a great week.

Nov 11 - you should have seen the one that got away



Boating on the Tahuayo River



Went fishing again this morning. I almost caught a fish, but it escaped the hook right at the surface (I swear I did, and he was huge, too. At least 9 feet ... Well, maybe only 9 inches). In the end, I didn't catch anything ... Again. Orlando caught a barracuda (it was too small to keep) and a pacu. We saw some small bats on tree and again visited the pygmy marmosets on the way home.

Saddleback Tamarin





After lunch we went for our first daytime hike in the jungle behind the lodge. We again saw pygmy marmosets, as well as saddle-backed tamarins (the 3rd type of primate here) digging in the trees and eating the sap out. The must have really enjoyed their snack, since they didn't even react to us.

We got caught in the rain, so I was soaked by the time we got back. After a shower, I sat on my porch with Dave, Bill, and Nelly enjoying a glass of wine and watching the rain.

View from my porch



We had hoped to go canoeing tonight, but could not because of the rain. At least most of the rain has been at night, and then it REALLY rains. I cannot believe the increase in the water already due rain. 

Nov 10 - Up river to visit Drusilla



Amazon Research Center

After a morning canoe ride (Orlando let me help row), we left for the Amazon Research Center. It is really cool here. You feel closer to the jungle, the river is smaller, and you are really remote. My building is one of two that overlooks the Tahuayo River. Each building has 2 rooms that share a porch and a ceiling. the ceiling is made of screen and stretches across both rooms to keep any animals in the A-shaped roof and out of one rooms. With only a thin wall dividing the two rooms, it reminds me of that Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie where they put a sheet up to split the room (pillow talk???).

Piranha

 

We went pole fishing in the afternoon. Orlando caught a piranha, I caught nothing, but still had a great time trying.





Pygmy Marmoset



On the way back, we saw some pygmy marmosets (a tiny monkey, slightly larger than a chipmunk) in a tree and got out of the boat to watch them. They were fine with us, but as soon as Bill and Dave's motorboat came around the bend, they climbed up in the trees.

Before dinner, Bill, Dave and I had a glass or two of red time before dinner. We. Sat on there porch and watched a caiman in the water below eat fish scraps from our excursions.



Drusilla



After dinner, I went on a night hike, where I saw a toad, cool grasshopper, whipped scorpion (it's a false scorpion - it's just a huge, thin spider), and best of all, a tropical screech owl. Back at the lodge, looked at the tarantula, Drusilla, who has a nest in the palm tree by the dining room (the tree's on the ground, the dining room's up high for when the river floods). Drusilla comes out whenever it's dark.

Nov 9 - Floating downriver, not a care in the world

Room at lodge

I stink. It is wonderfully hot and somewhat humid. But 10 min after I start hiking, I'm dripping wet. It's not worth taking a shower just to get dirty on the next hike, so i just rinse off in between. Yesterday was really bad, even I couldn't stand to be around myself, I stunk so bad.

After three days of mostly hiking, I went boating in the morning looking for pink dolphins and to Chino, a nearby village for "market day". Several villages bring their hand-made items to sell to the tourists.

In order to not get completely lazy, i went hiking at 6am this morning. It was a great hike, we saw several birds, pygmy marmesots (monkeys only slightly larger than chipmunks), and tamarin monkeys.

After lunch we took a boat ~ 45 minutes until we saw a large dolphin. I really had it lazy. It was just me and my guide, Orlando. So I sat on one of the boat cushions on the bottom of the boat, and put another behind me, token off my shoes, and relaxed while Orlando drove us. I saw birds flying around and dancing on the water, butterflies flying along with us.  It was lovely.

After lunch we went to a nearby village to shop for handmade souveniers.  After we walked around the village - they have added a few new buildings since I was last here, including a secondary school (before they had to go to Iquitos if they wanted to continue their education).  Orland bought me a drink at their bar - "moonshine" and coke.  The moonshine is homemade from sugar cane.

Then we played volleyball...or at least I tried. I played with some young girls. I was terrible, but they were good.

Got to go, more later.

Friends from the Village:

Nov 8 - I flew through the sky, but not with the greatest of ease



Went to the zip lines today. They haul you up to the top with ropes (these guys have muscles). There were 5 of us, so we had plenty of time to view the top of the canopy while we waited. Soon it was time to take off to the 2nd of 3 platforms. I forgot how scary that first leap into nothingness is. But soon I took off to the 2nd and then the 3rd platform (the 2nd leap was much easier than the first). I know I heard someone scream on both rides and since I was the only one moving, I suppose it was me. Can't say whether in fear or joy. We slid down a rope at the end - straight down. Everyone was laughing when I for down...I had my toes pointed the whole way down. They said I looked very graceful - I guess 5 years of ballet leaves it ingrained forever. What was really amazing was that one of the people with me was a woman in her early 70's (so all you who think you are too old to come next time should reconsider)!



Paca - permanent guest at lodge



After lunch I sat on the end of the dock soaking my feet in the river and watching the butterflies fly around. Two lit on me briefly.

Hike to see Hoatzin

Then it was time for the next excursion - a boat ride and hike to see the hoatzin bird, a large bird unique to the amazon that has its own biological family classification and suborder. After a really crazy hike, Josius, a guide, pointed out a 6 foot long electric eel in a small pool of water. We could only see the head, because it was huge. The rest was under the ground in one of the many waterways that run under the land.

We made it to the bird viewing platform, and saw 2 hoatzin birds, as well as several other types of birds.

Nov 7 - Help, the jungle's trying to keep me

Owl Monkeys

Went for a hike this morning. We have a permanent guide assigned to each group, and mine is Orlando. He grew up in village near the lodge and has been working here forever. Orlando and I get along great - he teases me just like my brother, Chris, and he's very goal-oriented. I mentioned I want to see monkeys since I didn't last time I was here, so we went looking for monkeys. And I saw more monkeys than anyone else (5 species), as well as a cute tree rat.

At one point, we heard monkeys, and sat on a moss covered log to wait for them to move toward us.  I noticed a tree by me with lots of ants and brushed a few off of me.  I didn´t think anything about it until one bit me in the butt...they were red fire ants.



Walking in the jungle



The mosquitos are huge - bigger than I´ve ever seen.  Several were at least the size of a quarter, including the legs.  Luckily they all "bugged" Orlando instead of me.  But he got me back - he threw one on me and I didn´t realize he'd already killed it.  Needless to say, he got the reaction he wanted.

At one point in the path my foot sank into the mud up to the tops of the rubber boots they provide.  In trying to get out, I pushed my other foot deep into the mud, too.  I know not to touch trees without looking first, so I find a limb nearby that was safe, grabbed it, and yanked on my one foot.  My foot got free, but not my boot.  So I´m standing on one foot know, stuck in the mud holding a branch, calling for Orlando.  He came over and helped my get free.  A little later we got off the path to get a better look at some monkeys and I step in a hole 12-18 inch hole that was covered by leaves.  After that Orlando made a point of pointing out every hole, no matter how small.



Sloth

Orlando, aka "Little Red Riding Hood"

In the afternoon, we went boating to see a sloth that had been found in a nearby tree.  It started raining, but, with my Cleveland blood, it didn´t bother me.  So I gave my red raincoat to Orlando who was freezing.  By the time we got back to the lodge, the rain had stopped, so we kept going.  We found 3 more sloths - one was even pregnant.  Sloths don't typically move very much, so they are hard to find.  Finding three, was a great treat.  Even better, we saw them moving to keep safe because of the wind.

Nov 6 - I'm Heeeree

I arrived in Lima last night.  Got to the hotel around 11 PM (midnight EST).  The flight was not bad, but all the layovers were a pain...1 to 1.5 hour flight, then 3 hour layover again and again.  Atlanta airport was the most memorable. They had a couple of fire and rescue guys on bicycles driving around.  Also there was a lady on a segway.  Both gave me a smile.  Also I noticed the people movers were extremely fast, or maybe I´ve gotten slower...probably the latter unfortunately.  Also, I seem to be allergic to the Atlanta airport.  I coughed and sneezed non-stop the whole time I was there.  It stopped within 30 minutes after I left.

  

Bill with Caiman dish



After a short night, I was picked up at 6 AM this morning to catch my flight to Iquitos.  I arrived at Iquitos, and was immediately hit by a wall of heat.  I love it.  We had lunch in Iquitos - I had caiman (alligator family) in a garlic sauce.  It was really good, much better than the crocodile in Australia. Not sure if that's because of the different species or how it was fixed. One of the ladies who arrived with me (there were 7 of us) ordered a turtle dish which I tried - it reminded me of pork, but spicier. I liked the Caiman better.

After lunch I rode in an autocarro (think motorcycle with a buggy built on the back). These and motorcycles make up about 80% of the vehicles I saw on the road.

The Lodge in daylight

Because of boat troubles, we got a late start to the lodge. We got half way there and it got dark. One of the guides shone a flashlight in front looking for logs, caiman, etc. For us to avoid. Another in the back shone his light Aa well. Suddenly I heard small thump and I thought a small rock had hit boat. But nope, a fish had jumped out of the water and hit the guide in the arm - I guess he was attracted by the light. A little later, there was a bigger thump - we'd hit a log. I was sitting next to Barbara, a 70ish year old lady and she commented that she wondered what she was getting into.  Luckily we arrived not long after before anything else could go wrong, just in time for dinner and an early night.

More Tomorrow