Welcome to the Jungle - Amazon Walking Tour

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My second jungle trip, a 2 day walking tour through Amazon proper ignited my senses like nothing I have ever experienced before. So here follows:

A SENSORY JUNGLE EXPERIENCE.


The sweet bite of the juice from the tiny mangoes that fell from the trees with a plonk. The sun beating relentlessly down on the beacks of our necks, our scalps and our thighs as we sit in the boat. The occasional cool splash of river water on your cheek as the boat rocks. The welcome sahde dappling your face as you enter the tree line. The sighs of relief and the stagnant heat that makes you flop as you enter that perfect little pituresque clearing with wooden lodges. The sting of sun in your eyes as you look up to the canopy, trying to see the tops of those impossibly giant trees. The metallic scent of DEET as we layer it on thickly and with hesitation. And then the jungle. The thwok of our guides machete, clearing the apth. The cushiony give under you feet as you traverse the carpet of rotten leaves. The trickle of sweat down your neck and behind your knees. The crashing of seven people forging inexpertly through the undergrowth. The constant drones and clicks of insects buzzing, cicadas droning and birds twittering. The continuous fluttering against your skin from passing butterflies, mosquitoes and bugs. The acrid scent of fecundity. Flowers, fallen leaves and the ajo ajo tree (garlic tree) permeate the air with their strong aromas. The flash of unexpected colour in a sea of forest green and browns. The bright purple bud of a flower, the crawling red of a tiny catterpillar, the neon green on the back of a spider and splashed on the black wings of a butterfly. The sting of the red ant, like someone putting out a match on your skin. The frenetic crashing high above of little monkeys launching themselves from tree to tree. The snuffling and clacking of a pack of wild boars. The sour smell they leave at the watering hole. The gentle scarping of our guide peeling back hte bark of numerous trees to explain what the sap does; a cure for arthritis, parasites, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, swollen glands, red eyes,a substitute for viagra, for garlic, for mothers milk.
The wiggle then sharp taste of a termite (edible) crushed quickly between your teeth. The impossible violet colour on our hands and cheeks after we crush leaves with water to make a dye. The squeals and flurries when giant bugs lodge themselves in our hair and won't budge. The giggle of our baby faced guide as he points out a tree root that looks like a penis. The wind through your hair, drying the sweat on your face as you swing on a gigantic jungle vine. The knobbly toughness under your hands of the bark of a 400 year old tree. The bitter taste of a bark that women use for birth control. The sweltering curtain of heat that lays on you as you try to sleep. The beating sun once again as you emerge from the protection of the trees. The scorching hot of the cool bone dry stones on the banks of the river. The cool slippery smoothness of those that you wade over to reach the boat. And then the familiar rocking drone of the ride home. Teh splashing of cool water as we leave the jungle behind. The sweet gentle swing of a hammock. The meagre gust of tepid air from the fan. The much needed lure of sweaty, humid, deep sleep.

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