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Published: July 11th 2006
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sunrise
was worth getting up early to see this Micheal woke us all up at 5.30 so we could go watch the sunrise, unfortunately we didn´t leave till 6 so the sun had already started to rise, however the sky was still really beautiful with lots of colours, which were also reflected in the water. The water was also very still and calm, looked like a very large mirror. Even though we kinda missed the sunrise we saw lots of dolphins, both pink and grey ones. we tried several time to take photos but had no luck! the dolphins came out of the water for such a small amount of time we weren't quick enough taking the photos so have lots of just water!
After about an hour of watching dolphins we headed back to the lodge and Micheal said he would try and show us some birds on the way back. We stopped by some trees and you could hear lots of different birds but they were all too far into the trees for us to see any of them! So we carried on back to lodge for breakfast. Whilst we were driving back we saw a black hawk fly above us and land on the tree so at
still water
the water was so still at that time it was like a mirror. you could hardly see where the water stopped and the sky began least we managed to see one bird!
Back at the lodge was had a breakfast of bread rolls, ham, scrambled egg with slices of hotdog in, and some stuff on a plate that looked like jam. Antonio then informed us it wasn't jam it was guava paste and they were quite different. We all still think it was jam!!!! There were also bananas and oranges.
After breakfast we set out in the boat again, this time we were going out for a walk in the jungle. We sailed for quite a while in the river then arrived next to a house where we moored the boat and all got out. We were all glad to get out the boat as sitting for a long time on a wooden seat hurts quite a bit!
Micheal went and spoke to the guy whose house it was and then started to show us the birds that were there. There were two birds Micheal called mocking birds which looked just like parrots in the trees by the house. One of which spoke Portuguese at us but we didn't understand what it said!
On the deck of the guys house he had an alligator skull,
the malaria tree we ate
its the small green tree right in the centre of the picture. if you ever get a chance to try it, do cos its lovely!! which came from an alligator which was about 8m long. looked really weird! Micheal then lead us into the jungle and started showing us all the interesting trees, he pointed out the Brazil nut tree and then a little further on than that, a plant that is used to cure malaria. He explained that it had a very bitter taste and asked us all if we wanted to try it. We decided we would as you've got to try everything once!!! But, it tasted horrible so we both spat it out again!!! It really was bitter and the taste stayed in your mouth for quite a while, but chewing gum helped get rid of that!
As we walked through the jungle, Micheal pointed out lots of trees and pointed out how some of them can be used as medicines. He showed us the rubber tree (sure it had a name other than that but i don't know what it was) Micheal took off a piece of bark with his machete and a white liquid started to pour out which he said was used to make latex and rubber.
He cut off pieces of bark from several trees and told us
rubber tree
you can see the sap oozing out where micheal cut off the bark what the sap was used for, can't remember what they all were, but i know one was a glue, one was good for curing ringworm, another a good anti-inflammatory.
As we went through the jungle, Micheal cut of pieces of different plants and made things with them to show us how they could be used.
The stem of one plant was really hard an he made this into two darts which could be used to kill animals with curae (neurotoxin i cant remember how to spell, my lecturers would be ashamed!!!!) these he gave one each to the ´jungle girls´ i.e. me and Heath. Heath then put them sticking out the front pocket of her bag, then broke one when we had to walk under a tree trunk! So we only have one now, hope it will make it home along with the spoon he made us, another dart made from a different wood, and a rope made from fibres from the fibre tree. Micheal also told us you don't need to carry water in the jungle as there is lots there. He showed us that you can cut a water vine and drink the water that comes out. He
passed one round and we had a try. It tasted strange and a bit like wood so we only drank a bit!!! Gina however thought it was very refreshing and dripped the water all over her face and wipe the cut end of the vine over her cheeks, this then put dirt all over her face, she looked such a muppet!!!!
After being in the jungle for a couple of hours we headed back to the lodge so we could eat lunch. back at the lodge we were going to change and go swimming again but Micheal asked us if we want to spend a night camping in the jungle. Alex and Petra were up for that and so were we. the other three declined, we don't think they liked the idea of the bathroom being a tree!!! Micheal said if we were going to the jungle we would need to leave fairly soon after lunch so didn't have time to swim then, but would take us to a beach where we could swim. lunch was catfish and rice and also fruit.
After lunch we packed out bags into the boat along with hammocks food and stuff and we got
fruit
weird green oranges, and there supposed to be that colour! going.
We went over to a beach, it wasn't very big, was just really the front of a house, but the house just fronts to the water instead of a road. we weren't sure whether to swim or not but we decided to as it was so hot! We got changed in a little kinda beach hut then went into the water. As you walked into the water you walked over leaves and things on the bottom which was a bit scary as you weren't sure what you were walking on as you can't see the bottom as the water is so brown. You will see when we find a computer that will let us add photos. We figured it must be ok as there were two local kids in the water, but once we had waded in deep enough we started to swim so didn't have to touch the bottom!
We stayed in the water about an hour then got out and changed. We then headed off in the boat to the jungle camp where we would be sleeping. We unloaded the boat and put everything under the shelter that was there and went out to collect firewood
while it was still light, we also collected leaves which would be our bowls and wood to make spoons. On our way back it started to rain, turned out to be a short downpour. Still kept getting wet the whole rest of the evening though by the water caught in the rainforest canopy. We lit the fire (or Micheal did while we sheltered!) then started to cook tea. They had given us a whole chicken which Micheal had to cut up using his machete, washed in the waterfall, as we had no smaller knives. This we kinda boiled in a pot over the fire, along with a pot of rice. took ages to cook, and was getting really dark when Micheal made spoons, surprised he didn´t cut himself. He also made bowls by foldiing leaves and pinning them with bits of wood. This was so good as there was nothing to wash up, you could just chuck it into the bush!!!! We ate tea by flashlight and also candle light which we had lit. We heard a few Indian stories from Micheal as we finished off eating.
After tea we set up our hammocks and mosquito nets and went
H in the water at the beach
you can see what we mean about not being able to see what your walking on! to bed, it was only 8.30 but it was dark and there was nothing else to do!
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colin& Sheila
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friut
sounds like just another day at asda - don't think asda would sell many green oranges - but then again they would but they would be greenies- fantastic pickies - the dolphins sound great - keep off the brazil nuts - don't sound great !!!!