Amazon day 2/3

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A 4.30 start we had coffee before we started to paddle in a catamaran across the lake looking for otters. The sun was just rising and it was deliciously cool as we skirted around the edge of the lake. The colours of the lake were changing from a pale watery grey to pink and orange as the sun rose. We saw many different birds, a heron, cormorants, macaws, parakeets, and Annie's . Then a cayman started to swim across the lake and monkeys, cappuccino and squirrel, were jumping through the trees, all foraging for their breakfast no doubt and after about two hours we returned for breakfast. Yummy scrambled eggs and pancakes. We rested then went for a 2 hour walk through the forest with the rest of the group we were with and saw an incredible range of plants, trees and insects. Our guide William, had an app on his mobile., playing the call signs of the various birds that inhabit the forest, a neat device that occasionally attracted our feathered friends. He cut some bark from a tree and said it was sweet, we all chewed and as we did it tasted so bitter, William ( billy bob to us) then told us it was quinine!After lunch, a two hour rest then in the paddled powered catamaran, looking for giant otters and black cayman. Spotted one otter, a fully grown cayman and around six recently hatched hiding in the reeds. A real privilege being in this tranquil place, headed back to the lodge around 6.30pm with the night sky lit up with a storm brewing in the east. This is the start of the rainy season which continues to March.Evening meal with our group, Rebecca, Sara, Jean, Art and Billy Bob many laughs and a lovely evening as always with this group, part of travelling is the people you meet and we have met such lovely peopleAnother 4.30 start our last visit to the lake. Early mornings are so peaceful with just a few bird calls. We spotted a large Cayman just waiting for its prey, it looked like a log. The colours of the lake and trees slowly changing as a heron flew by and then some stinky birds which make the oddest sound like someone who has asthma. Crossing the lake Otters were spotted fishing for their breakfast. There was a whole family of 7 but as two catermarans - yes others got up at this time too we weren't the only nutters- moved towards them they swam away then swam back again towards our boat, this was the icing on the cake.Breakfast and then the journey back to the airport via long boat, walking through the rainforest accompanied by a sweet dog, then on a motor launch and then an air conditioned van so cool! Final shower at the office and then to the airport boarding passes all printed so we didn't have to queue now just waiting for our flight to board.

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