Up the Amazon

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An even more ‘middle of nowhere’ experience – bus, canoe and trek to the camp. Our home is a thatched roof lodge, no outside walls or windows – just a mud wall between us and our neighbours. There is no electricity so we have candles, kerosene lamps and torches (thanks to Lucy for her wind up torch)- and of course eco-loos. Unsurprisingly it is very wet, hot and humid (we’re in the wet season of a tropical rain forest). It’s been a routine of breakfast at 04.30, then off in a canoe, or hike to see the wildlife and bed by 21.30. Two of the rare sightings have been the Harpy Eagle and the Giant Otters (at a distance), but for Suzanne the highlight was catching a Piranha with a stick, a bent pin and a piece of meat.

A special birthday treat for Suzanne was watching 20 Red-Green Macaws at a clay-lick (they eat the clay to neutralize the toxins in the berrys). The Macaws had a scrap with a group of monkeys and easily won. At dinner Suzanne was surprised by all the guides bringing out a birthday cake and singing 'happy birthday' in Spanish.

We were taken to see a village Shaman who showed us lots of plants used in his medicine – ranging from arthritis to impotence, not to mention getting rid of bad spirits.

Although it was another amazing experience it wasn’t as easy to see the wildlife as the jungle was so dense and dark. At leasy John didn't have to edit 100's of photos.

Yet another stressful journey to the airport. This time the problem was a storm which made the mud roads impassable. The canoe took us to the first ‘port’, a motor bike was dispatched to find the bus to no avail, so 30 mins later we were back in the canoe to the next ‘port’ (actually a mud bank with tree roots for steps) along the river. The bus was waiting for us on the road side and off we went at breakneck speed, arriving at the airport (tin shack) at 08.30 for a 09.00 flight – easy peasy!

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Photos

River trip
Suzanne paying attention in our main form of transport.- a motorised canoe.

Capybara
We know you've seen these before but they are rather cute.

Canopy tower
It was a test of nerves to climb this 130m tower, but an amazing view from the top.John felt inadequate when he saw two photographers with whopping cameras- but Suzanne assured him size isn't everything.

Quiz time
OK geeks - what have we here?

Hoatzim
This one may be quite ugly but it is quite rare.

Talented fisherwoman
Only three people caught Piranhas. As we said size isn't everything but you should see the teeth!

Greater Ani
We've seen this lots of times but it has been difficult to photograph.

Tree roots
This is known locally as a 'walking palm' as the airial roots give the impression that it's walking.

Village boys
Well hardly a village - just two huts.

Tarantula
Our guide coaxed it out with a stick.

Our jungle bedroom
No side wall meant that the jungle noises were with us all night.

The Shaman
Our guide Yuri translated for him

Tall tree
Typical jungle scene

Crested Oropendola
It looks like a big blackbird with a bright yellow tail.

Blue Dacnis
This is the size of a blue tit - viewed from the tower

Saddleback Tamarin
He was playing 'peepo' with us.

Comments

[pamela]

Birthday
What a way to celebrate a birthday - you won't forget this one Suzanne. You will be coming home for a rest it seems! Snow here today.

[woodsinsa]

Pamela birthday greetings
It really was a birthday with a difference. Will we need a rest when we get home? Yes, but we will also need the rowing machine big time! xxx

[Emily]

Bats of some sort?

[Emily]

Your next Facebook profile pic!

[Emily]

I would have crapped myself!

[Emily]

This looks amazing, right up my street- as long as those spiders were no where to be seen!

[Emily]

Have you shrunk?

[woodsinsa]

Emily: Various comments
No we haven´t shrunk, far from it. Maybe you have grown! Thought you would like the mossie nets and the spider. Catching the piranha was a real bonus xxx