The Jungle!!

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Ok, so I´ve just got back from the Jungle and what an experience! I flew from Cusco to Puerto Maldonada and the adventre began as soon as I got off the plane. We drove to an office in the town where we had to ´repack´our stuff into green duffel bags so that we would only take what we needed for the four days. These bags would be carried for us by porters which is great cos I don´t think I´d have made it with a big bag on my back! We were then driven to the port where we boarded a motorised boat to take us down the Madre de Dios river to the Sandoval Lake reserve. Once there we had to hike for 3km down wet, muddy paths to get to the lake. Luckily they had lent us wellington boots to wear so I didn´t ruin my shoes although my trousers were covered in mud! Once at the lake we once again took to the water, this time in a small canoe which paddled us across Sandoval Lake and to the lodge.
The lodge itself was really cool, right on the lake with really nice rooms a (cheap) bar, and loads of hammocks hanging up looking out to the lake. It was truly an amazing setting. After we´d settled in we went back out on the lake on a catamaran and just paddled around, learning about all the exotic birds we could see. Our guide ´hebert´was really cool and knew so much about the local wildlife. One thing that was a bit concerning tho was the way he kept looking at us and just laughing, hmm!
In my group was two british girls, both from guildford although one was actually scottish, and an american couple. It was really nice to be with people again after spending so much time on my own and the two girls from england (Jenni and Hannah) were staying for four days like me so we were in the same group the whole time and they were really cool.
That first night we went on a night walk, hiking for about an hour through the forest looking for insects! We saw loads of tarantulas, a wolf spider and a tailless whip scorpion as well as a smaller tailed scorpion. Scary! After that it was tea time followed by an early night, I was exhausted! Plus as the electricity went off at ten we kids didn´t have a choice!!
The next morning we were up at five to go back out onto the lake to see the family of giant otters that live there. We saw the whole family fishing and they were so cute! We also saw macaws and parrots up in the trees and also some monkeys! We saw brown capuchin monkeys and also howler monkeys, altho they weren´t doing much just sitting in the trees! After that we went for a walk through the forest amd became well aquainted with the other common creatures, the mosquitos. There were hundreds of them and I´m so glad to have gotten away from the constant buzzing in my ear! Suffice it to say we spent the entire trip covering ourselves in insect repellent and just hoping it was dong its job, luckily it did seem to be.
Our trip out on the lake that eve was cut short by a huge rainstorm which seemed to come from nowhere. We must have looked rather comical, cowering on the catameran, none of us having thought to bring our rain jackets and the poor rowers rowing like crazy to try to get us back to the lodge! So unfortunately we had to spend the eveing inside the lodge having a few drinks instead, it was a real shame!
The next morning´s excursion to see the macaws feeding was also delayed because of the weather and by the time we got out there they had already flown away. But we trekked back through the forest passing the houses of a local family that lives in the forest right by the lodge and that was really pleasant. After we got back to the lodge we were all once again exhausted, we were doing a lot of walking and not much sleeping, and the heat and humidity was killing us. So we had a rest before we went back out.
After that we took a short trek to a hummingbird feeding spot where we saw loads of the beautiful birds. Some were a pale brown colour and others were a gorgeous deep purple with a jewel green neck. They were tiny and so beautiful and it was amazing watching them hover by the feeders, you weren´t even able to see their wings they were going so fast. It was an amazing sight and I could have happily sat there for hours.
That afternoon we crossed the lake and trekked through the forest on the other side. This was another type of forest and was much more dense, and the paths were covered in fallen branches. It was more like an assault course than a hike, but it was fun. Afer that we went back onto the lake in the canoe and waited for nightfall. The sunsets on the lake were amazing, and the stars when they came out were intense. There were so many and they were so bright and the milky way was also really clear. It was beautiful and so peaceful! We also saw more monkeys at this time, the brown capuchins again and also some spider monkeys, who were finding a safe place to spend the night. They were very cute, especially the babies!
However once the sun had set the fun started properly and we began the activity we hadn´t been able to do the night before, caiman hunting! The caiman are alligators and the black ones that live in the lake are quite rare. Altho we were kinda spooked out by being so close to these creatures, it was pretty cool to see them. The only way you can spot them is by shining a torch around in the dark and seeing the eyes light up in the beam, they flash a bright orange colour. We saw absolutely loads and some of them were huge and right up close to the canoe. So cool! The only downside to the trip was all the bugs that were out, and the way that we would get divebombed by hundreds of mayfly everytime we turned the torches on!
And that was really the end of my adventure. Oh except for the huge black scorpion that walked into the room just as we were about to walk out of it the next morning, which was scary! Once again we relied on our cool guide hebert to save us, which he had pretty mcuh been doing the entire trip, at least as far as we were concerned! And the fact that we had to make the whole conplicated trip back to the airport. Luckily the paths weren´t so muddy this time, altho we were already disgusting from spending the past three days in the hot, very humid and sometimes muddy jungle! I felt extremey sorry for the other passengers on my plane back to cuzco as I couldn´t have smelt or looked too good! Lets just say I´ve never been more happy to get to a hotel and a shower as I was today!
So that was my weekend and I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute of it. The food was really good at the lodge, we had buffet lunches every day and a three course meal for dinner every night. And I enjoyed being in a group again rather than just being on my own. The jungle is an amazing place which so much wildlife and exotic creatures. Being on the lake was also one of the most peaceful places I´ve ever been to. Just sitting in the boats paddling across the water was lovely, and at night when the stars were out it was just beuatiful. I could have stayed on that lake forever, well as long as the sun wasn´t out and melting us!
Sorry this blog has been a log one but I´ve done so much exciting stuff this weeked and I wanted to tell you all about it. I´m now in cuzco but I´m off to arequipa tomorrow for my last adventure at Colca Canyon. I´m having an absolutely amazing time and I just wish you were all here to enjoy this amazing experience with me!

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