Blogs from Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru, South America - page 2

Readers, What can I say about the Amazon? Pros: Alligators, tarantulas, monkeys, and cold beer. Cons: 100% humidity, mosquitoes, and jungle heat... Mike and I just wrapped up a 4 day, 3 night trip to an Ecolodge outside Puerto Maldonado, 12 hours outside of Cusco right up near the border to Brasil and Bolivia. On day one, after the night bus, we accomplished very little as we acclimatized to the new climate and surroundings. We met our guide, Jackson, who brought us to the lodge and deposited us to be fed and sheltered. We then proceeded to make use of our free day by ploughing through Game of Thrones (I had book 2, Mike read book 1) and taking ourselves on a short self walk around the land in the ecolodge. The short walk was quite ... read more

It's been about 7 hours since we got back to our hostel in Cuzco from trekking the Inca Trail (see "Inca Trial to Machu Picchu"). It would be glorious to get to sleep in. To rest. But we don't have that luxury. We've booked a 4 day expedition in Manu National Park with Manu Explorers (http://www.manuexplorers.com/). We probably should have put aside a day of rest between the two tours, but we have limited vacation days and need to get as much done as possible. It's Sunday November 19th, 2012. This will be our second week in Peru. Richie is not coming with us to Manu though, as he has to fly back home to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Mason, Cory, Sarah, and I are "thankful" for the US having two holidays this week so ... read more

Geo: -12.6034, -69.1919Again much of the experience of visiting the jungle was in the getting there and back, with just one day of activites there - a very long day beginningat 4.00am!So we left Cusco by plane to Puerto Maldonado - only 45 mins, but lots of waiting around before hand. Willian, our guide, met us as we walked out into the steamy carpark onto a mini bus, shared with a german couple and their daughter and guide.We then drove for an hour along a very bumpy, muddy track to the river and onto a smooth open boat with an outboard engine for another hour and finally walked up loads of wooden steps and along a jungle track to the lodge, arriving mid afternoon. We were very well looked after, with bags carried for us, snacks ... read more

Weereens vroeg opgestaan, die keer is ons oppad na Tambopota Reserve se oxbow lake: Cocococha. Dit was omtrent 15 min rivier op van ons af, toe begin die sports. Dit het die hele vorige aand gereën, hence the name rain forest.Ons begin toe ons 5km , one way, na die lake toe stap. Os het gestap, en gestap, en die pad was ongelooflik modderig, gelukkig het ons gum boots aangehad. Op plekke was die modder seker 20cm diep, dit was 'n vuil spul gewees, en intussen reën dit ook nog so aan en af. Maar dis so drukkend, dat jy nie nat reën nie, maar nat sweet. En agter elke persoon het so kolonie muskiete aangevlieg, en bewaar jou siel as jy gaan stilstaan. By die lake aangekom, het ons groep op so klein catamaran gaan ... read more

Ons is laat oggend lughawe toe vir ons vlug na Puerto Maldonado. Die vlug was onder 'n uur, ons het net begin opstyg, toe begin ons al klaar weer sak. Toe die deure van die vliegtuig oopgaan, slaan 'n hitte ons, ek dog nog ewe dit was die warm wind van die vliegtuig se enjin....toe nie....dis maar die weer. 'N humidity van 80% en 30 grade, dit laat Durban soos antartika voel. Ons was kom optel op die lughawe, en van daar af het ons so uur skutterige grondpadjie gery, tot by die Rio Tambopota. Ons het toe vir nog 'n halfuur op die rivier gevaar tot by ons lodge: Inotawa. Op die boot het ons 'n packed lunch gehad: rys en hoender wat in piesangblare toegedraai is. Dis 'n ongelooflike breë river. En wow, dit ... read more