PART 11 – IN THE MIDDLE OF REAL JUNGLE

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Regi woke me around 6 am, it was time to go to his aunt’s to meet with his uncle who would show us the way into the jungle, and then leave us to our own devices.

We bought bread and cheese (the delicious kind that I use to eat at Lilly’s in VZ, and that they sold in all the bus stations throughout Bolivia, although at the time I found it to be nothing special). Diva made an oatmeal composed entirely of cooked pureed bananas, it was delicious and interesting at the same time. She was so cute cause she had already prepared an extra large pot of extra strong black coffee (without sugar), just for me; she was getting to know me.

After breakfast, we jumped in a cab with his uncle and drove for about 40 minutes to where the road came to an end at a river. This was the entrance to the jungle we were about to enter. The river was entirely flooded, and the plank normally used to cross it was neck deep. This meant I would have to change into my bikini and swim across, hoping the men could carry the gear over without getting it wet (being taller NOT stronger, lol).

I paid the good natured driver and began to take my clothes off. (hahaha, sounds funny, but its pretty much what happened- to go SWIMMING of course). The river was really cold! So terrifically, refreshingly, cold, and the current was strong. It was so strong in fact I could barely beat it when swimming against it. I could just beat it but only holding my position for moments at a time, and only with great effort moving ahead only to fall back seconds later. If it wasn’t for the make-shift banister stretching across posts posted in the river that Regi’s uncle had made using logs and vines, and his machete, in literally under 10 minutes, I would surely have been swept away down river into the jungle’s secret paradise.

We took advantage of the crossing as the perfect opportunity to bust out our soap and shampoo and have our morning bath. It was phenomenally amazing diving under the current and holding on to the posts as the cold river water surged all around my body, pulling my skin like a velvet glove. So awesome! I relished each moment and took about an extra 10 minutes just to screw around in the water.

Finally, we decided to get a move on it because Regi’s uncle was patiently waiting. It wasn’t long before we arrived on the heavy size of jungle property, where a make shift tin roof was set up near the rivers edge to provide shelter for our hammocks in case it rained. Regi and his uncle picked some strange wild tomato fruits, and made a juice with the river water, which I unfortunately drank. Regi’s uncle left, and after setting up our hammocks, I decided to take another bath in the spectacular river.

The jungle here was spectacular, thick and full of vines and bushes, and life, unlike the jungle surrounding Manaus. As I swam in the bright orange black waters, I could see the green paradise reflected along with the blue sky and puffy white clouds. The orange glow shimmered warm light into my face, and the fallen trees over the river provided a mysterious obstacle course that made you wonder what animals lay beneath. The river here was shallow and so I didn’t want to go far, because I knew that this river was full of scary things, like snakes, including anacondas… It was beauty, tranquility, mixed with caution, but in reality, there was no real danger, or let’s say minimal at best.

As I climbed out of the river I jumped back a little startled by a snake that jumped out at me hissing. She was about two meters from me, and I think just as confused as I was. I believe she had jumped to catch her prey, she was hunting, and saw me at the same instant and hissed in started fear. The instant she did so and I yelled, REGI!! Snake!!! -and within a split second he jumped out of nowhere with a stick and beat the poor snake over the head until it was unconscious. He then chopped its head off with his machete and said although he did not like killing the snake, that he had to because it was very poisonous and dangerous to us probably having her nest right in our camp. Either ways, neither of us enjoyed killing the pretty beast.

The rest of the day passed with tranquility, and after a soup for dinner, we talked the evening hours away. I told stories of my dear friend Eran I had met in Costa Rica, and the adventures we had had, and the adventures he had had, and several hours after sun set I turned in to my hammock that had been set up right by the river’s edge (and about a meter from where the snake had jumped out..), but of course there was nothing to worry about in the safety of my hammock…. Almost nothing…

After a gorgeously restful sleep, my eyes opened slightly to see the horror about me! My entire mosquito net was FILLED with about 10 thousand termites!! Filled meaning they were on the inside! I had woken because the occasional one would fall into my face while I was sleeping. Ewww!!! I looked all around me, I was thankfully well protected, enrobed in my sleep sack and sheets, and there were no termites visible on my hammock, just above on the net, left, right, and center!! Regi!! Help! -But actually there was nothing he could do, because disturbing the net too much would cause them all to fall in. Luckily I was dealing with termites, that for some reason are incredibly intelligent, and so it only took a couple of taps on the net to alert them, there is trouble and to evacuate. They immediately started the process and after about 10 minutes they were all gone, and never returned.

Pheeuuuwff!!!!!!!!!

I went back to sleep.

I finally awoke, and had cheese with bread for breakfast, and took extreme pleasure in making and drinking my fresh hot coffee. I then bathed, but I couldn’t go in the water as before because, a small wound that I had gotten in the city, really just a superficial scratch that had never even bled, had begun to open, and blood was coming to the surface. It was like healing in reverse! It was developing into a large wound in my leg, that was getting worse instead of better, and I was beginning to worry about gang green! So I didn’t want to get it wet and resorted to bathing with a cup. -and luckily, I was with a medicine man, so Regi found this bright green plant and squished a fluorescent liquid out of it, which he applied to my wound, and like the strangest, most miraculous thing I had ever seen, it began to close my wound in MINUTES!! I then applied every two hours, until the wound disappeared like magic!

Later that day we set up hammocks in the thickest part of jungle and had more classes in Tucan. It would have been extremely hot, but the jungle kept the air remarkably fresh and cool. I enjoyed laying there, seeing slivers of sunlight pierce through the green blanket above.

After a hearty lunch of canned meat and rice, it began to thunder, large bouldering sounds and flashes of light. It wasn’t long before the down pour started, and Regi planted large wooden posts to secure our hammocks under the tin shelter. As the storm gained strength and then turned into a lull, and the sun set, I began to feel indescribably ill, nauseous, weak, and just really, really, bad. It was probably those tomato fruits that made me sick!! Anyways, I took antibiotics, which I always carried with me and laid down in the dark, in my hammock listening to music in my ipod, and watching the storm that had now turned into a light rain.

I laid there listening to music, and my mind wandered to Oscar, my ex, which I realized I still had strong buried feelings for. I thought about how crazy it had been to fall in love with him so quickly, and how impossible our relationship would be…

I finally drifted off into sleep to awake late to a cloudy dull in the morning. All I could remember is that I had just had the most spectacular vivid dreams, and that there adventure had brought me an indescribable rest and pleasure, rather tire. I no longer felt sick, like the night before, and the strangest thought occurred to me. That maybe part of my deeply felt illness was also a secret and profound underlying boredom that I was choosing to ignore…

That morning Regi made oatmeal for breakfast and did the dishes, it was deliciously nice. The morning and the day was actually rather cool, probably from yesterdays rain. And after bathing and eating, and all that, we put our hammocks up in the thick forest once more. I laid down, and for some reason was feeling tired, so I let my body and mind give way to my slumber, and slept the sunny afternoon away to the jungle sounds. It was honestly the best nap of my entire life!

We made soup for lunch or rather dinner, and then I spent the evening giving Regi lessons in anatomical and functional systems of the body, such as the circulatory system, digestive, lymphatic, etc. Afterwards Regi told me more about his family, and about the son his sister had abandoned as a baby with an ex-sister in-law some ten or twelve years ago. (It was actually much more complicated than that). His name was Daniel, and he was said to be living in Caveiro, an indigenous community several days down river on route to Manaus. He was said to be really unhappy, and wanting to make contact with his mother and Regi’s family, but life among these people was complicated, and not what other people would necessarily expect. You didn’t get what you want, even if you needed it, or even if it seemed right, and connections between families were difficult across distances, and money scarce. His mother wanted nothing to do with him, but Regi wished to provide the boy a link and help, so I told him I wanted to help. I suggested we stop in Caveiro on the way back and find the boy. We could take him home if he liked, or at least let him know there was love out there waiting for him, and help. Regi’s eyes filled with happiness, and he told me I had a kind heart, and nothing would make him happier than to find his nephew, and so it was settled, we would stop in the community on our way back home.


After hours of talking we decided to go to sleep in our hammocks in the forest around midnight, but when we arrived we were mortified to see the hammocks, and mosquito nets were COVERED in large, biting, red aunts (that pee a strong peppermint/eucalyptus odor when disturbed)!!!

Ahhh!!! Unfortunately these aunts did not cooperate like the good little termites, and it took us more than 2 hours to pick all of them off. We had no choice but to move our hammocks back by the river, and even thought the strong odor they left, would actually normally be pleasant, it was just such a distasteful experience that the odor left me feeling nauseous in my “bed”. Completely exhausted, I was ready for bed, but not until spending a good 10 minutes staring at the clear sky and countless number of BRIGHT, BRIGHT, stars, in the deep dark navy nebula.

I woke to a beautiful sunny day, and had eggs for breakfast. Eggs never tasted so good as they did in the hungry amazon…

After finishing the classes in biology, and then a little in pharmacology, and toxicology, I spent midday listening to music, laying in my hammock by the river. I was so content enjoying the warm temperature of the climate, the tranquility of the forest and river, and the pleasant melodies that danced memories of my life though my mind. Sure I missed everything, but I was so grateful and happy, to be able to sit back and take the time to appreciate my life, all the wonderful experiences I had had, the wonderful people that had filled me, and the person life had made me.

I took a lazy naked swim in the river, and climbed the logs in the sunlight. As I balanced on them, I could feel all the energy, the peace, and the benefit the years of taichi and yoga practice had brought me all summed up into those minutes on the logs. I felt my weight steady in my feet, and my body relaxed and agile, my mind calm, and my heart happy, with the sunlight warming my body.

I was delighted to discover, Regi had made lunch while I had been having fun, and ate the hearty meal before packing up our bags. We were heading back to the city, and left just before sunset. However, just before leaving, I starting feeling really ill, nauseous, feverish, weak- just terrible. As we marched on into the jungle my bag felt heavier than ever, and the walk longer than it really was. Luckily, when we reached the river, it was so low, we could cross it without getting wet (the same river I had bathed in with the strong current on the way in).

I was listening to my ipod drawing strength from the music. I tried to ignore my illness, and marched faster and faster on the road, now out of the jungle. The sun had already set, but I could see the road well enough to walk on, and for two hours we marched between farms, and then between houses into the Sao Gabriel.

It turned out to be an excellent tour of the city, seeing all the places you would normally not visit. -And the sounds of loud and musical Brazilian life, accompanied by barbequed meat, filled the atmosphere. People singing, shouting loud prayers in their well lit nightly church gatherings. People sitting on the street corners, and in front of kiosks, eating potatoes, and meet and putting back dozens of cold beers… This was Brazil in its wonderful daily life, and I was thrilled to be watching it.

All the exercise endorphins had taken over my illness, just long enough to bring me home, to shower change and seek out food. I was thrilled, despite the exhaustion, to be clean, and sitting in front of a giant bowl of the most delicious substance on earth, ACAI!! -and this particular ACAI was the bomb… I was so happy to taste it, it was so delicious, that for the first time in my life I did the most absurd thing (ok, maybe not the first). I started to cry. Regi asked me why, and I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically that I was crying tears of joy because my ACAI tasted sooooooo good, and I couldn’t possibly be enjoying life at that moment any more. -ok so maybe I had picked up some strange Amazonian illness that made me crazy. Lol. Regi did not stop teasing me after that…

That night, exhausted I passed out in my hammock, back at Carlos’s place (Regi’s cousin). The next morning I woke really late, but like in my teenage years I laid there for a couple extra hours, wanting to prolong the sleep as much as possible.

I finally got up and showered; we then bought bread and cheese and went over to his aunt’s house to have breakfast. I spent the whole morning and early afternoon, talking to Regi’s uncle about politics and history, and it was fascinating getting his perspective. It was amazing how much worldly knowledge these people had, despite living simple lives in hidden corners of the world. They had the strangest forms of richness, like hectares of rich land, and yet no toilet in the home, which resembled more a cabin. They worked hard, and made the most of what they had, without complaint or pessimism, and they seemed content in their lives, despite lacking the many comforts westerners seem to value most.

After doing laundry, and using the internet in town, Regi and I climbed the small mountain adjacent to the city centre. The views just before sunset were breathtaking. The misty dark rapids swirled between green palm trees, and thick jungle bushes, that stretched from the almost fake looking picturesque mountains that laid beneath the pink and orange skies, to the soft white powder sand shores.

Just after the sun had set behind the mountains, we ran down the hill and jogged through the streets like wild horses. I ran all the way to the gym, where I took my work as a breath of fresh air for the next hour and forty-five minutes.

After, a refreshing shower, I packed my bags as we were heading out the next morning, and made one last trip to MacDragon’s for another heavenly ACAI.

Upon returning, I laid in my hammock, and let the tingling string of sleepiness pull me away, and for the first time in my life I passed out in the exact position I had lied down to rest, frozen (but not cold) without a sheet or anything, and I slept the whole night through until Regi woke me at 4am in the morning to get ready to go. It was a fabulous rest, but too early to wake up…

We got ready, and went over to his aunts to have breakfast and say goodbye. It was terrific to have met them. Kind, hospitable, down-to-earth people.

We grabbed the 7 am bus to Camanaus to catch our boat to head back down river…

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Comments

[centimo]

wow
that's cool.. nice jungle in south america