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March 21st 2011

Published: April 14th 2011

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David on the Road

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Just Wednesday before I left to the Rainforest my company told me that I have to join a couple from England to the Yacuma Lodge. My task was to accompany them on the way to the lodge and be for 5days their translator, as the local guide speeks only Spanish. Finally I had received a really interesting task!
What made the whole situation a little bit difficult was, I did not had a clue how to get there. So therefore I asked some colleagues and received some information about the stations and where more or less I could buy the tickets. Feels kinda strange when you have to guide someone without knowing much as well.
However I managed that we arrived in the lodge finally at 4pm! I was really released. Actually the whole journey went pretty good but still took longer than planned, as we had to go the last part with a canoe.The water was so low in the river that we actually push it at some points. Good that I didn't think about the Piranhas at that time^^
Actually there was an activity planned for the afternoon, but we had to skip it, due to the late arrival.

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This made me think about the rest of the programm and I asked the staff how the program would be like. As we went through it we just figured out, that some activities were more or less impossible to do, as they included a night in an other camp. Though this was not possible as one needed a horse, tents and a lot more stuff which was not really present. I asked them how could this be? The answer was quite simple: Normally the guests stay only 3 or 4 days and these programes do not include a night somewhere else. It must have been a pretty long time since someone stayed there the last time for 5 days.
As I was more or less responsible I could do only one thing, change the WHOLE program! Together with the manager and the most experienced guide we went through all the days with the activities and finally had a complete new programe. I was really curious if it would work out, as one can never be sure whats going to happen in South America and especially in the Rainforest.
All in all, it went perfect! I was so happy after this

This is how you become a friend of the Rainforest

Paint your face with something that looks similar to anything which grows or lives here

one week and I had my first real tour operating experience!
In this week we saw plenty of stuff. We hiked through the actual primary forest; got to know the community; the lodge ist working with; went Piranha fishing; panned for Gold; went tubing on the river; bird watching; practiced hunting with a blowpipe and got to know the functions of many different plants. It's really impressive for how many things you can use just one plant. The leaves for a roof, the blossoms for tea for your stomach, the juice of the tree is good for wounds or works like a creme and finally the roosts and the fruits can be eaten. Unfortunately we did not see so many animals, but still it was a really nice week.
Though I have to admit that I had some problems with translating somtimes, but I am just learning the language and normally you don't start with studying medicinal plants and animals of the rainforest. The real challenging part was, when our guide talked about some tribes in the forest and how they fought with each other! More a guessing than knowing, but somehow even this worked out 😊
The couple was

This cockroach was huge

also really nice, despite I felt sometimes like the surplus third wheel, as it is common that the guide is always eating with the guests. However, once you get used to it's not that bad.

So this was my week in the Rainforest and the best part is, I had plenty of fun, a real work experience and moreover got everything for free 😊

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