jungle trip

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Hey all!!

yes I made it back from the jungle intact!!! It was a long torturous bumpy drive, we left 6:30am friday and didn't reach our hostel 'til 6pm, after stopping for breakfast, lunch and a flat tyre!! The scenery was breathtaking on the way down, however the roads were very narrow, winding and for the most part unpaved!!! When we finally got out of the minibus the humidity hit us like a blast from a furnace, it reminded me of florida, but of course no air conditioning here!!!

We stayed in the town of Sibia, on the banks of the Rio Apurimac, which is the beginning of the Amazon. We didn't do much on friday, just went to dinner and watched the flies stick to the toilet paper hanging from the lights!! That night we slept on top of the sheets with the beds strategically placed around the only fan in the room!!

Saturday we woke up bright early and sweaty. I didn't feel well over breakfast (scrambled eggs, plantain and rice) at all, the food just sat like lead in my belly and I wanted to throw up but felt better as we started to move. I'm putting it down to taking my malaria tablet before breakfast. We went to a national park (a zoo) first to see the caged animals. Pancho managed to get his hands on a small baby monkey who sat on the back of the boys heads. Unfortunatly it was a sexist baby monkey who only went near the guys and dug its feet in if a girl tried to prise it loose!!

After that we took two long narrow wooden motorboats for a trip upriver, it was beautiful!!! It really felt like we were on the middle of nowhere, with the sounds on the birds and insects all around us!! We went down a few small rapids, the breeze was very welcome!! When we eventually pulled over we went on a hike around another protected area, which was beautiful but way too hot and humid to be thoroughly enjoyable. We stopped for a rest and to try some cocoa fruit, which was very tangy and tasty. Then we doubled back to where we came from originally, I was raging!!!

I'll have to write a part 2, we're supposed to be going out for Lauren's birthday and my leaving dinner!!

til tomorrow
Orla
xx

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Photos

windy beautiful roads
it took awhile to get to the jungle

boat trip
view of the river, we went for a journey on these

Comments

[Mammy]

Scéal ó bhaile
Hi pet, glad to see that you survived the jungle. You are really having a great experience. You are missing nothing at home except the recession which awaits you when you return. I hope you find the bus journey back to Lima not too difficult and that the group you are joining are sound. Let me know when you make contact with them. All are well here. Evin goes to Dublin on Sunday to start Freshers Week but will be home on Friday as the Drumlin Rally is next weekend. He has a new driver as Eamonn has retired from Navigations. Dad and I may be going Belfast on Sat to the Open House Festival. No firm plans yet. I am moving back to reception at work and taking on new duties such as calling customers to pay up. I have been a bit underemployed these past months. Dearbhla started piano with her new teacher on Wed. Her lesson is an hour long now, so I have to take up walking to pass the time waiting for her. She also started back at Guides to night. Your Dad is busy at meetings as well as work. Keep well and keep safe. Lots of love.