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The downpour was causing the river boat to rock and water was slowly soaking into the wood, but that didn’t stop us going down the Amazon River.
It was early morning and our jungle lodges were over an hour’s ride away by boat. My partner Scotty and I didn’t want to wait any longer for the rain to stop, so we put our life jackets on and jumped on board at the little port in the Peruvian town Puerto Maldonado. The rickety boat meant none of us could move and we had to sit three travellers on either side. All that was covering us was a tiny roof and plastic sheets held down by wood that smacked into the side of the boat everytime we got a gust of wind.
As we pulled up to our lodges right on the boundary of the Peruvian Amazon, Scotty awkwardly helped the boat driver tie up the rope on the dock in the wind, trying hard not to tumble. We were relieved we had made it this far.
DAY ONE – Animal sightings
We were welcomed by our tour guide with a traditional lunch of Juanes de Gallina: rice stuffed with chicken, wrapped and steamed in banana leaf. It was a delicious surprise and the perfect welcoming treat to our first jungle adventure.
Our fellow travellers enjoyed some food with us as we discussed what the next few days had in store.
When our stomachs were full we made our way to our lodges for some R&R while taking in the lush surroundings. But first I checked our room for big bugs – luckily we were safe apart from a giant bug resembling a weta. But we were sure he was harmless.
Before the sun sunk behind the trees we were guided through the jungle on a walking tour. Our first stop was at a tree with “magical sap” as red as blood used to heal skin irritations. The next stop wasn’t as special. It was a tree where snarly ants hide and jump out at you while delivering a nasty sting. Some timid yelps were heard from other travellers but we were assured if we stood a few metres away they wouldn’t touch us.
The weirdest thing was when our tour guide invited us to try some termites. Yes, we really ate some. Fresh from the tree. They taste like mint and are apparently high in protein so if you’re ever lost in the jungle without food, our tour guide said they’re a life saver.
Jumping back in the river boat was next on the cards. We headed along the river to search for caymans – cute little reptiles that resemble crocodiles. They were easy to spot despite the darkness because their eyes glow yellow. The biggest one we saw was probably about a metre long – most of them were tiny and nothing to be afraid of.
We drifted upstream to see what else we could find and suddenly our tour guide told us to be as quiet as possible as we approached land – where the largest rodent in the world – the capybara was sitting. They’re like a giant gunnie pigs and adult capybaras grow up to 4ft 5 in length and can stand to over 60cm tall. We admired them as we took in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
We slowly made our way back through darkness and headed for our first nights sleep in the jungle. Our bed had a mosquito net so that made us feel safe from mozzies.
DAY TWO – Canopy walk and animal rescue centre
The rickety, slippery canopy walk took us 10 metres into the web of trees where we saw haunting wasp hives and soaring birds.
When we landed back on the forest floor, we headed down to visit the animal rescue centre.
Learning about the different animals at the centre was the highlight of the day but brought tears to our eyes. The cuddly animals here were being looked after by volunteers and vets after being saved from the circus and a lifetime of horror.
The saddest stories were of a former circus bear that had its claws and teeth pulled out. She was rocking side to side because all she had been taught to do was ‘dance’ – she found it hard to sit or stand still. Meanwhile, another bear was so used to living in a cage that even with freedom she still confined herself to a ball. These little darlings could never be released into the wild because they are so damaged.
In the monkey house, we met one little man who had his hand and foot chopped off by his previous owner. That little monkey could never be realised either because it’s lost its ability to swing naturally.
Each animal has its own story.
As the diurnal animals began to rest, the creepy ones came out to play as we discovered on a nighttime jungle walk. Tarantulas hiding in their homes in the jungle floor were reluctant to meet us but we managed to see a couple.
Our tour guide picked a large piece of grass and teased the hiding spiders with it so they would think it was prey. It worked twice. And they were bigger than the size of your hand, but some are smarter than others and didn’t fall for the trap. All the tarantulas in the ground are females – the males aren’t allowed into their homes and have to sleep in the trees. This made for a creepy night out, even the slightest tickle on my neck made my heart race.
It was hard to get the images of these dark characters our of my head before falling asleep, but the gentle Amazonian breeze slowly helped me drift away.
DAY THREE – FINAL DAY
We enjoyed a breakfast and said goodbye to our travelling friends as we prepared to make our way back to Puerto Maldonado.
Before saying goodbye to the hot, muggy town we ventured through a local food and craft market to enjoy the last moments in Peru before flying to Mexico.
Sоurсе: stuff.co.nz
