LOCATION: Lima - Puerto Maldonado - Amazon
Another morning of an alarm buzzing to get us started for the day. Got to beat the traffic to the airport with @Gonsalves and our driver @Edward. Not sure when and if these guys sleep as they always seem on the go.
The traffic was easy - but the crush in the airport on this holiday weekend was slightly more competitive. Not sure how @Gonsalves got us a skip the line pass for security but we must have jumped ahead of 500 people (no hoke) to get access to the security check.
Inside - we were hoping to spend some money to break the equivalent of $×5 into some smaller denominations. We tried male a purchase at three different shops, but all indicated they didn't have change! This stop - we have money - but can't spend it!
Loving life in the front of the plane - priority boarding, exclusive overhead storage, access to the loo and first off the plane. Only a couple more flights and we will be taking up our rear seats so sucking up the privileges while they last.
A simple two hour flight this morning - almost on time. Such a short time we hadn't even bothered with headsets. When @Mac checked the movies out of interest - the number one selection was ANACONDA. I don't think so.
Smooth operation at the airport in Puerto Maldonado to meet our flight. Seventeen of the seventy guests were on our flight and @Rosemary was busy rounding everyone up, sorting luggage and allocating rooms and was excited to inform us that we had river views. We scored a minibus to ourselves and first impressions of the "port" and "boat" reinforced our understanding that we were definitely in the jungle. The town was a mixture of very run down buildings and modern store fronts.
The airports seem to be getting smaller and the towns more run down and dirty. Puerto Maldonado was no exception to this rule of thumb decline. Made our way to the port through a combination of abandoned , dilapidated and sparkly new (usually a dress shop
“boutique”) and shared the roads here with motor bikes and tuktuks.
Was a minutes ride to the “port” which was a dustyrun down siding Ickes on the banks of a fast flowing, muddy brown of the bank of ….. River. The water and sediment here is travelling directly from the heights of Cusco and at the tail end of the rainy season we are talking both volume and speed.
Each person’s 10 kg luggage allowance is piled into the back of a low slung boat. Long and sleek (its shape not its condition) and we were mustered on one at a time, left to right in the precariously balanced craft for the 30 minute ride to the lodge.
Pleasantly surprised. The lodge was in a different league from the boat! Beautiful cabanas - timber construction, frond roofed, spacious cabins stung out along the river, accessed by stepping stone rounds. @Danny gave us the welcome and the run down. Basically, don’t walk around on your own, meet the guide “here” and this weekend the lodge is operating at capacity at 70 guests.
The Adventure
Lunch, welcome to your riverside hut and off to excursion. It looks like this will be the rhythm of the days ahead - meals - punctuated by excursions and a rest time in the middle of the day.
Lunch was in the very darkest Main House which serves as the restaurant. @Alejandro looked after us and immediately his sense of humour came in to play! It was a late lunch to prepare us for the the afternoon excursion.
Absolutely delighted with accommodation. Referred to asa cabana. A large area basically divided in three. A sitting area, the massage canopy bed area and then bathroom at the back. Carefully presented with so many details definitely beyond our expectations. And the attention to detail I liked a battery supply for @Mac's machine.
No time to dilly dally - we had to be ready for @Gloria.
Long pants, long sleeves, walking shoes, water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent. No food - the monkeys will chase you.
@Gloria took us on a two hour walk to introduce us to the jungle - a walk through the secondary jungle (had been cleared at some stage and now regrowing) that included various stops to identify plants and detours around boggy mud puddles.
Not much luck in the “animal stakes” until @Gloria teased a tarantula out of a hole in the ground with a stick! Huge, black and hairy - glad to see that thing back in its hole!
Omg, it is hot and HUMID. Standing means you are dripping! Any activity means you are looking for a shower. The perspiration was running off @Mac’s sleeves and every layer was drenched.
Last activity was the 7 pm meetup for a boat ride on the … River to spot the Caimen… this was 90 minutes in the boat with 24 other people and @Gloria and @Sam on the spotlight looking for animals. Not much to report here - confessing it was a reminder of African safari is that came up negative. But the river and the breeze were welcomed.
Apparently it has rained every day for thee weeks here - but has been dry for two days. Two birds - an egret and a capped something and a boatload of moths and mosquitoes. That was our night time haul.
Back at 8.30 for dinner and in the cabana and settled by 10 - got the fan going full blast above the canopied bed soaking up that breeze for an hour before the electricity goes off at 11
The walkways and stairs to the cabanas are lit by lamps and a kerosene lamp in the loo provided the light for the evening.
Not sure you could hear the jungle sounds above the fan - but once it stopped .. if you had the energy to be awake, I’m sure you could.
Can you believe this?
Amazing Facts About the Peruvian Amazon Basin from Co-Pilot
Amazon Basin covers over 700,000 km²—roughly 60% of Peru—and represents the second-largest portion of the Amazon rainforest. As the birthplace of the Amazon River, it features unparalleled biodiversity, including 1,800+ bird species, rare pink river dolphins, and vast, untouched areas like the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.
Incredible Biodiversity and Nature
Bird Capital: Peru hosts more bird species than almost any other nation, with roughly 1,800 species, including the prehistoric-looking hoatzin.
The "Punk Rock" Bird: The Hoatzin, found in Peru, is called the "stinkbird" due to its manure-like odor and has claws on its wings as chicks.
Biodiversity Hotspot: A 5,500-hectare section of the Peruvian Amazon can contain 575 bird species, nearly as many as the entire continent of North America.
Unique Aquatic Life: The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is home to pink river dolphins, which have thrived in these freshwater systems for 18 million years.
Uncatalogued Species: Scientists believe thousands of plant and animal species in the Peruvian Amazon have yet to be discovered or categorized.
Survival Barometer
Steps 16 150
Weather 34 degrees humidity ?? crazy
Health - focused on keeping up the fluids - all AOK - malaria tablets don't seem to bother us - but that 80% bushman's doing its thing!
For Jesse - so humid here have left card safely stored until we reach Cusco.
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