On the road to Tarapoto.

Drying cacao

"I am exhausted, can't even write" I said. It's been 4 days since we left Lima into our new adventure: Amazonas. Deep now into the jungle, after so many windy and disastrous roads. Road with curves and curves, never 20 m flat; roads with holes as big as craters, gravel roads, roads where we had to stop for 1 hour at a time just to allow some work, roads with trucks and motorbikes and tuc tucs, mud roads, cliff narrow roads no guard rails, mosquitoes, mountains and forest, high altitude again (4,600 m), freezing conditions and then hot and humid- going from 9 to 30 degrees from one day to the other. And we haven't arrived yet!

The amazons experience

It all started in Tarapoto. We left SalSolcito and took a shared taxi up to Yurimaguas. The route, 2.5 hours of constant turning, glad that it was driven by an expert...it would have taken us 5 hours...by the end of it, the humidity and heat...we were really sick. Arrived at the port and of course the “slow boat” is leaving this afternoon! BUT it was empty and the men have barely started loading. Two days later we finally left to Iquitos. There is something mesmerising about sitting on a deck of a boat, on the river, 15 km per hour, the jungle at both sides....By this stage, the boat was packed! hundreds of people (mostly locals) sleeping on hammocks, all crunched up together; plus the chickens, fruit, vegies, a parrot, thousands of eggs, sacks of flour, sugar and salt, and even a moto-taxi on top of all!

We rented 2 hammocks and a “cabin”...well, more like a confined prison cell. Just a rectangle, no windows, 2 bunk beds. But it came with “privileges”. One was that our food was given to us rather than queuing and the other was being on a different floor just for us “cabin people” instead of being with all the rest. There were 3 toilets/showers and a large sink with bars to wash your teeth. At 6:00 am a huge bang on the door (a thick metal door with a huge lock) and a shout “breakfast”!!! A cup of hot soup rice? and 2 breads. It confirmed that we were in a prison! Lunch was rice and dinner was rice...For 2.5 days we were in the boat. Every so often the boat will stop in a very isolated village to unload some provisions and beer! And at the same time, loads of women would come up to the boat selling fish, fruit and even gigantic turtles! It was life, such a different life to all we know. We absolutely loved the experience!

Not very impressed with Iquitos, which is just a big city with lots and lots of motorbikes. We arranged quickly to go to the jungle the following day and that afternoon we spent a great day in a hotel with swimming pool. Luxury!

We were very certain that we did not want the “touristic” tour. The show, the animals, the tribe. It is really a pity that is not possible anymore to be in contact with an “intact culture”. I would have loved to be sitting around a fire and learn about the jibaros tribe. But is all so very commercial today that I don’t know if to feel sad or ashamed.

It took us 2.5 hours by speed boat to arrive at our camp. A very basic camp in the middle of the jungle. No electricity or hot water, shared showers outside the bungalows. And for the next 4 days we just walk and walk and also took the canoe for expeditions. And just “au natural” we had some interesting encounters: giant termites nest, a huge and scary boa, coral snake, ugly tarantulas, lazy bear, caiman, mosquitoes in quantities, huge ants, beautiful plants and yummy fruits. We walk day and night....stepping into the unknown, muddy terrain; sometimes our guide just making the way with a machete...and we even swam in the Amazonas River and fished! Perfect, just perfect.

Chachapoyas was the next region we visit. Driving now in between jungle and mountains...again those heavy routes. We like the city, all white. It was very different to the other places in the mountains. From here we took a cable car (the first one in Peru) to cross to Kuelap a pre-inca archaeological site. The view is magnificent, especially when the cable car is hanging above the canyon at 1000m above! Another day we did a trek to the Gotka waterfalls- they said the highest in South-America. My legs could feel that it has been over a month since our last walk! It was pretty intense, up and down for 4 hours; but totally worthy it when we arrived at the bottom of the waterfall. And 60 km (gravel once again!) to do another trek, the Yumbilla waterfalls. But this time, it was so pleasurable, like walking on an enchanted forest.

After 3 months in Peru we are ready to part, to explore new countries. What surprised us about Peru was the different landscapes- sea, jungle, mountains, forest-; how big it was, how tranquil and how many towns with such the very basic needs we found. We only saw big, nice and expensive houses in Lima and Arequipa...most of the country lives with just enough...we saw plenty of natural foods- fruit, vegies and fish everywhere. Plenty of little kids roaming around in roads unaware of the big trucks passing by so close. I can’t say I fallen in love with the culture. There is an air of seriousness about it, little joy. People don’t seem to move much or to do much exercise. It is very rare to see people jogging on the streets or playing football or any other game. Every time we ask for direction they will say “is so far to walk, take a mototaxi” and then found out it was only 700 m or so. And because of that; or topping that...they seem to be afraid of things, of anything adventurous and in places a bit touristic you could hear parents repeat all the time to the kids “careful with that stairs, don’t go there, etc”

Lots of bananas north of Peru and south of Ecuador

Amazons. Jungle. A bit scary for a city girl. Thanks to him, it was just a smooth experience. His knowledge, skills and nature just perfect. He is the jungle. Ready to hold my hand when the mud was too much to walk or when the tarantula came very close. Jumping out the boat when he saw a caiman and brought it to us. Funny when the boa arrive at our camp. Always smiling, eager to teach, to share his life and his environment, for us to appreciate, to have a memorable time . And we did.

Family. That undeniable feeling. Opening the fridge with easiness, cooking for one and others, going to the supermarket, joking, taking care of the sick, driving at 3:00 am to the hospital after food poison...being taking care of with so much  love.....it was all this and much more what we got with them. A few days that become 10 days, including Gracie's birthday with a glamorous present a spa day @ Westin. She is caring and warm and calm, he is generous, passionate and curious. Together a source of open hearts, open minds... you get a sense that when they embrace people they do it for life! Cheers for so many more days to enjoy together in the future

Camana

Seeing the sea again!!! I am so alive! We quickly took our bikes for a ride. A very long promenade, beautiful waves and the beach just for us. More like a ghost town as all the houses are totally shut down. No coffee shops, or restaurants or corner stores open. No people. Absolutely love that! Sometimes I wish we could arrive just at the beginning of the season, enough to see the workers slowly opening up the shops; where still there is time to talk to each other, where the frenzies of the full season hasn't' kick on yet and where people are waiting in excitement and trepidation hoping for a great season....but the full on off season gives us the possibility to stop and sleep anywhere, to feel safer, to have the best just for us, to really enjoy.

Paracas

One night that become 5 days. A real surprise to find this bay with so many 5 start hotels! Just for us and for pure enjoyment as is off season and all deserted. Our accommodation this time on the end of the bay, at the beach. A huge parking lot that quickly become the home of many travellers

Lima

A real pity but I can't say much about Lima. Only that the traffic was as terrible as I have ever seen. Just going to the city; which we managed to do it once, would take us 2 hours each way even though we were driven by locals in a small car. It was a time to rest and recover; given that we ended up sick but in such a good company, a family affair.