We stayed one night in La Paz and then got up the next morning and got a bus to a place called Cochabamba. The buses are surprisingly good in Bolivia- comfortable, clean and the drivers actually seem quite good and go very slowly on the hilly bits! It does mean we´ve always been about an hour or 2 late but that´s much better than the alternative! The jounrey to Cochabamba was amazing again. We went uphill for the first bit and so then lost loads of height. For ages it was the same barren altiplano as before but then we started to see more and more trees. There are so few roads here that you can see where you´ll be going next by seeing the other buses and lorries on different mountains! They´d promised us that there´d be a loo on the bus but it had broken (they also have) but we did stop at the most random remote service station ever where you can pay 1 Boliviano (about 9p) to use theirs. By the time we arrived in Cochabamba it was dark but it was clearly so different from the area near La Paz- it´s called the bread basket of Bolivia as things actually grow there!
We had a lazy day in Cochabamba and two consecutive nights in the same place! A first since Iquitos! There´s not much to do there but they have a huge market so we went shopping. We´d heard you could by "artesania" (Andean style touristy things like hammocks and alpaca scarfs) but we spent ages walking around past the cleaning products, spare parts for cars and live animals and started to get worried we´d missed our chance and should have caved in the touristy places in Peru. We eventually found it though and spent lots of money. So far though Bolivia has been really cheap- long-distance buses are about 3 or 4 pounds, a night´s accomodation between 4 and 6! Packing is now a bit harder though as we have all the things we bought and it´s too hot to wear jumpers so we need space for them too!
We left Cochabamba and spent another whole day travelling to Santa Cruz. We lost the remaining height really quickly and were suddenly in the rainforest again! It reminded me so much of Iquitos and was so hot after having got used to the cold at altitude. It´s amazing to have seen the transition of the continent from desert at the coast near Lima, to mountains, then the altiplano and now rainforest. It´s an incredible continent and I think it´s a really nice way to see it, even if it does involve a lot of buses!
We intended to stay one night in Santa Cruz but we were told that the train on Sundays is much nicer so we decided to stay 2. Unfortunately we´ve just found out they´re sold out of tickets so we have to get yet another bus! We´re a bit dissappointed but it is cheaper and yet still the most luxurious bus there is, so we might get some sleep! We head off in a couple of hours and get to Brazil tomorrow morning. Meanwhile we´ve been staying in a hostel with a pool so have had 2 very relaxing days swimming and reading books. I have just found out that the weather in the first part of Brazil we´re goin to is about 36 degress, 28 in Rio and 3 in Salvador so I may have to find more places with pools! It´s a hard life.
Sunday 29 August 2010
Saturday 28 August 2010
Cuzco to La Paz
Sorry not to have written for a while. We´ve been pretty busy though and we haven´t had much internet. In the last week we´ve travelled from Cuzco down to Puno on the Peruvian shores of Lake Titicaca, then to La Paz, and through Bolivia to Cochabamba and now Santa Cruz. Tonight we´re off to Brazil!
We´ve spent a lot of time on buses but the scenery was so amazing. After Cuzco it changed from "normal" mountains into the weirdest landscape. It´s called the altiplano and is really high (all above 3500 metres) but it feels almost like Wales and the valleys are so high that the peaks look like hills. It´s very dry and hostile-looking, almost nothing grows and the houses are pretty spread out. It must be a hard place to live. We saw a few herds of alpaca/llama (and some sheep and cows). Still don´t know which are which but I read that alpaca are smaller and delicate and their wool is used for nice things whilst llama are tougher and their wool is used for ropes and things.
We stayed a night in Puno. It´s at 3800 metres -pretty high! We haven´t had any real problems with the altitude but the hostel kitchen was on the 4th floor and we were pretty out of breath by the time we got there! We spent the next morning on a tour of the floating islands in Lake Titicaca. They built the islands out of reeds, it´s amazing, no idea how they cope at night though- it was so cold! We met a Brazilian lady who´s offered to cook us lunch one day in Rio. We then got a bus over the border and another to La Paz and on the second one we met 3 Brazilians and a german girl. 2 of the Brazilians (a couple) are going to meet up with us in Rio and maybe take us out to some lovely beaches on the Sunday. It was so much fun to speak Portuguese. I´ve been really worried about it but it´s definitely coming back :-)
So now we´re in a new country. It´s noticably different in many wways- much poorer and the places we´ve been are much less on the "gringo trail". I´ll write another blog entry later about the rest of our timein Bolivia before we change country again!
I´ve been trying to put some photos up but it´s not working, may have to try again in Rio!
We´ve spent a lot of time on buses but the scenery was so amazing. After Cuzco it changed from "normal" mountains into the weirdest landscape. It´s called the altiplano and is really high (all above 3500 metres) but it feels almost like Wales and the valleys are so high that the peaks look like hills. It´s very dry and hostile-looking, almost nothing grows and the houses are pretty spread out. It must be a hard place to live. We saw a few herds of alpaca/llama (and some sheep and cows). Still don´t know which are which but I read that alpaca are smaller and delicate and their wool is used for nice things whilst llama are tougher and their wool is used for ropes and things.
We stayed a night in Puno. It´s at 3800 metres -pretty high! We haven´t had any real problems with the altitude but the hostel kitchen was on the 4th floor and we were pretty out of breath by the time we got there! We spent the next morning on a tour of the floating islands in Lake Titicaca. They built the islands out of reeds, it´s amazing, no idea how they cope at night though- it was so cold! We met a Brazilian lady who´s offered to cook us lunch one day in Rio. We then got a bus over the border and another to La Paz and on the second one we met 3 Brazilians and a german girl. 2 of the Brazilians (a couple) are going to meet up with us in Rio and maybe take us out to some lovely beaches on the Sunday. It was so much fun to speak Portuguese. I´ve been really worried about it but it´s definitely coming back :-)
So now we´re in a new country. It´s noticably different in many wways- much poorer and the places we´ve been are much less on the "gringo trail". I´ll write another blog entry later about the rest of our timein Bolivia before we change country again!
I´ve been trying to put some photos up but it´s not working, may have to try again in Rio!
Sunday 22 August 2010
Machu Pichhu and the Sacred Valley
I am sitting in an internet cafe in Aguas Calientes, the village near Machu Picchu waiting for the train back to Cuzco. We´ve had an amazing three days. After I last wrote we wandered around Cuzco and went to a couple of museums about the Incas. They did some very weird things- for example taking the mummies of their ancestors to parties so that they could be with the other mummies (I think this was the Incas, but I may be wrong)! We also just explored the city which is really nice, surrounded by mountains and much prettier than Lima.
Then early yesterday morning we got a local bus into the Sacred Valley. We stopped off first at a palce called Chinchero where there are some small Inca ruins. They were really pretty and the landscape was incredible- steep hills used for farming and then in the distance snow-topped mountains, which we worked out were all around or over 6000m. Chinchero itself is at almost 3800 metres. We hadn´t noticed the altitude in Cuzco, possibly thanks to the bus journey to get there but we did at Chinchero. As we got off the bus we noticed ourselves breathing faster and the 100 or so metres we climbed at the ruins were very hardwork! It was really fun though.
We then went to a village called Ollantaytambo which has a train to Machu Picchu. It´s therefore really touristy and almost all the restaurants were advertised in English. We however manages to find a very Peruvian one and got two courses for about a 5th of the price of elsewhere- we were very chuffed! Ollanta is lovely too, again surrounded by mountains, two of which have Inca ruins built into the hillside. It´s incredible engineering. The fortress there was one of the few places to win a battle with the Spanish, but it was also a ceremonial centre and a farm! We wondered around for a while and then spent ages waiting for the train.
We got to Aguas Calientes and stayed the night and then this morning got up to go to Machu Picchu. To be honest when I realsied how expensive it is to get here and get in I had wondered whether it was worth it but I´m so glad we came. It´s absolutely magical, a city perched on a hill surrounded by so many huge mountains. In the morning when we got there they were covered in haze from the sun and Jen and I agreed that they looked so strange we´d almost expect a dragon to come flying over! It was really amazing. I don´t know how the Incas managed to live there, let along built such an amazing place. We spent about 5 hours walking around and went for a walk nearby to an Incan bridge.
Back to Cuzco this evening and the same hostel as before, then tomorrow we´re off to Puno on the banks of Lake Titicaca.
Then early yesterday morning we got a local bus into the Sacred Valley. We stopped off first at a palce called Chinchero where there are some small Inca ruins. They were really pretty and the landscape was incredible- steep hills used for farming and then in the distance snow-topped mountains, which we worked out were all around or over 6000m. Chinchero itself is at almost 3800 metres. We hadn´t noticed the altitude in Cuzco, possibly thanks to the bus journey to get there but we did at Chinchero. As we got off the bus we noticed ourselves breathing faster and the 100 or so metres we climbed at the ruins were very hardwork! It was really fun though.
We then went to a village called Ollantaytambo which has a train to Machu Picchu. It´s therefore really touristy and almost all the restaurants were advertised in English. We however manages to find a very Peruvian one and got two courses for about a 5th of the price of elsewhere- we were very chuffed! Ollanta is lovely too, again surrounded by mountains, two of which have Inca ruins built into the hillside. It´s incredible engineering. The fortress there was one of the few places to win a battle with the Spanish, but it was also a ceremonial centre and a farm! We wondered around for a while and then spent ages waiting for the train.
We got to Aguas Calientes and stayed the night and then this morning got up to go to Machu Picchu. To be honest when I realsied how expensive it is to get here and get in I had wondered whether it was worth it but I´m so glad we came. It´s absolutely magical, a city perched on a hill surrounded by so many huge mountains. In the morning when we got there they were covered in haze from the sun and Jen and I agreed that they looked so strange we´d almost expect a dragon to come flying over! It was really amazing. I don´t know how the Incas managed to live there, let along built such an amazing place. We spent about 5 hours walking around and went for a walk nearby to an Incan bridge.
Back to Cuzco this evening and the same hostel as before, then tomorrow we´re off to Puno on the banks of Lake Titicaca.
Friday 20 August 2010
Cuzco!
Hello from Cuzco! It's a gorgeous place, so happy to have made it! The flight on Wednesday to Lima was 3 hours late so I spent almost the whole day oin the airport and din't get to the hostel until 9. It was fun though cos when I arrived Jen and Sara had met each other and were cooking for us all- not a bad welcome party!
Yesterday we got up and sorted everything out and then got on a bus at 2 and got off it at 10 this morning. It was quite a nice bus, called semi-cama which means that the seats go back a decent way but you are still sleeping at quite an angle. The first few hours were fun as we went along the coast. It was just desert everywhere, with a very rough Pacific on our right and sand everywhere else. Nice and flat though. Then, just before dark we headed east and spent the rest of the time going up and down lots of mountains in a succession of hair-pin bends. To be honest it was rather nauseating and sleeping was hard as every 30 seconds or so you were thrown one direction or the other! Jen is currently having a nap to catch up on some sleep and recovering as she felt a bit ill this morning. Also about 9 o'clock last night we got stopped by a police car who insisted on escorting us and two other buses up as something had happened further up the road. They were showing a horror film on the TV so we were a bit scared but in the end it was fine and our drivers were actually the best I've ever come across in South America! The worst journey is definitely over!
We went out to explore for a bit when we got here and are going back out later. Then tomorrow we're off to the Sacred Valley and on Sunday Machu Picchu!
Yesterday we got up and sorted everything out and then got on a bus at 2 and got off it at 10 this morning. It was quite a nice bus, called semi-cama which means that the seats go back a decent way but you are still sleeping at quite an angle. The first few hours were fun as we went along the coast. It was just desert everywhere, with a very rough Pacific on our right and sand everywhere else. Nice and flat though. Then, just before dark we headed east and spent the rest of the time going up and down lots of mountains in a succession of hair-pin bends. To be honest it was rather nauseating and sleeping was hard as every 30 seconds or so you were thrown one direction or the other! Jen is currently having a nap to catch up on some sleep and recovering as she felt a bit ill this morning. Also about 9 o'clock last night we got stopped by a police car who insisted on escorting us and two other buses up as something had happened further up the road. They were showing a horror film on the TV so we were a bit scared but in the end it was fine and our drivers were actually the best I've ever come across in South America! The worst journey is definitely over!
We went out to explore for a bit when we got here and are going back out later. Then tomorrow we're off to the Sacred Valley and on Sunday Machu Picchu!
Tuesday 17 August 2010
Goodbye Iquitos!
I can´t quite believe it, but tomorrow is my last day in Iquitos! I´ve had such a fun time here I´m really sad to leave. Erin left on Sunday but on Saturday 3 more people arrived- Will and Sophie are medics from Swansea and Kate is Will´s girlfriend and is volunteering here at a manatee rescue centre. They´re all lovely and it´s nice not to have been here by myself at all! On Saturday I went into hospital in the afternoon and then we all went out in the evening, for drinks and then to a club until about 3.30. It was fun though the the men were quite hard work- all wanting to dance with the gringas but a bit creepy! We just danced together. Then on Sunday we had a really lazy day, in the afternoon going to the hostel with the swimming pool like last weekend. Since then I´ve been back in hospital for two days, back in paediatrics.
It is funny here, in some ways I feel like I know my way around and fit in but then I still stand out like a sore-thumb! All the motocarro (aka rickshaw) drivers at the hospital know where I live as for a while I was the only non-Peruvian there. I go to get one home and they all shout out "Napo cuadro 6" (my address)! But I feel like I have some good friends in the hospital now which is nice and for the last few days I have been much more useful, filling in forms for the interns and helping decide which children can be discharged.
This afternoon we all went to meet Kate at the manatee place. They are so sweet- even the babies are pretty huge. We helped feed one who was attacked by a machete but is now doing really well. We then went to feed the fish. They farm them there, in huge ponds in the rainforest. The fish were huge- over 2 metres long! We decided we may have found the lockness monsters nearest relatives!
Got to go, we´re going out for drinks on the bank of the river to celebrate my last night. Will write when I can.
p.s. I have put some more photos up.
It is funny here, in some ways I feel like I know my way around and fit in but then I still stand out like a sore-thumb! All the motocarro (aka rickshaw) drivers at the hospital know where I live as for a while I was the only non-Peruvian there. I go to get one home and they all shout out "Napo cuadro 6" (my address)! But I feel like I have some good friends in the hospital now which is nice and for the last few days I have been much more useful, filling in forms for the interns and helping decide which children can be discharged.
This afternoon we all went to meet Kate at the manatee place. They are so sweet- even the babies are pretty huge. We helped feed one who was attacked by a machete but is now doing really well. We then went to feed the fish. They farm them there, in huge ponds in the rainforest. The fish were huge- over 2 metres long! We decided we may have found the lockness monsters nearest relatives!
Got to go, we´re going out for drinks on the bank of the river to celebrate my last night. Will write when I can.
p.s. I have put some more photos up.
Thursday 12 August 2010
Stories from a small town
Hi, I realised I haven't written for a while but I've sort of settled into a routine so it feels like there's less news. In fact I've just thought of lots of things worth writing about! So here are a few anecdotes:
The hospital's birthday.
Last Tuesday (3rd August) I was in the paediatric ward when I heard a band start playing. I then found out that it was the 20th anniversary of the hospital and so they were celebrating with a march. After wardrounds lots of the staff went outside and proceeded to march through the grounds in groups, each group with a flag saying what medical specialty or other job they did. A man then mentioned each individually and said what a good job they did- everything from gynae oncology to the computer people (although I haven't seen a computer in the hospital so I'm not sure what they do!) It was really impressive actually and very Peruvian- they had so many processions the first week for their Independence Day. They seemed very surprised when I said you'd never get anything similar in London! I wish I'd had my camera.
Antibiotics.
One of the things that annoys me here is that the doctors almost all overprescribe. I know that infectious diseases are a huge problem but everyone is on antibiotics, and then a whole range of other drugs to combat the side effects of the overly strong treatment. And if any of us get ill they try to make us take 3 or 4 drugs ourselves. It's a culture shared in lots of countries I think but it's a bit worrying.
Animals and earthquakes.
Erin and I went out for a drink last night. There are lots of stray dogs and cats in the town but yesterday we saw a sloth! I've never seen one before, it was really sweet. I'm rather less keen on the insects though as I'm still being biten lots. Last night was particularly bad and people were laughing at me in the hospital today for having so many big red bites. The other excitement was abotu 7 this morning when I woke up and the room was shaking. Apparently earthquakes are hardly ever felt here because all the rivers cushion it or something but this one was quite impressive. It turns out it was in Ecuador in fact but 7 on the Richter scale so quite big.
I'm sure I had more stories but I can't remember any so that will do for now, hasta luego!
The hospital's birthday.
Last Tuesday (3rd August) I was in the paediatric ward when I heard a band start playing. I then found out that it was the 20th anniversary of the hospital and so they were celebrating with a march. After wardrounds lots of the staff went outside and proceeded to march through the grounds in groups, each group with a flag saying what medical specialty or other job they did. A man then mentioned each individually and said what a good job they did- everything from gynae oncology to the computer people (although I haven't seen a computer in the hospital so I'm not sure what they do!) It was really impressive actually and very Peruvian- they had so many processions the first week for their Independence Day. They seemed very surprised when I said you'd never get anything similar in London! I wish I'd had my camera.
Antibiotics.
One of the things that annoys me here is that the doctors almost all overprescribe. I know that infectious diseases are a huge problem but everyone is on antibiotics, and then a whole range of other drugs to combat the side effects of the overly strong treatment. And if any of us get ill they try to make us take 3 or 4 drugs ourselves. It's a culture shared in lots of countries I think but it's a bit worrying.
Animals and earthquakes.
Erin and I went out for a drink last night. There are lots of stray dogs and cats in the town but yesterday we saw a sloth! I've never seen one before, it was really sweet. I'm rather less keen on the insects though as I'm still being biten lots. Last night was particularly bad and people were laughing at me in the hospital today for having so many big red bites. The other excitement was abotu 7 this morning when I woke up and the room was shaking. Apparently earthquakes are hardly ever felt here because all the rivers cushion it or something but this one was quite impressive. It turns out it was in Ecuador in fact but 7 on the Richter scale so quite big.
I'm sure I had more stories but I can't remember any so that will do for now, hasta luego!
Monday 9 August 2010
Photos
Just a quick note to say that I now have some photos on my picasa page. Annoying my camera broke almost as soon as I got here. I´ve borrowed Rosy, the doctor´s wife´s camera but the photos aren´t as good as I´d have liked! The screen wasn´t great and in the strong sunlight I could never see what I was taking! Here they are:
http://picasaweb.google.com/104911634904115031032
I´ll add some more soon.
http://picasaweb.google.com/104911634904115031032
I´ll add some more soon.
Sunday 8 August 2010
It´s the weekend!!
Hello all. I´m feeling much better and have had a really nice weekend. On Thursday night I finally agreed to let Ernesto prescribe me some antibiotics and they did make a big difference! I went into hospital as normal on Friday and did two little presentations on different parasites. It went well and I think I taught the mother of one of the patients some useful facts so that´s good I guess! I was exhausted afterwards though as I haven´t been able to eat much all week. I tried to lie-in on Saturday and today but they have birds in cages just outside my room, and I don´t have any glass in my window (it looks out into the hall so that isn´t a huge problem) so they woke me up before 7 both days! Yesterday I lazed about all morning and then went into A&E in the afternoon. There weren´t many adult patients about but there were loads of children in the paediatric room so I went there. Lots of lung infections and tummy bugs again! I stayed for about 3 and a half hours and then went home. Then Erin and I (Sara´s left so it´s just us) went out to the boulevard, the main social area which looks out over the Amazon, for a couple of drinks. It´s so nice to feel better, we were both so excited!
Today I spent all morning booking things for the trip and then Erin and I went to a hostel that has a swimming pool and the nicest garden with lots of hammocks and an amazing tree house. We swam and sat in the sun and chatted all afternoon. It was so relaxing, really the first day in ages that I haven´t had to do anything. Near the end of the afternoon we decided to climb the tree house. The views over Iquitos were amazing. Right at the top we met 2 French guys and their Peruvian friend. We started chatting to them and found out that they´ve been here for ages, doing volunatry work in the community. I chatted a bit in French which went better than expected considering I´m so busy thinking in Spanish! We then met all their friends who are really nice and we talked for quite a while. They live just around the corner from us so hopefully we´ll meet up sometime. I love talking to people from lots of different countries in different languages, it´s made me really excited about going travelling once Ï´ve finished here.
We don´t get food in the house on Sunday so we just went out for the biggest meal! Peruvian portions are huge but the food´s nice. I´m now booking Jen and my tickets to Machu Picchu, which is very exciting!
Today I spent all morning booking things for the trip and then Erin and I went to a hostel that has a swimming pool and the nicest garden with lots of hammocks and an amazing tree house. We swam and sat in the sun and chatted all afternoon. It was so relaxing, really the first day in ages that I haven´t had to do anything. Near the end of the afternoon we decided to climb the tree house. The views over Iquitos were amazing. Right at the top we met 2 French guys and their Peruvian friend. We started chatting to them and found out that they´ve been here for ages, doing volunatry work in the community. I chatted a bit in French which went better than expected considering I´m so busy thinking in Spanish! We then met all their friends who are really nice and we talked for quite a while. They live just around the corner from us so hopefully we´ll meet up sometime. I love talking to people from lots of different countries in different languages, it´s made me really excited about going travelling once Ï´ve finished here.
We don´t get food in the house on Sunday so we just went out for the biggest meal! Peruvian portions are huge but the food´s nice. I´m now booking Jen and my tickets to Machu Picchu, which is very exciting!
Thursday 5 August 2010
Paediatrics (and parasites)
Back to hospital after my extended break. I'm now doing paediatrics though so I'm very happy. The doctors are really nice and every day we do a long wardround and see all the patients. It's tough being a child here. What with the crazy transport system, dodgy water and overall poverty it seems that surviving the first few months of childhood are the big test, once you manage that you've toughened up a bit. Most of the children either have breathing problems or vomiting and diarrhoea and there are lots who've had horrible accidents. The doctors do a great job though- the baby who's cousin through a machete at his head is now home after having spent the week running around looking perfectly healthy! Kids are funny because they get so ill but they also bounce back so quickly!
I've discovered a hidden skill. I can make the children here stop crying in shock, and sometimes even laugh when they see me because I look so different and funny in their eyes. The doctors too are always asking me questions about medicine in London. The other day one asked me what parasite we see most of and was shocked when I said we didn't really see many! There are two kids with different ones at the moment so the doctor made me read up on them and tell him about them. I can't pronounce "estrongiloidiasis" very easily though!
In other news the whole hosuehold, me included is a bit ill with stomach bugs. I didn't go into hospital today and the other girls have been off all week. Ernesto's been teasing us that we picked up our own worms in the jungle and is going to give us antibiotics for now and antiparasite drugs for when we leave, just in case! Not the nicest thought!
I've discovered a hidden skill. I can make the children here stop crying in shock, and sometimes even laugh when they see me because I look so different and funny in their eyes. The doctors too are always asking me questions about medicine in London. The other day one asked me what parasite we see most of and was shocked when I said we didn't really see many! There are two kids with different ones at the moment so the doctor made me read up on them and tell him about them. I can't pronounce "estrongiloidiasis" very easily though!
In other news the whole hosuehold, me included is a bit ill with stomach bugs. I didn't go into hospital today and the other girls have been off all week. Ernesto's been teasing us that we picked up our own worms in the jungle and is going to give us antibiotics for now and antiparasite drugs for when we leave, just in case! Not the nicest thought!
Sunday 1 August 2010
In the depths of the Amazon rainforest.
I´m back from my jungle trip and both alive and free from head injuries. I do however have (no exaggeration) about 300 bites though. Mostly on my legs, to the extent that sitting down and walking both hurt quite a lot!
It was great fun though. We decided not to go to a lodge like most people do but to go further into the rainforest to a big reserve called the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve which is about 180 km from Iquitos. There were 6 of us and 3 guides and we travelled upstream from a town called Nauta, about 2 hours drive from Iquitos (which is about as far as you can get!) We got on this tiny little boat, long and thin like a barge with an engine at the back and a straw roof. It takes about 3 hours to get to the reserve and then the first day we went about another hour further in. We stayed in a hut in a village the first night and then yesterday 3 of us and the guides went further upstream whilst the others stayed at the village. It was so nice to be on the river and the views were incredible. Once we were in the reserve we branched of into a tribuitary and it got much narrower. There were lots of birds everywhere and msot excitingly 2 types of river dolphin- one pink and one grey. They were everywhere, jumping around any playing!
The first day I tried going swimming as the guide said the dolphins would come and play but within 5 seconds 100s of timy fish were biting me so I jumped out. There are lots of piranhas there too so I´m glad I did!
When we got further upstream on the second day we hired a local guide and he took us canoeing in his fishing canoe. He was fishing with a spear and we tried later but it was really hard. Sara managed to get one though! We stopped off after a while and walked into the rainforest for a bit to a stream. There we did some fishing with rods for our lunch. I was hopeless but finally got one! I sat down after awhile though to balance myself and I think I might have got most of my bites then. I was so determined to get a fish i forgot about everything else! We then ate the fish (Tiger fish) for lunch. It was so nice, the freshest I´ve ever eaten!
We carried on further after lunch and then camped by the edge of the river that night. It was so noisy in the tent as we were right in the rainforest. Some birds almost sound like a siren or traffic noise and you almost forget where you are!
Today we just travlled back by boat. It was so relaxing.
It was great fun though. We decided not to go to a lodge like most people do but to go further into the rainforest to a big reserve called the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve which is about 180 km from Iquitos. There were 6 of us and 3 guides and we travelled upstream from a town called Nauta, about 2 hours drive from Iquitos (which is about as far as you can get!) We got on this tiny little boat, long and thin like a barge with an engine at the back and a straw roof. It takes about 3 hours to get to the reserve and then the first day we went about another hour further in. We stayed in a hut in a village the first night and then yesterday 3 of us and the guides went further upstream whilst the others stayed at the village. It was so nice to be on the river and the views were incredible. Once we were in the reserve we branched of into a tribuitary and it got much narrower. There were lots of birds everywhere and msot excitingly 2 types of river dolphin- one pink and one grey. They were everywhere, jumping around any playing!
The first day I tried going swimming as the guide said the dolphins would come and play but within 5 seconds 100s of timy fish were biting me so I jumped out. There are lots of piranhas there too so I´m glad I did!
When we got further upstream on the second day we hired a local guide and he took us canoeing in his fishing canoe. He was fishing with a spear and we tried later but it was really hard. Sara managed to get one though! We stopped off after a while and walked into the rainforest for a bit to a stream. There we did some fishing with rods for our lunch. I was hopeless but finally got one! I sat down after awhile though to balance myself and I think I might have got most of my bites then. I was so determined to get a fish i forgot about everything else! We then ate the fish (Tiger fish) for lunch. It was so nice, the freshest I´ve ever eaten!
We carried on further after lunch and then camped by the edge of the river that night. It was so noisy in the tent as we were right in the rainforest. Some birds almost sound like a siren or traffic noise and you almost forget where you are!
Today we just travlled back by boat. It was so relaxing.
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