This blog is brought to you via Satellite wifi - how amazing is that!!
My journey today was so different to yesterdays…
a taxi driver who arrived early, knew his way around and didn’t pick up any
workies on the way! I was first in line
at the check in desk and had time for a cup of Peruvian tea (which tastes
horrible) and a freshly squeezed pineapple juice for my breakfast – I am on my
fast before my ceremony tomorrow night so no citrus fruits for me.
The flight was smooth except for having to
land in Cusco and let passengers off and on and then take off again to Puerto
Maldonado – I hate flying – well actually I don’t mind flying by I hate the
take off and landing – I wonder I can run out of uses of the Reiki Symbol for
protection?! I use it a million times
during take off and landing.
We arrived at this tiny little airport and
I met my guide Fernando who took me to the bus and from the airport we went to
the offices of Nature Peru where I was given a small duffle bag to pack what I
need for the next few days. Because we
are going by boat and then we have a 15 minute walk steep up hill to where the
lodge is they encourage you to keep your luggage to a minimum.
We had to wait for the next plane to come
in as there was another passenger who was going on the bus to the Tambopata
River Port with us which was 45 minutes away so in my time of waiting I sat and
gave healing to one of the cute pussy cats that was there – they were
definitely a colony and all related (this is only interesting to my animal
behaviour friends!). This kitty sucked
up quite a bit of energy then had a 10 minute catnap – it was amazing to feel
the energy in a place like that and I wasn’t really in the Jungle yet. When I am healing I use the Universal energy
and never really thought that there was different strengths of energy from the
Universe depending on where you are on the Earth but I could definitely feel a
stronger, pulsating energy – it was fab to feel.
We got on the boat which was going to take
us two and a half hours up river to where the Refugio Amazonas Lodge so we were
given our packed lunch – the best packed lunch ever – rice with red pepper and
a bit of spice all wrapped up in a leaf!
What a great way to save on washing the dishes!!
It was great to be on the river and have
the wind on my face and look at all of the trees and vegetation – about an hour
into the trip we had to disembark and check in at the national park – we have
to sign in and out and promise to respect the Tambopata national park and not
do anything to harm the plants or animals – totally up for that of course and
got a beautiful stamp in my passport to confirm my entry into the park.
Back on the boat it wasn’t long before
Fernando my guide pointed and told the driver of the boat to slow down – he had
spotted these big animals – he called them big water rats but they were nothing
like rats but I am assuming he meant more like vermin that actually looking
like rats as they look more the cross between a pig and a beaver – they are
called Capibara.
After two and half hours on the river and a
15 minute hike steep up hill we arrive at the lodge, which is beautiful and all
open plan surrounded by brazil nut trees – that is the main farming activity in
the area – collecting brazil nuts so there are lots of them around. Did you know that brazil nuts are packed
together in a big pod shell that looks like a coconut and when you cut it open
each brazil nut is in its own shell in its own compartment within the
shell. I might be stupid but I had never
really thought about where brazil nuts came from – I knew it was a tree but
thought they would have fallen off as individual nuts – so I have learnt something!
We got off the boat and it started to rain
– I looked up to the heavens wondering ‘what the f*ck?’ and the answer I got
back was “you are in the rainforest you diddy!”
yup hadn’t really thought that one through – it does rain in the rain
forest but at least its warm rain.
We arrived to be handed a freezing cold wet
towel to wipe off our sweat which was much needed – if I sweat this much each
day I will be leaving about 14lb heavier!!
Fernando talked me through the lodge and where everything is and then
showed me to my bedroom. How amazing –
all the walls are made from bamboo and one side is completely open to the
jungle. The bathroom has an interesting
Peeping Tom scenario too.
I settled in and headed back to the main
part of the lodge as I had heard they had wifi between 530pm and 9pm – I
thought I must have miss heard but no they actually have wifi from their satellite dish when they switch
the electricity on – isn’t that amazing to be two and a half hours by boat from
the nearest town and there is wifi!
It was good fun to watch the staff pull out
their laptops and show each other youtube clips etc – I have mixed feelings
about there being wifi in the jungle but if it was put in for the use of the
locals then I think that’s great – why can’t they have what we have just
because we want to keep the jungle pristine.
But I suspect it was probably put in to keep the tourists happy but at
least the locals are getting full use of it.
The lodge only employs local people from
the areas around here and at Puerto Maldonado which is great and they all speak
better English than most Glaswegians!
Tomorrow I have to get up for breakfast at
530am as I am going for a walk at 6am to the canopy tower which is a 30metre
structure that you climb up so you can see above the rainforest and then a walk
to the Condemned Lake and a paddle in a boat around the lake and then the bit I
am really looking forward to which is the walk around the medicinal gardens –
can’t wait.
suzxxx
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