Being so close to the jungle we decided to take a three day trip to a lodge about an hour and a half away from the city. To get there we took a boat ride through the ‘meeting of the waters’ where the Rio Solimoes, (Amazon) and the Rio Negro converge. The waters are significantly different with the Solimoes being a light brown and, as the name suggests the Negro being virtually black. The difference is caused by the rivers flowing at different speeds, having different temperatures and acidic levels. They flow side by side without mixing for several kilometres.
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Having crossed the rivers we took a car ride for about 30 minutes to a smaller river and reached the jungle lodge some 40 minutes later by motorized canoe.
Our guide, Damian, (couldn’t get the ‘Only Fools and Horses’ sketch out of my head) was both knowledgeable and amiable and an instant hit with the girls. Our first activity was a swim in the river to cool off after our journey. We were in a group of seven; the four of us, Rebecca and Olivier from France, and Maki, a young lady from Japan travelling alone.
After lunch we went on a canoe ride deeper into the jungle to see some wildlife. We had our own canoe with Damian and the other three in another. For the first part of the journey we didn’t see anything which wasn’t surprising as Lorraine and the girls had never canoed before and I hadn’t been in one for about 20 years. Needless to say we found it challenging to steer through the narrow openings as Damian led us into the swamps of reeds and trees. The noise of our laughter and repeated impact against trees meant that any living thing within two miles would have been given an early warning that amateurs were in the area. Eventually we got to grips with our navigation and by the end of our trip we had seen several species of monkeys, birds and jumping spiders. It was also great exercise so upon our return we all dived back into the river.
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As night descended we ate a hearty evening meal before getting back into a canoe, just the one this time, and went hunting for Caiman. Damian was on lookout at the front with a colleague controlling the outboard engine. As we travelled close to the bank you could see pairs of glittering pink eyes. As they can grow to in excess of two metres it was testament to Damian’s skill that when he lunged forward and grabbed one he chose one no more than a couple of feet in length. We returned to the lodge with Caiman in hand to get a better look at it and learn more about them. Once the photo shoot was over it was released gently back into the river.
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I awoke early the next morning and ventured down the steps from our cabin to the jetty to watch the sunrise and see the pink dolphins make their way up river. Not a bad way to start the day.
With breakfast over we went on a trek by foot into the heart of the jungle. With Damian’s assistance we were able to get close to a number of creatures, and learnt an enormous amount about survival in an unforgiving environment. He showed us how to smear ourselves with ants, (you let them crawl over your arms then rub them into your skin) as a way of disguising your smell to enable you to get up close to other animals. Needless to say we all enjoyed watching each other wriggle as they crawled all over the place. Abbey said they reached her pants and did some great break dancing to get them out. Top performance Abs.
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(I am assuming that Damian was telling the truth. He had a twinkle in his eye so I could imagine him going down to his local bar making comments like ‘you should have seen what I had these Gringo’s doing today’ with much laughter had by all. Nah, that couldn’t happen …………… could it?).
We also drank fresh water from vines and ate grubs from inside nuts. Well Abbey and I did. Hannah got as far as putting the grub in her mouth but couldn’t go through with the chewing bit. They actually tasted like coconut!
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Damian also teased a Tarantula out of its hiding place for us to see. Judging by the amount of irritating powder it was puffing towards us it wasn’t too happy to be disturbed.
A few hours later we arrived back at the lodge, had lunch, a swim and awaited our instructions for Piranha fishing. We had anticipated another journey on the river but Damian provided us with poles, lines and hooks and told us to sit on the jetty with bits of chicken skin for bait. Whilst we’d been taking our refreshing dips in the river, unbeknownst to us the Piranha had been swimming underneath. Apparently they don’t attack unless you make the wrong sort of motion or smell like rotting meat. Forgot to tell us that didn’t you Damian!
After a couple of hours we had all caught at least one and it was time to get back into the canoe for our expedition into the jungle for our overnight adventure. About an hour later we arrived at our camp for the night under an open sided shelter. As the girls put up the hammocks and mosquito nets, the boys went looking for firewood. With the camp taking some sort of shape we took the canoe back out into the middle of the river to cool off after our labours. Back on land Olivier and I got the fire going while the girls prepared a salad. Damian split a couple of sticks and wedged the two chickens we had brought, expertly into place then stuck them into the ground so the chickens began to roast gently over the fire.
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After a fine meal, several beers and homemade Caiparinhas and much storytelling it was time for bed. We all settled down in our hammocks with our nets securely in place. The only trouble was I needed a pee in the middle of the night. Having safely relieved myself and made it back to camp I inadvertently let a mossie in with me. In spite of much waving of hands and quiet cursing, by morning it was apparent who had won. I think I counted 14 bites and one satisfied mossie who was very much alive.
After breaking camp we returned to the lodge by way of a visit to a native family. We shared a breakfast of fruit, eggs, bread and jam and something that we couldn’t identify but it tasted ok. Afterwards we had yet another swim in the river and learnt about their way of life. I spied a large turtle shell and enquired what they used it for. It transpired that it had been last night’s dinner and the shell would now be used as a scoop.
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The mother was preparing lunch and Lorraine asked what they would be having. Potentially a big mistake as she was preparing a stew of giant rat and Brazil nut. Lorraine was invited to taste it which she did and commented that the sauce was really nice. (She did confess that she managed to avoid taking any of the meat.)
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We eventually made our way back to the lodge and packed ready for our journey back to Manaus. As a final surprise we were able to hold a Sloth that had visited one of the local trees. A truly magical moment. Although they aren’t vicious by nature we were advised to hold it facing away from us so it couldn’t inadvertently scratch us with its long claws. Hannah took a great photo of it so if there is a competition for young photographers please let me know as it would be worth entering.
Once again with the photo shoot over it was released back up into the trees and made its way gracefully up to safety.
We arrived back at the hotel and started to make plans for the next part of our journey; a six day boat ride up the Amazon from Manaus to Tabatinga on the borders of Brazil, Peru and Columbia.