Sunday, December 7, 2008

The amazon - and the delights of bugs, spiders and mozzies




Inspired by Indiana Jones, Ive always dreamed of visiting the amazon. I thought i explained to greg the general idea - it would be very hot, very humid and there would be loads of friendly and unfriendly critters... Greg must have switched off during my detailed briefing, because he got a quite the shock when he left the cool safety of the airport. Within minutes we (well greg) was sweating like the proverbial, and generally cursing my....

Despite the heat, the humidity, the bugs, spiders, ants, mozzies and other weird flying objects we both loved the Amazon. We staying in little wooden huts overlooking the jungle. All rooms were enclosed with fly screens, to try and keep things out (as we discovered not very successfully). We went for a number of guided walks through the amazon. We visited a rope canopy walk which was 42 metres above ground, with a step rise to a massive banyon tree at the end. Despite assurances that the canopy walk was safe, I was freaking out big time. We also visited a conservation centre situated within the jungle which had caged monkeys, tucans, snakes, other weird animals and a very cool lady jaguar called "princess".

The next day we were fitted with gumboots. Unfortunately big footed gringo greg had to endure boots that were too small. What we thought it would be a short leisurely stroll through the jungle, turned into a 6 hour amazonian mission. Heavy rains a couple of nights before had flooded the path so we spent the entire walk wading through puddles, clinging to ant covered vines and branches, dodging killer wasps and trying not to stay still for the pouncing mozzies. But it was brillant fun.

1 comment:

Bronnie Wootten said...

Was that the little hut you stayed in? It is too cute. Glad you are having a great time.