Ugg! Up before breakfast and daylight. Our guide is both cruel and a genius. He wanted us up early for our Amazon canopy tour so our group could see the sunrise from the tower. All the other groups were after us so they didn’t get to see the sunrise.
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| Sunrise in the Amazon Basin |
Morning Amazon Canopy Tour
It’s a long walk up all the stairs to get above the trees! A few of our group stayed behind due to the strenuous nature of the climb, but Rebecca and I were happy to get some exercise. After watching the breathtaking sunrise, hearing about the canopy top from our guide, and seeing the birds fly by we headed back for breakfast.
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| The tower at Posadas Amazonas |
I really enjoyed the simple breakfast here at Posadas Amazonas: Two types of cereal, yogurt (I love yogurt in Latin and South America because it’s so creamy), fruit, bread, and there is always a wonderful juice, but something different juice each time. And of course, coffee.
Mud, Rain, and Mosquitoes
Did I mention it’s very muddy here? And it has rained every day we’ve been here, luckily not while we’ve been out. But no worries, Posadas Amazonas has rubber boots (wellies) that we use to squish through the thick and sometimes deep mud. It’s nice because I’ve been trying to dry out my own boots ever since the hike in Panama. So far they are still gooey.
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| Our guide showing us how to be nimble |
Be in the Know: Mosquitoes are, of course, a problem here. Some days they hang like curtains in the air. So make sure to come armed. Long sleeves are helpful, but a great bug repellent helps and don’t forget your malaria pills. I did some research before I left the States and packed Off!Botanicals. It’s plant-based, the smell isn’t bad, and so far it’s been working great. Because Rebecca tends to get more bug bites than me, she went for a 40% DEET product, Repel Sportsmen, it works but smells awful.
The Sights of the Amazon Basin
Our guide took us on a long walk to see impressive sights such as a giant fig tree, plus examples of what the indigenous people use for darts and torture. You know, cool stuff.
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| Like the giant slugs of Oregon, only much cuter |
After our walk and lunch, we went to a local farm and sampled fresh fruit and sugar cane. I had never had a starfruit before, and I’m not sure I’ll ever have one as good as right off the vine – sweet and citrusy. (Update 2016: Whenever I see a star fruit in a grocery store I buy one, but they are always bitter and not quite ripe. Sad but true!)
Tonight, in celebration of carnival, our guide is going to give us some temporary tattoos, so we’ll see how those go. Then tomorrow we leave for Cuzco. So many things yet to do!
Want to see more:
Day 25 Posadas Amazonas (Day 2 of 4) – Puerto Maldonaldo, Peru
Day 27 Posada Amazonas (Day 4 of 4) – Puerto Maldonaldo, Peru
I’m Sonja Dewing. I’m an award winning creative writer, a published author of Toy of the Gods, an adventure in the Amazon. If you’d like a free copy of the prequel, Ire of the Gods, sign up for my email list and you’ll get it right away.