Author: Ruzow

11 June

Everything we did and experienced in the Amazon Rainforest was special and amazing in its own unique way. But my highlight was definitely plunging off the canoe into the large lake. The tropical water was black, warm and very deep. Just thinking of what was swimming below made me shiver, there could be anything ranging from an anaconda, to a caiman!!!!! I ignored the thought and just enjoyed it. Swimming in the Amazon! To me, this was the thing I looked forward to everyday, a nice swim in the lake. It was magnificent.

See a video of my highlight 🙂

– Ruzow –

 

Author: Kali

9 June

If I was to write about every single minute of our Amazing Amazon Adventure, I would complete an entire book. It was fabulous! These are a few of my many highlights during this crazy, wonderful, spectacular and amazing adventure…

Sunset swims

Every late afternoon after the day’s exciting events, all the groups from the various lodges would meet at the large lake to have a relaxing swim and watch the sunset. The lake is around 5-7m deep and as brown as the muddy and swampy banks that surround its far edges. After being told that the caiman and anacondas roam these waters, and that the only security that I have from being devoured is the surrounding boats and people, I was at first terrified of jumping into the dark murky water with who knows what swimming beneath me.

I was standing at the edge of the canoe, when, after being in mid-air as a cannon ball for a split second, found myself swimming to the side of the boat. I quickly got used to it. It was loads of fun! Us children swam to the nearby boats to visit friends and sometimes coax them into the terrifying water. The water itself was nice and warm like the hot and humid jungle air outside. Mum and Dad had to literally drag us out of the water as it was getting quite dark and dinner at the lodge was waiting. The Sunset Swims were definitely one of my highest highlights.

The Tarantula

On the first night, we went with Diego, our wonderful guide, to an area of the jungle to observe insect and spider activity. It was great fun to trudge through the mud with our gumboots and light our way with our head torches. Suddenly, Diego motioned for us to stop dead still. He pointed to a large hairy object less than 2m away. A tarantula! It was bigger, fleshier and much hairier than I had ever thought. I felt a cold shiver make its way down my spine as we all edged closer to take photos and have a look. It was scary and terrifying, yet at the same time exciting and pretty cool.

 

 

In the beginning of the Amazon Adventure, I had seriously considered having a tarantula crawl down my arm, then into my hand. However, all these ideas instantly evaporated when I saw the hairy beast.

Village Visit

We went to visit a local village by boat. As we approached, we saw a few timber cabins with nearby plantations and fruit trees. On the one bank, some of the local women were washing their cloths in the murky, brown river. There was a faint trail of soap making its way down stream.

 

A local lady led us to a traditional structure known as the feasting place and kitchen. There was a wood fire burning and half a hollowed-out tree trunk lay near it. After a minute of fanning the fire, the lady grabbed her machete, slipped on her sandals, and led us to the yucca plantation. She dug around in the fertile soil, then motioned for the boys to uproot the tiny tree. After many grunts and groans, the boys looked proudly with red faces at the many yucca roots that lay near their feet.

The lady cut these off the tree, then expertly chopped off the ends, made a small slit in the skin, then handed each of us a yucca to start peeling. Her speed and accuracy showed very clearly that she had done this many times before.

After we had returned to the kitchen area, we all started grating the yucca. It was quite hard, for this was no ordinary way of grating. We sat on a bench in front of the hollow tree trunk, and with two loose metal graters, started transforming the stiff, hard yucca root into a sort of mash.

The lady scooped the mash into a net of woven bark, hooked it onto a pole, and started twisting it so all the juice dripped out. This made yucca flour. Next, she flattened it all out onto a clay plate that was hot on the fire. The flames licked at the sides of the yucca bread and after roasting for about two minutes, it became crispy. Making yucca bread is a very specific process, and once again the lady did it with incredible expertise.

We ate this, called cassava, with a tuna salad. It was very tasty! After lunch, the lady brought out some bracelets. They were made of all kinds of seeds and natural beads and held together with finely platted bark strips.  Mum and I bought a bracelet each. Every time I look at this bracelet, it will be a reminder of all the amazing amazon jungle adventures we had.

The Sharman or Jungle Doctor

After our village visit, we went to a special meeting place. There, in complete isolation, is a shelter, with a few wooden benches and a special chair and side table for the Sharman, or Jungle doctor.

The Sharman is dressed in a colourful outfit with many symbolic and beautiful accessories such as colourful necklaces made of seeds and other natural things found in the Jungle. He wore a feather crown and he even had a feather through his ear.

Before modern doctors, the Sharman or Jungle Doctor used medicinal plants, leaves, fruits and natural sources to cure the local people of various illnesses and diseases. Nowadays, though, he is mostly in charge of spiritual guiding and he helps make important decisions for the community.

We learnt about the many different rituals and traditions, and about the process of becoming a Sharman.  Diego painted our faces with the sap of a special fruit. I really liked it.  After the session, the Sharman brought out his blowpipe, and stuck a wooden model of a small toucan into the ground. Next, he slid his small arrow into the back of the blowpipe, and blew very hard. The arrow shot out the front and missed the target by a mere 3mm.

He motioned then for us to have a go. Everyone blew as hard as they could, aiming as accurately as they possible, but nobody got the toucan. Then it was my turn. I held the heavy pipe up to my face and looked through it. I could see the target, and so the Sharman slid the arrow into the blowpipe. Holding it to my mouth, I blew as hard as hard as I could. When I looked at the toucan, to my astonishment, there was the arrow, stuck in its neck! They even struggled to pull it out.

 

 

This

is a highlight for me, because I really loved learning about the traditions and rituals of the local people and the Sharman. I also enjoyed shooting with the blowpipe. The fact that I got the target straight in the neck, is a miracle. 😜

 

Wildlife searching

It was so much fun to sit back in the motorised canoe, and search for wildlife, hidden among the jungle rainforest and the banks of the river. I do not know how Diego and our captain could see the wildlife so far away, so tiny and so hidden, all with the naked eye. I would be right next to the animal sometimes, and still I would not be able to spot it!

In total, we saw 9 out of the 10 species of monkey, the toucan, caiman, anaconda, more than 15 species of birds, the tarantula and many more. It was amazing to see all these animals and insects, not forgetting the Spiders!

In these pictures, we are waking through swamps and tasting acidic ants. What an adventure! 😆

All in all, I absolutely loved our Amazon Adventure! Around ever river bend, up very tree, awaited a surprise you thought you would never in your life experience. I would do it all again anytime! 😀

Until next time,

-Kali Attenborough-

 

 

Author: Kali

3 June

At the moment, we are staying in a beautiful little town called Baños. It is situated between the rough mountain range that separates the coast from the Amazon jungle. Baños itself is made up of cobbled streets lined with many small and interesting businesses and eateries.

We decided to do some biking to some of the nearby waterfalls. We were told this is a lot of fun for the whole family, and after a whole day on a bus, we needed something active to do.

A small agency provided us with clearly well used bikes and so eagerly we started our adventure. Most of the way was downhill! We biked along a road which we shared with the trucks, buses and other vehicles. Many small villages are scattered along the way with small side road stalls selling a variety of fruit, drink and other things. It certainly was a lot of fun!

A steel and concrete structure announced the call for some adrenaline. After watching some other people dive off the platform and sail across the river, clinging onto their harnesses, we decided to go zip-lining. At first I was strictly and strongly against this idea. I am petrified of heights! Also, I do not like rides or activities where I am not in control. I want to know that I can stop or speed-up whenever I feel like it. So as you might be able to picture, this was definitely not my sort of fun!

As dad was handing in the money to pay for the others, except me, I suddenly got the urge to put up my hand and do it. I was very surprised with my decision, very scared and nervous too! As the staff were strapping us into the harnesses, I got a shiver of regret down my spine. I was very scared!

I was in the front with mum while Ruzow took up the rear. This, I think only made my fear worse, and as they opened the gate to push us out, I started screaming! As our speed rapidly increased, I shut my eyes in terror, but kept my mouth fully open, yelling as hard as I possibly could. Thinking about it afterwards, though, the screaming didn’t slow us down, stop the ride or even make me feel better.

We stopped abruptly. I was so happy the second I could free myself from the tight, uncomfortable harness. I was shaking all over while watching dad and the younger two sail through mid air. I really didn’t like it! Though, I was very proud of myself, as I had made a very wise decision. If I had just stayed in the little structure, and watched the others, I would have missed out. Not only on a big memory, and something I’ll never forget, but to be able to say, ‘Yes! I did it!’.

We carried on biking until coming to the entrance of a local attraction. It was a 15 minute walk to get to the large waterfall. To be honest, I was blown away! Not only literally, from the strong, crashing water that fell from the high ledge, but from the astounding beauty of it all. At one stage, beside the waterfall, we had to crawl on hands and knees, under a natural ledge, at a hight of 80cm! Also, it was very wet, and at certain places, the water would spray all over us.

By the time we were back on our bikes, most of us were soaked from head to toe. There was another waterfall that had a pool we could swim in. We were going to go there, but as it was already nearing the late afternoon, and we (the children) were dying to play soccer with the local kids, we headed back home.

Us, along with our many bikes were loaded onto the back of a small truck, which would take us back to Baños. It was quite a rough ride, and the two benches we were seated on were not fastened to the floor. But it is better than having to cycle uphill all the way back!

 As I mentioned before, we were anxious to play soccer, or football as they call it here, with the local children. Just near our hostel there is a large sheltered communal area, with two big soccer fields, and here every afternoon we meet a group of local children to start the game. The games are filled with fun, laughter and confusion, as we cannot understand each other. Slowly others decide to join, and are quickly assigned to a team. This was one of the best ways we’ve connected with the local community so far. And it was so much fun, for both groups.

Until next time,

-Kali-

Author: Mariza

2 June 2017

Baños is beautiful!!!! Green mountains all around. We loved it the moment we saw it. Strolling from the bus station to our hostel, all uphill, we passed a square containing a market and a soccer field. No sooner have we dropped our bags, or our children announce they’re off to play soccer. About an hour later, Jarik and I found them in the middle of a soccer game, having the time of their lives. We watched them for about half an hour and then left without them to explore the rest of the town. We had to literally drag them to dinner later that night. So much fun to be among other children!

Our room with six bunk beds in our charming little hostel is in the basement. We share a bathroom with a handful of other travellers. It is clean and… IT HAS HOT WATER!!!! Whoodeewhoopwhoop!! Breakfast is great and we happily pay the additional US$1 per two eggs.

Our kids announced earlier tonight that we should only stay in hostels. That was after we had a delightful evening with a bunch of other travellers from all over the world in the hostel courtyard. Always fun to hear others’ life and travel stories. The staff here is a great lot as well. We love chatting to them too.

We’ve now enjoyed a full day of bike rides to different waterfalls with a quick zip line adventure in between, as well as a day of hiking in the mountains which included a swing over the valley on the famous National Geographic front page picture swing off a tree house.

Tomorrow will be a quiet day, including some school work and planning our amazon jungle adventure. We will definitely grab food from Sam’s, as they produce the best homemade burgers and fries at the best prices ever. Not your normal fast food joint at all!! Even the mayonnaise is freshly made right there. Delicious!!

To get to the deep jungle entails another overnight bus ride. I shall not think about that for the next two days. I shall focus on beautiful Baños and drink it all in. How very privileged we are.

 

Author: Eulain

The Bus Ride

Sliding on my seat,

Moving with the Salsa beat,

Wishing I had less to eat

Thinking it would soon land on my feet.

 

Bags are falling to the ground,

The wheels are making an awful sound,

The whole bus is an unhappy crowd.

I wish the bus  will stop,

It would end the painful hop,

By the way, I’m sitting at the very top

 

Slip and slide,

Hoping I’ll be alive on the other side,

This is definitely the worst bus ride.

 

I am very busy,

At being very dizzy.

I’ve had enough of the rushes,

On these bad buses.

– Eulain –