To our spot in the Jungle

Well now that the shock of walking 15-20Kms in 7 hours in the jungle and partly in the dark had worn off...it was a bright and breezy start

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I felt ready to conquer the jungle with Oliver, the great expert leading us...into the Manu reserve

After a fantastic breakfast...I learnt to make a proper spanish Omelette finally....

there was a suggestion that we walk to Attalya...the port where we would catch the boat to our final destination....with the 7 hour walk still raw in my feet...I was hesitant...

I was however assured that there would be a vehicle available should I require one...so we happily set off in the knowledge that this would be only a 2 hour walk...

Along the way, we saw mainly birds and flora of this part of the Amazon and heard monkey...after about hour I wondered weather the "2 hour walk" refered to a focused "must get there" pace or the leisurely walk that tourists engage in...I decided to take no chances..when the vehicle came....I jumped at the opportunity

I should have expected nothing less from our jungle expert by now...I was so glad...to be lifted...from time to time the 3 guys...Jose, Eduardo and Oliver got off to push or lighten the load on the motor taxi....I was treated like royalty and allowed to stay up all the time...or perhaps it was the thought of them having to literally haul me up that preferred me up...I thought of Arnie and his cranes...LOL

I did get off once though to admire the Madre de Dios River,

along which we would camp...this river is swift with strong currents and the water is so clean and cool...It eventually pours into the Amazon River onwards to Brazil




I got to the port, refreshed myself and made my way to the boat to chill out and enjoy the scenery...and there was a nice glass of wine too...

I sat back and watched Jose prepare Lomo Saltado, fruit salad of kiwi and melon...and a delicious soup...on the boat,which we later enjoyed

On my second glass of wine and 2 hours later...I thought about my group... where group were they???? especially after I had seen the distance we covered on wheels and where we had left them....

An hour later, they arrived...having been lifted close to the port....they had walked for over 4 hours, they were happy though and just in time for the lunch!!!

Later in the afternoon,we navigated up the river to watch birds and walk through more jungle

Rafting was our last activity for the day...we saw loads of squirrel monkeys flying from tree to tree and many birds....don't recall the names

We got back to find camp had ben set on the beach, instead of up in the jungle....It was a shock...no facilities...but plenty of water .....in the river.... We had reached Otorongo blanco camp,all natural

"white Puma" As seen in Oliver's tattoo....the blank eye is from a wound...after the tattoo...how spooky....!!!







My tent was the smallest and could only crawl in...it was to be my shelter for 3 days..

By evening I was planning my return the next day....to life as I know it....









any and all the alcohol was consumed freely that evening....


in fact so freely


that we thought we lost Oliver the next day...

......One thing that never failed us, the food was always fantastic... it was our life line