On Sunday evening we caught a night bus for a seven hour trip, arrived in Lago Agrio at 6am, waited in a hotel reception for 5 hours for our tour bus, set off for the 2 hour journey to the Cuyabeno river and the bus broke down! All this in about 37 degrees C, hence we took shade under a tree on the side of the road.
We arrived at the river, finally, at 2pm and boarded long shallow motor boats to take us to our lodges down river. Due to the lack of rain the river was so low that getting through was difficult and the crew often had to get out to push us.
Finally we arrived at the 'Samona' lodges, small wooden huts on stilts with leaf roofs after 4 hours in the boats (the only mode of transport here).
Our room, it looks quite lovely in the picture however this is literally all the room we had with a small bathroom behind, the wood walls had cracks between each plank. There was no air con so the average temperature in here was 35 Degrees C and the humidity was so extreme that we were constantly dripping. Oh and we also shared our room with many insects from spiders to cockroaches bigger than your thumb!
That evening we went of up the river in search of caiman (like crocodiles).
We found them!
And snakes!
Just in case we did not get a clear photo until now or guide floated us to within 6 foot of an 8 foot caiman in the water. It was incredible but more than close enough for me.
Along certain parts of the river small fish with sharp teeth literally jumped on board, the smallest member of our guides (an 8 year old boy) was constantly throwing them back into the river.
Day 2 and we set off on a jungle walk.
Our guide, Juan, took us deep into the jungle. The temperature rose to 42 degs C with the most extreme humidity I have ever experienced. We were both soaked within minutes.
The jungle was incredible, so dense with trees and vines.
This is the largest type of tree in the jungle, here I am stood by the truck.
Looking up.
We saw many animals, including this tiny cute frog!
Monkeys, taken through a telescope lens.
Our guide was demonstrating both his strength and the strength of the vines - go Tarzan!
Then a paddle back to the lodge.
For some r&r in a hammock.
Later on we sailed down to the Laguna................ which had dried up
and saw a wonderful, peaceful sunset. (the skies and general scenery along the Cuyabeno river were amazing so please bare with me with all the arty shots in this blog, I was just mesmerized by these views.)
Just time for a quick beer before bed.
Kenny actually fitted in the hammocks, it is a shame the same could not be said for our bed.
Day 3 leaving the lodge.
Our canoe.
We went down river with our group.
Through the deepest jungle.
Another Sarah arty shot.
Finally after 2 -3 hours we arrived at the Shaman's house. There are many indigenous settlements down the river and with the nearest hospital being around 8 hours away they still firmly believe in the Shaman's powers. They are also exceptionally superstitious and still believe in witchcraft and curses.
As well as dealing with the bad spirits the Shaman also study natural medicine. Cocoa is very important to them, not only for nutrition and healing but also as a source of income (sold to make chocolate).
Our guide demonstrated how they make the ceremonial dyes from natural plants.
And how to extract Aloe Vera, great for sunburn.
Finally we were able to meet the Shaman himself, a little old man dressed in a black cloth with many coloured necklaces and feathers.
Being a Shaman is passed down through the generations, he was taught by his grandfather. Whilst a lot of the treatments he uses are based around sound alternative medicine many are not. They believe it is bad spirits that cause illness and these spirits have to be chased away, in order for the Shaman to see and eradicate the spirits he must first get into a 'Shamanic ecstasy of consciousness' enabled by drinking the hallucinogenic vine juice, Ayahuasca.
Once under its influence he can see and chase out the bad spirits, even tell you who cursed you. It must be noted that he can also so many other things while under the influence including dancing snakes and moving walls and as an addict of this drug he must take it once every 2 weeks weeks whether he is doing a healing or not.
It makes me feel fortunate that we have the nhs and do not rely on the local druggie!
Sailing back up river we stopped at an indiginous village.
The huts had be modified slightly by funding from the EU in the form of solar panels to generate electricity and tin roofs to collect rain water. Our guide felt that this is very damaging to the culture and landscape but in a place that suffers from a lack of clean water I think tin roofs are a small price to pay.
A local girl showed us how to make flat bread like food from yucca roots.
After grating the white roots, squeezing all the moisture out and then heating them much like a pancake on the fire they were ready to eat.
She even let me have a go at cooking one!
Mine is the crumbly one at the top.
The children washing up after tea in the river.
We returned back to teh lodges and our guide took us out on a night walk in the jungle. Not great if you do not like creepy crawlies.
I think this frog has had a few beers!
After seeing a few frogs and many spiders I became more interested in the jungle hence the next few photos:
After walking for about as long as I could manage through cobwebs and insects we went back for another nights sleep in the sauna!
The following day we were told there were not motors left so we would have to paddle all the way up to the laguna.
After and hour and a half we arrived at the dried up lake basin.
The heavy clay soil had cracked in the sun.
The large laguna was baking hot as we walked over it, our guide told us we were looking for Anacondas.
As I took off my wellies to wade through the deep mud I hoped I did not find one!
Time for some chill time on the hammocks.
Back out again, this time with a motor.
Back near the laguna.
To go phirrana fishing. So very odd, all it takes is a little piece of meat on a hook and when you feel the tug flick the rod out of the water, hooking the fish. We all got lots and lots of nibbles.....
........... and within half an hour I caught one! The photo does not do it justice, it was huge!!!!
Just time to watch the sunset.
Kenny being Kenny on the way back to the lodge. (This was the 3rd photo in a series and I was asking Kenny to smile).
Our last morning was an early start to go bird watching. (No pictures as my camera is not good at animal shots).
But I did catch a turtle.
One final trip up the river back to the bus and civilissation.
Goodbye to the jungle. Looking back at the photos the jungle was an amazing place; the nature, the remoteness, the noises at night, the starry skies and amazing lightening storms, the sunsets and the beautiful views. It also had its downsides; the heat, the humidity, the spiders & cochroaches, the mud and the claustrophibia of the place. Kenny loved it, took hundreds of photos of insects and birds, he would have stayed another week.
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