Welcome to the jungle...
...we've got fun and games
And insects that bite, fish that bite and reptiles that bite.
After a rough ride to Coca (glad we weren't on the bus), we get set up with a place to leave the bikes for a few days while we're in the jungle. It's a 4am start in order to catch a bus that has come from Tena and is going through to Limoncocha. Fortunately our guide, Orlando, is on it. 3 hours later we're at Limoncocha Laguna on a river taxi to our very basic cabañas. Note to self, always try and get photos of your accommodation before booking excursions. Actually it was ok, at least the mosquito net didn't have any holes in it. It's just that the 'thunderbox' toilet was a bit off putting. If you actually used it, there was something down in the pit that made a squeaking noise, I'm not sure if it was a happy squeaking noise or a 'why do you have to p**s all over me' squeaking noise. Either way, I went bush for the next few days.
So that morning's walk through the jungle was quite interesting. I became a jungle princess for a day, with a woven headband and face paint. We were told about plants and seeds and nuts etc. Not much in the way of animal sightings though. After siesta in the hammocks, it was pirahna fishing time. I like fishing, despite being rubbish at it. But I didn't particularly enjoy this fishing, why? Because there was a rather large hole in the boat - at the waterline! And above that, wet rot. Orlando thought it was rather amuzing that I gasped, everytime the boat rocked slightly towards the hole. For god's sake, there were pirahna in the water. What did he expect me to do.
Anyways, Orlando is a natural at fishing with a twig and worm and starts realing in the fish. He was keeping the best bait for himself though, I'm sure. I manage to catch only one and the smallest fish, about 4cm long. Mike catches a beauty, a big red pirahna - beginner's luck. Then proceeds to drop it into the boat, leaving it flipping, flapping and snapping at my butt. I'm trying not to panic and I can't exactly move otherwise I'll rock the boat and water will get in. Finally Orlando has stopped laughing and manages to get it into the bucket. We get to see some large Cappaccino (that's not the correct spelling but it's something like that) monkies in the distance and some cool pre-historic looking birds from the boat.
Guess what's for dinner? Yep, Mike's favourite, fish! I quite enjoyed it though. Early to bed as there's 'f' all to do in the jungle at night except watch fire flies.
Day two and it's obvious Orlando can't be bothered and would rather be somewhere else. But we're off to primary rain forest this morning. Wellies and long sleeves on, machette weilding Orlando leads us on a three hour walk. The shaman doesn't turn up so Orlando makes me kneel down while he wacks me on the head with some leaves, apparently scaring away evil spirits. When's it Mike's turn to get some attention? We get to swing on a rather large swing and see some quite tall trees though. I end up suggesting more things about the plants that I learned in biology that Orlando just 'humphs' agreement to. So all in all, not a particualry interesting walk.
Afternoon siesta before meeting an indigenous family who are to show us how they live and also how they make their craft and weaving. What we actually get is walked around the garden of the family whose cabaña we are staying in, where Mike finally gets his turn at local traditions. Apparently, when they have muscle pain, they drag leaves across the affected area. What Orlando fails to explain to Mike is that the leaf has thistles on it. Within a minute, poor Mike's arm has turned into a mass of welts - gee thanks Orlando! At least it took the attention away from the pain in your arm, Mike! 
So Orlando turns out to be the master craftsman and shows us how to make thread/rope out of a plant, a bit like flax. We then walk to the field where the husband and wife are slashing and burning and crop rotating corn and stuff. It's Mike's turn again and this time he gets to carry the heavy basket of sweet pototoe back to the farm house for them. Great! We don't even get to eat any! Back at the cabaña we get the sell on the local craft. Of course it's Orlando's own work, how convenient. When I ask to buy one of the net bags that the owner of the cabaña makes, how convenient that he doesn't have any for sale.
That night it's caiman hunting. This is quite cool actually. We have a bigger canoe, without holes and Mr Caiman, owner of the cabaña, is coming with us. As we get down to the water's edge, there are some really cool insects, glowing in the dark. The frogs are going mental and a few obvioulsy have no taste in beer. 'Bud'-'weis'-'er', 'bud'-'weis'-'er' is being chortled in different octaves along the edge of the lagoon. As we get further into the lagoon, the glowing insect increase and the edge looks like a city lit up at night. Mr Caiman, with his mating call (sounds like he's just clearing his throat) is a bit rubbish at spotting caiman. Orlando's torch is as bad as mine so he's rubbish too. Mike's a natural and with his super power torch is able to pick them a mile away. The little fellas are a bit shy though and it takes us a while to get close enough to one that doesn't run away. He's about two meters long and not really scary at all. They have little heads. I'm sure it would hurt but even the two metre long one looked like he'd only have your pinkie off.
Day three, thank god! We canoe up to the protected area in, you guessed it, another leaking canoe. This one I refuse to go in until the hole is bunged up, rags will have to do. Mike and I take it turns to empty the boat of water and paddle. An hour of sweaty excercise we arrive. Orlando's not talking to us much. So it's my turn to laugh when he nearly jumps out of his skin. I'd just gasped, again, at the site of a three meter long black and yellow diamond patterned snake. Orlando hadn't seen it but almost stepped on it. Stupidly, I wasn't quick enough with the camera and it slid away before I could get a photo. That was about the highlight of wild life viewing, we saw a few birds and monkies off in the distance but without binouclars, they could have been pigeons and cats playing in the tree tops. So after walking around for another 2 hours in our wellies, it was time to canoe back for lunch and then chill out, again, in the hammocks. It was late afternoon before our water taxi came to take us out of there and catch a bus back to Coca.
So I didn't get to see pink dolphins but at least the hotel in Coca had some mad parrots and a Toucan running around. Oh, plus some tiny wee monkies and large tailess rat things.
And insects that bite, fish that bite and reptiles that bite.
After a rough ride to Coca (glad we weren't on the bus), we get set up with a place to leave the bikes for a few days while we're in the jungle. It's a 4am start in order to catch a bus that has come from Tena and is going through to Limoncocha. Fortunately our guide, Orlando, is on it. 3 hours later we're at Limoncocha Laguna on a river taxi to our very basic cabañas. Note to self, always try and get photos of your accommodation before booking excursions. Actually it was ok, at least the mosquito net didn't have any holes in it. It's just that the 'thunderbox' toilet was a bit off putting. If you actually used it, there was something down in the pit that made a squeaking noise, I'm not sure if it was a happy squeaking noise or a 'why do you have to p**s all over me' squeaking noise. Either way, I went bush for the next few days.
So that morning's walk through the jungle was quite interesting. I became a jungle princess for a day, with a woven headband and face paint. We were told about plants and seeds and nuts etc. Not much in the way of animal sightings though. After siesta in the hammocks, it was pirahna fishing time. I like fishing, despite being rubbish at it. But I didn't particularly enjoy this fishing, why? Because there was a rather large hole in the boat - at the waterline! And above that, wet rot. Orlando thought it was rather amuzing that I gasped, everytime the boat rocked slightly towards the hole. For god's sake, there were pirahna in the water. What did he expect me to do.
Anyways, Orlando is a natural at fishing with a twig and worm and starts realing in the fish. He was keeping the best bait for himself though, I'm sure. I manage to catch only one and the smallest fish, about 4cm long. Mike catches a beauty, a big red pirahna - beginner's luck. Then proceeds to drop it into the boat, leaving it flipping, flapping and snapping at my butt. I'm trying not to panic and I can't exactly move otherwise I'll rock the boat and water will get in. Finally Orlando has stopped laughing and manages to get it into the bucket. We get to see some large Cappaccino (that's not the correct spelling but it's something like that) monkies in the distance and some cool pre-historic looking birds from the boat.
Guess what's for dinner? Yep, Mike's favourite, fish! I quite enjoyed it though. Early to bed as there's 'f' all to do in the jungle at night except watch fire flies.
Cool pre-historic bird.
(Photo courtesy of Mike)
Day two and it's obvious Orlando can't be bothered and would rather be somewhere else. But we're off to primary rain forest this morning. Wellies and long sleeves on, machette weilding Orlando leads us on a three hour walk. The shaman doesn't turn up so Orlando makes me kneel down while he wacks me on the head with some leaves, apparently scaring away evil spirits. When's it Mike's turn to get some attention? We get to swing on a rather large swing and see some quite tall trees though. I end up suggesting more things about the plants that I learned in biology that Orlando just 'humphs' agreement to. So all in all, not a particualry interesting walk.
Afternoon siesta before meeting an indigenous family who are to show us how they live and also how they make their craft and weaving. What we actually get is walked around the garden of the family whose cabaña we are staying in, where Mike finally gets his turn at local traditions. Apparently, when they have muscle pain, they drag leaves across the affected area. What Orlando fails to explain to Mike is that the leaf has thistles on it. Within a minute, poor Mike's arm has turned into a mass of welts - gee thanks Orlando! At least it took the attention away from the pain in your arm, Mike!
Pain in the arm!
Mike's welts.
So Orlando turns out to be the master craftsman and shows us how to make thread/rope out of a plant, a bit like flax. We then walk to the field where the husband and wife are slashing and burning and crop rotating corn and stuff. It's Mike's turn again and this time he gets to carry the heavy basket of sweet pototoe back to the farm house for them. Great! We don't even get to eat any! Back at the cabaña we get the sell on the local craft. Of course it's Orlando's own work, how convenient. When I ask to buy one of the net bags that the owner of the cabaña makes, how convenient that he doesn't have any for sale.
That night it's caiman hunting. This is quite cool actually. We have a bigger canoe, without holes and Mr Caiman, owner of the cabaña, is coming with us. As we get down to the water's edge, there are some really cool insects, glowing in the dark. The frogs are going mental and a few obvioulsy have no taste in beer. 'Bud'-'weis'-'er', 'bud'-'weis'-'er' is being chortled in different octaves along the edge of the lagoon. As we get further into the lagoon, the glowing insect increase and the edge looks like a city lit up at night. Mr Caiman, with his mating call (sounds like he's just clearing his throat) is a bit rubbish at spotting caiman. Orlando's torch is as bad as mine so he's rubbish too. Mike's a natural and with his super power torch is able to pick them a mile away. The little fellas are a bit shy though and it takes us a while to get close enough to one that doesn't run away. He's about two meters long and not really scary at all. They have little heads. I'm sure it would hurt but even the two metre long one looked like he'd only have your pinkie off.
Who's a pretty boy!
Things that bite!
Mosquito larve anyone.
Day three, thank god! We canoe up to the protected area in, you guessed it, another leaking canoe. This one I refuse to go in until the hole is bunged up, rags will have to do. Mike and I take it turns to empty the boat of water and paddle. An hour of sweaty excercise we arrive. Orlando's not talking to us much. So it's my turn to laugh when he nearly jumps out of his skin. I'd just gasped, again, at the site of a three meter long black and yellow diamond patterned snake. Orlando hadn't seen it but almost stepped on it. Stupidly, I wasn't quick enough with the camera and it slid away before I could get a photo. That was about the highlight of wild life viewing, we saw a few birds and monkies off in the distance but without binouclars, they could have been pigeons and cats playing in the tree tops. So after walking around for another 2 hours in our wellies, it was time to canoe back for lunch and then chill out, again, in the hammocks. It was late afternoon before our water taxi came to take us out of there and catch a bus back to Coca.
So I didn't get to see pink dolphins but at least the hotel in Coca had some mad parrots and a Toucan running around. Oh, plus some tiny wee monkies and large tailess rat things.
Glad to be getting out of there?
posted by Michelle at 8:30 pm
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