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Sunday July 8

We are sitting in an Internet Cafe overlooking the Plaza de Armas in Cusco.  It is a bright Sunday morning with snow unseasonably low on the surrounding hills, and the flag raising parade is (still) underway outside.  We waited and watched the Peruvian and Cusqueno (or Inca) flags going up, but chose not to stand out the interminable procession of school and military groups, accompanied by a rather pedestrian brass band.

When we last left you we were shortly en route to the Amazon basin, specifically the jungle outpost of Puerto Maldonaldo.  A mere 35 minute plane trip from Cusco (itself remotely situated deep in the Andes at around 3,400masl), but between 2 days and a month to traverse via the jungle roads, depending on the season.

The flight from Lima (via Cusco) was spectacular.  Quickly clearing the garua or fog that shrouds the city for 8 months of the year, we headed East towards the Andes, watching as the barren foothills at the edge of the desert gave way to enormous snow capped peaks punctuated by immensely steep and deep valleys.  Then the hills drop away, to be replaced with dense jungle and sinuous Amazon tributaries winding their way towards the great river itself (still several thousand kms away).

At Puerto Maldonaldo in the stinking jungle heat we were efficiently transferred to a river long boat, dodging most of the touts but succumbing to a box of icing sugar and cocoa coated brazil nuts.  During the two hour trip up the Tambopata River the plantations gave way to regrowth and primary rain forest, and we spotted a variety of wild life including basking crocodiles, turtles, an agitated spider monkey that chattered to us from the bank, and many bird species.  At journey's end we disembarked onto the muddy, steep sided river bank and hiked about 10 minutes up and above the flood plain to Posada Amazonas, a delightful lodge established as an ecotourism venture by the local Indian community.  Featuring a series of airy structures with high thatched roofs and no walls, connected by jungle trails, we finally realised that we were really on holiday.

Our room had bamboo walls on three sides, but not full height.  The fourth wall was open to the jungle, and the doorway was shrouded by a hessian curtain.  The bathroom was well appointed (given the surroundings) but there was neither hot water nor electricity.  We read in the evenings by candle light and kerosene lanterns.  However, the complex did have a small generator that operated as needed to pump water into header tanks, keep the kitchen functioning and keep the beer cold.

During the three days we were led on a variety of walks and expeditions by Verena and Martin, our guides.  Hearty meals mainly featuring local produce were served in the dining room, which also featured hammocks and a small bar (Pisco Sours - think Margaritas - and Cusquenas -a very palatable Peruvian beer brewed in Cusco - being the order of the day). 

Our missions included dawn at a bird hide watching gorgeous macaws at a clay lick, dusk up a tower that afforded access to the rainforest canopy (and views to the Andes), a walk to inspect the wide variety of medicinal plants used by the local Indians, rafting on an oxbow lake in an unsuccessful search for giant river otters, a swim in the Tambopata (piranha stories are apparently very over rated) and a night expedition looking at insects.  

A three metre rainbow python slithered out from under the dining room on the first evening.  On the last morning we awoke to find an Amazon Squirrel in our room, apparently after some biscuits in my pack.  We didn't see jaguar or other big mammals and were struck by how quiet the jungle seemed after dark, the silence punctuated mainly by insects and the odd howler monkey.

On Thursday we were transferred back to Puerto Maldonado and flew to Cusco to commence the high altitude section of our holiday.