14-15th June
One way or another we had fallen behind with the web updates again and so we spent the next two days uploading and downloading to bring you 4 new updates !…which you hopefully have enjoyed.
We also finally confirmed which Jungle trip we were going to take, a decision which was swayed by a good discount offered to us by Bonanza tours if we took a 6 day trip
. Bonanza is run by two brothers, one whom we had the good fortune to meet in Miraflores.
We met up with Phil again and Shaun, an Irish chap Phil had met in his Hostel. We frequented the Irish pub for Dinner and returned to the Norton Rats for Pisco Sours(a sort of cocktail made from Pisco(a Peruvian spirit), lemon & Egg white) & Cusquenias(The best Peruvian beer we´ve found so far!).
The following morning we were to be collected from our hotel at 7am and so we made it a relatively early night. We said another temporary farewell to Phil, who we are due to meet again in two weeks in Bolivia, and farewell to Shaun who was talking of returning to La Paz in Bolivia before heading home.
16th - 22nd June.
Today, the mini bus met us and soon we were introducing ourselves to the only other paying participants on the tour with us, a couple from Australia. They were Nigel and Elizabeth, originally from Sydney, but now working in the States as Scientists.
Our first day consisted of approximately 11 hours on a very bumpy track.
On this part of the trip we stopped to observe Capachine monkies and a number of Peru’s native bird, the cock of the rock. We arrive at Pilcopata which is home to our first evenings lodge. The four of us, along with our guide Caesar, managed to sneak in a few beers before dinner. 
Whilst at the bar we were introduced to a chap who runs a white water rafting company and were all given the opportunity to take the following mornings trip by raft instead of van. John and I were very interested in the opportunity and were as good as booked on it. However when the owner returned to show us some photos it was apparent that he and a friend had been smoking something and the trip was offered to John and I for $50. As this was to be for only 2 hours we felt it too expensive and whilst I tried to negotiate he was very fast to point out that this was because there were only two of us and he needed to pay to get his raft back etc. In the end I just said “Thanks but no thanks” and we left the bar. Apparently Caesar had tried to get him to reduce his price after we left but he wouldn’t budge.
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Our first view of one of the main rivers flowing through Manu, it flows into the Amazon.
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Optimism !
Dinner was good and we exchanged stories of what we were all doing and previous travels etc. We were due to leave fairly early again in the morning and so we all retired to our rooms early. The rooms were basic but clean, dry and warm. We could easily hear Nigel and Liz’s conversation as they could ours so we all made a bit of a joke of it and went to sleep.
After breakfast we’re back in the van again for the final 2 hour, only stopping to vist a Cocoa farm on the way to catch our boat.
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A young pineapple..it will be fully grown in 4-6 months.
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Mamas of cow, poison fruit to us humans....but interesting to observe.
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Achiota, another local fruit used to dye the skin of Indians.
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Before opening the Achiota to see the seeds and dye.
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Bread of the tree, another local fruit.
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The flower of a jungle cotton plant.
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The cotton !
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Cocoa leaves - production sizes are carefully monitored by the Peruvian government to ensure only tea and other herbal applications are the result of its growth.
When we get to Atalaya, we are introduced to Boris who is to be our boat driver, and William, our guide, the other owner-brother of Bonanza Tours. Soon we are underway and heading for Bonanza itself, 18,000 hectares of jungle, owned by Williams parents. Along the way we stopped for various sightings of birds and other wildlife. We also stop at a hot spring just off the river where we all bask in the waters for an hour or so before “taking” lunch by the river. Lunch is prepared and served by Domingo, who has actually prepared and served all our meals until now(and in fact does for the whole trip). We all enjoy the view and meal. Back in the boat again, we’re now full speed ahead to get to Bonanza, where we are met by Williams father and Poppy-Ruso, the family dog, to help carry our bags and provisions for the next few days.
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Some Snowy egrits which were eventually frightened by our boat.
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Lunch after "Aguas Calientes", the hot sping.
We had expected that Bonanza might be very primitive and so weren’t prepared for the beautiful and sympathetic site that they had created as a family. The site had seven principle raised decks, four for sleeping on, one which contained two cold showers and toilets and a kitchen which was also linked to the final deck which served as the dining area. Each was beautifully made and had a traditional roof made from native leaves still on their branches. Mingled in amongst these decks were banana plants and flowers. Really lovely.
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John and I´s deck at Bonanza. Poppy-Ruso and I try to make a photo !
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One of the banana plants growing at Bonanza....remember the Little shop of Horrors !?
In the early evening once we’d had a chance to get ourselves set up with the tents and hammocks on the decks we were off for a walk in the dark in the jungle to look for spiders and snakes. To get there though we had to take a short ride on the boat……without any light.
It was pitch black and the river runs at a fair speed and there are many obstacles to avoid such as very shallow sections and the odd tree that has been washed away by the rainy season floods.
Once we arrived safely though, “our” first hurdle was a tree trunk used as a bridge over a river. The trunk spanned about 15-20 foot and was fairly round. We all made attempts at crossing it unaided but all conceded within the first few feet that we needed the assistance of William, who led us over one by one….holding hands ! Very embarrassing ! Soon after that we spotted a baby tarantella, a lizard, a young scorpion spider and a Common Possum. Liz was apparently scared of insects and the like but put a very brave face on it and stayed with us as we completed our 2 hour walk. 
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The common possum we spotted on our night walk.
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A termite nest....the termites smell of menthol when crushed. They feed chickens with them(which don´t taste of mint!)and in medicines to help bone problems.
Back at camp we enjoy dinner and exchange a few more stories. John and I opted to sleep in the hammocks as this was a great opportunity for relatively safe sleeping in the open. John´s feet became claustrophobic around mid-night and so he finished his nights sleep in the tent we’d been provided. I woke up at about 2 needing the toilet and didn’t relish the prospect of walking across the site in the dark, however the need was pressing and so I popped my head torch on and kept an eye open for anything large or small, my main worry being Jaguars who are responsible for killing 15 of Williams family dogs over the last 20 years…a fact of life in the jungle. That done, I was back in my hammock and I make it to the morning where we are to be up early again to see William’s parents at their home for about 7 o’clock.
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John ready for sleep in his hammock.
It was only a short trek to Williams parents and we got the opportunity to hand feed wild Spider monkeys bananas which were provided for us. It was a very funny sight as they were obviously nervous of humans to some degree but also used to eating at this spot. We also got to see the “family” Macaw and parrits which were free to fly away but had remained as the family pets by their own choice.
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Part of the Family garden !
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One of the "family" parrots.
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The "Family" Macaw.
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The family Macaw tries to intimidate the parrots...without sucess !!
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Don´t do it, they´ll stunt your growth.....
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Hmmmmmm...Banana........
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The monkeys at feeding time.
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Soon we were back having breakfast and packing for a jungle trek for the day. We set off and had to make yet another trunk crossing holding Williams hand and found ourselves after only 30 mins or so looking for Wild Pigs. We were all a little nervous as we understood the male to be quite aggressive and the only real defence you have is to jump up a tree.
This was relatively fine and dandy whilst we were on the open paths, but once William picked up their scent (and noise) we were beating our way through virgin jungle behind him and his machete with few or no trees to find a safe haven in. After about 30 mins we all did catch sight of some wild pigs but they were so quick and the jungle so dense that we could only see snippets of them here and there. None-the-less, our first track-and-find experience.
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John crosing our first log of the day.....holding Williams hand !
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Cutter ants John spotted along the way.
Our trek moved on and finally we stop by a river for lunch. This was a traditional Peruvian dish of chicken, egg and rice cooked and served in palm leaves. We all appreciated and enjoyed lunch and the effort that Domingo had put into it. Shortly after lunch we are presented with another river crossing which didn’t have the option of a log. William got his machete and cut a vine from a close-by tree and then swings across the river like Tarzan on it. Liz is the first to follow and makes a great swing and landing, then John and Nigel, who all succeed on their first attempt. I however make three attempts, all making it to the other side but none of them allowing me to let go of the vine for a safe landing, so after the third attempt I reluctantly give in and walk across ! , an option we all always had !!! Ahh, the life of an adventurer !!
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An Iron tree we see along the way...very tough wood..as you might have expected from its name.
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A Jaguar footprint found along the way....how comforting !
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...along with a grasshopper.
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Liz sets the pace, with some style, as the first Jane/Tarzan across the river.
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William shows us a tree which had been and was infested with a local worm which is apparently a delicacy.
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The worm looks like this.......and wriggles.....
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...and is duly eaten by Julio ...and William...whilst still alive !
As the day progresses we hear more wild pigs and come to a swamp crossing which necessitates the use of a long stick to help maintain your balance as you “tight-rope” walk your away across submerged tree branches. All is going well and sensing the spirit of adventure I call out to John to turn and face me so I can take a picture. In setting my position up I forget to maintain my balance and slip off the log….nothing serious as the water isn’t very deep….but it is deep enough to cover the tops of my Wellington boots and fill them both up. I get to other side and empty them both. We press on and finally get to our destination for the evening and night, a spot by a river.
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The swamp we had to cross.
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John, successfully, crossing it.
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Domingo successfully crossing the swamp with dinner, breakfast and his pots and pans. Note the traditional method of carrying things in a cloth ressembling a tablecloth. Hard work!!
Soon, William and helper, Julio, are stripped to their pants and swimming in the river. Nigel is shortly in the river too. Meanwhile John and I get changed and join William. The river is cold but we discover a quick submersion is preferable to the slowly-slowly technique which is ultimately always much harder and more painful anyway. Liz is not so enthusiastic but has a dip with Nigel in a shallower part of the river which she enjoys.
Dried down we are given fishing lines and Nigel, John, William, Phil and I settle down to fishing for dinner. Within what only seemed like seconds William has caught a dog fish. Shortly after that, Nigel then catches three more in succession. I finally catch a larger dog fish, and a smaller one and I think William caught one more too. By this time the light had faded and it had become impossible to see without the aid of a head torch, which was fine in principle, but attracted the mosquitoes and so got limited use. Dinner was finally ready and we had the caught fish as part of our meal.
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Me and my Dogfish. The largest catch of the evening !....hmmmmm
After dinner, William and Julio spent about an hour trying to catch a Cayman, which resembles a small crocodile. (Not so small though that you’d dismiss the feat.) After a number attempts they give in as Julio gets a fright when it rears up as he tries to take it from behind and William is worried about hurting its neck by the technique he is using. Off to bed early again as we are due to have breakfast at 04:30 to leave for 5.
We struggle up in the dark and eat our first breakfast of the day and set off at quite a pace to get back to Bonanza.
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Breaking camp to return to Bonanza.
All is going quite smoothly until we get back to the swamp again where I somehow managed to find myself slipping on one of the underwater branches and unceremoniously dumped full body on my back into the swamp. The guides looked concerned but I was fine, and only really concerned over my camera which had been completely submerged.
The good sign at the time was that the digital counter for number of shots left on my memory card was still working so I had some hope. We get back to the Tarzan swing which we all make satisfactorily this time and finally back to Bonanza.
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Two boots, one daysack and a Nikon D70 & lens filled with swamp water !
We have very little time as we are due to depart in about 45 mins for Tambo Blanquillo where our next Hostel awaits us. But I dismantle the camera and get it into the sun to see if I can dry it out. The first signs are very worrying though as I can see too much condensation in the lens on at least two internal optical surfaces. After that John and I are straight into the showers and cleaning up those clothes of which we can, and finally ourselves. William offers his Father to watch over my lens in the sun to see that it dries out and to keep turning it so that no one side gets too hot. I accept and put the rest of the camera back into our tent. That done, we prepare our day sacks for our overnight stay and are back on the boat again. A few hours later we arrive at Tambo Blanquillo and are shown to our rooms for the night and catch a glimpse of another baby Tarantella at the front door ! .(We are assured though that a sting from one of these would only make you ill for about 3 days!…how reassuring !)
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Lunch en-route.
The inside of this hostel was very interesting as it was made totally of different types of wood, mainly bamboo though of which there are many varieties in the jungle. Each room had two beds in them with a mosquito net provided to cover each bed. This was paradise for John who unfortunately attracts Mosquitoes faster than Bill Gates does dollars, so he was able to go to sleep “knowing” he wouldn’t be bitten in the night. That said, we had to get up at 4 to leave for 4:30 to go to a viewing spot for various tropical birds so our night wasn‘t to be that long anyway.
However, I digress. We are given 10 mins to sort ourselves out before getting back in the boat to go to Oxbow lake. We arrive there and after a short walk find ourselves seated on normal garden-type chairs in a long boat to be paddled by Boris, our normal boat driver. It was incredibly hot and we all really found it tough and tried to hide ourselves under our sun hats. It was like being too near to an oven or cooking ring but not being able to remove yourself from the source. We get to see some Howler monkies basking in the sun at the top of a tree and a variety of birds.
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Oxbow lake, very beautiful and very, very HOT !!
As the evening wears on we are reminded that our itinerary includes Piranha fishing and Cayman catching….so out come the fishing lines again and Nigel, John, William and I set out for Piranha fishing. We try for an hour and get many nibbles, many empty hooks and start to loose heart. According to William they prefer red meat as opposed to the white fish meat we were using. Eventually Nigel and John call it a day….I can’t blame them. Just as I’m about to give up to, William miraculously catches one, somehow getting the hook through its under-belly….nowhere near its mouth. With this, he assures us that if we use this one as bait we will catch a lot more. Nigel and John aren’t up for a second shot but I decide to give it a go and am still motivated by my desire to catch a Piranha ! Within a few minutes William gets two more in the boat and then I get a bite and managed to get it in the boat. William and I are delighted ! Off we go again and almost simultaneously catch two together which presents me with the problem of what to do whilst William kills his one(I am not quite ready for handling the live fish at this point !) He just says get it in the boat which I duly do, however it gets off the hook and is flapping and snapping on the floor of the boat, not a pretty sight. My toe gets bitten in the process(three times) and I hop up onto my chair, William asks me to settle down a bit until he sees the blood covering my toe next to the big one, and then apologizes. My fish is killed and we all settle down again. I think William caught one more before we called it a day. It was also dark by this time.
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William with the first catch of the evening, note the position of the hook !
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Me and killer !!
However, Cayman catching was still on the agenda so off we went in search of Cayman in the dark. They are actually very easy to see on the surface as their eyes reflect the torch light in a very distinct orange-red. William tried to catch one or two and Boris also had a go, but to no avail. Eventually we are back next to the boat house and off in to the bushes. All of a sudden William lurches forward at the front of the boat and turns road with a young Cayman. We all get to “stroke” it and John is given the privilege of assisting in discovering its sex ! We leave the boat and walk back to our own boat, finally returning to the Manu Lodge….in the dark again ! We are “greeted” by our Tarantella again and go to dinner. This turns out to be a special meal this evening and Domingo produces our dinner in Bamboo canes which has cat fish and a sauce within. It was very tasty. We all have a few glasses of beer and return to our bamboo bedrooms again for our short sleep.
The alarms go off and we’re sitting in the boat ready to leave by 4:45. Boris takes us off to Blanquillo where a Clay lick and camouflaged viewing point are. Breakfast is brought with us and so we eat whilst we wait. One of the first things we get to see is a Jaguar wandering along the upper bank of the Clay lick. an amazing sighting for us. Apparently William has only had 4 groups in total that have seen one. The first birds to turn up where Blue-headed parrots. There must have been in excess of 40 and they finally fly down to take in the salts of the Clay lick. Apparently the parrots(and other birds) need the salts which are composed of Aluminium, sodium and Magnesium to aid their digestion of toxic fruits found in the jungle. Something though scares the parrots after a relatively short time. It is commonly agreed that the appearance of a hawk and vulture are likely to be the culprits. Shortly after Macaws start to accumulate in the trees and we wait expectantly to see them also take in the salts but they are too frightened off. Finally though, after a further 30-40 mins they return to the trees and finally to the Clay lick which excites us all. We observe these and a number of varieties of Kingfishers and Toucans over the next hour or so. Finally it is time to leave and we’re back in our boat again heading back to Bonanza. What a start to the day !
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Blue-headed parrots at the Clay lick.
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The Macaws at the clay lick.
On the boat back we eat lunch on the go as we’d stayed longer at the viewing point. We get to eat the Piranhas from the previous evening. They are quite tasty and I particularly enjoy eating the one that bit my toe !
We get back to Bonanza and the first thing I check is my camera. The lens has dried out but has water marks left on the optical surfaces, something I had anticipated, however as I reintroduce the battery to the camera there is no digital indicators at all and I’m left stumped as to what I can do, other than pack it away which I duly do. The next thing John and I do is take a shower and help in collecting fire-wood for the barbeque planned for the evening. Wild pig is on the menu !
We have a nice evening and enjoy the pig, it is actually similar to barbeque spare ribs but a bit more salty. Julio brings out his guitar and he and Nigel jam a bit for an hour or so until we retire to bed for another early start to leave for our return to Cusco. During the night there is a phenomenal storm and one thunder clap is so loud that John actually jumps in his sleep. The lightening continues and keeps me awake for most of the night.
At 04:45 we leave in the dark. It is fairly cold and John and I feel the brunt of it sitting at the front of the boat. We stop for breakfast on a beach and set off again.
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John´s attempt to keep warm...yes, he is in there.
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Our final jungle breakfast spot.
The views are incredible as much of the jungle is partially immersed in cloud. Unfortunately we can’t escape the black clouds and spend the next 2 or 3 hours being rained on. John and I again get the brunt of the weather and try various ways of hiding from the storm in the provided ponchos, however the rain is hard and manages to get to our trousers by the time we return to the port. We are rapidly transferred back to the van and on our way again. We stop for lunch at Pilcopata, where we stayed on our first night. We also choose this point to present the staff of Bonanza with their tips for all the work they’d put in. They were gratefully received.
The journey back is very long. The van ride alone is for about 11 hours, making the total travelling time for the day 16 hours ! We all struggle to get some sleep on the van but it is very hard as the road is very bumpy with many bends. We eventually get back to Cusco for about 21:25 exhausted.
John and I go straight to the Norton Rats Tavern for a burger, Pisco sours and a few beers, retiring at about 23:30 for mucho sleep !
Mike
One way or another we had fallen behind with the web updates again and so we spent the next two days uploading and downloading to bring you 4 new updates !…which you hopefully have enjoyed.
We also finally confirmed which Jungle trip we were going to take, a decision which was swayed by a good discount offered to us by Bonanza tours if we took a 6 day trip
. Bonanza is run by two brothers, one whom we had the good fortune to meet in Miraflores. We met up with Phil again and Shaun, an Irish chap Phil had met in his Hostel. We frequented the Irish pub for Dinner and returned to the Norton Rats for Pisco Sours(a sort of cocktail made from Pisco(a Peruvian spirit), lemon & Egg white) & Cusquenias(The best Peruvian beer we´ve found so far!).
The following morning we were to be collected from our hotel at 7am and so we made it a relatively early night. We said another temporary farewell to Phil, who we are due to meet again in two weeks in Bolivia, and farewell to Shaun who was talking of returning to La Paz in Bolivia before heading home.
16th - 22nd June.
Today, the mini bus met us and soon we were introducing ourselves to the only other paying participants on the tour with us, a couple from Australia. They were Nigel and Elizabeth, originally from Sydney, but now working in the States as Scientists.
Our first day consisted of approximately 11 hours on a very bumpy track.
On this part of the trip we stopped to observe Capachine monkies and a number of Peru’s native bird, the cock of the rock. We arrive at Pilcopata which is home to our first evenings lodge. The four of us, along with our guide Caesar, managed to sneak in a few beers before dinner. Whilst at the bar we were introduced to a chap who runs a white water rafting company and were all given the opportunity to take the following mornings trip by raft instead of van. John and I were very interested in the opportunity and were as good as booked on it. However when the owner returned to show us some photos it was apparent that he and a friend had been smoking something and the trip was offered to John and I for $50. As this was to be for only 2 hours we felt it too expensive and whilst I tried to negotiate he was very fast to point out that this was because there were only two of us and he needed to pay to get his raft back etc. In the end I just said “Thanks but no thanks” and we left the bar. Apparently Caesar had tried to get him to reduce his price after we left but he wouldn’t budge. <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159538940.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Our first view of one of the main rivers flowing through Manu, it flows into the Amazon.
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Optimism !
Dinner was good and we exchanged stories of what we were all doing and previous travels etc. We were due to leave fairly early again in the morning and so we all retired to our rooms early. The rooms were basic but clean, dry and warm. We could easily hear Nigel and Liz’s conversation as they could ours so we all made a bit of a joke of it and went to sleep.
After breakfast we’re back in the van again for the final 2 hour, only stopping to vist a Cocoa farm on the way to catch our boat.
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A young pineapple..it will be fully grown in 4-6 months.
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Mamas of cow, poison fruit to us humans....but interesting to observe.
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Achiota, another local fruit used to dye the skin of Indians.
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Before opening the Achiota to see the seeds and dye.
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Bread of the tree, another local fruit.
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The flower of a jungle cotton plant.
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The cotton !
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Cocoa leaves - production sizes are carefully monitored by the Peruvian government to ensure only tea and other herbal applications are the result of its growth.
When we get to Atalaya, we are introduced to Boris who is to be our boat driver, and William, our guide, the other owner-brother of Bonanza Tours. Soon we are underway and heading for Bonanza itself, 18,000 hectares of jungle, owned by Williams parents. Along the way we stopped for various sightings of birds and other wildlife. We also stop at a hot spring just off the river where we all bask in the waters for an hour or so before “taking” lunch by the river. Lunch is prepared and served by Domingo, who has actually prepared and served all our meals until now(and in fact does for the whole trip). We all enjoy the view and meal. Back in the boat again, we’re now full speed ahead to get to Bonanza, where we are met by Williams father and Poppy-Ruso, the family dog, to help carry our bags and provisions for the next few days.
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Some Snowy egrits which were eventually frightened by our boat.
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Lunch after "Aguas Calientes", the hot sping.
We had expected that Bonanza might be very primitive and so weren’t prepared for the beautiful and sympathetic site that they had created as a family. The site had seven principle raised decks, four for sleeping on, one which contained two cold showers and toilets and a kitchen which was also linked to the final deck which served as the dining area. Each was beautifully made and had a traditional roof made from native leaves still on their branches. Mingled in amongst these decks were banana plants and flowers. Really lovely.
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John and I´s deck at Bonanza. Poppy-Ruso and I try to make a photo !
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One of the banana plants growing at Bonanza....remember the Little shop of Horrors !?
In the early evening once we’d had a chance to get ourselves set up with the tents and hammocks on the decks we were off for a walk in the dark in the jungle to look for spiders and snakes. To get there though we had to take a short ride on the boat……without any light.
It was pitch black and the river runs at a fair speed and there are many obstacles to avoid such as very shallow sections and the odd tree that has been washed away by the rainy season floods. Once we arrived safely though, “our” first hurdle was a tree trunk used as a bridge over a river. The trunk spanned about 15-20 foot and was fairly round. We all made attempts at crossing it unaided but all conceded within the first few feet that we needed the assistance of William, who led us over one by one….holding hands !
Very embarrassing ! Soon after that we spotted a baby tarantella, a lizard, a young scorpion spider and a Common Possum. Liz was apparently scared of insects and the like but put a very brave face on it and stayed with us as we completed our 2 hour walk. <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159552085.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The common possum we spotted on our night walk.
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A termite nest....the termites smell of menthol when crushed. They feed chickens with them(which don´t taste of mint!)and in medicines to help bone problems.
Back at camp we enjoy dinner and exchange a few more stories. John and I opted to sleep in the hammocks as this was a great opportunity for relatively safe sleeping in the open. John´s feet became claustrophobic around mid-night and so he finished his nights sleep in the tent we’d been provided. I woke up at about 2 needing the toilet and didn’t relish the prospect of walking across the site in the dark, however the need was pressing and so I popped my head torch on and kept an eye open for anything large or small, my main worry being Jaguars
who are responsible for killing 15 of Williams family dogs over the last 20 years…a fact of life in the jungle. That done, I was back in my hammock and I make it to the morning where we are to be up early again to see William’s parents at their home for about 7 o’clock. <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159548432.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
John ready for sleep in his hammock.
It was only a short trek to Williams parents and we got the opportunity to hand feed wild Spider monkeys bananas which were provided for us. It was a very funny sight as they were obviously nervous of humans to some degree but also used to eating at this spot.
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Part of the Family garden !
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One of the "family" parrots.
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The "Family" Macaw.
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The family Macaw tries to intimidate the parrots...without sucess !!
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Don´t do it, they´ll stunt your growth.....
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Hmmmmmm...Banana........
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The monkeys at feeding time.
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Soon we were back having breakfast and packing for a jungle trek for the day. We set off and had to make yet another trunk crossing holding Williams hand and found ourselves after only 30 mins or so looking for Wild Pigs. We were all a little nervous as we understood the male to be quite aggressive and the only real defence you have is to jump up a tree.
This was relatively fine and dandy whilst we were on the open paths, but once William picked up their scent (and noise) we were beating our way through virgin jungle behind him and his machete with few or no trees to find a safe haven in. After about 30 mins we all did catch sight of some wild pigs but they were so quick and the jungle so dense that we could only see snippets of them here and there. None-the-less, our first track-and-find experience. <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159548439.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
John crosing our first log of the day.....holding Williams hand !
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Cutter ants John spotted along the way.
Our trek moved on and finally we stop by a river for lunch. This was a traditional Peruvian dish of chicken, egg and rice cooked and served in palm leaves. We all appreciated and enjoyed lunch and the effort that Domingo had put into it. Shortly after lunch we are presented with another river crossing which didn’t have the option of a log. William got his machete and cut a vine from a close-by tree and then swings across the river like Tarzan on it. Liz is the first to follow and makes a great swing and landing, then John and Nigel, who all succeed on their first attempt. I however make three attempts, all making it to the other side but none of them allowing me to let go of the vine for a safe landing, so after the third attempt I reluctantly give in and walk across !
, an option we all always had !!! Ahh, the life of an adventurer !!<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159548427.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
An Iron tree we see along the way...very tough wood..as you might have expected from its name.
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A Jaguar footprint found along the way....how comforting !
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...along with a grasshopper.
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Liz sets the pace, with some style, as the first Jane/Tarzan across the river.
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William shows us a tree which had been and was infested with a local worm which is apparently a delicacy.
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The worm looks like this.......and wriggles.....
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...and is duly eaten by Julio ...and William...whilst still alive !
As the day progresses we hear more wild pigs and come to a swamp crossing which necessitates the use of a long stick to help maintain your balance as you “tight-rope” walk your away across submerged tree branches. All is going well and sensing the spirit of adventure I call out to John to turn and face me so I can take a picture. In setting my position up I forget to maintain my balance and slip off the log….nothing serious as the water isn’t very deep….but it is deep enough to cover the tops of my Wellington boots and fill them both up. I get to other side and empty them both. We press on and finally get to our destination for the evening and night, a spot by a river.
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The swamp we had to cross.
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John, successfully, crossing it.
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Domingo successfully crossing the swamp with dinner, breakfast and his pots and pans. Note the traditional method of carrying things in a cloth ressembling a tablecloth.
Hard work!! Soon, William and helper, Julio, are stripped to their pants and swimming in the river. Nigel is shortly in the river too. Meanwhile John and I get changed and join William. The river is cold but we discover a quick submersion is preferable to the slowly-slowly technique which is ultimately always much harder and more painful anyway. Liz is not so enthusiastic but has a dip with Nigel in a shallower part of the river which she enjoys.
Dried down we are given fishing lines and Nigel, John, William, Phil and I settle down to fishing for dinner. Within what only seemed like seconds William has caught a dog fish. Shortly after that, Nigel then catches three more in succession. I finally catch a larger dog fish, and a smaller one and I think William caught one more too. By this time the light had faded and it had become impossible to see without the aid of a head torch, which was fine in principle, but attracted the mosquitoes and so got limited use. Dinner was finally ready and we had the caught fish as part of our meal.
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Me and my Dogfish. The largest catch of the evening !....hmmmmm
After dinner, William and Julio spent about an hour trying to catch a Cayman, which resembles a small crocodile. (Not so small though that you’d dismiss the feat.) After a number attempts they give in as Julio gets a fright
when it rears up as he tries to take it from behind and William is worried about hurting its neck by the technique he is using. Off to bed early again as we are due to have breakfast at 04:30 to leave for 5.We struggle up in the dark and eat our first breakfast of the day and set off at quite a pace to get back to Bonanza.
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Breaking camp to return to Bonanza.
All is going quite smoothly until we get back to the swamp again where I somehow managed to find myself slipping on one of the underwater branches and unceremoniously dumped full body on my back into the swamp. The guides looked concerned but I was fine, and only really concerned over my camera which had been completely submerged.
The good sign at the time was that the digital counter for number of shots left on my memory card was still working so I had some hope. We get back to the Tarzan swing which we all make satisfactorily this time and finally back to Bonanza.<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159550916.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Two boots, one daysack and a Nikon D70 & lens filled with swamp water !
We have very little time as we are due to depart in about 45 mins for Tambo Blanquillo where our next Hostel awaits us. But I dismantle the camera and get it into the sun to see if I can dry it out. The first signs are very worrying though as I can see too much condensation in the lens on at least two internal optical surfaces. After that John and I are straight into the showers and cleaning up those clothes of which we can, and finally ourselves. William offers his Father to watch over my lens in the sun to see that it dries out and to keep turning it so that no one side gets too hot. I accept and put the rest of the camera back into our tent. That done, we prepare our day sacks for our overnight stay and are back on the boat again. A few hours later we arrive at Tambo Blanquillo and are shown to our rooms for the night and catch a glimpse of another baby Tarantella at the front door !
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Lunch en-route.
The inside of this hostel was very interesting as it was made totally of different types of wood, mainly bamboo though of which there are many varieties in the jungle. Each room had two beds in them with a mosquito net provided to cover each bed. This was paradise for John who unfortunately attracts Mosquitoes faster than Bill Gates does dollars, so he was able to go to sleep “knowing” he wouldn’t be bitten in the night. That said, we had to get up at 4 to leave for 4:30 to go to a viewing spot for various tropical birds so our night wasn‘t to be that long anyway.
However, I digress. We are given 10 mins to sort ourselves out before getting back in the boat to go to Oxbow lake. We arrive there and after a short walk find ourselves seated on normal garden-type chairs in a long boat to be paddled by Boris, our normal boat driver. It was incredibly hot and we all really found it tough and tried to hide ourselves under our sun hats. It was like being too near to an oven or cooking ring but not being able to remove yourself from the source. We get to see some Howler monkies basking in the sun at the top of a tree and a variety of birds.
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Oxbow lake, very beautiful and very, very HOT !!
As the evening wears on we are reminded that our itinerary includes Piranha fishing and Cayman catching….so out come the fishing lines again and Nigel, John, William and I set out for Piranha fishing. We try for an hour and get many nibbles, many empty hooks and start to loose heart. According to William they prefer red meat as opposed to the white fish meat we were using. Eventually Nigel and John call it a day….I can’t blame them. Just as I’m about to give up to, William miraculously catches one, somehow getting the hook through its under-belly….nowhere near its mouth. With this, he assures us that if we use this one as bait we will catch a lot more. Nigel and John aren’t up for a second shot but I decide to give it a go and am still motivated by my desire to catch a Piranha ! Within a few minutes William gets two more in the boat and then I get a bite and managed to get it in the boat. William and I are delighted ! Off we go again and almost simultaneously catch two together which presents me with the problem of what to do whilst William kills his one(I am not quite ready for handling the live fish at this point !) He just says get it in the boat which I duly do, however it gets off the hook and is flapping and snapping on the floor of the boat, not a pretty sight. My toe gets bitten in the process(three times)
and I hop up onto my chair, William asks me to settle down a bit until he sees the blood covering my toe next to the big one, and then apologizes. My fish is killed and we all settle down again. I think William caught one more before we called it a day. It was also dark by this time. <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159552075.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
William with the first catch of the evening, note the position of the hook !
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Me and killer !!
However, Cayman catching was still on the agenda so off we went in search of Cayman in the dark. They are actually very easy to see on the surface as their eyes reflect the torch light in a very distinct orange-red. William tried to catch one or two and Boris also had a go, but to no avail. Eventually we are back next to the boat house and off in to the bushes. All of a sudden William lurches forward at the front of the boat and turns road with a young Cayman. We all get to “stroke” it and John is given the privilege of assisting in discovering its sex ! We leave the boat and walk back to our own boat, finally returning to the Manu Lodge….in the dark again ! We are “greeted” by our Tarantella again and go to dinner. This turns out to be a special meal this evening and Domingo produces our dinner in Bamboo canes which has cat fish and a sauce within. It was very tasty. We all have a few glasses of beer and return to our bamboo bedrooms again for our short sleep.
The alarms go off and we’re sitting in the boat ready to leave by 4:45. Boris takes us off to Blanquillo where a Clay lick and camouflaged viewing point are. Breakfast is brought with us and so we eat whilst we wait. One of the first things we get to see is a Jaguar
wandering along the upper bank of the Clay lick. an amazing sighting for us. Apparently William has only had 4 groups in total that have seen one. The first birds to turn up where Blue-headed parrots. There must have been in excess of 40 and they finally fly down to take in the salts of the Clay lick. Apparently the parrots(and other birds) need the salts which are composed of Aluminium, sodium and Magnesium to aid their digestion of toxic fruits found in the jungle. Something though scares the parrots after a relatively short time. It is commonly agreed that the appearance of a hawk and vulture are likely to be the culprits. Shortly after Macaws start to accumulate in the trees and we wait expectantly to see them also take in the salts but they are too frightened off. Finally though, after a further 30-40 mins they return to the trees and finally to the Clay lick which excites us all. We observe these and a number of varieties of Kingfishers and Toucans over the next hour or so. Finally it is time to leave and we’re back in our boat again heading back to Bonanza. What a start to the day ! <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/10708027/159538981.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Blue-headed parrots at the Clay lick.
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The Macaws at the clay lick.
On the boat back we eat lunch on the go as we’d stayed longer at the viewing point. We get to eat the Piranhas from the previous evening. They are quite tasty and I particularly enjoy eating the one that bit my toe !
We get back to Bonanza and the first thing I check is my camera. The lens has dried out but has water marks left on the optical surfaces, something I had anticipated, however as I reintroduce the battery to the camera there is no digital indicators at all and I’m left stumped as to what I can do, other than pack it away which I duly do. The next thing John and I do is take a shower and help in collecting fire-wood for the barbeque planned for the evening. Wild pig is on the menu !
We have a nice evening and enjoy the pig, it is actually similar to barbeque spare ribs but a bit more salty. Julio brings out his guitar and he and Nigel jam a bit for an hour or so until we retire to bed for another early start to leave for our return to Cusco. During the night there is a phenomenal storm and one thunder clap is so loud that John actually jumps in his sleep. The lightening continues and keeps me awake for most of the night.
At 04:45 we leave in the dark. It is fairly cold and John and I feel the brunt of it sitting at the front of the boat. We stop for breakfast on a beach and set off again.
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John´s attempt to keep warm...yes, he is in there.
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Our final jungle breakfast spot.
The views are incredible as much of the jungle is partially immersed in cloud. Unfortunately we can’t escape the black clouds and spend the next 2 or 3 hours being rained on. John and I again get the brunt of the weather and try various ways of hiding from the storm in the provided ponchos, however the rain is hard and manages to get to our trousers by the time we return to the port. We are rapidly transferred back to the van and on our way again. We stop for lunch at Pilcopata, where we stayed on our first night. We also choose this point to present the staff of Bonanza with their tips for all the work they’d put in. They were gratefully received.
The journey back is very long. The van ride alone is for about 11 hours, making the total travelling time for the day 16 hours ! We all struggle to get some sleep on the van but it is very hard as the road is very bumpy with many bends. We eventually get back to Cusco for about 21:25 exhausted.
John and I go straight to the Norton Rats Tavern for a burger, Pisco sours and a few beers, retiring at about 23:30 for mucho sleep !
Mike
