Here I am, in Iquitos, the largest city in the world that cannot be accessed by road. Its hot and stinky and I have a headache from all the moto-taxis buzzing around. But it's a jungle city and fabulous!!! I arrived here a few days ago on a grand old boat called La Miluska (similar to Pinky´s nightmare), armed with my two didgeridoo´s, two bags, a pet turtle called Esperenza and missing the tip of my thumb!
But the journey starts in the Andes of Equador. My bus from Quito was long but with beautiful views of the mountains, and gradually descending past waterfalls cascading down to the jungle below. The hills became slopey then flat, and there I was, home in the jungle! From the town of Coca, I got a long one day boat trip to the border town of Nuevo Rocafuerta. Having the old Senora´s laughing at my dreadlocks, being forced to share my chocolate with the couple of kids that had perfected the ´puppy dog eyes and jumping off the boat a couple times for a dip in the Rio Napo. The sunset on the river gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling, and I definitely felt in my element.
In Nuevo Rocafuerta I fortunately made friends with the only other gringoes in town, and together we formed a group to do a bit of a jungle tour. So in our canoe we set off down the side rivers, in the calm of the jungle, sitting on the front the whole time soaking up the piranha atmosphere! Picturing myself as the squirell in ICEAGE2. On one day I caught a little croc with my bare hands, the experience from brazil definitely helped, I shocked the guide, don't think he see´s many tourists going for crocs like that. Another day I ate a witchedy grub alive… my inspiration coming from always wanting to go on ´Fear Factor´. Its harder then it looks!
So after a week around this area, and beginning to become quietly frustrated with the expert New Yorker and her Equadorian (top dog) guide/lover, I found refuge in another dopey australian who showed up. He is a good laugh, rough as nuts and couldn't take any shit from anyone (especially americans). So after crossing the border to Pantoja (peru) as a group, there were two big boats heading for Iquitos, we went our separate ways, and the aussies opted for the big green floating bog known as La Miluska. It turned out to be the best choice in the end. It was a humble 3storey boat. Cows, chickens, and screaching pigs on the lower level, humans, monkeys, turtles and chickens on middle level, along with the kitchen & toilets (basically the same room), and a breezy top deck with a bar, more families in hammocks, chickens and the roosters, one of which I had to have deep and meaningfuls with, explaining to him that he didn't have to crow just because the others did. I managed to only save one turtle who became Esperenza (Hope) but all the rest became turtle soup. The most part of my trip was tranquila, laid back in my hammock, cruising down the river listening to rio napo blues, by Rohan on his guitar and being lazy watching the sun stretch across the sky. The boat would stop every 5 minutes to pick up more people and more bloody bananas that you can poke a stick at. The houses & people by the river were beautiful and the boat stopping was the biggest event of the month, so the whole villiage would turn out. All was well until the last night, being closer to Iquitos the boat had become extremely packed, and I only lost my patience then, when the little boy next to Rohan, was sitting in a pile of his on piss and shit, but the mother and sister did no more then prepare their boiled eggs next to him. Poor little bugger. So by now Rohan was practically dry-reaching in disgust, looking like he could climb a rope out of there with both hands and feet tied. We spent that night stopping children and women peeing on the floor next to us and our bags and we were relieved to make it to Iquitos the next afternoon. Getting off the boat though, Rohan lost his wallet to a team of pickpocketers, but no serious damage done. All up, a pretty good trip, and we are both still in one piece, except my thumb of course (lost the tip to cutting lemons on the boat…it´ll grow back).
So just a couple days here exploring the city, and the slums that they say are the Peruvian version of Venice, only, I don't think they have dunnies in the canals of Venice and swim, wash & cook next to them do they?
You will be happy to know, that Esperenza the tortise now has a happy home with other tortises at the Pilpinwasi Butterfly Farm. Be sure to visit her if you head this way. But beware of the trained pickpocket monkey that they rescued from street kids… he knows how to open everything: buttons, zips, clips, and he even checks your bra!!!
So I´m off to Colombia tomorrow, and onto see a bit of central america… not sure the subject of the next episode…
lots of love always!
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