Been there, done that

Since we last wrote we have been caught up in a middnight police raid, camped in the jungle, completed an Amazonian hike, met some more Indians and even saw some dried dolphin's vaginas for sale in the market (helps your libido by all accounts)...

Now, we are in Belem, Brazil! Tomorrow we are off to South America's party city - RIO!

Since we last wrote, we successfully left the country where three-quarters of all the world's kidnappings take place - Columbia. We boardered a river taxi which involved sleeping in hammocks on an open deck with 200 other people with our bags underneath. We slept in the middle of the deck so had people infront, behind and on each side of us - one guy was not even 30cm from my hammock. Loved the shower/toilet combos.

Twas an interesting experience being the only English speakers on board for four days, especially when the police shook us awake at middnight during an exciting evening raid where they went through all our bags. At one port, this sick guy in a stretcher boarded with his girlfriend, mother, siblings and nurse. It seemed the whole town had turned up to see him off and his boarding invovled a procession of people all who blessed him before he got on board.

We got off the boat in Manuas and quickly decided to jump straight back on another boat to take part in a two-day cruise. Highlight was when the guide pulled a cayman (crocodile) out of the river with his bare hands and we all gingerly patted it while he held it down. The American guy on board, asked if he could have a hold, his wife however did not think that was a good idea.

Camped out in the jungle under mosquito nets which was an experience. Saw quite a few nasties - inclduing more than our fair share of tarantualas - and heard a heap more in the distance rumbling around.

Tomorrow we fly out to Rio and return to London on Monday 5 December.

Later
Team Amazonia

Colombia: drugs, kidnappings and Team Amazon

Here we are in cheery Laeticia, Colombia where we all have our backpacks firmly on our backs to avoid having our kidneys ripped from our bodies as we walk through the dusty streets.

Just completed 3 nights on Rio Amazonias, a boat that travelled from Iquitos to here. We met some crazy Americans who just can´t get enough of the place and keep coming back - one couple on their 13th trip! They put us to shame with goodies for the Indian kids - we thought that lollies would suffice but no, they brought toys, tennis rackets, shoes, medicine, books and enough glow sticks that would light up the GAY bar.

About to jump on another boat to amble down the Amazon River to Manaus, Brazil. We suspect that every man, dog, chicken and goat will be joining us, such is the set up of the boat by the sounds of it, but no matter - at least we have Uno to entertain us.

More news from Manaus in 3 days time

Love yas

Laura (aka black panther)

We´re in the jungle!

Hey All We´re in the jungle and the craziest city I´ve ever visited – Iquitos, Peru. It´s the world´s biggest city that can´t be accessed by road (only by river and air). It is so loud, busy and fun. We´ve all been touched countless times because of our white skin, there are street sellers on every corner and at night the main square turns into a carnival with performers, fairy floss and even someone dress up as Winnie the Pooh. We´ve just visited the Belen Market and the ´floating city´ which due to the drought isn´t really floating but is just houses on big poles. A couple of police officers escorted us throughout the market which was slightly off putting as we weren´t sure what that meant. We left Tarapoto two days ago. Our whitewater rafting day was a lot of fun. At one stage we all just jumped in the river and floated as the current pulled us downstream. The same day we visited one of the ´sources´ of the Amazon River where we had lunch, tried some of the locals home brew (like tequila), popped into the thermal spas and finished the day at Papillion nightclub!!! Highlight of the nightclub was walking onto the packed dance floor and being the tallest person in the room by at least a head – I felt like a giant. We also got invited to a local´s house for dinner. When we caught our plane to Iquitos we were told that the plane left ´about´ 3pm. They couldn´t be more specific as Iquitos airport has lots of big black birds that fly around it and they have to wait until the birds have gone to bed (around 4pm apparently) before they can land the plane. We are now about to jump on a river boat for the start of the Amazon River component of our tour. Soon we´ll be in Brtazil. Hope everyone is well! Team Amazonia

Arriving, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu (Leg 1)

Hello from Tarapoto, Peru where its a balmy 32 degrees! There are peacocks wandering around the grounds of our hotel, a huge pool which is currently calling my name and these crazy motorcycle rickshaw taxis waiting to take us into town.

The adventure has so far been brill. Were loving out Salomon clothes – we are the best dressed backpackers on the road.

We arived in Lima (capital of Peru) in the wee hours of Saturday morning thanks to a staggering display of incompetence by Air Iberia. Our flight from Madrid to Lima left without us so we were rerouted to Venezuela before landing in Lima 6 hours late. Highlights of the debacle were when Air Iberia said to us “your bags will probably be lost” and then borading a plane where we were assigned seats that did not actually exist. Oh, those crazy Spaniards.

After a very refreshing 3 hours sleep and a cold shower we caught a cab through the crazy streets of Lima and saw utes packed 1.5m high with potatoes and passengers sitting on the top, countless 5 person cars with 8 people sandwhiched in and beggars on every corner. Back at the airport we jumped on another plane to Cusco – the old capital of the Inca empire.

We met our Inca trail guide “Big Willy” and begun the 45km Inca Trail hike to the Inca City of Machu Picchu. It was spread over 4 days – which is not a lot of distance to cover over that time frame – but it was at high altitudes and was all up and down. One day we climbed over 2000m to a high of 4215m. It was tough and phyiscally exhausting but was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. The views from the tops of the mountains we climbed, walking through clouds because you are so high, seeing so many Inca ruins, passing locals on the trail etc all made the trek amazing.

The final day saw us rise at 3:50am to begin the final hike to Machu Picchu – an Inca city that once had 1000 people but was abandoned about 100 years prior to the Spanish invasion and forgotten about until 1911 when an American explorer stumbled accross it (and looted all items of value from it). The final day was wet and very cloudy so we could not see Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate (a place high up in the mountain beside the ruins). After a half hour hike from the Sun Gate to MP the clouds parted and the lost city was revealed. We then spent a few hours exploring MP.

We also saw a Lama!

We then rewarded ourselves with a trip to some thermal spas and a night at the Savoy in Cusco.

As I mentioned before, we are staying at Tarapoto and Luara is now sitting beside me after a dip in the pool... Tomorrow, we are white water rafting... Its a tough life.

Will update again when we can.

Team Amazonia