What is in the jungle

The Amazon jungle stretches to Equador, Brazil, Columbia and other. It is being destroyed through illegal gold mining and deforestation 

Back to Lima

So the same trip in reverse, boat ride, bus ride, move temporary luggage bag into main luggage. Luggage seems to multiply😫 - quite sure that I had more space. We are currently in Puerto Maldonado airport waititing for a flight to Lima via Cuzsco.

Cayman lodge

Our chalet- up at 5am for a jungle walk. Great breakfast and off we go. First 2 hours were cool enough to enjoy after which there were too many bug bites. Every mossie in the Amazon descended on our group - we all had applied loads of repellent- we are proof that bugs like repellent.

Some lovely creatures and plants

Notice the face paint to blend in with the jungle 😅

A walking tree, it walks 30 to 45 cm in a year by attaching roots in the direction of the light! Ingenious!

Then a cruise down the lake to see otters and different birds - have I mentioned how hot it is. Also my pants are covered in dirt as my water bladder leaked all down my back without me knowing - dust and dirt attached to the water. Needless to say I have washed them, however they have not dried due to the humidity of 78%

Group picture as we finished our 4hr hike

Next and final activity for the trip was Cayman spotting - tiny crocodile looking beings. 

Porto Maldonado

Our gateway to the Amazon, very hot 35 degrees - After packing once again what we need in a duffel bag (no weight restrictions) obviously we are a lot better at picking the required clothes- cuppacino ice cream and coke light - I am ready for anything!!

Trip to the jungle starts with a bus ride from Puerto Maldonado to the Amazon - hot hot so very hot - up to 45 degrees in the shade. Then a 2hour boat ride to our lodge in the Amazon. Reminded me of Mocambique, that hot humid air all around you with lots and lots of bugs - colour full ones and mosquitos. The lodge is geared up for mossies with nets to sleep under and the whole building under mesh. Keep the door closed and your room is bug free.

We went on a night hike to look at different jungle creatures. Very interesting - tarantulas, banana spiders, stick insects. After the walk back to the lodge for dinner. Once again food is really good with a starter, main course and desert!

Stunning sunsets!!

Culinary day in Cuzco

Maryanna from Argentina picked us up from the hotel and we walked to the market. Once again everything you can think of is found in the market. Very different way of eating. At the market there are restaurants/ take aways very reasonable - people come at lunch time sit at a stall and eat the freshest food.

Bought fruit for desert and went to the restaurant. We made a great piscosours sour drink with strawberry, ginger, lime, sugar water 1ounce, piscosours 2ounce and then sparkling water - so good! We sipped the drinking  while making lombo saltado followed by all the local fruits,

Michael got his hair cut at a barber

Walked the streets and went back to get ready for the Amazon

Day 4 Inka Trail

Up at 3am - not much sleep. Pack up our tent and set off to the Sun Gate. One impressive Vista after another! So very worth every pain and every ache!!

The Sun Gate

Overlooking Machu Picchu- then the walk down - feasting our eyes on this wonder of the world!!

We walked through the inca village and then caught a bus to agus calienties where we had lunch. I had steak made the Peruvian way, guess what Michael treated himself too???

My lunch

Michael's lunch

We now in a bus back to Cuszco after an experience of a lifetime!

Day 3 Inka trail

Again 5am wake up after very little sleep - freezing cold. Such extremes in temperatures - boiling dry heat to really really cold - temperatures in the minus degree centigrade- I can cope with the heat but not with the cold!!!

Much better day though longer in distance 16km - either our legs have adjusted or it was easier.

Another fantastic lunch with 5 different dishes after asparagus soup and cake to end the meal with 'Well done chicos' iced on the cake. How do you bake a cake with a two plate gas stove??? Tasted marvelous. I have never eaten so many carbs and loved every ounce!! The porters carry the whole camp and our 6kg bags from camp to camp - they arrive before us and set up our tents and get the food ready. True athletes - they then clap us into camp - go figure!! We crawl in into camp, lie down and wait for someone to call us to the applicable meal. Spoiled much??