We returned to Cuzco and took a plane to Puerto Maldonado, a small town which is a gateway to
the Amazon area.
From there we took a motorized dugout canoe on a four hour trip down the river to
the lodge. At night we slept under mosquito netting with just a little candle for light.
We hiked in the reserve during the day and settled into the rhythm of the jungle.
We walked quietly, watching for blue mortho butterflys and other critters and
occasionally crossing over deep ravines on crudely built bridges constructed of fallen logs.
We went out at night on the river and searched for Caymen with a beam. Their eyes glow red
when the light hits them and they slither under the
surface of the water. For a time we just floated silently with the motor off,
just to watch the stars and hear the jungle sounds. The trip was a wonder - a mind altering experience and it wasn't just the coca tea that was available every step of the way.
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