Woke at 7.30 and went downstairs for a good breakfast.
Today is river trip and jungle walk day! Bernardo from the hotel
acted as our guide and we set off at about 9.30 by taxi to Misahualli
on the Rio Napo (I think). The taxi was an open van but we were
happy to sit in the back enjoying the view, as well as all the plants
and flowers that we passed. Saw lots more Mauritia flexuosa on the
way. When we got to Misahualli, we were lent rubber boots and had
to hand in our passports. It's a sleepy river town where I don't
suppose anything ever happened before the arrival of tourism. Very
Gabriel Garciá Marquez. Sweeeet little monkeys scrambling
in amongst the trees could be pursuaded to come down for a piece
of fruit. The boat was a dug-out canoe (i.e. dug out from a single
tree trunk) about 20ft long and powered by an outboard motor. We
sat on wooden seats set athwart, and set off upstream at a good
rate of knots. The Rio Napo is about a hundred yards wide at this
point. What a wonderful was to explore and observe the flora of
the riverbank! With binoculars everything can be examined. Lots
of palms, some we already know, but some new ones, including one
called 'Pambil' and used by the Indians for blow gun darts, and
many others besides. We sped along for an hour when suddenly sun
turned to clouds and it began to rain quite heavily. Out came the
waterproofs but even so it wasn't too pleasant. We pulled into the
bank to shelter and set off again when it has eased. Finally, the
boatman cut the engine and eased the boat into the riverbank again,
to where a path led up into the jungle. Up we climbed into the forest,
everything, including us, soaking wet. It was not strenuous and
there was much to see so we stopped frequently to examine plants
and to take photos, some with flash, as it was quite dark under
the trees. Bernardo certainly knows his palms, unfortunately only
local names, but he indicated by mime and a few words of English
the use of this one or that. It is extremely difficult to identify
palms in the wild with no experience of the flora of a particular
area, but we did our best. Occasionally we had wonderful views out
over the jungle. We saw toucans and heard other birds, probably
parrots. We stayed up in the jungle for a few hours then slowly
made our way back down on a different track to where the boat was
waiting, and we set off down river. We had a couple of stops on
the way back to Misahualli, one at a 'lodge' where monkeys came
crashing down out of the treetops on production of a banana. One
climbed all over me! There were also some sad animals in cages,
including some huge boa-constrictors with bruised and bloody faces
where they continually struck out at waving fingers and met only
chicken wire. The other stop was for a (very touristy) demonstration
of blow darts where we were invited to have a go at target practice
ourselves. The old man got very alarmed when I pointed the blowpipe
at his dog! The heavens opened again when we were on the river for
the final leg, and we returned to Misahualli very wet, very tired,
and very hungry, but having had a splendid day. Bus through the
dark back to the hotel, where they had washed our jeep while we
were away. Dinner of fish with manihot and rice. Delicious! Washed
down with rum punch, and entertained by huge bats flying in and
out through the open sides of the restaurant. Bed at 11pm. What
a wonderful day!
South American Diary
