I’ve been a fan of Paddington since I read the books as a child, not too long after the first was published in 1958. It came as a bit of a surprise to me when I spoke to people in Peru and South America at the beginning of the year that they had not heard of my favourite bear until the movie came to cinemas in 2014. It therefore occurred to me to take my own little Paddington to Peru last month when I returned for a more comprehensive visit with other intrepid travellers.
Lima was bathed in sunshine the afternoon we arrived and it was lovely to see once again the main square, the colonial-like buildings and cathedral where Pizarro is interred. I insisted we went to the building that was once the railway station from where I imagined Paddington set off on his journey to London all those years ago and I have to thank my fellow travellers who got into the spirit of having a toy bear on the trip with them!
However we didn’t stop in Lima for long, flying immediately east to the busy town of Puerto Maldonado where tuk-tuks, bikes and scooters lined the streets outside numerous shops and stalls. Here we visited the local market to see the delicious fruit and vegetables that we were to try later. Having been warned rain threatened, I bought a couple of plastic ponchos, an absolute necessity and I should have bought more.
We were told by the tour companies that our luggage in the Amazon Rainforest would be limited to 10kg and there was a good reason for this. One: the boat could not accommodate much more and, more importantly, two: clothes would get wet and smell from the lashings of mosquito spray we covered ourselves in morning, noon and night. (Well I did but the nasty insects still managed to find an area of skin on which to tuck in!)
The boat journey from Maldonado was an hour and a half along the Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon, and my fellow travellers and I got wet. The sky turned a glorious shade of metallic grey and thunder rumbled as the rain poured down. However, it’s warm rain, not that biting cold rain I hate so much in Ireland, therefore it was endurable and I was more concerned with the amount of plastic which litters the waters and was building up along the riverbank. Please, please, please Peruvians, clean up your act when it comes to plastic.
We stayed at the Eco Amazonia Lodge where I had my own cabin. A golden rule once again applied. No food in the lodges, which made perfect sense as goodness knows what creatures, (probably insects) would make their way into the wooden structures and feast on any food or drink. There was a lovely lounge area, where wi-fi was available a few hours a day, and the meals were very good. A fair selection of wines and beers were available too. Considering we were miles from anywhere the staff at the lodge were well organised and our first hike into the forest was short and sweet.
I admit I am useless when it comes to spotting any sort of wildlife and the humidity of the forest meant my glasses would steam up, but I did catch a glimpse of an anteater’s hind leg and I saw pocket monkeys cavorting in the trees (so named as children keep the baby primates in their pockets!) Capybaras and monkeys played in the grounds of the lodge which was lovely to see, but due to the torrential rain I didn’t see many animals at all: a couple of tortoises, parrots, a frog and loads of ants.
Unlike crazy tourists, the animals had the good sense to stay in their shells, dens, lairs, or nests, but during my downtime I did take the opportunity to read up on the animals I could have seen with a glass of Argentinian wine and Paddington by my side.
Despite the rain, I enjoyed being out amongst the foliage and our guide, Evan, was great fun, making a friend of Paddington and showing us what he could regarding how the tribes’ people play, work, eat and live in the forest. A big thanks to him as he worked very hard and was most patient with me as I was always at the back of the hiking pack.
We walked out to several “lakes”, or more accurately big ponds, and were fortunate enough to see hoatzins (stink birds), herons, fruit bats, but no caimans. They had the good sense to stay undercover and not venture out into the downpours that soaked us to the skin. I wasn’t too disappointed as I’d seen crocodiles in Sri Lanka and there is always the chance to see one in the zoo!
The pathways through the forest are well signposted and raised above the ground, although when the rains came the gravelled areas became waterlogged and walking became a little more tricky.
There were rope bridges to navigate as well, not to mention a sandbag staircase which was a real challenge in order to reach a boat. I was told it was the staircase or a 10km walk. I’m sure I’d have preferred the walk! Even in the storm we endured on our last day.
We hiked out to see a seven hundred year old tree and I have to say it was impressive, but we were soaked through, despite wet gear, plastic ponchos and water resistant hiking boots. Nothing is water resistant in the Amazon Rainforest! There are three degrees of wetness: sodden, soaked and damp. Even my Paddington bear got wet and started dreaming of the central heating in Windsor Gardens!
Getting anything dry was somewhat difficult, to say the least, and I was glad I took old, close fitting clothes, nearly all of which I threw in the bin before I left. It’s not called the Amazon Rainforest for nothing and I’d advise anyone to do the same. A hat is an absolute must as if your ears are dry then the body is more content.
Would I go back to the Rainforest? You bet I would! Despite the storms, the torrential rain and the mosquitos, it was great to be walking out in the fresh air, in the warm climate, amongst the glorious green foliage hoping to see something different, something unusual. It was an experience of a lifetime and although at times, I thought to myself, what the hell am I doing, the answer was clear. I’m challenging myself, getting out of my comfort zone which is integral to making life worthwhile.
I also realise I’m very fortunate to be able to visit such a special place on the planet and I would like to thank everyone at Eco Amazonia Lodge and Mercury Holidays for organising the trip. It was great fun and I’d recommend it to anyone who is a bit more intrepid than the average bear!
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As stated in the blog I visited Peru at the beginning of the year. To learn more about my adventure please click on the links below:
I had a wonderful time in Sri Lanka where I saw a number of animals in the National Parks. To discover more please click on the link:
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