Although we can’t plan for WTDGAP moments, I have learned through experience that it is a good idea to plan to arrive at a destination a day BEFORE my tour starts – just in case. It was a life saver this time – for although the planned time to get to my first hotel in Manaus (including a stop in São Paulo was roughy 10 hours – it actually took me over 20 hours to get there. The first leg out of JFK departed 1.5 hours late due to bad weather. Knowing I only had a two hour layover in São Paulo that would involve getting my bag, going through passport control and rechecking my bag for the plane to Manaus, I knew I was in trouble. However to my delighted surprise, upon arriving in SP Latam Airlines representatives were waiting for me at the plane bridge alley with my new flights – unfortunately including an additional stop in Fortaleza – I was nonetheless thrilled that the airline had this all ready for me. Finally, arriving at the Villa Amazonia in the early evening, had a wonderful hot shower, some room service and then sweet sleep for 9+ hours overnight and a few naps the next day so was ready to dive into the Amazon. After a few hours of driving we arrived at our jungle reserve, on the banks of the Negro River, right on the edge of the Anavilhanas National Park with more than 3.5 billion square meters of preserved forest.
This was to be the first of a number of developments that considers sustainability as a basic premise. The goals go beyond more tangible initiatives, such as the efficient use of energy to taking a broad view that not only puts the very structure of the buildings but also preservation of the forest, conservation of its flora and fauna, utilizing farm to table produce from agra ecological farms, as well as preserving the local community and its human inhabitants at the forefront.
This is a critical policy that can insure the future of all the above. Also, I was honored to learn that Victor’s father, along with his biologist and close friend Marcio Ayres and Marcio’s ex-wife Debora, an anthropologist, created the very first Sustainable Development Refuge in the world. More of this amazing story in a later post.
Our first adventure in the Anavilhanas Forest was a multi-hour hike in the unflooded areas with a local expert guide, who we called Rob. Rob was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the forest, plants, insects and animals, etc and had a quiet sense of humor that I loved
(Victor’s photos are all stamped, thanks again for this great courtesy)
We took a short boat ride to our dropoff point along the edge of the forest. The view getting there was serene:
However, the entry into the forest was not quite as idyllic. First of al, there is no dock in the forest, so we had to jump into tjhe shallow waters . This was followed by a STEEP climb up into the jungle with twisted roots, rocks and wet ground to navigate. From previous experience in a jungle I knew that grabbing onto a tree and branch was not advisable – this was territory of poisonous ants and other creatures I shouldn’t touch, like this gargantuan caterpillar:
or this Brobdingnagians sized grasshopper:
Fortunately,y Vitor and Rob provided helping hands so I could get safely ashore. I was a bit concerned however about the return to the boat, as descending was sure to be a but more difficult.
Great news!!! As you will recall I had prepared for my Amazonian adventure with lots of netting and bug spray. My first discovery during my hike was that this part of the Amazon has waters with a very acidic ph. Why is this impt? It turns out mosquitos do not breed in areas with this kind of water. NO MOSQUITOS!!!!!!!!! In fact, during my entire journey through Brazil I did not get one bite – the mosquitoes in Queens NY awaited my return where I did receive their welcome back bites -sigh.
What this region of the forest did have were lots of tarantulas. Rob tried to entice a few out of their burrows, sending my adrenaline coursing, but while they did scurry out a bit, there were no attacks.
No worries, the above two pics are pf the moltings so despite looking creepy, there was no danger. There were no other creatures lurking (that I knew of) other than these mating moths:
he rest of the hike was full of interestingly shaped and colored trees and vines.
We did get a lesson in tree climbing:
One of our group actually volunteered to try and did a credbile job. I was more concerned at that moment that my neck fan battery ran out and I could feel my face quickly took red in the 95+ heat and humidity. Rob made me feel instantly better by weaving a crown for my head:
And I was thrilled to hear that Rob was going to take a different route back to our boat that didn’t involve our steep entry. Made it back, ready for our next adventure in the jungle – a nightime canoe ride into the depths of the jungle to see some of the larger creatures.
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