The beginning
A couple decades ago, I saw boats going up the Amazon…slowly! I noticed the upper deck being open sided with hammocks swaying as the boat moved up the current. I thought that would be a nice experience. I’ll qualify that: nice experience for me. I practice being a “human being” more than a “human doing”, like stillness and quieting my mind and resonate with the Italian concept of “dolce far niente”. That translates to the sweetness of doing nothing! I’m good at that. I work hard, focus, put in hours getting ready to work with projects. Then, I do the opposite. Be still, rest, recover, contemplate and reflect, enjoy life. This trip is good for that!
The photo below shows me, the first one on the upper deck, finding a choice place to hang my hammock! Eventually, the space beyond and before was filled with people and families in hammocks.
And...a recent revelation
In recent years, I focused on travel to some favorite places that are changing quickly and I wanted to see again!
Warm memories from past experiences lingered. I saw wild orangutan in Gunung Leuser National Park. Dense, isolated, natural primary forest with few people and lots of animals. We walked for hours seeing evidence they had been there recently dropping food from the trees and seeing fresh nest where they had rested. Suddenly, in the late afternoon, I saw motion. It was not an orangutan, it was an entire tree moving. Looking up, I saw a male orangutan holding on as the tree swayed to the next one, then the next, as he moved through the forest! That was awesome! Then I visited Bukit Lawang. Bukit Lawang was not original forest, trees were planted in orderly rows and the hike was a bit exposed. Still a nice experience with monkeys and orangutan…but only a very few. And it was crowded. Guides, wanting to avoid hostility from guest who did not see an orangutan, began carrying radios. When they spotted one, a call went out, and all groups converged on a single animal. Not very natural experience in nature!
Laos, another example of dramatic change
I loved Laos when I first went there. It seems like everyone followed the same tourist trail. Cross the border from Thailand, spend one night in Huay Xai, Laos, then take the slow boat to Luang Prabang. But, I did not want to do that. I saw a village North of there near the border with China. I planned to go there. But first, I visited the office for the Gibbon Experience. They were closed in the evening but suggested coming before 8:00 the next morning to see if there were openings. Optimistically, I reorganized my pack and headed to the office! Several people were already there. When I got to the desk, they had one spot left for the overnight experience. PERFECT! The “hike” included traveling some of the dozen or more zip lines through the tree tops. Some are over 600 meters long. Once I jumped off the tower, I couldn’t see where I was headed. At the end of the day, I zip lined into a tree house that sleeps 20 people. What an adventure!
After that, I traveled by slow bus up to Luang Namtha. A quiet sleepy town about 40 kilometers from China. I explored by motorbike, went canoeing to a local village were I stayed overnight and loved the experience. I met one person who comes to Laos only to see one village. It wasn’t far. He loved it because, even though it is in Laos, it’s not a Laos village….it is a tribal village. Local tribes from the surrounding hills all wear different clothing. The town is colorful with a blend of the tribes coming in from the hills.
I went back a couple years ago to see Laos before it changed too much. I was late! China built a high speed train. Laos was flooded with Chinese tourist. Packed in some places. Forty or fifty identical white vans lined the street by the Mekong River in Luang Prabang waiting for groups to take on their day tour. A continuous unbroken white line of vans. Luang Prabang had been my favorite city in that part of the world. Now, it was hardly recognizable. When I visited Luang Prabang with the intention of visiting Muang Sing, the tribal village, it was no more. The Chinese have taken it over.
Another impact, places that are difficult to reach are less crowded. Luang Prabang was once a long bus ride from Vientiane, the capital. It took 8-12 hours to reach it…that is a commitment. Now, the train gets you there in 2 hours. It’s possible to fly into the capital, get a train and be there the same night. As a result, it is much more crowded with people from all over the world.
Still, I found ways to find a local, quiet and authentic experience in Laos away from crowds!
Pockets of Authenticity
I go out early when I can. It’s cooler and less crowded! I look for more remote, less popular areas and experiences. When I drove to the waterfalls on a rented motor bike, I arrived before it opened at 8:00. Solitude and silence greeted me. By 10;30, it was impossible to get a clear shot of the waterfalls because of noisy crowds. I was ready to leave. And I found a lovely “restaurant” with bamboo structures, open walled but covered, on the edge of the rice fields for lunch!
I watched the morning monks walk collecting alms. I went out at 5:30 am. I saw hundreds and hundreds of people lining the street waiting for the monks. I also saw where the Main Street alms walk ended and the monks turned toward the river. I went there to wait and watch and take some photos. There were about 12 people there. After, I walked toward the river exploring and turned right to an area I hadn’t seen yet. I found a coffee shop opening! Across the street on a patio bordering the Mekong River, they had tables. I sat in the coolness of the morning with one other customer and savored my morning! Good coffee, listening to and watching life on the river and simply enjoying!
Changing world and Emerging travel Focus
Experiencing what were once favorite places, and hardly recognizing them, I began thinking of places I wanted to go back to before they change even more! Two years ago, I went to part of Guatemala around Antigua that looks nothing like it did when I first went there.
Plus…a bonus of sorts! I finally got to visit Copan Honduras and the ruins there. I loved that little town. And yes, it was complicated to get to and more complicated to get to my next destination! The little “Hotelito Perdido” is still special!
Heading further South, I explored parts of El Salvador and Nicaragua! In Nicaragua, I ventured away from the tourist path! People Land in Leon and follow the coast South touching only a small portion of the country. And that’s the part with the most tourist. In the BigFoot Hostel there, I asked the travel desk how to get to Esteli.
Nicaragua contains the second largest bioreserve in the America, only the Amazon is larger. However, it is undeveloped and definitely difficult to get to. My intention was to get to Esteli on the edge bordering the reserve and see where I could go from there.
The man at the travel desk listened to my request, “Can I take a bus from here and go to Esteli?” He took a moment and responded, ” No body goes there!” Perfect! My kind of place.
I discovered several of those “new favorite” places in Nicaragua which I shall go back to again!
Remembering the Amazon Nearly 30 years later
Nearly a year ago, I was contemplating where to travel next? What kind of experience did I want to have?
I don’t have a list that I check off. I have places I’d like to see in general. My thoughts on this include Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Ecuador, Prague, Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Budapest, Croatia, Argentina, Africa, Morocco, and more. My process involves listening! I contemplate possibilities and see what ideas pop up in my mind. When an idea comes up, I start exploring it. I look up flights, search for information on local travel, best season for travel and so forth. When I get to this point, the energy either builds and gets stronger pulling me along or it dissipates and goes away. I don’t push and try to force something to come together.
As I was contemplating options last June, a thought of the Amazon poppd into my head! Poof! Seemingly out of nowhere! I’d been nearly 30 years ago. It was a very good experience yet it felt a bit superficial, like I only skimmed the surface of what is available there! Tuning into my feeling, it felt exciting and adventurous! So I began exploring!
Eliminating “noise” became my first priority. Noise in this context is sshallow information posted on blogs and vlogs with titles and information to attract viewers to make money. They are often superficial, every post for a local are very similar (same places and recommendations), non-local, innaccurate , highlight the “tourist trail”, and often not up to date. Before going to Sumatra, I saw a video titled “everything you need to know about Bukit Lawang from our 36 hours there”. Translation: we weren’t there long, raced through and give you our highlights but nothing too deep, detailed, off the beaten path or useful. Essentially: we know very little but heres our video! I’m not “racing” through experiences but savoring them.
I began digging! Beyond the noise, finding more detailed information and recommendations. Eventually, I began finding options that felt right…that feeling! And then the details emerged. Some companies advertise Pacaya Samiria trips but they are not authorized to enter the reserve. They travel the periphery! Others have a rather rigid schedule for activities.
The two organizations I connected with were different! They have options, but there is no schedule. I determine what my priorities are when I arrive and meet with my guide. The trip evolves from there! That is perfect for me!
I sorted through a lot of tour companies, lodges and recommendations. I am thrilled with the two groups I chose. Both catered to my wishes and I had an awesome experience!
Acatupel is first group I traveled with! My guide was Achilles who has been guiding fo 26 years. Once we reached the river and got loaded up, I did not hear a motor or engine or airplane for five days. The only sound I heard was the river and nature! Awesome!! Here’s their information: Acatupel. Be aware that the only speak Spanish. They might have a few guides with some English. That worked fine for me. Nature speaks through feeling and enthusiasm, not so much with words.
This was such an intimate expeirence with nature! The silence of the canoe, the closeness to nature, quietly observing monkey’s and birds overhead! Listening to the dolphin surface and “chuff” blowing out air only a few feet away! Listening to the forest symphony as the sun was rising begining around 5:15 am and building until the heat put everything into a quiet mode until late afternoon! Watching the afternoon golden light shift and change as the sun set. And I was smack there in the middle of it all! Perfect!!
The second was very similar and that was Tahuayo Lodge. Very accommodating! Communicatoin in advance was stellar. My schedule was organized around my priorities. My guide shifted his idea of “the program” to accomodate my desire. Specifically, we stopped using motorized boats and went by canoe. The canoe is odorless, no noise and brings me closer to nature. That was awesome.
The first experience was more intimate. Tahuayo Lodge is in secondary forest and there was a difference in the birds and wildlife from Pacaya Samiria. When we went deeper into the jungle to the ARC…the Amazon Research Center Lodge, there was more primary forest. It’s smaller and more intimate. I loved my experiencs there!
Favorite and not so favorite moments
I had a great time! This was virtually two different trips, very different experiences. I loved the nature experience in Peru on the Amazon. My favorite was Pacaya Samiria! Tahuayo Lodge was great as well but in a different way. Pacaya Samiria was more primitive. Tahuayo Lodge more comfortable but a bit remote, we had to travel to get into the jungle. However, there were other travelers there. Connecting with other travelers was very nice as was speaking English for a change. My mind could relax! The staff there were amazing helping me get to the clinic for an ear issue and making sure I was taken care of. Rather than primitive sleeping conditions, the rooms were luxurious to me! My conclusion: both were awesome! I felt very fortunate I found two organizations that were so outstanding! I’d like to go back, where I go depends on my priorities at that time.
In Pacaya Samiria, the wildlife was very close. Waking up to birds and howler monkeys, hearing and watchint the dolphin on the river, it felt like I was part of the natural world.
I’ve edited a few favorite moments from the trip. My friend Luuk asked me what was one special moment on the trip? Was there a bird or animal, some special moment that really stood out for me. Yes, there was! However, it was not one moment but a series of them.
Every morning, waking around 5:00 am, hearing the jungle come alive as the sounds of monkeys and birds filled the air until the heat of the day arrived. And watching the light change as the sun rose and the colors changed. I was once again amazed by how many shades of green there are in the jungle!
Below is a collage of images from the experiences. I took thousands of photos and have yet to sort through very many of them. I went through quickly grabbing some memorable moments. Those are in the gallery below.
Enormous amount of Work...and Learning!
Putting a trip like this together with so many different logistical details was a lot of work! And the experience was so totally worth it! In the future, I might break this up and do one country at a time. Therea are two reasons for that. First, I had to be prepared to be extremely patient and trust the process to work out. Simply getting off my boat and into Peru involved: finding a boat that took me to a motorbike taxi. That taxi took me to immigration which did not open for an hour. Immigration was fast and then there was another motorbike taxi to find a boat. That boat took me across the river to Peru. Then, I needed to get another motorbike taxi (within 24 hours) to take me to immigration at the Leticia airport to officially enter Peru.
When I have a trip involving so much uncertainty and flexibility, I build in extra days along the way to simply rest! When I landed at Hotel Yakaruna, I spent several nights just relaxing. I had a hammock in my room, they had a pool, and it was a short motorbike taxi ride into Leticia when I wanted to explore. Perfect!
The second reason is that these were very different types of experiences. My pack was heavier than normal to be prepared for conditions. And some of the advice I received was not accurate. I think I was carrying 10 pounds or more of unnecessary gear. That felt like a burden. Going to one local, for example, the Amazon, would allow me to travel very light. Traveling light is always my preference.
For example, it was suggested I bring along water purifying system. I brought two for the Pacaya Samiria experience. As we loaded the canoe, Achilles loaded thre 5 gallong bottles of water. I never needed any water purifying. Bring a powerbank to keep your electronics charged. Two of the three places we stayed had generator power. I might need the powerbank for a 10 day trip for for this one, it was never used. Bring a poncho….but everyone had ponchos for me to use.
In reality, the first trip to any new place is essentially a research trip. I learn first hand about the climate, transportation, real needs and so forth. When I go back to the Amazon, I’ll know from first hand expeirence what gear is essential for me and I’ll be armed with better questions to ask ahead of time!
Thanks for traveling with me!
Larry