Amazonian Analysis

Coming to you from the airport in Lima...
If there is a slightly disgruntled edge to this posting, it is because the stupid airline company made me check my bag. Having spent two days touring the Lakes in pursuit of the Lowe Alpine Amazon Carry-On, I did somewhat expect it to live up to its name and therefore be carryable onable. Always. The cursed airline decided to check the weight and as was a few kilos over informed me there was no way I could take it aboard with me (despite the fact that the same airline - Taca, to name and shame - accepted it Buenos Aires to Lima mere days ago). Have thus removed laptop, albeit in a black case, and am carrying that around. Not happy.
Far too much from the Amazon to report in one posting. Was a ten day stint with enough for two blogs happening each day but going to have to try to whittle it down into key elements. First one being, never take a bus on so-called Unpaved Roads in S.America, especially not for 26hours. Second one, never believe a boat-captain when he says sure, we will leave in one hour more. One hour more became, in one and two hours chunks, approximately 50hours more. Was thus trapped in a practically non-existent place called Yurimaguas for a few days, bored out of my skull (as was everybody else) but at least had the opportunity to make friends with my hammock. Dont get me wrong, hammocks are awesome - they rock, both literally and in whatever the other terms are - but in the dead of night in the middle of a darn great river, they arent exactly the warmest of bedfellows.
So I have dived in waterpools, recreating those shampoo adverts (although no talking monkeys saying they believe they have been eating the wrong fruit, unfortunately), and trekked in the middle of the jungle. Where there were monkeys, possibly talking about fruit, but more likely cackling at the group of us straggling along slowly drowning in our own sweat. I have coxed a dug-out canoe - with my usual incredible skill - and dived into the Amazon. For ten terrifying days I was also chocolate free, not by choice I hasten to add, and my brain is now buzzing lightly as a result of three Snickers bars I just ate with an element of, hmm, haste. (Well, I had the whole airline baggage scenario to get over...).
Just realised I left my glasses in check-in bag... Curses. And contact lens change is a month over-due so eyes are driving me insane. Sigh. More Snickers are called for.
I will add a few more snippets from time to time as I remember them, but that is generally a brief analysis of the time in the Amazon. Absolutely fantastic - the place is more beautiful every time I come back. To get to see the rainforest as the sun rises over the valleys, wisps of cloud nestling in the tree tops, is magical. I would say out of this world, but obviously it isnt. It is real, it is here - and everyone should go there. Electric blue butterflies as broad as my hand flash past, the most incredibly delicate orchids that nobody else has ever seen and nobody else ever will see appear randomly in the trunk of a fallen tree, monkeys chattering in the trees, birds and insects of colours that I never knew existed. It is impossible to describe the effect the area can have on you: I am actually in danger of becoming, I fear, a tree-hugger. In addition to my vegetarian tendencies I will now protect all flora.
Although since that would mean forfeiting my Mini... Yes, I will just stick to being in awe of whatever it is that created this world. And on that disturbingly positive note, I will leave you as I have a flight to catch to Mexico. Next post, from a Caribbean beach. Take care, dear reader.