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The last night in Cuiabá, the hostel was invaded by a group of students from the south of Brazil...I've never had so many people wanting to talk to me and practice their english! Met the sweetest guy with the biggest dreams in the world!Again I got confirmation of how lucky I am to have freedom to choose what I want to do with my life...
The next morning I left for the airport to catch my flight towards Manaus and the Amazon. I arrived in the middle of the night and I got picked up at the airport. Slept for 2 hours and went to Gero's to book my tour. Met Vincent who charmed me with all his norwegian frases and he gave me an interactive tour with the google map. In the end he gave me a good price for 5 days in the jungle cause he liked my nose...(sometimes you have to take the advantage of being a solo female traveller!) I went with three people from Canada to Mamuri Lodge, south in the amazon with our guide, Massa from Gyuana...
First we left Manaus with boat and saw the meeting of the amazonas river (white) and negro river (black). The water from the two rivers doesn't mix for another 5-6 km and you could see the "white" water and black water seperated... Went down Transamazonia for 40 km to a tiny village where we got on to the Ara?river. At the moment the water level in the amazon is medium and the mosquitos are fierze. We arrived a the lodge and the rest of the day we swam in the river (with all the piranjas, caimans and snakes) and did a boat trip on the river in a canoe. Watched the sunset from Juma Lake. In the evening we had dinner, played cards, fought against insects and went to bed really early! The second day we went for a jungle hike. Saw three taratulas, some medicin trees and monkeys. The humidity was horrible and I was almost dying in the heat but the hike was fantastic! After lunch we went fishing for piranjas and I caught 8 this time! On the way back Mamma caught two caimans and got to hold them...very cute! Third day I talked to Mamma cause the canadians were returning to Manaus. I asked him about Ararinha Jungle Hotel which is owned by Gero Tours. I decided to swop lodge and join a new group. I was so sad when I couldn't bring Massa with me cause he was fantastic!!! The boat picked me up and now I was in a group with two girls from the french part of Canada and three austrian guys. This Lodge was much nicer but I missed Massa all day. My new guide, Joshua was also from Guyana but he was young an very 'cool'! Actaully you could sence the macho atmosphere here and the guides loved to tell their adventerous stories... Saw a thunderstorm passing by the lodge and the doors where all around the place! The rain was coming in everywhere cause there are no windows...exciting! Went fishing again and after dinner we went caiman hunting. Josh caught the third one which was 1 meter, while he held two in his left hand. Too bad we couldn't hold this one but I got to knock him on his head to open his mouth...poor animal! By the end of the day Josh improved a bit but still I was struggling with the chemestry between us, the girls were lovely but soooo different from me and the guys were really sweet! Fourth day we went hiking. The boattrip getting there was fantastic. The forest was so dense so I saw some good manchetework going on! That's what I wanted! The jungle here was denser and the humidity was horrible again. We saw more spiders, some huge antz and loads of trees! On the way back the rain came and we got soaked on the way back! Found a new friend, this timy green frog who sat on my hand throughout the trip... In the afternoon we went on a boattrip and saw two slots! They were really far away and I was so dissapointed that I didn't have a chance to hold one. Saw laods of grey and pink dolhins as well...After dinner we went fishing for monkfish with a speard. One of the austrian guys fell twice, once in the boat and once in the river! Poor thing...We didn't catch that many fish obviously... In the evening I had my own fight, with Josh...me fighting against him trying to kiss me! You never expect that from your guide, do you??? Poor boy.... Fifth day we went to see caboclos (mix between indigenous and white people) and how they live. It was really basic but there were so many children! Left from Manaus after lunch and I was so sad! I really enjoyed the jungle, the people I met and the atmosphere at the lodges. I loved all the people working in Gero Tours (even Josh...he was just very young!)
Back in Manaus I went to see Vincent again. We had some typical fruit from Gyuana and we talked. He was so sweet! In the evening I went for pizza dinner with the girls and it was fantastic with some different food again! The food at the lodges were tasty but it was the same for lunch and dinner every day... Today I'm flying down to the south again, to Curitiba...sigh!
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