Peru – Day 7

Day 7 of our Itinerary:

Early morning we head to Atalaya port. On our way we would make a stop at The Rescue Center for Wildlife where we saw spider monkeys, tapirs, and other animals. Our guide also showed us the Jagua fruit also called Huito. It’s a fruit that temporarily stains the skin blue used as a sunscreen and mosquito repellent. It was super neat.

Once we were at the port we would break off into two groups since we were a larger group (17 people). Unfortunately, I was split from Joe and Dylan which I didn’t understand and made this part of the trip not as fun as it could be. Plus the group I was in were more Spanish speaking and spoke some English. Still okay but I think this would have been better had I been grouped with the friends I came with. We would go to the same locations but just at different times especially in the forest. As a whole group we would only do some things together but not all.

We boat on Madre de Dios River and stop at a natural hot springs where we take a nice dip in warm waters and have lunch afterwards. We would boat again and reach the Bonanza Lodge, where we would stay the night.  I would get my own cabin next to the others since there was an odd number. It was two to a cabin. Dylan and Joe would stay in one and the others paired up as well. Having my own cabin sounded good at first but it would not have electricity like the rest of the others. Not that it was a lot of electric current going through, but just enough to keep the light on in the pitch darkness of the night. We were the only ones here in the jungle in a sort of camping situation. No other buildings nearby, no cities for miles. We had traveled about 4+ hours by boat after a couple hour bus ride. So we were out there in the Amazon “alone”.

Bus Ride

Night Exploring

After dinner, we would trek for about an hour or two in the surrounding area. We carried our flashlights, wore our provided boots and our raincoats and headed into the darkness. What surprised me was that our guides can spot nocturnal creatures pretty easily. I’m sure they knew where some creatures inhabited but definitely harder to spot a tarantula in some vegetation, unless really they were everywhere. (They were not, I don’t think, otherwise I would have freaked out more).

Evening

I just wanted to go to bed and pass out after trekking. Unfortunately, I had a guest in my cabin. Besides my cabin not having electricity, nor having a light bulb to turn on, I was pretty much in the dark with my flashlight which I had to wind up every minute or so or it would turn off. So as I was prepping to go to bed, I saw in the shadow of the T-post which held up the mosquito net, this giant spider waiting. Of course, I didn’t have my phone on me because it was charging in the dining room building. And then it started to downpour. It was only lightly raining minutes ago, but then it swept in. The tin roof intensified how loud it was even more so. And yet, I had to go to bed with this spider looming. I had to do something. Good thing there were two beds to a cabin. But I had no intention of fixing up the second bed. I had already made this bed and set up the mosquito net and all.

What to do with the spider right above where I would sleep?  I would catch it, I thought. With what? So I looked around. My thought while trying to scramble around my things and winding the flashlight, was that I would catch it and show everyone. I would be so “jungle” (not really a proper usage or phrase anyone uses). I found a ziplock bag which contained miscellaneous things. I dumped the contents out and I would carefully balance myself to be shoulder level with the spider and the top part of the T-post. But first thing, I would slowly need to unhook the mosquito netting. And then it happened. The Holy **** moment. As I tried carefully unhooking the mosquito netting, the spider felt the post shake and it shot across the post with it’s ginormous legs. Oh my God!! Where did it go? Rain is pouring harder. I’m winding this flashlight to have light. Everyone I assumed was asleep. Joe and Dylan were in another group so they were in another location. I didn’t know where my guide was. He was probably sleeping too. And now, this ginormous spider was hiding somewhere where I needed to sleep.

Seriously, when I finally calmed myself of my “Oh ****” moment, I got the courage to look under the bed, and partially in the sheets. I just needed to know where the spider ended up. But nothing. I have no clue where it went, or where it hid. I just didn’t want to get bit and get crawled on. So after an already long day with a high probability of an early start again in the morning, I prepped the second bed. At this point I just wanted to sleep. I just let it go and almost didn’t care anymore. I was still in the Amazon, with the rain pouring down, in the darkness of the night.