The Amazon and all its glorious heat!

After the Shaman Dialogues, several of us did a post-conference trip to the Amazon jungle. I had been years before, but to an area farther north of Iquitos. This was to be the jungle southeast of Cusco, closer to Argentina.

When I talk about heat, I mean heat like you will never experience unless you go there yourself. 98 degrees outside, with probably 98 - 100% humidity. To say it was a sauna is an understatement! Needless to say, the ecolodge where we stayed had no need of "hot" water. The water for showers was very cold, but in that heat it felt wonderful!

Despite all this grumbling, the Amazon is truly an amazing place. To be in the jungle is to be surrounded, enveloped, nurtured, caressed by Mother Nature in ways we don't normally get to experience. The plants are huge! For example, we took a hike one day and passed a 600-year old tree, which the guide said would live to 1000 years. One of the root areas of the tree was taller, broader, bigger than all of us together.

The macaws were beautiful, and to see them flying free, rather than caged in a zoo, was a sight! Not just one, several of them made their home at the ecolodge. Understandably, since they got food every day!

Thankfully on our walks we no saw no slithery snakes, no weird animals, no jaguars, nothing scary. The only strange thing was to have the guide open what looked like a nut from a tree, and inside there was a larva, worm type thing. Apparently they are quite "yummy". When I say this was strange it's because one of our gals decided to try it. EWWWWWW! I could barely watch her eat it, yet she did with no side effects. No way I would do that!

I do love the jungle, but I truly believe I am done with trips there. Way too hot for my body now, and I've "been there, done that."