The Amazon River & Jungle.....

From the incredible Machu Picchu, we made our way north to Iquitos, a small, chaotic and noisy town on the edge of the Amazon jungle. And from here, with the help of the crazy american hunter "Jimmy" we started our jungle adventure.....

We have been cruising the amazon river in dugout canoes, searching for caymans (baby aligators), anacondas, fishing for piranas, admiring the huge and colourful butterflys and glowing fireflys, chasing monkeys, watching the playful river dolphins, turtles and camping in the jungle whilst native rats the size of cats cruise around our tent and the mozzies attack us through our clothes!!

After running out of drinking water (slight oversight by our trip organisers!!!), we returned a day early to crazy Iquitos. Unfortunatley our camera spat it before this part of the trip, then Tom's memory stick packed up, so we are relying on our Dutch companians for photos. We have uploaded some below.

THE END OF THE ROAD.....
And so, after 15 months of incredible travelling experiences, we head back to London tonight, to a world without backpacks ............

Mick, our guide Walter, Eduardo, Christian, Tash, Tom, Saskia, Dennis & Anna on our last day in the jungle and we are ready for showers!!!!

Creepy crawlies of the jungle....

One of the Piranas Mick caught!!!

They chop down vines, then drain out the fresh water....here is Dennis enjoying a drink!

Our guide Walter chopped a path through the jungle with his machete on this 5hr epic walk. The humidity is unbearalbe, but the adventure was worth it!

Anna swinging on the huge vines in the jungle....it was awesome, just like Tarzan!!!

Sunset in the amazon...beautiful! After the sun goes down, brightly lit fireflys come out and the jungle looks like something out of the movies!

The taranchala that made it´s way into our campsite....urgh!!!

Paddling in our dug out canoe to a new campsite along the river

A game of volleyball with the local kids proved to be entertainment for most of the villagers.....

Some local kids in the village

A local couple weaving baskets..

Dug out canoes: fortunately we didnt have to use these "sinking" ones....

The house (hut) where we ate and camped at on the first night.

Arriving at the village in the amazon on our first day of our trip and getting ready for the enslaught of mossies....