By the time we got sick of Uno, it was nearly time to check in… and once it was time the lines surprised us. Apparently international flights all take place in the early morning hours here, and there were hundreds of people waiting to check in. On top of that, we were told to use the check-in machines (the machines weren’t able to find the records, Latam airlines had some things to work on here I think) and once we were finally placed in a check-in line after complaining the staff took as long as they possibly could to help us… to the point that people in our line behind us began complaining as well before they finally chose us “next” to the counter (there were multiple lines, multiple counters, and they kept picking other lines). They informed us that they weren’t going to be able to seat us together, gave us whatever seats they had (which ended up being aisle and window in different rows, so not the most terrible thing ever), and we boarded the plane to Lima.
In Lima, to contrast, the Latam staff was amazingly helpful, and after getting our bags through customs (They temporarily lost Jen’s, but that’s been the story of this entire trip for one or the other of us) we grabbed empanadas and coffee at a local shop before touring the airport a bit. Jen likes to walk around airports, while I tend to prefer finding where I’m supposed to be and settling in… so she went to look around while I sat and waited, and soon we were on our way to Puerto Maldonado, and the Amazonian Jungle.
We landed at Puerto Maldonado, and the airport is only slightly bigger than Hodespruit in South Africa (with its arrival hut, and departure hut). We were greeted by our representative from Inkaterra and we climbed in a bus with about twenty others. As it would turn out, all but four were headed to other Inkaterra properties, and Jen and I met two Australian ladies who would spend the first two days with us on the excursions.
Baggage Claim at Puerto Maldonado
In the bus across town, I took a minute to reflect on the fact that poverty looks the same no matter where you are. In parts of Africa, and India, I’d already become familiar with the small shops that front living quarters, and how high unemployment generates a trade economy where many open their own business out of their house. Puerto Maldonado appears to have some pockets of wealth, but there is a wide divide between those that have, and those that have not. We drove through town, and discussed how today was a holiday in Peru, and most people were not out and about but celebrating with family. Eventually, we traded the bus for a powered boat just outside of Peurto Maldonado, and headed up the river for about 40 minutes. Eventually we saw it from a distance, and I was bummed as my camera was now packed under all my clothes and wasn’t accessible, but the boat pulled up to a wooden staircase, and they had us climb from the boat to the dock and up to the main lodge.
On the boat to Inkaterra
In the lodge, we received a full briefing and a map of the place. We were encouraged to wander around but never to enter the jungle alone due to wild animals and bugs, and then were shown to our rooms. The room here is a hut on the ground (not the tree hut, unfortunately!), but on stilts. They’re elevated about four feet to keep us out of the rain when it comes, and resemble the wooden hut you’re imagining right now. The roofs are thatched, and the entire place is very open. Mosquito netting makes up most of the walls in the front of the cabin, and the only real enclosures you’ll find are around the toilet and shower to provide privacy. You can somewhat shield the bed from prying eyes by pulling sliding walls closed, but not really. I think there is something that is meant to be intimate about this place, but it’s also just a little bit unnerving as well… people really could look in on you any time they wanted. It’s quaint somehow, however, and I found myself enjoying it.
Our Cabin
The bed has mosquito netting that is held at half-height all day and can be tucked under the bed at night. The housekeeping staff drops the netting every evening around five, and lights lanterns in the front room, the bathroom, and on the steps up to the room. You need them, and also handheld flashlights (provided by Inkaterra) while you’re here… as the only light in the cabin is a small lamp by the head of the bed. At night you take the flashlights with you for your excursions, as the sun goes down at five and it’s dark by six or seven depending on the clouds. Tonight wouldn’t be too dark, but we would see it in the days to come for sure. We settled in quickly, and then had a late lunch provided in the main lodge. We were then told to enjoy our evening and that we had a nighttime river drive at seven (also dinner time here). We were also given two free tickets for pisco sours at the bar (happy hour two-for-one at six!), and we were there right on time to give them a try. Jen found out how strong they were pretty quickly, not having had one before, and the bar was also nice enough to offer “pisco lessons” for free, and let her make another one herself.
I think I’m going to like this…
By the time we got to the river tour, we were both enjoying the results of a few too many passion fruit pisco drinks, and we had a good time even though we didn’t see too many animals. The boat ride was good, we talked a bit with the Australian women we met earlier in the day about Antarctica (one of them is going in a few days on a boat very similar to ours, if not ours), and soon it was time for dinner and bed.
The food here, on the first day, almost seemed to be an apology for Buenos Aires, and I hastily dug in. The lunch had been very good and the dinner, though I don’t remember what I had, was also fantastic. For desert I had a mixture of local fruits with tree honey, and went to bed very satisfied with everything today… with a few reservations about the “roughing it” aspects of the room so far (toilet paper can’t go down the drain so they’ve placed a small basket next to the toilet, ants in a few places in the cabin, no lights, etc..).
