Iquitos/Nauta

515 left for lima airport to fly to Iquitos. Early morning and long drive to the airport. Not many people awake. The flight checkin was all handled by guides so was easy. The flight to Iquitos was relatively short except for a stopover in a small town callled Pullcalpa and we couldnt leave our seats. The boat guides met us and handled oue luggage, then gave eveyone a bottle of water as we got on our shot bus. They took us straight to a Manatee preserve. Just as it sounds. It is rehab for release into the wild. Look like turtles as babies and mutants as adults! Somehow adorable though. Had a chance to feed them. They lòoked like something out of a syfy movie when they ate but it was oddly adorable! Then we had a 2.5 HR bus ride to Nauta, to meet the boat. The guides tried to educate us on the ride but needed a microphone. We couldn't hear in the back. Everyone I saw was sleeping for the most part. I ad to close the curtain since the sun was straight on my face but not before I got sunburned! I was just too tired to close it earlier. When we got to Nauta and off the boat the first thing I Noticed was the smell! And I had to wear a life vest that stank like that smell as we took a skiff to the Amatista. The boat accomodations are not for anyone whose standards are above motel 6. (Best to avoid cabin 101!) Keep in mind It's an adventure cruise on an old boat! Lunch on the boat was good, and at 4, we took our first jaunt on the river. Saw sloths right away! Love those! Also a hawk, someone said a monkey, other birds I don't remember... No daylight savings time in Peru so it was pretty much darkt by the time we got back to the boat at 1830. Then they had AWESOME local music before dinner up on the observation deck! It was 3 guys from the kitchen (I call them the Peruvian mariachi band) and they rocked all 9 planets!Read more