Southern Hemisphere Travels

A bit of a late post but better late than never!!

The morning of the 20th me and Rob got up early at around 5:30 to see if we could spot any hummingbirds from the hammock room, as this is when they are seen most often. And fortunately, we were lucky enough to spot one! We watched as it darted from tree to tree, so small and delicate as it hovered by the flowers. It was near enough impossible to photograph, although lucky for us it paused on a branch and had a little stretch of its wings, so we got a pretty good shot then.

Today we set off early on the boat at around 6:30 to do some morning birdwatching before breakfast. The early morning light on the river and the lodge was beautiful and it was really serene at this time, especially with barely anyone else up and about.

We set off along the river downstream and saw plenty of birds, especially hawks, sitting close up in the trees either side of the river. We saw a Squirrel Cuckoo, Yellow-headed Cacaras, White Ear Jacamars, Greater Ani, Swallow Wings, Black Collared Hawks and Kingfishers.

After another great breakfast, we headed off into the jungle straight behind the lodge towards the activity of the day...the canopy zip line!

We were with Jess and Anthony again and joined by a new couple from America and Ireland who had just arrived. One of the guides soon stopped us and pointed up high into one of the trees. There were two adorable owl monkeys!!! Just hiding away in a hole up high, poking out their heads. We were handed binoculars for a closer look and they really did look a lot like owls. Massive eyes and a beautiful face, staring down at us. They don't come out in the day so we were pretty lucky to see them awake, even if they were huddled in a hole.

We saw more of the usual birds and insects for the next 20 minutes whilst chatting to the new people and discussing how amazing the jungle is, as well as just how hot it is. It was early morning and after a short walk, we were sweating buckets already. You don't notice it so much after a while though, it is just a permanent state of being and the beauty of everything else wins over.

It wasn't too long before we arrived at the zipline ground platform and walked up the wooden steps to sit down at last and await getting harnessed in. Looking up at the platform in the canopy made your belly go a bit funny...it was high!!
There were two options to get up, being hoisted up by the guides, or trying the hard way, using reverse gri gri's and a foot sling. Safe to say after watching our guide Andy hoist himself up there the majority of us girls immediately recognised it would be impossible. The men of course either wanted a go, or figured they had to try, being men and all of course.

I was the first to be hoisted on up and I have to give a lot of thanks to the guides on the ground for getting me up. They must have been knackered by the time they had got all three of us up there, especially when you consider they are very small compared to most of us. The view on the way up was half amazing and half terrifying. You are awfully high and just dangling there, moving up and up half a meter at a time. Getting up on to the platform my legs felt a little like jelly but I managed to climb up the ladder to the second level to await the rest of the gang.
The American girl (can't remember her name) then had a go at hoisting herself up the hard way, however didn't get too far before opting for the hoist. At least she had a go! She was up next and then Jess, who commented on how tired the guides looked and that they seemed glad the boys were all going to opt for getting themselves up there.

Rich was the first to have a go and he made it up in great time, Andy seemed quite impressed. He clambered up to join us and seemed exhausted, with a very achey arm and leg that he figured would hurt in the morning. Next up was Anthony, he got himself to the top a little slower, but I don't think it was a contest, it was clear just how hard it was and lots of shouts for encouragement came from the ground and the canopy. And so another exhausted guy joined us in the canopy. Next up the Irish guy, again arriving exhausted and making me more and more sure I had made the right choice. Finally, Rob was up, he made a really good and fast start and seemed to have the hang of the process, but he may have started too fast and hit a block just over half way. He didn't give up though. It may have taken longer and he had a few extra breathers but despite the pain and exhaustion, he made it to the top. After struggling to get himself onto the wooden canopy he had a bit of a rest on the lower deck before climbing the ladder to the rest of us. This was where Rob seemed to decide it would be a good place to have a nap and pass out. I could tell a moment before when I saw his very pale and yellow face but couldn't do much to stop it. He slid down the ladder and hit the deck, right up in the trees. Andy broke his fall as best he could but was on the wrong side to make much difference. He couldn't at least have fallen out of the tree due to the guide rope. Still...it was not nice to watch and was pretty scary. After some more water and another rest though he seemed well enough to join us and was quickly voted the manliest man by the men for sheer determination. Male pride for you! He is fine now Adele, just a couple of bruises!

We all spent some time taking in the view from the top of the trees and it was spectacular. Lush green trees stretched for miles around us to the horizon and we looked in awe whilst listening to the crazy sounds of the jungle. Giant insects kept buzzing by and there was a small army of large but harmless ants scurrying along one of the branches. We learnt that a team from America had set the canopy zipline up and it was pretty awesome the way they had suspended it in the trees.

Rich and a couple of others climbed even higher up some rungs to the very top of our tree. I believe the view was great but every time I looked up my belly did a flip and I thought it best not to go up myself. As for Rob, we decided giving it a miss might just be for the best, also I think his muscles had seized to work properly by now.

ZIPLINE TIME!!!

Well, this bit was obviously awesome!!! Flying through the trees so high in the air. Rob was one of the last across and certainly looked like the one who enjoyed it the most, with a huge grin on his face and his arms and legs stretched out. I think he was OK now!

The second platform was far more wobbly in that it shook when people joined from the other platform. So that was a fun surprise when you are standing and don't know this. One of the guides who we hadn't spent much time with, I think he was mostly a tech guy, was INSANE! At first, he was attached only with a rope tied around his waist, and then...with nothing! He helped to hoist one of the other guides with nothing on and gave Rich a little scare when his welly slipped. Fortunately, his view on our safety was much higher!

After all three ziplines it was time to head back down. We were given gloves and tied into a system in which we would be lowered as we loosened our grip of the rope. I was second and started out very slow until being told to loosen my grip, which seemed like the opposite to what you should do dangling so high in the air! I did though and you could feel the heat coming through the gloves as you slid down. Eventually, we all got down safe and sound and finally got free from our harnesses again. Such an amazing experience! Wish I could do it again.

Back at the lodge we were also lucky enough to spot a snake! Yellow and white and curled around the beams holding up some of the wooden walkway. Can't remember the species now but it was pretty cool.

Time for lunch after that, we were exhausted. Had some delicious mangos with lunch, which considering I don't like them in the UK, I tried them and my mind was blown. These are not like the mangos in England, these are so so sweet and tasty! Yum! I love it here! Czytaj więcej