It would seem I'm going to be visiting Peru

[Westy78]

Good luck! I've heard some nasty stories about that Malaria medication.

[ruckman101]

This is a newer one that doesn't give you the uber disturbing nightmares. But there are still plenty of side-effects. I'm waiting for the report from Cheryle.


neal

[ruckman101]

Packed. Ready. Waiting to start this adventure. Leaving the mountain in less than three hours.

neal

[hambone]

Safe travels!
PS 4304 NE Wygant Portland 97218

[ruckman101]

What a gauntlet. Nineteen hours to get me to Lima. Ocean air. Whee. Grabbed an identical backpack at baggage claim. Good thing I got thirsty. Couldn't find my water bottle, instead some gel pad shoe inserts. That was close.

Neal

[ruckman101]

Stepping off the plane this morning at final destination of the first leg of my adventure in Iquitos was like walking into a steam-bath.

Cheryle was right. Honda owns the town of Iquitos. Three-wheeled Honda 125 taxis/cargo rigs are overwhelmingly what you see en-masse everywhere. They kind of look like mini Model Ts in profile. And they apparently figure every pedestrian would rather catch a lift.

Next up are motorcycles of the same ilk, small ones. It isn't unusual to spot a family out all packed onto one, a youngster between pilot Dad's legs, lounging over the handle bars, the baby wedged between Pop and Mom on the back, working a bottle as they motor along the city streets. "Helmets? We ain't got no helmets, we don't need no stinking helmets!"

And lastly, a few rare actual cars thrown into the mix. I've spotted only a single VW beetle to date, it had elephant foot tail lights bus was obviously running a swing axle.

Off to cool down with nasty lagers as the sun sets at 6 pm.


neal

[ruckman101]

Today we go off the grid into the jungle proper, hiking half an hour into the retreat. Yesterday was Labor Day in Peru. Shops, businesses closed, and once the sun set the party began. The waterfront park filled with folks, vendors and entertainers. Yes-haw!

Neal

[Jivermo]

Aguas Calientes is a known tourist ripoff. Do your homework is you are planning to stay there...Trip Advisor can be of great benefit.

[Amskeptic]

Today we go off the grid into the jungle proper, hiking half an hour into the retreat. Yesterday was Labor Day in Peru. Shops, businesses closed, and once the sun set the party began. The waterfront park filled with folks, vendors and entertainers. Yes-haw!

Neal

How late into the night does their partying go? Is there gringo-style electrically-amplified music, or more natural ambient music?
Colin

[ruckman101]

We are back in Iquitos. Our jungle "resort", DAS, is an ayahuasca spiritual retreat the subject of our video documentary is staying at. Ceremonies are held Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Partying? More like quiet reflection and sharing of ceremony experiences, everyone retiring shortly after the sun sets at 6:30, 7 pm. Quite the international draw. Our subject is french/venezualan, who lives in the Seattle area, a couple guys from London, another from Argentina, Turkey, and one more fresh one from somewhere, but not USA. On the plane in, I met a couple going to a different ayahuasca camp from Australia. Big business here.

Cheryle just got out of the shower, time for me to wash off the jungle.


neal

[ruckman101]

Today we go off the grid into the jungle proper, hiking half an hour into the retreat. Yesterday was Labor Day in Peru. Shops, businesses closed, and once the sun set the party began. The waterfront park filled with folks, vendors and entertainers. Yes-haw!

Neal

How late into the night does their partying go? Is there gringo-style electrically-amplified music, or more natural ambient music?
Colin

Oh oh oh oh, you meant Labor Day festivities. That's very different. Seemed very family friendly, barbecues, beers. The plaza and riverfront areas filled with folks, no stages with loud speakers, just street vendors selling snacks, carnivalesque, street performers, all the fountains were turned on. It gets dark at 6 pm, no one gathering until then. Things seemed to be picking up as we headed back to our room about 8:30 for an early rise to travel by trike taxi and chicken bus 48 kilometers out of Iquitos to the trailhead of the ayahuasca retreat.

Neal

[ruckman101]

This afternoon we went to the market. Got myself essentially a hand-rolled cigarillo of very strong, dark tobacco, but instead of being roped in a tobacco leaf, a coca leaf was used.
Curious.

And Jivermo, we have the Lonely Planet guide to Peru and are planning on staying in Ollantaytambo near Macchu Pinchu rather than Aqua Caliente. Thanks for the heads-up. I'll check out Trip Advisor, an online guide I'm presuming?

neal

[Westy78]

So, did you take part in the ayahuasca ceremony? I've heard a lot about it from multiple different people and they all say it's life changing.

[ruckman101]

I did not. Waffled right up to the point, could have, maybe, but hadn't really prepared myself spiritually, with adherence to a recommended diet and abstinence from (gasp) alcohol, bringing a fifth of booze with me, and realized a one time experience wasn't going to cut it anyway. The malaria meds I've been taking were also a no-no according to this shaman. Like peyote, there can be a purging process, but unlike peyote it may involve more that just puking. I had no depends with me.

neal

[Westy78]

Oh yeah, the purging from both ends are a common thread in all the stories I've heard.