We had signed up for some volun-tourism and it wasn't until we were on the plane approaching touchdown that the value of added research into the Peruvian Amazon and sponsoring organization started to become apparent. It wasn't an idea we had even naturally arrived at, rather it was highlighted in a magazine article we happened coincidentally to pick up.
"Number 1 - carefully research your destination and the organization you are signing on to work with." Well, I suppose that's a fail starting off, but we won't let that deter us. We shall overcome this lack of preparation with extra amounts of flexibility, a strong sense of humor and open minds. We also do have some travel experience so aren't that green going into the jungles of Peru. That's an evocative turn of phrase isn't it ? "the jungles of Peru".
We had discussed (with some trepidation on my part I might add) the idea of doing this as compared to some other options. "We" in this case, is my son and I, and for the sake of anonymity and ease, let's call him John. We had discussed the Amazon and it seemed exotic to both us, neither had been before but via public television, many books and a natural level of curiosity we felt familiar with it - conceptually anyway. I think I'd feel the same way about traveling to the moon, a very grey, dusty area with a pock marked landscape. The Amazon meant buggy overgrown bush, a lazy river with muddy waters and the frequent screeching of birds and monkeys. Watery, soggy land that was difficult to move through, forcing you back to the river and the impenetrable wall of green.
John was eager for the Amazon and I was accommodating. Don't get me wrong, I want to be here. But if we had done something else I wouldn't have been heart broken. The natural world is but one of the many areas of our planet I find thrilling to discover. My small trepidation as mentioned was more about venturing into the unknown. En Espanol.
Luckily the first night passed upon arrival in Peru without incident and in fact we watched Animal Planet to get to sleep. Thank goodness at times for 3* hotels and global cheap-to-make/sell-TV. After what seemed an incredible brief few hours we found ourselves back at the airport - a fine airport by the way - and on the way to Puerto Maldanado, or PM for short. Post a short intermediate stop in Cusco, we arrived at the kind of airport you know signifies the developing world. Concrete floors, a tin roof and the ability to see the lawn tractor pull your baggage up. Needless to say it puts the glass and concrete 22nd century airports of the world to shame in terms of simplicity and ability to get the job done. Bag safely in hand we proceeded into the hordes. Does 30 greeters count as a hordes ? I guess not but for a place this small proportionality ought to count for something. At this point the trip moved into primo territory. We were approached by a small man driving a Tuk-tuk. Thats our name for it by the way. It's a 3 wheel motorbike contraption, a covered small engined urban assault vehicle from the Indian army in the 1930's. Cute, funky and very local. Top speed might be 25 if it weren't for the two large Canadians in the back.
We broke some of my own cardinal travel rules on this Tuk-tuk transfer. We went down abandoned dirt trails and we exited the vehicle with bags inside as it couldn't climb a steep hill. (Silly us thinking that exiting was enough, we had to push it up the hill!). It was pretty magnificent though. A fine and fitting start to the days ahead.
Our destination was the Amazon Shelter and it is run by Magila Salinas. An amazing lady that has had many lives and yet remains both young at heart and spirit. Greeting us with two baby howler monkey clinging to her, she immediately evokes both kindness and caring for the place she created with her jungle friends. As we would learn over the coming days, it's all about helping the sick, injured, displaced and 'humanized' jungle animal for her. She's quite happy to set it free immediately if it's ok, but is also happy to feed it - uncompromisingly should it wish to hang around. As you might imagine with a place like this, there are some creatures that roam freely but elect to stay close. A wild howler monkey named Karen is never far, while some local bright macaws fly in and out to keep company with the sheltered birds that have had their wings clipped to make them someone's ornamental pets. Our days are filled with the primary care of the animals, twice a day feedings of them as well as minor improvements such as creating new green space in shelters, replacing or creating enclosures for the animals and doing small improvements to the Shelter overall such as making basic items like doors to close the animal food supply area. The whole area is one vast DIY project waiting for capable, creative types to volunteer here.
We made it to town a few times. And "town" nicely covers off the best and worst of Puerto Maldanado. It had the look and feel of the frontier about it. There are services - the banks and simple lawn- chair variety Internet cafes of course and the townies that have elected to make their livelihood from those pushing farther and harder as Magila does. Markets that formally exist on Saturdays in stalls (and we think these are quaint in our home areas) sit informally in dirt by the roadside at all other times. We buy a few pounds of loose apples and onions for 4 Nuevo Sol - about a dollar eighty. Some commodities are cheap. We also visit the hardware store where a drill power tool we would see in Home Depot for $49 is listed at $500. Some commodities aren't cheap. Town with it's dust, whizzing motorbikes, people milling aimlessly and their focus on very basic capitalism and the least effort required, make us want to give up the cell phone coverage and get back to the jungle, our idealized vision of Amazonia with mother earth herself and her humanized creatures.
The nature of running a reserve like this though requires town to be close though. One day we make three trips, looking for food for the animals- these animals eat well, fruititarians of the world would jealously envy their diet. The Vet is also 12 kms away down a dirt trail that pretends to be the main road. (A main need not be paved, but should allow 2 cars to pass and should not require a machette in the car to clear the path when trees fall). The Vet is on retainer and is asked to diagnose lethargic Maccaws, swollen paws on Howler monkeys and all else. Being Mother Earth means no animal comes to harm if avoidable. The Darwinian principles in effect in the jungle without human interference are set aside at the Amazon Shelter, as the presence and impact of people on the creatures is giving them the full benefit of the doubt. It's affirmative action in a pure form, delivered in a context of love. It's both touching and humbling to see in person.
The Shelter itself exists within the elements. If it's cold, then it's cold here, as it was for us for the first days. 10C/50F doesn't sound cold but with no heating or window glass and an admittedly summer wardrobe, it's chilly. The animals hunker down too and the jungle becomes quiet. That's apparent when it does warm up and the place springs to life, vibrant with noise and movement. The comparison with Canadian wilderness is almost startling as Canada remains so large that the animals have vast territories, leaving a given chunk of boreal forest to the odd chipmunk and toads. It's eerily quiet in Canada's north and a symphony in the Amazon. When it's warm.
Movement too becomes apparent as the presence of people (and food) brings the scavengers in close. We slept with rats and there were nightly raids on the kitchen too. These little beasts are also loved, but perhaps slightly less so. The roofs are authentic and porous to any creature with some persistence and teeth/claws. There's a reason we don't do thatch roofs any longer it seems. In the forests (and rooms) lizards and frogs abound as well. All abound in the great mosaic that makes up life here.
While here, we went to the beach and John even swam in the river. Beach is perhaps a touch optimistic as a way of looking at the stretch of clay/sand that constitutes the other river bank but it was interesting and squishy. I know my feet and ankles got a hot mud treatment I'd have to pay big money for in a spa at home. Here the challenge is how to get the sludge off. The boat to get across was also interesting as it was a dugout canoe with sides no higher that 4 inches, but then there are no waves here. Paddles were 1x3 wooden boards and we sat on the muddy floor. Amidst all this authenticity, some things in our world don't change. Hector our guide immediately pulled his mobile out upon reaching the other side (500 feet perhaps) to see if he had a signal. The Shelter sits at the very edge of usable phone service it seems. Our modern world superimposed on the Amazonian people here. Nice one Nokia.
Life and death are the common themes here while we visit. One Maccaw is cured then dies the following day, a parrot arrives and then also dies. Local night monkeys voluntarily catch themselves into newly cleaned enclosures and the struggles of the resident king of the property - Pepe - a 12-14 year old blind Howler monkey - to stay well in the cold, occupies the hearts and minds of Magila and those who help her. Other concerns seems to fall to insignificance as maintaining life for all becomes the focus.
Help comes in many forms though. There are students regularly appearing doing the equivalent of volunteer hours in biology, veterinary science or even tourism while at University. There are some kind-hearted locals that give food, and there are the local other tourism business owners recognizing that the Amazon Shelter has a value proposition no one else in the area matches. It's a handy hour or two side trip from a local lodge and these other Eco-business owners see it's in their own best interests to see Mother Earth succeed. Mostly though the place is driven from the seemingly boundless passion that is Magila herself. Fiercely independent, loving and focussed she knows how to survive in Peru's system. I imagine someone like Diane Fossey had a similar aura. But it's fascinating to see the unquestioned passion for yourself. It's chaotic and unquestioning, as moment by moment priorities shift on a dime and her own needs never come first. Health, wealth and fame aren't the desired outcome, and are not even the wanted side effect. It's all about the good that can be done at that moment for her animals. She is selflessness personified.
We leave the Amazon Shelter with mixed feelings. On one hand our week of roughing it in our jungle lodge hut, sleeping with rats and other marsupials around us leaves us wanting a small degree of our pampered western lives. To be fair, any creature discomforts (funny?) are outweighed by the great food and hospitality shown to us. I know we did good work and contributed, making a small long term improvement in the situation for the Shelter. It's the proudest I've ever personally been of a completed DIY project. But we see the position we leave them in, and grand passion and design notwithstanding, it's a small operation in a big jungle. I recognize in myself that I've never felt as strong a desire to do more for place than I have here. It needs more help and my own fear is that I'll return to the details and commercial shallowness of my life and forget. I can't speak for how John feels but I see it's affected him too.
We move and spend two days at Posada Amazonas - a local jungle lodge featuring guided touring of various jungle environments. It feels like arriving at the Four Seasons and satiates our need for luxury and pampering. The need for comfort runs deep it seems. It's farther into the jungle and very remote, accessed by bus and boat. The rooms are elegant and feature an open wall to the jungle - but by now we are used to sleeping with the noise of the scuttle of little paws in the night around the bed, secure in our nets.
The lodge hikes are varied and interesting and while we don't get the animal proximity of the Amazon Shelter, we do get to see them as they really are in the wild. Giant River Otters, Caiman, Agouti's and Capybara sightings are highlights but the need to view animals pre dawn means we are treated to the haunting chorus of wild Howler monkeys just before the sun rises daily. It's unearthly in tone and in the pre-dawn darkness. As wonderful as the Lodge is, the 40 degree heat and early starts and late nights to view active game take it's toll in two days. We leave happy to be on the way home, humming from our time in Peru.
I have travelled extensively but rarely have I come away from a trip as stirred as I have been here. Peru is special as I imagine all places are, but the natural abundance here combined with some very special people make this a place worth exploring. You will fine amazing things out about yourself.
