“Can you hear the rain coming?!!!”, Bogota, June 30th, 2011

Over the 6 weeks I travelled with Thomas the German word “Wahnsinn” (means amazing) has become the symbol of our experiences. May it have been big impressions like the Galapagos we just returned from or little happenings like the soup we had this Friday (June 24^th) evening in the old town of Quito -- “My first chicken soup with a real chicken in it!” Thomas said. After the salt flats from Bolivia or latest with Machu Picchu in Peru we believed the “Highlight” catching is over. Far from that, Galapagos set a new high and even that would still be to challenge with a life time adventure, going deep into the Amazon.

Time was running out, also 45 days end at some point and so we trusted the very first travel agent in Quito, booked 4 days Amazonas and enjoyed the evening in old colonial Quito. Thomas bought me a little painting of a pig as I am a lucky man and it proved to be right the very next day. From the take off via the lodge to the ride back this tour was perfectly organized, included the most friendly and competent people, gave adventure to the limit and left an impression deep in your heart and soul. Therefore and I believe it is the first time I do that, I recommend www.sionalodge.com for all who want to see the Amazonas.

You all know the effect stepping out of a plane, the weather hits you and you realize you are on vacation. Well, flying 24 minutes from Quito to Lago Agrio gives you that hit as big as it gets. From high altitude (Quito = 2800m) to jungle humidity. After another 2 hours on a small bus the road ended and we took a canoe for another 2 hours deep into the jungle to Sioan Lodge. No electricity (solar power for 4 hours a day), no internet and still, the greatest place on earth. Wonderful huts with superior beds and food you would not expect here. This travel day ended with a sun set lagoon swim and a night animal watching tour (see the little snake)

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On day 2 we met our guide Luis and I want to tribute a few lines to him. Born even deeper in the jungle. As the youngest of 7 boys and 4 girls his mother sent him to the army (one family member must serve) so he learned English. Then enthusiasm, he also picked up German and French plus Spanish and his tribe language of course. Even more however we are impressed by his passion for the Amazon and its inhabitants, people, vegetation and animals. He learned it all from his father and on the question if there is something he does not know he replied: “Maybe, if there are new mutations.” I believe him. He was also the one asking us “Can you hear the rain coming” before he told us to get our ponchos out, “QUICKLY”. Twenty seconds later it was poring down. In the pics you see how he spots animals. The last two is a small lake in which he believed something special and then it came up, the pink river dolphin. In a couple of years he intents to go back to his village and live again without any greater western influence……………………

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Another impressive man was the Shamane we went to. Of course many tourists (many means maybe 24 a day) see him and he repeats his stories. But also he is a real medicine man the locals still go to treat their illnesses or to look into the past and future. In the video pay attention to the little monkey that come in as well and takes a seat in his lab.

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Most of the 30 minutes we spend with him he explained how the majic haluzinating drink is made and what happens if you drink it.

In the afternoon we went for a 4 hour hiking tour in which we learned a lot about moving trees, tools against poison spiders and so on. But even the “penis tree” (see foto why its called like that) was topped by Thomas being stuck in deep mood. It was so funny.

If you go to the Amazon you must experience rain and so we did, spending the rest of the day and the whole evening under safe roofs listening to the intense sound of big water drops, eating delicious and playing poker, only interrupted by a small alligator someone saw next to the lodge. Yes.

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The next morning the rain clouds had passed and a wonderful sunny cloudy sky opened up. We went for Pirania fishing and those little dudes really can bite, I hope the video shows that.

The night would hold a test for us. Our guide Luis was not joking when he said we do a night walk in the dark seeing many creature, mainly spiders. It was dark. There were many creature, mainly spiders. What he did not mention was how big they are and how dangerous. We even saw one as it made a dinner catch.

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“This is the biggest and most dangerous spider in the world.” Luis said as he got out the tarantula. Soon later we were bad in the lodge having dinner……………

For our return trip early morning on this Tuesday, June 28th, the Amazon made sure that we had seen all the possible weather conditions, a thick fogy layer slowly vanished away from the lagoon and river as we were cruising through it in out 12m canoe.

Bogota was not love at first sight, maybe because of the Amazonas we just came from, maybe because Quito, Lima or La Paz were nicer but maybe only because we know its only 2 days until this trip is over (at least for Thomas). Once we realized that we gave Bogota a chance and woops, it became nice. Good weather, great views, nice souvenir shopping, a poker night and good local food. We finished in style, looking forward to the stories we will repeat again and again in the years to come.

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