Ms. Steele's Journals


Long Trek   ( Jan. 19, 2008 )
On Saturday we took a 30-minute boat ride down the Amazon. It was like a bus on water. It was packed with people, and we just zoomed to our destination. We passed a big boat full of tourists, and I kind of wish I could have been with them. I suspect they were taking their time and looking for animals. Apparently, the monkeys and other animals aren?t EVERYWHERE in the Amazon region. You have to get away from the small communities of people in order to find them.

We went to a preserved area where they have accomodations for visitors if they want to stay in a really rustic location with no electricity. We just spent the day hiking through the mud through the rainforest. My legs are so sore from all the rough hiking. It is really difficult to hike in slippery mud. So far I haven?t fallen (knock on wood!).

The rainforest really is full of trees and other vegetation. And, there are plants growing on other plants - mosses, ferns, fungus - green, green everywhere! We heard some frogs, insects, birds (including parakeets). I only saw a couple of frogs, and no mammals! I was bummed.

After several hours hiking, we did not find Psiguria today. Bummer.

On Sunday, I?m going to take a break. My throat has been hurting for 5 days or so. It hasn?t gotten worse, so I have been ignoring it, but I think I?d better rest at least one day. I only have a couple more days to find Psiguria, then it?s back to the states!