Brazil - Up the Amazon to Manaus

Our senses awaken as we leave the Atlantic Ocean and begin our two day journey up the Amazon River to the town of Manaus.  The intense smell of campfires and smoke fill the jungle as Brazilians prepare their breakfast and perhaps clear land for cultivation.  The air is a steamy haze of smoke and humidity hanging onto the trees.  Air temperatures soar into the 90’s while the river water reaches a shocking 88 degrees.  The water is a swirl of colored murals as different tributaries mix together.  The main river is a muddy rust color while the warmer, slower moving tributaries are jet black with names like Rio Negro.

Although 150 km wide at the mouth, the Amazon quickly narrows and the jungle embraces our ship for our entire journey westward.  We pass vast stretches where all we see is a wall of green sprinkled occasionally with small houses and villages that can only be reached by boat. 

The waters are peaceful and calm and we enjoy the break from the turbulent waters of the Atlantic.  The kids delight in their new activity of bug collecting as they capture beautifully camouflaged moths and shiny black beetles on the decks. 

On our third day, we arrive in Manaus, a city of 2.6 million people in the heart of the Amazon Basin, more than 900 miles distant from the next town.  We disembark in the midst of a heat wave, which is saying something when you are on the equator.  We have never experienced any place as hot as Manaus.  We weave our way through the town searching for shade in our sweat-drenched clothes, wondering how people can live here. 

The highlight of the Amazon is our overnight jungle survival adventure that takes us deep into the rainforest.  We have camped before, but we have never slept out in the jungle and we are apprehensive about the creepy crawlies and unknown creatures.  With only a few hours remaining until nightfall, our guide teaches us basic survival skills that include starting fires, climbing trees to gather fruit, drinking “water” from vines and blowgun hunting with poisonous darts.  With our fingers, we eat a dinner of grilled fish and fresh fruits beautifully displayed on palm leaves.  Yes, even the boys.

As the sun sets, the guides string up our hammocks amongst the trees.  We climb in and gaze up at the moonlit canopy while trying to get comfortable in our unusual environment. Our fear of bugs turns out to be unfounded and few bugs find us in the night despite a lack of mosquito nets.  After a surprise traditional dance by the bare-breasted natives, the night creatures take over and play their symphony as we try to fall asleep.