Currently we are in Manaus, Brazil hanging out until we take off down the Amazon River to travel to Peru. Yesterday we decided to take a day trip into the jungle, and we had the best time. We started the day at around 8:00 am. Our tour guide drove us to our boat, and we met up with a larger group of people. On the boat I met two people from Cincinnati!! We also were on the boat with a World Race alumni, what are the chances!
We got all settled in the boat and we took off. They first took us to a floating gas station to fill up the boat. Then they took us to where the two rivers meet. Just off the coast of Manaus there are two rivers that run together, but because of their two different temperatures and speeds they don’t mix. I have never seen anything like it it was so beautiful. Everyone on the boat took lots of pictures, we even almost tipped the boat over because everyone was on one side trying to see it.
Our next stop was to a little store where they sold trinkets and souvenirs. You could also get fresh coconuts and Acai. They also had this area where you could fish for some kind of animal. The water was very dark and it was very hard to see what the fish looked like, but whatever it was I’m glad we didn’t see it.
When we walked to the back of the store that was when the real fun began. We followed this path up into the jungle and there were ladies with little baby sloths. As soon as we rounded the corner they ran up and handed us the sloths. That’s right I go to hold a sloth!
After that I didn’t think the day could get any better. I just held a sloth, but there was more. We got to eat a giant buffet whit lots of vegetables, and here in South America that is a plus because good vegetables are hard to come by.
We got on the boat after that and rode across the choppy water to a very serene part of the river. They parked the boat and we got off. Then they said okay get in the water in groups of 15. I hate dark water and don’t like the feeling of not knowing what beneath me, but I decided to face my fear and get in the water. I’m glad I did cause not many people get to say they swam with dolphins in the Amazon River.
To finish up the day we got to see a performance done by a local tribe, and experience what a little bit of local like is like. They even invited us to dance with them. We had a blast, and it was such an amazing experience.
