It would seem I'm going to be visiting Peru

[ruckman101]

Here's my impression I wrote the first night arriving at the retreat.


Saturday, May 2

I have arrived deep (relatively) in the Amazon Jungle.

An entirely familiar environment yet at the same time, completely foreign.

In nature, the wilderness; yet not a single bit of recognizable flora or fauna. After nightfall, an entirely different soundscape of chorusing insects, frogs, creatures, yet oddly familiar.

Somehow it's very reassuring, and at the same time I'm jumpy with preconceived notions built into me by media and culture where jungle is foreign, dangerous and "other".

Isn't everywhere on this planet foreign, dangerous and "other" beyond our local familiarities? Our home?

Even at home the odd, unexpected "bump in the night" is disconcerting.
As I write, under a mosquito net, an ant occasionally races to the top of my mattress only to turn and race back down.

Is it drawn to my light, only to panic at it's out of place strangeness in the night? Will my sighting of it cause me to toss and turn and scratch all night, imagining an army of them moving in to feast on me once my light is doused?

Once I set foot on the trail into the retreat I am a guest of, I noticed I had already been bitten by some insect, a red, angry itchy bump the proof.

It makes your mind race. At the trail head the locals were hanging at the small store watching satellite TV. The proprietor brought out two pairs of mud encrusted rubber boots to loan us to traverse the trail, neither of which were large enough for my feet. So it goes.

And indeed the trail was challenging at spots, but certainly no worse than some I have traversed at home. Although at this point, it was described as relatively "dry". Believable considering most structures are built on stilts, including all of them here at the retreat.

The small river that runs through has dropped a good six feet from last week. It offered welcome relief on arrival from the heat of our hike. Hot, sill and humid, our clothes and selves drenched and dripping in sweat.

It's a spiritual retreat where folks come to heal troubled mind and soul. Our shamanic host guides them in their endeavors. A profession sullied by shysters, fakes and quacks eager to profit through exploiting the vulnerabilities of those seeking peace in heart and mind. Beware of anyone who promises you the moon. That path and quest is ultimately personal and can not be traveled by anyone else. A true shaman knows at best they can only guide.

At the beginning of this missive I touched on the relative "depth" of my foray "deep" into the Amazon Jungle.

Every mile I've travelled since my departure from home has, in all relativity, brought me deeper and deeper into this Jungle.

Now, having arrived at destination, it's as "deep" as I'm getting. It's the last stopon the trail. A trail through occasional small banana groves and wandering chickens. Uninterrupted jungle surrounds us with the sole exception being the direction we hiked in from.

The blanket on my bed is dominated by the image of an African Lion, is 100% acrylic, and was "hecho in China".

It's increasingly a smaller and smaller world. I mean I left home early Thursday morning, and here I am arrived late Saturday afternoon, all settled in south of the Equator writing of it this evening before going to sleep.

And this place, like any on this planet, removed from the taint of "civilization's" intrusions, where one can view the heavens without compromise of artificial light, where one can hear our Mother Earth unsullied by the static of engine and loudspeaker, radio and clamor, envelopes one in a sense of serenity, peace and connection to the cosmos.

And ultimately, isn't that the goal of any spiritual quest? gaining the ability to drop the ultimate triviality and distraction of the rest?

-----

The mindset of humanity to conquer nature is folly. What ego. At best humanity can only temporarily hold it at bay. Nature has no issue seeing humanity extinct, good riddance to an irritant.

Those of us who will thrive the longest will have learned to co-exist, in harmony with nature, granted the gift of existence by nature, naturally.

The level of respect granted will never exceed the level of respect offered.



neal

[hippiewannabe]

What a cool adventure; out of the blue and deep in the jungle in the stretch of a few weeks. Enjoy!

[Jivermo]

Keep an eye open for Kurtz.

[ruckman101]

Kurtz?

neal

[Jivermo]

Yes.

[Westy78]

[ruckman101]

Ah, have never watched the film, so had no reference.

Indeed.


neal

[weisswurst]

Here's my impression I wrote the first night arriving at the retreat.


Beware of anyone who promises you the moon. That path and quest is ultimately personal and can not be traveled by anyone else. A true shaman knows at best they can only guide.

neal

Wow Neal, that was a great read! Thanks for sharing! =D> The above section made me think of Colin as his gift is taking people on their quest to learn antique engine repair and adjustments instead of visiting a shop that will usually "promise the moon" and most times not deliver in the end from what I've read.
I'm lucky to have had him for my visits even if I only have T3 diesel's to offer instead of the Air Cooled goodies usually found here!
Jeff

[ruckman101]

Thanks weisswurst. It's been a fantastic journey to date. I'll try to get some photos up this evening.

I thought I had posted a short poem I wrote the second night in th jungle, but don't see it here today. I'll give it another stab.

------

It's difficult to
express
poetically,
to wax with
verbage,
to capture
the essence
of Amazon
jungle,
wild, untamed
seems so
lame
when the
poem is
it
Just outside
the mosquito net
over my bed.


neal

[ruckman101]

Goodness, from the sounds of it, there seems to be a minor riot going on in the side street next to our overnight accommodations this evening. No police response. Ongoing drama and strife. I'm not in Kansas anymore. The weight of dreams hangs heavy tonight.

Neal

[ruckman101]

Flew out of Iquitos to Lima, a population of 8 million, and caught a 5:30 pm bus to Cusco. 22 and a half hours on the bus, two quick breaks. We had a stewardess and three meals were served. Real airline in amenities. Unfortunately, we got the last two seats available, narrower, not as much leg room, next to "el banyo". The air grew exceedingly foul, and by morning the drive was a crawl of hairpin corners and switchbacks. A double decker bus, and despite the annoyance of our seats, the Andes Mountains were indeed epic.

Just got checked into our room for the night, both woozy from the altitude waiting for our coca leaf tea before venturing out a bit.


neal

[ruckman101]

Busy, busy. Poor internet connections, Montezuma's revenge on top of high altitudes sapped me, no cord brought to offload images from the cam (doh!), oh my.

Did Machupicchu (that's the way they spell it on their map of the site, honest) today, waiting for the last train out of Agua Calliente back to our room in Ollaytaytambo. Found a few artisanal brews, a refreshing oasis in the land of nothing but differently named Miller and Bud lagers and pilsners, but sadly no IPAs.

The few photos we have managed to get onto the web can be viewed by following our Instagram account, bunnytales101.


neal