Conquering the Amazon

Herein follows the account of AJ Marais. Amazon conqueror. Here follows a word for word translation of my journal entries between 4 to 8 June 2015

4 June
"At about half past 9 we arrivied at the Henry harbour where we boarded the Henry 1 for 100 soles. We received our designated hammock spots on a deck specifically designated therefore. I had some initial difficulties with mine, becuase it was not taught enough. I remedied this by hanging it higher and therefore tighter."

"We set of at 14h30. Only 2 and a half hours over schedule! We are 5 gringoes on the boat - two Americans who both detest civilisation (or perhaps just american capitalism?) And a Frenchie. At dinner I realized that I had neglected to bring myself some cutlery. I will have to devise one from one of my plastic water bottles once I finish it. Until then, I'll make due with eating with my hands. All the water on the ship comes from the river, yet all the garbage generated on the boat gets dumped into it?? Immediately following dinner about 44 million mosquitos come out to play and you are forced to retire to your hammock and mosquito net at 6pm. It's not very comfortable to sleep in a hammock. I guess I still need to learn the inns and outs of it!"

5 June
"I did not sleep very well. I was awake at 5h30 due to the constant rattling of the engine room. Also because of the fact that no Peruvian in the immediate region owns a pair of earphones and feels inclimed to share his distasteful taste in 'chicha' music with everyone on board. Best alarm ever. Breakfast was disgraceful. A sweetish porridge with 3 dry buns. I ate the buns and dumped the porridge overboard. I'm not nearly as board as I thought I would be. For larhe parts of the day you lay in your hammock under the pretense that you are catching up on your journaling. Sometimes you fall asleep, but mostly you just stare at the moving bank with a strange sort of contentedness. Lunch was better, but I still had to eat with my hands. After lunch I invited all the gringoes up top for a bit of 'Ron' (Rum) and cola. After this I took my first shower in the very suspect river water, taking great care to keep my mouth and eyes tightly shut for the duration. Once again the mosquitos forced my hand at 18h00 and I was forced to retire to my hammock. This time in a more comfortable position - I'm getting better at this!

6 June
"I slept better than last night, but still woke up a few times. We received the same atrocity for breakfast again. Apparently it's oats. Chocolate oats. Over my dead body and overboard! From my finished bottle of water I fashioned myself a spoon type implement with which to eat. I performed admirably! After lunch it got really hot and humid and for the first time I got really agitated if someone even some much as grazed past my hammock or touched it. A lot of people seem to be getting off at every other stop except the people right next to me!"

"I decided to give my hand a go at poetry. I dedicated it to the boat and all its shenanigans. Basically all the absurdities I have observed so far."

7 June
"This day began like every other with blaring chicha music at 530. What a great way to start the day. Once again the rather ambitious 'porridge' found its way to the river instead of my stomach. After 'breakfast' we stopped at a local town where I bought myself a 'chucha' fish (kind of bottom feeder mudfish/catfish) for 4 soles. The fish's skin is as hard as an exoskeleton and the fish was surprisingly easy to eat. About an hour and a half out of this town, the barge sailed over the small boat we've been tugging along and had to stop to have it salvaged and 'dewatered'. I spent a long time tonight on the ship's upper deck listening to music and looking at all the pretty stars. Apparently we arrive in Iquitos at 2am tomorrow, but we're all definitely staying on board until at least 6am."

8 June
"Of course there was no need to set an alarm, because the 'chicha company' this time started playing their siren songs at 2am and kept going until 6am. Luckily, as the law of eventual immunity states that if something persists long enough, you will grow immune to it. I fell asleep till 5h30. We got on a boat taxi that took us (Sarah and I) to land and from there took a motorcycle taxi to the green track hostel, which was very pleasant. Through the morning I walked into town and subsequently booked my flight back to Lima on Friday and afterwards treated myself to my first proper hamburger in South America at the 'Texas Grill'. The 'Texas Grill' also had a bar upstairs to which Sarah and I adjourned to later that evening for Mexican cocktails"