September 24, 2013. Venice, CA — I stood still and silent in my tracks, soaked in sweat, straining to see the dots making their way toward me through the jungle canopy.

Soon the dots became smudges, then fuzzy brown bodies with four limbs swinging through the branches overhead. I felt like I was in the middle of a monkey highway deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon……

For the rest of the story see my recently published article in the Huffington Post.

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The starting point for the trip is Puerto Maldonado, a short flight from Lima. In Puerto Maldonado I stayed at the Anaconda Lodge, which feels like a small village of rustic huts scattered through the forest. I frequently got lost walking from my hut to the main lodge and back. Its a good thing I was on the grounds of a lodge and not actually in the jungle or I would probably be dead.

The huts are basic but comfortable with a bed, ceiling fan which I did not need since it was cool at night, private bath, and a porch with a hammock.

I spent most of time at the lodge napping or reading in the hammock or schmoozing in the lodge with the other guests, mostly young pack backers, and the owners, Donald and Wadee. Donald is a German national and Wadee, his wife, is from Thailand. That explains the excellent pork curry I had for dinner the one evening I stayed at the lodge. David and Wadee are friendly and helpful, and staying there feels more like visiting friends than spending the night at a commercial establishment.

The lodge is also next door to the offices of Rainforest Expeditions, the starting point for the Amazon trip. Donald and Wadee can arrange shorter trips up the river if you are not going on the Rainforest Expeditions trip.

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