My Amazon travel journals, like my Pacific Crest Trail journals, combine excerpts from my journal, which capture the events as they took place, with my ” in-retrospect” reflections or thoughts as they came to me while I wrote this. If you haven’t already, check out:
- Amazon Travel Journals: Day One Headed to the MLC
- Amazon Travel Journals: Day Two, Hummingbirds & Water Sources
- Amazon Travel Journals: Day Three, COLPA and Ecology Surveys
Saturday, March 30, 2024
On Saturday morning, we learned how to handle and sharpen machetes properly and ventured into the rainforest to assist in trail clearing. Trail clearing isn’t as intensive as it may sound; although it is hard work, we are not clearing in the sense that may come to mind when you first hear the word, as it’s typically associated with rainforest.
Photo by Crees Manu
The purpose of trail clearing is not to remove trees or anything else. The purpose is to clear pathways from overgrown vines and other foliage that have already been marked by cutting through with the machetes.
Crees researchers use these pathways or trails to observe the health of the biosphere’s animals and flora. We are careful not to cut too much or too low, as ground coverage is the prime location for home and hiding for reptiles and amphibians.
While hiking the trails, we saw little beyond spiders, but we did hear the Titi Monkeys.
Call of the Brown Titi Monkey
Saturday night is game night since Sunday is the staff’s day off.
We played a few rounds of our own version of Pictionary, where each group devised a concept based on an umbrella topic.
We had a dance party; as cheesy as it may sound, it was – It’s also one of my newest core, true, fun memories. Whenever I watch the videos back, I can’t help but smile. I mean, one of those genuine smiles, the type you can’t fight from your face even if you wanted to.
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Like many other practices where I’ve been, Sundays are the time for rest. Mostly, my energy level resembled that of a sloth. Funny enough, like the packs of many other mammals or insect colonies, my patterns and those of my campmates have begun to echo one another.
Taking naps, washing laundry, reading, playing cards, studying the insects and animals we’ve seen, conversing, journaling. While we all take time for ourselves, we tend to gravitate back together more often than not.
The others in my group are staying a few weeks past when I am scheduled to leave. Since I arrived, I have been plotting my ability to stay.
Cellphone service at camp is basically nonexistent, but through some maneuvering, I could access the internet. Long story short, changing my flight would have cost $5,000 (not an exaggerated number), so I made the difficult decision to return home on my scheduled date.
The lesson: I went for the two-week experience because I did not know what to expect and was nervous; learn from me and go for the month-long experience (or longer, if you can).
While I want to use my platform to share my journey with you, it is equally, if not more important, for me to share the journey of others, specifically as it pertains to the places I visit and which others call home.
The Amazon Rainforest is a significant life-force of our planet. But don’t just take my word for it…
Reynaldo – Rainforest Hero
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