Surviving in the Amazon Jungle

By: Noemi Gamel

We spent three days in the Amazon Jungle in a remote corner of Bolivia. We arrived to our camp on the Tuichi River via a 3-hour boat ride from the gateway town of Rurrenebaque.

Our camp had no electricity, running water, Internet, or even mattresses. We slept on sleeping bags thrown over a “bed” made of slabs of tree bark under a plastic sheet roof. The toilet was a pit latrine under a thatched roof with no walls. Using the toilet in the jungle knowing that monkeys are probably staring at you is a rather humbling experience. During our time in the jungle, we did not encounter any other people. The howler monkeys woke us up each morning.

Our guide, Adalid, and our cook, were knowledgeable and friendly locals. We spent the whole time going on hikes in the Amazon jungle. The kids did not miss Wi-Fi one bit as they marked their faces with “war paint” made from the juice of leaves and swung from swings that our guide made from tree vines. Adalid taught us all about the important trees and plants of the jungle that the South American natives used for survival. They used the plants for food, medicine, clothing, and shelter. Most important, they also used plants to find water. Some of the tree branches, such as the one in this picture, are a valuable source of clean water in the jungle. A quick cut with the machete, and fresh water flows out. Just be careful, because some branches look similar to this one but carry toxic water that can make you very sick. Fortunately, the one Kara drank from was sweet, non-toxic water.

During your travels, what has been the most impressive fact you have learned from the local flora? Let us know in the comments below.

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