Argitaratu: 13.03.2019
Somewhere in nowhere! Surrounded by the Amazon and the rainforest, Leticia is located at the tri-border area of Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. It is so far inland that it is definitely worth taking a short look at the map. Because in all directions, there is nothing but forest, or rather the Amazon. The view from the plane gives me an approximate idea of what awaits us. At the "airport" itself, apart from a tourist tax of about 10€, there are about all the men of the village waiting to provide us with maps for tours through the Amazon or a taxi ride. As always, we start walking and get a tuk-tuk for a third of the price.
Many things remind me of smaller towns in Asia here, but the air feels like being in a greenhouse and someone pouring lukewarm water over your head.
We arrive at our accommodation and it quickly becomes clear that it is a pleasant place to stay! Luisa, the host mother, is very nice and because we feel so comfortable, our bodies start rebelling. Lisa is bedridden, we don't really know what it is. But Luisa says it's not that bad, there are also good doctors here who are available 24 hours. Let's see. The theory is also the climate, after all, we have experienced three climate zones in 7 days.
Since you can take a boat from here to Peru, my brain starts rearranging everything again and with Luisa's support, we set off, first to the travel agency and then to the airport, but no chance. Since we booked the light class.
She gets off and we just go over to Brazil to see what it's like there.
The first day is definitely implemented according to plan and we do nothing.
So we make sure she feels better, but on the second day, it's still not working out and we start considering activating our travel cancellation insurance to kill two birds with one stone, but of course, health is the priority, but we also want to go to the rainforest in general.
First impressions of Clinica Leticia are quite good and she is checked up. I'll keep my observations that I make out of pure boredom to myself. 😄
She gets an infusion and we still don't know exactly what it is, probably Montezuma's revenge. But things are getting better. The idea of asking the doctor to certify her flight incapacity even works, so we can actually postpone the flight. It at least makes me smile. The plan to fly to Medellin remains the same, just pushed back by 4 days.
After three days in a hammock, she's slowly getting better again, so we go to Peru for lunch together with Marcel (a quite eccentric Dutchman who, not only because of his outfit, strongly reminds me of Hank Moody).
It feels surreal to take a short trip to Peru and the Amazon is simply breathtaking, especially when you consider that we are in the urban area.
I'm incredibly looking forward to the night in the jungle. Like everything here, it takes longer than planned, and she's feeling a bit weak again, so she goes back to the hammock for a while. Marcel and I take a tuk-tuk to Brazil for sunset, on the banks of the Amazon, tortured by mosquitoes, we sip caipirinhas and watch the sunset. Really cool. Only his pitiful attempts to speak Italian with everyone eventually fail, all his forms of communication are extremely funny.
And then we sleep in Colombia again. It's really nice here and a absolutely right decision not to fly to the north like everyone else.
One more night's sleep and then we're off, well equipped by Luisa with repellent, long clothes, rubber boots, etc. for the tour. I'm lying in bed and between - I shit my pants, respect, and anticipation, everything revolves around tomorrow. I'm so excited about what it will be like.
In general, we now leave Leticia except for one night and then fly to Medellin. Beautiful here and besides Koh Lanta, probably another piece of home somewhere out there in the world. Many thanks to Luisa, Angela, and Antonia! :)