Amazon

I dont even know how i can even begin to try and explain what my trip to the Amazon was but I will try. I have a feeling this is going to be very long. My trip of a lifetime started when i got off the plane in Manaus, i found another group of exchange students and was already so excited as they were telling me their names and countries. Our entire group itself consisted of about 90 of us from so many different countries. There were people from Australia to people from Italy, Poland, Mexico, France, Canada, Netherlands ans so many more. We spent the first night in a HUGE hotel, just chilling in the pool and getting to know everyone. For me I think it was a bit different compared to the other exchange students because nearly everyone had been on a trip with Belo (the company doing the trip) before and most were with rotary as their exchange company so alot of them met up with each other at conventions and things and most people had been in Brazil for 8+ months. But straight away I started getting to know everyone and everyone was so friendly and so excited at the fact that I was from New Zealand. That night I got soo lost in the hotel with another exchange student and missed most of dinner but while we were lost we found BEAUTIFUL GIANT TURTLES. The next morning I got up early to go for a run with the same guy I got lost with but our run soon turned into a stop and sit there speechless sort of thing as we looked over the river and realised we were in the Amazon and were going to be spending the next week on this river. The second night we were out of the town and did a night treck in the forest as it went from light to dark, such an amazing thing to witness. We even had the opportunity to shower in the middle of the forest. The entire time I was just speechless and on cloud nine wondering how it could get any better than this, but it did. The next day was the day we got on our boats to start our journey along the amazon river. My boat was Bicho Preguiça and we had such an cool group of people who are like family to me now. We had 2 Mexican guys so there was alot of energy, noise, funke, spanish music and dancing which i loved. It was also very interesting because there was also a guy who supported Donald Trump hahah.

I remember the first meal we had on the reasturant boat, every second sentence was followed by wow i cant believe we are actually here. The boats themselves were 2 storeys. The bottom one having the bathrooms, snacks and luggage and the top was where we spent most of our time. The sides were lined with colourful couches and pillows and it had matressses on the ground and loungers which were perfect for star gazing. My favourite thing was the big bluetooth speaker, but not everyone thought the same haha.

We managed to do so much during our time there, the entire trip felt like a dream. I got to see, touch and hold so many beautiful animals including, aligators, sloths, pink dolphins, river dolphins, giant anacondas, pirranas, turtles and so much more.We went to Amazon tribes and villages and learnt about the everyday life of these people. I saw and learnt about the amazing plants of the Amazon but swimming in the Amazon river would have to be one of my favourite things. The strs if the amazon are magical and I had so many amazing moments and conversations under them with even more amazing people. On our last night we treked into the Amazon to sleep in the jungle. No buildings, walls or even tents just our hammocks tied to wooden poles, sleeping with the spiders, lizards and beautiful sounds of the Amazon.

Through out the trip there were so many dolphins and if you then you know that it was like a dream come true for me. ANother amazing moment I had was canoeing. I was canoeing in a (not very stable) boat made in the Amazon with some amazing company. We were both just speechless and blown away by the fact that we were actually here canoeing in the amazon river. We only had one oar between the two of us and our boat was on the verdge of sinking from the amount of water it had in it but it was such a beautiful, special and appreciative moment which was topped off by a dolphin swimming with in metres of us.

The whole time we were there we slept in hammocks which i also LOVED so much. The things that i got to experience on this trip i will remember forever, but even more so the people. It is so exciting to know that I now have a home in so many different countires. It was so cool to see so many different cultures together enjoying the Amazon and what she had to offer us. I miss everyone and everything about this trip soo much but I cant be sad about it because I was lucky enough to be able to do something that not many people at all can do or have done. There´s not enough thank yous or wordso to express how grateful i am. I am so excited for the future as i know that it wasn´t a goodbye, just an until later, for both the people on the trip and the Amazon and her magic.