A Journey Into The Amazon
“It’s an honor to be here. It’s an honor to be anywhere, really...”
Quito, Ecuador
The journey begins in Quito, Ecuador: a city painted on hills. The first thing that stuck out to me was the architecture. Buildings are awash with bright greens, crimson hues, and terra-cotta tiles interlaced with potted flowers on every doorstep. Earthy blues, stunning standing cathedrals, and accents of lush green vines that serpentine around the edges of every corridor. Warm smiles are exchanged between locals with heartfelt love and pride for their city. It's a marvelous place that feels untouched by tourists; look online, and you won't find many blogs or captivating itineraries written. The less advice found, the better. I like that feeling.
I'm currently sitting in the downstairs courtyard at the Vista Del Angel Boutique Hotel. To my left are children laughing with their mom in room number 12, to my right are birds chirping in the vines stuck against freshly painted white walls. Somewhere in the distance are street dogs howling, itching for food, and yapping for attention. I smell fried eggs from the breakfast room where my love, Reyce, and I just indulged. I luxuriate in freshly ground coffee and a plate of fruit with mixed pineapple, watermelon, and berries. My hair is tousled into a messy bun planted on the top of my head with ringlets waterfalling the edges of my cheeks. The sun feels marvelously warm while kissing my pale winter skin. I don’t want to leave.
This trip is my first time traveling to South America. My feet have chipped plenty of shores across the Caribbean and Central America — yoga retreats, cruises, month-long stays in the southern Cayes, catamaran rides across the Sea of Cortez, and dashing nights of tapas and sangria in Nicaragua. Though, never have I touched American land beyond the equator. An unchecked bucket list item that can now be marked off. Cha-ching! But, places visited are more than just a checkmark. This breathable hemisphere becomes everything you need and then some. Iconic, culturally rich, emotionally tolling, and best of all — in the heat of the sun and the light of the moon — a fresh layer of self awakens. A new chapter to read. A life to live.
It's an honor to be here. It's an honor to be anywhere, really, but it's especially precious to know I'm sitting across from the love of my life in a world we've only daydreamt. A world that we've only seen in pictures, read in adventure books, and heard in folktales. I'm breathing this air; I'm touching its floor. I'm here right now and nowhere else.
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you might never return to a place”
The Ecuadorian Andes
We meet our driver, Angel, at the Mitad del Mundo, a popular tourist attraction that sits on top of Earth's equator. It's hot, sweltering. The sun beats down on my skin, tearing at the flesh with zero remorse. I vigorously rub sunblock on my cheekbones as I step into our car to head into the Andes mountains. Having no real idea where we are going or where we're staying (my partner, Reyce, loves to keep his plans a surprise), I'm ecstatic. We drive an hour down the long, winding canyon walls on a dirt road with millions of tiny bumps and screws. As we arrive at our bed and breakfast, Angel creeks open the large wooden gate that dissolves into euphoric farmland with horses and llamas galore. Children run down the hill towards us, holding a one-eared puppy named Mia, laughing and sharing a glass of watermelon juice. We place our bags in the "Blue Room" and pet the animals that so gloriously lurk the grounds.
Our two days nestled between the mountains were surreal. Half the days were sunny, while the other half were foggy with enormous amounts of cloud cover dusting Earth's floor with cold kisses. We'd snuggle beside the warm fire with cups of black coffee translating for the children while their mother graciously cooks us chicken and rice. We barely knew Spanish. Communication relied on pantomimes and certain words or sayings. Sometimes facial expressions are all you need to talk with fellow humans across the dinner table. It's about trust, love, and warmth. We had plenty of each to share.
I remember standing perfectly still on a rock overlooking the canyon, cold wind forming goosebumps on my neck. There's nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you might never return to a place. There's a silent and inexplicable reverence you share for your surroundings, a moment of respect, a nod to the present. It starts by counting your senses: what am I looking at, what am I currently smelling, what color is my coffee mug, can I guess how many leaves are on that tree? Spaces like the Andes are expansive as it gets. Endless skylines and rolling hills of farmlands beneath tall mountains. There's llamas, horses, beetles, dogs, pigs, and chickens — all roaming around without a clue where they'll end up next, kind of like myself.
“Inspiration is elusive, a supernatural of sorts.”
Iquitos, Peru
Experience is my driving force of inspiration. It's what compels me to bring fresh ideas to fruition. Scrolling through my favorite artists' Instagram feeds or peeking inside National Geographic magazines only propels so much, hardly does it manifest itself into a physical effort. What makes my heart soar and ignites my soul within is the act of living life the way I am supposed to. I'm a reportage photographer by trade, meaning I photograph real-life scenes to depict a particular story or feeling. I never capture set-ups or manipulate reality. What's real is real, and I keep it that way.
My travels, memories, and little moments are forever cherished, I hum them to myself in my sleep. These moments are more than a remembrance of the past; they're an appreciation of new or better possibilities in the future. They thrive as a springboard for imagination, as well as a facilitator for progress towards a specific goal. Inspiration is elusive, a supernatural of sorts. But it is within the tangible experience that inspiration can be ignited, captured, and molded, holding massive effects on important creative outcomes. Pick a wildflower and press it in your journal, listen to your favorite song at 2:00 in the morning, cook your mother a nice meal, nap in the sunshine, read a book, visit that place you've always wanted to go to, and make love on the kitchen countertop.
I cannot fake the Amazon jungle, and it's people or the water bungalows that so quietly nest on the river's surface. I have been in its presence. I have to buy the flight, fight extreme humidity, drink the water, eat the food, and live the way of life to effectively capture such surroundings.
“Sometimes, you have to wander and set no agenda. It’s food for the soul.”
The Amazon River
We spent days at the Muyuna Lodge on the banks of the Amazon deep within the Peruvian wilderness. You can hear unique sounds from the numerous birds, frogs, and snake species surrounding the wooden planks. Floating houses circle the trees, mosquitoes ruthlessly bite your ankles, and deliciously cooked yucca is served in the dining hall. There are 12 other travelers from Canada, the US, Switzerland, and England making friendly and politically charged conversations at dinner.
The Amazon almost forces a human to be wholly a part of its presence, and that's what ultimately sets this particular destination apart. You'll come to face fears (like swimming in murky waters next to piranhas), be disconnected for days at a time, and thrashed by extreme humidity. That's the beauty of travel, isn't it? Your heart is full of revitalized love for your surroundings and the humans you meet. You play, dream, adventure, cry, laugh, and do it all over again. And again.
I dreamt of coming to the Amazon river since I was a young girl. Perhaps it was the over-romanticized Hollywood films featuring the handsome Harrison Ford swinging from tree to tree against an orchestral choir. Still, I'd like to think it's because I genuinely wanted to experience something out of the ordinary. Of course, there's an allure to European Alleyways, African safaris, and Bali beaches — but rarely have I heard stories deep within the jungle along a river I once studied in school. From my circles, anyway. After a while, I had to walk my way through making my dream a reality. I told my partner that it's best he buys a new pair of boots and set aside cash for this trip, and lucky for me, he prevailed.
Sometimes, you have to wander and set no agenda. It’s food for the soul. Being "free spirited" doesn't mean you live a dreamy life of travel and good food, but it's instead a place in the mind where what you know grows stronger and more significant.
A reminder to pursue a life well lived.
