we were given multiple prompts to answer for this yak I will not take away many photos of the jungle because I forgot to charge my camera. Instead I take away the experience of truly connecting with members of a community. I take away the fact......Read More
It’s impossible to describe the intense, beautiful, scary, and overwhelming sound of the jungle. I could try to explain the hum of the insects, the howl of the monkeys, the flapping of wings, and the rustle of the trees, but I don’t......Read More
Getting up early in the rainforest feels different than it does at home. 5 am and the sky is already lightening, golden columns filtering through lush, damp leaves to glisten on the ground. The jungle is alive. I can hear the rusty screech of the......Read More
I found the jungle somewhat overwhelming. The sounds of birds in every direction, the infinite array of shades of green and the sticky heat on my skin. At the same time I found time to appreciate the beauty in the simpler things around me. The taste......Read More
The Amazon spreads endless knowledge and provokes endless questions. After spending my time there, I have started to think about everything I have at home. All the material possessions that litter my room and all the clothes tightly stuffed into my......Read More
Having signed up for a programme called Andes and Amazon, it was only a matter of time before we would drop thousands of feet (over 10,000 in fact) from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, our gateway to the Peruvian rainforest. This journey by the way, was......Read More
Dear friends and family, We have been receiving regular Satellite phone updates from the team, and instructors report that all is well in the jungle! The group has had a full itinerary with animal surveys in the early mornings and evenings with......Read More
Saludos from the selva! After a long night bus ride we arrived to the town of Puerto Maldonado this morning and were greeted by our phenomenal hosts at Fauna Forever. We are resting and acclimating to the heat today. Tomorrow we travel by bus, boat......Read More
I ALWAYS travel with music. Whether it be for a 40 minute subway ride through NYC or for a 3-month trip through the Amazon and the Andes. People usually ask me why I always have my headphones on hand. The truth is I always keep it for the time in......Read More
Ah Machu Picchu! The majestic Incan site surrounded by lush vegetation, steep mountains and never ending white mist. After making our way up what felt like thousands of oversized steps to reach the top of the iconic site one would hope that the......Read More
Our host mother, Justina, bustles around the adobe brick kitchen with a bright orange skirt bouncing around her ankles. There is a fire in her eyes that I have only seen in the most passionate and protective of mothers, and she waves her arms......Read More
Walking along the trains tracks in the bliserting heat we could see the ruins of Macchu Picchu from the very start of our hike. We were so close but had to do a complete semi circle around the moutain. After hours of walking we finally made it to......Read More
Hola everyone. Everything is really cool here. We got to see machu Picchu yesterday and it was really sick. Now we are in Cuzco running some errands so we can get on the bus tonight to go to the amazon. Just wanted my family to know that I am alive......Read More
Greetings from an internet cafe in Cusco: I am currently unable to type periods so just treat the semicolons as periods: yesterday was a day of travel and because of this i had a lot of time to reflect on our journey to machu picchu: it was jarring......Read More
I arrange three leaves on the potato before we plant it, and offer it up towards the mountains. I repeat the Quechua words, asking the apus to bless our cosecha. While my compañeros are impressed at the accuracy of my repetition, the girl standing......Read More
Despite the fact that I love adventure, there is a large part of me that will always be a homebody. I love my dog, my bed, my family- even the smell of my house brings an immediate sense of comfort. I have chosen, however, to leave the comforts of......Read More