Monday, June 05, 2006

Selva

Im using ridiculously slow internet only a hundred yards away from one of the large tributaries of the Amazon in Yurimaguas.
The last time I was at a computer I think was three or four towns ago. We successfully bought airline tickets from Lima after giving a Peruvian a huge tip to help us call the airlines. Our plane between Lima to Tarapoto left on time, which was great because we had arrived at the airport four hours early. We spent the time talking to Taxi drivers who finally figured out that they could not sell us a ride anywhere as we were leaving Lima. As we stepped out of the plane in Tarapoto a wave of humitidy and heat hit us, even though it was nine at night. Upon entering the airport we recieved the usual barrage of taxi drivers and hotel owners lying to us and trying to take our money. We walked past the main taxis and found a moto taxi to take us for a fourth of the price. A moto taxi is a small rickshaw type cart on the back of a motorcycle. Because of the heat and the expense of gas they seem to be the main form of transportation.
In tarapoto we found a hostel for 2 dollars a night. It felt like a prison and I was still scared of mosquitos because of reading warnings about them all over the place. I decided the only part of the hostel that I really could not live with was the creepy man living down the hall who just spoke in elaborate gesture to me as if I could not understand Spanish.

Tarapoto seemed kind of alike a different world with the moto taxis everywhere. We were sold a coconut on the street. A lady hacked it open with a machete and gave us two straws to drink it. We thought it was a good night cap and went to bed.

The next day we had quite a time trying to get to Yurimaguas as it was the eleccion and everyone was going everywhere. WE still do not know who won.