9-15 (Monday)



We got up at 5 a.m. to catch a cab at 6:00. We had a slight difference of opinion about our cab ride. Barbara thought we should go with the cab company the hotel recommended for 80 pesos and I thought we should take a metered cab. I felt the pressure because she relucently agreed to go in the metered one.



When I hailed the cab I made sure he understood where we were going. Then I asked him if he had enough petrol. He said, [si[ but I ran over to his side of the car and checked his gauge.



He did a good job of driving until we got about 2/3 of the way to the airport and he appeared to be falling asleep. We tried to talk to him to wake him up. He cracked the window and let in some cold air. The metered cab worked out just fine. It cost 63 pesos, the hotel wanted 80 and when we first arrived we paid 90.



We requested 2 aisle seats on our flight. The girl assured us we got them. When we got on Barbara was in the middle. she was furious. Right before we took off the guy to her left got up and moved to the back with his friends. WE were in a row of three so we had an empty seat between us. It was a four and a half flight from Buenos Aires to Lima. We had breakfast, slept, read and I loaded pictures into my computer.



We had almost 4 1/2 hours in LIma before our flight to Iquitos. We had to go through customs, immigration, claim our bags and recheck in. We also had to pay a departure fee even though we weren't going international. We ate lunch, looked in the stores and waited.



When we finally took off the plane was making a terrible noise but we went anyway. Once we got in the air it stopped.



Iquitos (the only major city that can only be reached by air) was about like Florida when we landed: hot, sticky and a light mist. We met two embassy gus when we got off the plane. they had come in to see an American who was in jail. Barbara said it was a sex charge. The single one of the two was so good looking. He had trained as a Seal. The other one had trained as a special forces ranger.



There was a van from the hotel to pick us up. Some guy grabbed our luggage and pointed it out. We thought he was the driver or hotel worker. It turns out he was just there to collect tips.



In the van was a couple from Ireland who had been traveling since the beginning of July. She was robbed on the bus from Puno to Cuzco. They thought they were on the tourist bus but it was the local. Her passport, money and journal were all gone. We got to the hotel Victoria Regia around 7 p.m. After checking in we walked to town to the grocery store. As we were walking we stopped at a pharmacy and I showed the guy a rash I had under my arm. He gave me some medicine and told me to use it twice a day.



When we got back to the hotel I tried to talk to management about giving us a discount after we got back from the jungle. He gave us one but it wasn't enough so we{re going to have to move.



Clever, the guy who sells jungle lodge tours, came over and gave us the low down on a lodge owned by our hotel. We gave him $180 US each. We were to be picked up at 8:30 in the morning.



Around 8:30 p.m. we set out walking to try to find a new hotel. We walked to the Acosta where we wanted to stay but the woman said they were full for Thurs and Fri nights. We walked on down the street looking at a couple here and there. We finally met a young guy in one of the places that offered to take us to the Safari Hotel that he thought we might like. It had a great location, and was fairly new. We told them we{d take the room for Thurs. and Friday nights. At the time I didn't know that Barb was was less than enthusiastic about it.



We went on back to our hotel to pack a small bag for the jungle the next day, shower and go to bed. I was so tired I didn't finish packing but went right to bed.

9-15 (Monday)



We got up at 5 a.m. to catch a cab at 6:00. We had a slight difference of opinion about our cab ride. Barbara thought we should go with the cab company the hotel recommended for 80 pesos and I thought we should take a metered cab. I felt the pressure because she relucently agreed to go in the metered one.



When I hailed the cab I made sure he understood where we were going. Then I asked him if he had enough petrol. He said, [si[ but I ran over to his side of the car and checked his gauge.



He did a good job of driving until we got about 2/3 of the way to the airport and he appeared to be falling asleep. We tried to talk to him to wake him up. He cracked the window and let in some cold air. The metered cab worked out just fine. It cost 63 pesos, the hotel wanted 80 and when we first arrived we paid 90.



We requested 2 aisle seats on our flight. The girl assured us we got them. When we got on Barbara was in the middle. she was furious. Right before we took off the guy to her left got up and moved to the back with his friends. WE were in a row of three so we had an empty seat between us. It was a four and a half flight from Buenos Aires to Lima. We had breakfast, slept, read and I loaded pictures into my computer.



We had almost 4 1/2 hours in LIma before our flight to Iquitos. We had to go through customs, immigration, claim our bags and recheck in. We also had to pay a departure fee even though we weren't going international. We ate lunch, looked in the stores and waited.



When we finally took off the plane was making a terrible noise but we went anyway. Once we got in the air it stopped.



Iquitos (the only major city that can only be reached by air) was about like Florida when we landed: hot, sticky and a light mist. We met two embassy gus when we got off the plane. they had come in to see an American who was in jail. Barbara said it was a sex charge. The single one of the two was so good looking. He had trained as a Seal. The other one had trained as a special forces ranger.



There was a van from the hotel to pick us up. Some guy grabbed our luggage and pointed it out. We thought he was the driver or hotel worker. It turns out he was just there to collect tips.



In the van was a couple from Ireland who had been traveling since the beginning of July. She was robbed on the bus from Puno to Cuzco. They thought they were on the tourist bus but it was the local. Her passport, money and journal were all gone. We got to the hotel Victoria Regia around 7 p.m. After checking in we walked to town to the grocery store. As we were walking we stopped at a pharmacy and I showed the guy a rash I had under my arm. He gave me some medicine and told me to use it twice a day.



When we got back to the hotel I tried to talk to management about giving us a discount after we got back from the jungle. He gave us one but it wasn't enough so we{re going to have to move.



Clever, the guy who sells jungle lodge tours, came over and gave us the low down on a lodge owned by our hotel. We gave him $180 US each. We were to be picked up at 8:30 in the morning.



Around 8:30 p.m. we set out walking to try to find a new hotel. We walked to the Acosta where we wanted to stay but the woman said they were full for Thurs and Fri nights. We walked on down the street looking at a couple here and there. We finally met a young guy in one of the places that offered to take us to the Safari Hotel that he thought we might like. It had a great location, and was fairly new. We told them we{d take the room for Thurs. and Friday nights. At the time I didn't know that Barb was was less than enthusiastic about it.



We went on back to our hotel to pack a small bag for the jungle the next day, shower and go to bed. I was so tired I didn't finish packing but went right to bed.

9-15 (Monday)



We got up at 5 a.m. to catch a cab at 6:00. We had a slight difference of opinion about our cab ride. Barbara thought we should go with the cab company the hotel recommended for 80 pesos and I thought we should take a metered cab. I felt the pressure because she relucently agreed to go in the metered one.



When I hailed the cab I made sure he understood where we were going. Then I asked him if he had enough petrol. He said, [si[ but I ran over to his side of the car and checked his gauge.



He did a good job of driving until we got about 2/3 of the way to the airport and he appeared to be falling asleep. We tried to talk to him to wake him up. He cracked the window and let in some cold air. The metered cab worked out just fine. It cost 63 pesos, the hotel wanted 80 and when we first arrived we paid 90.



We requested 2 aisle seats on our flight. The girl assured us we got them. When we got on Barbara was in the middle. she was furious. Right before we took off the guy to her left got up and moved to the back with his friends. WE were in a row of three so we had an empty seat between us. It was a four and a half flight from Buenos Aires to Lima. We had breakfast, slept, read and I loaded pictures into my computer.



We had almost 4 1/2 hours in LIma before our flight to Iquitos. We had to go through customs, immigration, claim our bags and recheck in. We also had to pay a departure fee even though we weren't going international. We ate lunch, looked in the stores and waited.



When we finally took off the plane was making a terrible noise but we went anyway. Once we got in the air it stopped.



Iquitos (the only major city that can only be reached by air) was about like Florida when we landed: hot, sticky and a light mist. We met two embassy gus when we got off the plane. they had come in to see an American who was in jail. Barbara said it was a sex charge. The single one of the two was so good looking. He had trained as a Seal. The other one had trained as a special forces ranger.



There was a van from the hotel to pick us up. Some guy grabbed our luggage and pointed it out. We thought he was the driver or hotel worker. It turns out he was just there to collect tips.



In the van was a couple from Ireland who had been traveling since the beginning of July. She was robbed on the bus from Puno to Cuzco. They thought they were on the tourist bus but it was the local. Her passport, money and journal were all gone. We got to the hotel Victoria Regia around 7 p.m. After checking in we walked to town to the grocery store. As we were walking we stopped at a pharmacy and I showed the guy a rash I had under my arm. He gave me some medicine and told me to use it twice a day.



When we got back to the hotel I tried to talk to management about giving us a discount after we got back from the jungle. He gave us one but it wasn't enough so we{re going to have to move.



Clever, the guy who sells jungle lodge tours, came over and gave us the low down on a lodge owned by our hotel. We gave him $180 US each. We were to be picked up at 8:30 in the morning.



Around 8:30 p.m. we set out walking to try to find a new hotel. We walked to the Acosta where we wanted to stay but the woman said they were full for Thurs and Fri nights. We walked on down the street looking at a couple here and there. We finally met a young guy in one of the places that offered to take us to the Safari Hotel that he thought we might like. It had a great location, and was fairly new. We told them we{d take the room for Thurs. and Friday nights. At the time I didn't know that Barb was was less than enthusiastic about it.



We went on back to our hotel to pack a small bag for the jungle the next day, shower and go to bed. I was so tired I didn't finish packing but went right to bed.