Notes from the Jungle

Yesterday was so hot I thought I was going to dissolve in my own sweat around 2 in the afternoon. I was on the hunt for some tourist information in the morning (the first time Ive ever had to deviate from my trusty LP!) ... I wanted to know the DL on getting to a nearby native community so I jumped on a moto to get across town to the INRENA office (for the national park service). That proved to be a bust and I had to grab another moto to another office which was in such a confusing part of town that the young guy helping me offered to walk me home when he got off (in 15 minutes).

We ended up having lunch and ice cream together. Here, you really have to watch how you invite people out to eat. It is cultural that the inviter pays (wheras for us, this only happens if its a date). I have had a little confusion with this and havent quite sorted out HOW exactly to ask somebody if they want to go out for lunch without implicating that I will pick up the tab. I mean, I dont care if lunch is super-cheap (actually, better that way) I just like having company, you know? But I guess I figure picking up the tab for friends on occasion is the least I can do in a town where everybody has treated me so exceptionally kindly.

Anyhow. I wanted to elaborate a little on taxis. There are two kinds of taxis here. One: motocarro/rickshaw. Two: moto. Motos are ... motorcycle taxis. There are a lot of motorcycles here in general because theyre cheap to buy and fuel up. Its actually pretty weird to see a whole car in the street. You know which motocycles are taxis because they drive around town like mad, honk their horns excessively, and stop if you so much as glance in their direction. Seriously, though, I think they just like to honk.

The driving age here is 14. As far as I can tell, there is no real drive test. Moto drivers wear helmets but the passengers just jump on and hold on. It is really common to see an infant squashed (and often asleep) between the driver and the passenger. I also saw one tough guy zooming through town with his little black dog balancing free on the front of the bike (front paws up near the handlebars). The motos here are so fast and cheap Im frequently tempted to take one just for the joy ride ... theyre about US .30 to get across town.

I should add here that, no, very unfortunately, I cant post a picture of a rickshaw taxi. My camera got stolen along with about $100 US cash on a night bus between Lake Titicaca and Cusco ... I lost about 400 pictures of everything between Lima and Lake Titicaca which I am desperately trying to recover through email by friends I have made throughout the trip. I have been taking pictures here with disposable cameras which, I am sure, will give my photos a terrific jungle flair. I will point and shoot my new professional green paper-covered cameras at a rickshaw taxi for you, Max.

I have to take off ... Im supposed to leave for the native community of Infierno at 11 with friends.

Love,
Me.