Swimming vs. sinking in fear

Ever since I was a child I was fascinated by the jungle and in particularly the Amazon. I have devoured every film, documentary and book about it and visiting it one day has been on the top of my bucket list for many years. A few years ago I dreamed that I was finally in the Amazon but that the place we stayed at was surrounded by water rather than forest and that I was petrified. When we arrived at Tahuayo Lodge a few days ago, I recognised it as the place from that dream.

Tahuayo Lodge is located on one of the tributaries of the Amazon, the Tahuayo River, about a 4 hour boat ride away from Iquitos. Built on 12m high stilts it is currently surrounded by water due to it being flood season and the water reaches deep into what is normally jungle, creating an expansive water world.

The good news is that I’m not feeling AS petrified as I was in my dream but nevertheless, since arriving here I had to face and overcome many fears and I continue to do so every day.

My main issue is that I really don’t like murky waters at the best of time. I prefer to see what’s in the water and having something brush my legs while swimming in dark water is my kind of horror scenario. Add to that the fact that we’re talking about the Amazon and all the scary bits of (mis-)information I have been fed about the animals living in these waters and you get the picture.

Luckily we have an amazing guide who grew up in the local village and he just laughs his head off every time I’m asking questions about the ‘dangerous’ animals here. Piranhas, for example, have NEVER attacked or eaten anyone here. Quite the opposite, people tend to eat them and only when trying to get them off the hook there’s a chance that someone may get bitten. There have also NEVER been any accidents or attacks involving caimans or anacondas. And remember that fish that supposedly swims up your whatsit if you pee in the water? Our guide referred to it as a tourist legend and says that at least in these parts of the Amazon, children play and pee in the water all the time and NEVER has anyone had a fish swim up their urethra.

Tony accepted these new pieces of information quickly and took the plunge straight away when he had a little swim just off our lodge yesterday. I am still working on digesting, integrating and trusting all of this new information.

But I will do it. I will swim in the murky waters of the Amazon!

The main reason why I am determined to overcome this fear is that another item on my bucket list is swimming with dolphins and I always said that I want it to be with wild dolphins rather than dolphins living in captivity.

I didn’t think it would happen in the Amazon but apparently we will take a boat trip to Blackwater Lake (encouraging name!) where we will have the opportunity to swim with pink dolphins.

I cannot and I will not miss out on that experience! 

For how long I will actually stay in the water is a different story of course… ;-)

I shall keep you posted.