We’ve been traveling here and there and I must say that there aren’t many Pollacks backpacking. It seemed like we are the only two Polish gals, who had the bright idea of traveling, until…
…until we met Sebastian, a Polish backpacker. Yep a Polish backpacker. While staying at the Posada del Rio in Cuenca, Ecuador, taking Spanish classes for a week, Sebastian came in for a night or two. Instantly we started talking as it’s rare that we speak polish to others besides each other. Similar to us he gave up everything to travel.
After a night of partying with him and other crazy fun people like Scott, from our hostel, we agreed to meet up with Sebastian and his friend Kuba in Peru. We were going to travel on a boat through the Amazon River for three days and 2 nights, and play in the jungle.
Nothing like 4 Pollacks getting together and traveling on the Amazon River. Two bottles of rum and shit load of weed, plus good vibes.
All good and happy we got on the boat, strapped our backpacks to a pole next to our hammocks, and watched as the locals loaded the boat with everything and anything possible. Shit load of eggs, chickens, cows, boxes, furniture, rice, potatoes, vegetables, plastic, electronics you name it, it was there. All went on the bottom cargo, we, we were on top, all tourist, gringos, were on top top. A hammock next to a hammock. This was going to be a boat ride of the Amazon.
So excited we took off.
“This freaking thing is moving the speed of on old man on roll-blades, no shit it takes three days to get to Iquitos”
As we just took off, Kuba rolled the first joint and we were on a way to a happier boat ride.
So I thought, until I checked my temperature as I was feeling a bit cold in a 20*C weather. It turned out that I had a fever of 38*C. Shortly into the ride my entire body was hurting, muscle aches, joint pain, headache, I was feeling like shit. While these guys were happy having a good time talking to locals and all I was laying in the hammock without movement.
The bottle of rum went into effect, while I laid there and drooled. However, I wasn’t the only one feeling like shit. Sebastian also started to complain about his throat he apparently partied to hard with Kuba before meeting up with us.
Nevertheless, a side from my sick self the boat ride was quite nice, the views of the Amazon River and surrounding small villages was quite a Kodak moment. I snapped away with few gigs of photos and continued to lay in the hammock.
After two nights of super uncomfortable sleep on the hammock, and eating rice and meat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner I was so ready to get off.
We end up going to a Hostal that Scott recommended, owned by a 60 year old American woman and her 30 year old Peruvian boyfriend. Quite bizarre, she was almost walking around naked, wrapped in a see through bed sheet.
We stayed for one night and took off to La Selva jungle. I was still feeling like shit, worse then on the boat. My body really hurt, my fever was high and I was not happy. I didn’t really care if we go into the jungle or not. I was just flowing the rest of the Polish gang. Sebastian as well was not so good, his fever that night went up so high that we had to cool him down with wet towels. But shivering and freezing he some how survived.
Since the guys were on a tight schedule and had a plane to catch in three days we all end up going to the jungle to a cabin deep into the Amazon the next day. Sick and all we were on a small boat with small engine roaring laud for 4 hrs and passing locals on canoes and small villages.
Kuba continued to keep everybody nicely baked and just kept rolling and lighting.
When we arrived to the Cabin it was a happy surprise, the place was awesome, quiet, new and no one there except the family who ran the place. Pepe our guide prepared jungle local food, a bit of rice, chicken, and local salad that was juicy and organic.
Still sick I just relaxed, drank lots of tea and took it easy. Fever was still attacking both Sebastian and I. This time being sick was quite different for me as I mainly had fever and body aches. No stuffy nose, no sore throat, it was different, I was beginning to freak out that I might have malaria.
We continued to do the jungle stuff, like canoe on the river, where we saw pink dolphins, night hikes into the jungle with many spiders and poison’s snakes, fishing for piranhas, Iza was the winner she fished out 6 piranhas that were all different type. Grrrr crazy teeth they had.
On my last day there, I noticed a rash on my palms and feet. My feet were swollen and red that continued up my legs. My hands were also swollen red and my arms and neck had a rash.
“ohh crap, am I allergic? Is this the freaking purities allergic reaction that no one knows where it comes from, do I need some XYZAL?”
But after doing a bit more research when we got back to Iquitos, I realized that I must have Dengue Fever, all symptoms lead to it. There is no cure for it, just have to ride it out. I also, had my first serious crisis of going back home, I didn’t care where we go and what we do, I just felt miserable and wanted to be home in my bed.
But I managed through and got back on track. After a nice last dinner with the polish crew, the guys took off to Lima, and we stayed behind to go back into the jungle and cure ourselves with psychedelic medicine.
