Day Twelve ... our last day in the Amazon

5.45am alarm for a 6am walk to the Parrot Clay Lick - a clay wall where parrots congregate to get some essential salts and minerals in their diet.

After a walk through the waking lightening jungle we arrived at the lick at 6.15 immersed in a cacophony of parrot chatter from the trees above. High volume tweet tweet tweet. Silently hidden in our little blind we awaited the descent onto the lick. Being an orange clay the parrots stand out in a mass of contrasting colour.

Or they would. If they flew down. Which they didn't. They flew off instead. And left us alone. In our quiet hide. Such is life on safari ... or whatever the Amazon experience is called.

We relocated to a nearby hide overlooking a small clay lick. Lots of parrots ... loud noise ... until they flew back to the first area. So we quietly went back there ... and they flew off again. You see, it's wet. We are in a rainforest and today is a rainy day. So let's see what we can squeeze into Day 12.

Whilst walking between the hides we did come across the Toppin's Titi monkeys high in the trees. Esau grabbed his scope so we could see them a little better.

Walking back to the lodge for breakfast. 

9.30am. Sitting in the spacious outside lobby pavilion waiting for the rain to ease so we can head to the mammal clay lick. We are being treated to the Howler monkey accompaniment, a deep throaty sound that resonates loudly across the forest. So loud that you have to raise your voice to have a conversation. And this can go for 10-15 minutes without a break. 

And there was a Southern Amazon  Red squirrel nibbling on a nut right next to the lounge whilst we waited for the rain to stop. 

I also saw a warrior riding a jaguar.

And a naturalist capturing a capybara.

This is definitely a rainforest. 

10.40am. Large group (mostly older Aussies from Perth) returns from Oxbow Lake having seen the giant otters. They are soaked to the skin ... bedraggled ... semi-defeated. For most, this is their one full day in the Amazon. And we are looking at 50-100mm rainfall.

2.10pm. Lunch done. Rain has stopped but everything is still very wet. The ground around the lodge is wet and muddy. All guests have retired to their rooms for the afternoon. The only activity that has a realistic chance of success is the 4pm Sunset Cruise, so everyone will probably on it. (Actually, given the time and what we know, it might be more aptly called a Late Afternoon Getting Darker Ride in a Long Motor Powered Boat with an Esky Full of Evening Drinks).

Ian tried a hammock ... before heading to the bed for an afternoon siesta. 

4.15pm. In the boat. Jacqui had a swim before we left. Took a dive off the landing platform. A few extra minutes to clean up but we are on our way.

4.51pm. Quick return to take on pirates. The river is rising after the rain, picking up loose timbers and branches from the riverbanks, and moving very quickly downstream.

We saw 3 capybara. Large semi-aquatic mammals. The world's biggest rodents. Happy people on-board 😀

5.26pm. Anchored near the bank at a bend in the river facing the setting sun (if you call a rope loosely slung around a creaking branch sticking up from a submerged log being "anchored"). The nibbles are passed around. Chacuterie board stuff. Jacqui, Emily and James share a bottle of wine. Esau has a beer. We watch the sun go down across the river, the trees silhouetted in black, Venus rising. A wonderful way to end a memorable few days.

6.27pm. Safely back to the lodge. Tricky boat ride navigating away from all the driftwood in the river. Occasionally go over a log which loudly scrapes the bottom. Esau has a piercing torchlight. We make the steps, and then it's a 15 minute torchlight procession to the lodge. Boots off. We are home.

Emily and James with Womby and Echi. I couldn't think of a lovelier young couple to spend the last few days with.

6.53pm. Back in the room, tea at 7.30. Jacqui is lying on the bed recovering from her swim (see 4.15pm). Making the final steps of the platform down onto the boat she slipped on a wet leaf. Her feet went forward taking her body through the gap between the platform and the high wooden handrail, back crunching against the platform on the way through. She just missed bowling Emily over as she went. She spun as she went, her knee leaving an imprint on the muddy bank. With her camera clutched in one hand she grabbed a passing branch - enough to stop her momentum. She lay face down against the river bank, up to her knees dangling in the river. "I'm ok. I'm ok. "I'm not hurt", she kept yelling as we rushed to her aid.

3 hours later the adrenalin has passed. She is out of the darkness. She is showered and her body aches. And the fear of the moment has returned. She will go to tea soon. But not just yet.