We boarded our boat and headed against the current for 40 minutes to meet Harry, our driver, who was to drive us the 10 hour drive back to Cusco.
Ten minutes before the end of the boat journey, right on cue, the Amazon skies delivered yet another dose of torrential rain.
When I say torrential, think of the heaviest downpour you've ever experienced and double it. This was ridiculous!
We docked at the small town and even the locals including the boat owner didn't want to get off!
Looking ridiculous but at least my hair's staying dry....
The makeshift roof of the boat did its best but we were all still getting soaked.
Eventually Ronald realised this wasn't a typical Amazon downpour and was not about to let up anytime soon so he and Harry generously offloaded all our bags and put them in the van for us.
All that was left was for 5 gringos to get out of the boat and run like a fat kid to a cake shop, 100 metres, uphill, too the van.
We all made it, albeit looking like drowned rats, and we started our long, windy and frankly dangerous drive back to Cusco.
On the way to the jungle the weather had been relatively dry and we'd had the unfortunate chance to view 2 areas where 2 separate truck drivers had met their fate in the last week by driving too fast around different bends, plummeting hundreds of feet into the Amazon ravine. It was a stark reminder of the serious danger we were in. I was thankful for Harry, our driver who was born and bred in Manu and who knew the roads like the back of his hand.
2 hours into our journey we ground to a halt as the persistent rain had caused a landslide. We waited for a while for the landslide clearance team to arrive but as we waited, the landslide continued.
Even though it was still pouring with rain, I couldn't resist the temptation to get out and take a few pictures and a video.
Where the red truck is, is where our van was (this is looking back from the landslide).
The landslide. This should be a flat bit of road.
A view as little further away
Live update: Thurs 8th Jan 12:39pm
We've been stuck about a hour now and I'm now up to date with the blog so am updating on site at the landslide as I kill time waiting for the team to arrive to clear up this mess.
To be honest, looking at the damage, I'm not sure how this can be repaired. It looks like the landslide has eroded some of the road, right above a 200ft drop. We could be here a while.
15:54 - Well, that took longer than I thought! Not one but TWO landslides within 200 metres of each other.
We were first on site and within 30 minutes, 25 people were working as a team to chat the rocks, stones, gravel and mud in order that we could all pass through. Get it wrong and there was a 200ft drop waiting.
No rescue team ever arrived so it was up to us.
At first I stood watching the locals with pickaxes and spades clearing the 100 tonnes of landslide mess but I soon realised that we were all in this together and more hands make light work. So put on my flip flops (it was very wet and muddy), grabbed a stick (there weren't enough shovels about) and got stuck in. I couldn't do much with a stick but I wanted to do whatever I could, even if that was not much at all!
What I loved was that, even though we come from very different worlds, forces of nature has thrown us together as a team. Even though we didn't know each other and didn't even speak the same language, the comerardary was fantastic.
Lauren was eager to help and, as I really didn't want her in front of any potential fresh landslides, she worked with a local lady to create a ramp onto the new 'road' we had created. She has such a beautiful heart and wasn't bothered about breaking a nail or getting her shoes dirty.
A brave 4x4 driver decided to be the first to attempt getting through, however, just as he was gearing up to start, another landslide started right by us so he had to quickly reverse out of the way.
Mum, maybe down a glass of whiskey before watching this!
After we cleared these rocks, the 4x4 successfully made it through.
Harry, our driver, then tried to follow suit and drive our 2 wheel drive van over the path of rocks and mud that we'd levelled out. However, he got stuck and we had to dig him out and pull him out with a tow rope and another van.
The issue was, there was too much wet mud mixed in with the stones and the van sunk into it. What happened next blew my mind.
The guys with the spades and pickaxes started diverting a small stream from nearby so it flowed straight through the muddy, rocky road to wash the mud away. We all cut lots of smaller channels through the road (me on my knees with my stick looking like a ridiculous gringo!) and within 30 minutes the mud had washed away and we were over and on our way to the next landslide! The first one took 25 of us about 3.5 hours to clear.
The second landslide was much more rock than mud and on first look, I though we'd be there all night.
You've seen the first but here's a picture of the second landslide with rocks 2 metres high across the road. We are all in a line clearing the rocks, by hand, to form a new 'road' ramped up from either end for cars to drive over the top of the landslide.
If we took too many rocks away, there were many more tons directly above us ready to slip down. Behind us, a 250ft drop....
We didn't get any video or more than one picture of the second landslide as people were working so hard to fix what was a very dangerous situation that it didn't feel right.
I started at the top of the pile with five other people, removing small rocks by hand and tossing them behind me. Others flattened them down to make the new road, a good few metres higher than the original one.
We were all constantly looking above us as there was still a load of loose rocks and one false move would start another landslide. This is one my Mum would be right to worry about but luckily for her she doesn't get to hear about the stories until they're over and done with and we're safe!
At one point someone shouted and everyone watched as small rocks started sliding down from above us followed by larger ones just like in the previous video). An interesting 'rock dance' started as we all dodged the larger rocks and sighed at the fact that we had to pretty much start again with clearing the area we'd just cleared ten minutes previously!
Eventually the new mountain highway was ready for its first customer. I'm not exaggerating by saying that one false move or one slip of the new road (made by amateurs remember) and it would be game over for the driver. There really was no margin for error and I'm telling you, I'm a confident driver and I would NEVER have driven over EITHER of those makeshift roads.
The brave 4x4 driver decided to go first again, took a run up and raced through with little issues.
After a few alterations to make the road a little wider, Harry went for it, sailed through and we were on our way to Cusco some 4 hours behind schedule!
The ride home was fast. We're pretty sure Harry was on a promise and we were back by 8:30pm, covered in mud, knackered but smiling with the great adventure we'd just experienced.
We both agree, the jungle was the new highlight of our journey so far.
We went next door to Cicciolina's for an an amazing dinner and then flopped into bed (singles AGAIN....STUART!!!) exhausted but so incredibly happy.
Lauren's thoughts:
So, we thought the adventure was over but certainly not. It was incredible seeing everyone pull together to help clear the landslides. Gareth didn't want me helping as it was too dangerous but I felt really useless standing on the sidelines watching everyone else get stuck it. A well built Peruvian woman next to me starting making a ramp for the drivers to get on to the new road and as thus was not directly in front of the landslide I started helping move and flatten down the rocks. It was so minimal but I was pleased I could do something. I was so proud of my husband getting stuck in there. He hardly paused for breath and was sweating profusely but made an impact in both landslide clearances.
Our guide and driver was also amazing. Gareth has already described how knowledgeable Ronald was but in addition to this, he worked his socks off. Be it finding us animals to view, waking up at the crack of dawn to take us parrot watching, serving us dinner, punting us down the river, taking us on the zip wire and working flat out to get us past this landslide. He's not just any tour guide, he's an M&S tour guide!
I also want to thank God for giving us amazing weather. It was rainy season which means it could rain all day, every day. Ronald told me that it had rained constantly on the trek the week before and really limited what they could do and see. If you want the best possible weather, go between June and September. The best month apparently is July. It is dry season, the banks are at their lowest so you see more birds and mammals.
What a trip. I'm so pleased we went ☺
What a sequence! I poured myself a glass of wine and braved the heat of our lounge to watch and we have been entertained and enthralled.( You are right it was good for your Mum to see the movies after the event!). I have signed you up for the National Geographic. Well done both love Howard & Mum
ReplyDelete"Open your eyes
ReplyDeleteLook up to the skies and see"
Don't forget to savour every moment. So much more important that photos and video ;) (although I'm loving them)
Angela x
You're certainly seeing a different side of life! I was surprised you'd not seen a sensitive plant before now - they're common in garden centres.
ReplyDeleteKeep enjoying the experience, keep sending the photos and videos, it's all very interesting!
A friend of ours has just got stuck at a landslide too going from where we used to live in Huancayo, into the jungle. That's life......(there anyway) :) Rach
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