Once Upon The Amazon ...
Posted on February 17, 2011
Now I appreciate that not everyone has the opportunity to visit such exotic destinations as The Amazon Rainforest, and yes, get paid for it. To watch the rare Pink Dolphins play, I’m lucky. I’m grateful, BUT, let’s get real. Pink dolphins are cute and worth cuddling, but only IF you can catch up to one, not alone get a good picture of one. Rare. In reality, their presence is overshadowed by the more than 700 species of beetles, the pesky and worrisome mosquitos and the even more frightening 378 species of reptiles that coexist in this area of the world. Did I say 700 species of beetles? Yes, mostly an infestation of super beetles on steroids.
When on a cruise ship engagement, I love spending time in the fresh sea air. I find solitude out on deck watching a sunrise, sunset, shooting star, full moon, or yes, even a magical lunar eclipse, as we witnessed in the wee hours of December 21.
However, during our stay in The Amazon, time on deck became less as the creepy crawlers became more, invading every inch of our deck space, attaching themselves to the ship’s exterior. Fair enough. We invaded their habitat. Still, for me, spending time in the salty sea breeze suddenly became less appealing than hanging out in the insect-free zone at the espresso bar inside the air-conditioned luxury liner. I’m not a fan of AC but in such cases I make exceptions, especially considering I left my bug spray and anti-malaria meds at home.
On a more positive note, I thank the region’s glorious heat and humidity for my skin and hair that never looked better, and my voice that soared to new heights. My curly locks I’d never known, so grown. My skin fully hydrated and pale, miraculously free from bug attacks. While guests and crew seemed to fall victim to more than one bite, I luckily escaped the insect plight.
It was quite a shock to the system to leave the humid temperatures and return to the wet and grey of a Pacific West Coast winter. That said, I grew up on and love duck weather and there’s no other paradise nicer in the world than Vancouver’s West End, home to squirrels and chipmunks, YAY.
My advice, if you ever decide to pay the big bucks and take an exotic cruise to experience one of the NEW ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ - don’t pay for a balcony suite!
Stay tuned for more to come ...
