Trip to the Peruvian Amazonia 2008!

**benetay** · 1st Feb 2008, 01:02

I'm green with envy!

**benny** · 1st Feb 2008, 01:04

Then come along lor...

01. Gecko
02. Gecko's friend (Steve)
03. Benny
04. lorba (tentative)
05. wasabi8888 (tentative)
06.

Just need one more to make into private trip and we will have full control of the itinerary!!! Catch what also can!! Or can just go there and "eat wind".

Cheers,

**benetay** · 1st Feb 2008, 01:09

April is exam period. How to go?

**Ah_ZhaN** · 1st Feb 2008, 02:16

Sounds fun... good luck for the trip to Peru and bring back as many "loot" as possible.

**luenny** · 1st Feb 2008, 09:44

Wah, Benny, I think a lot of people are very jealous of you guys by now.

Be sure to bring back a detail picture report for those of us that are less fortunate.

**illumnae** · 1st Feb 2008, 10:04

really wish i could go

but i'm still doing my pupillage in April and thus will not be able to take time off for this.

bring back lots of wild fish (especially apistos

)!

**Goondoo** · 1st Feb 2008, 10:32

Originally Posted by benny

Then come along lor...

01. Gecko
02. Gecko's friend (Steve)
03. Benny
04. lorba (tentative)
05. wasabi8888 (tentative)
06.

Just need one more to make into private trip and we will have full control of the itinerary!!! Catch what also can!! Or can just go there and "eat wind".

Cheers,

Give me sometime, I still trying my luck every weekend!!!! haha... If hit the first prize, I can join you guys! (obviously, I am a relatively small player ^^)

**celticfish** · 1st Feb 2008, 17:20

snorkel set and UW camera avialable for T-loan...

**Ibn** · 2nd Feb 2008, 07:59

Benny, let me know how it goes for you. I'm planning on heading to the Amazon later this year (August time frame) with Margarita Tours.

**benny** · 2nd Feb 2008, 11:14

Eric!!!

Good to see you back!!

August would have been my prefered time originally! But I waited so many years to get someone interested in going and Gecko finally stepped up to the party so I'm in for this trip. I will definitely share my experience, especially where gear is concerned.

Cheers,

**Justikanz** · 4th Feb 2008, 16:02

If only I have that kind of money to spare...

But then... no aircon?

Benny, take some videos too... Haha...

Have fun! And be safe!

**Ibn** · 12th Feb 2008, 06:26

Awesome Benny. It's good to be back on the forum.

Please do share your thoughts in regards to gear once you get back. I'd love to make a trip w/you guys, but April is bad timing with me since it's tax time plus I've got a conference to present at.

A friend of mine just came back from the Peru and some of the images that he brought back were quite nice. I'm sure your's would be even better. Oh, don't forget to bring along plenty of silica gel.

**barmby** · 12th Feb 2008, 11:58

this is the mother of all fish trips!!

**celticfish** · 12th Feb 2008, 23:13

Just in case anyone needs a little inspiration to join up for the trip.
PFK has a recent article ---> here

Note:
Do not just read the article.
An email is posted futher down in the reader comments from a reader that Jeremy Gay asked to post.
Rather long but very interesting point of view on taking the trip.
But don't take my word for it, read it!

**benny** · 12th Feb 2008, 23:30

Hi celticifish,

I've decided to post that comment from your link here instead.

Originally Posted by [url=http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/blog.php?blogid=157]peter bradley[/url]

It was absolutely surreal when your e-mail arrived because I was sitting talking with one of my clients who is a wildlife producer and as he had done a film about Peru we were reminiscing about going down the Amazon.

I would recommend anyone of any age to consider a trip down the Amazon – not one that just takes you on a tourist boat for a couple of hours but the real jungle experience. I went with Marguerita Tours – a small American charity – that is part of Project Amazonia and you could look on the website to see if they are still operating. With the money they raise from eco-tourism they provide medical aid to the Indians and are buying up rainforest and also they are producing sustainable businesses to look after the jungle.

I would recommend anyone to go because :

1.I was on a high for weeks after my two week trip. You cannot appreciate the spirituality of the earth until you see the vastness of the Amazon

2.It is humbling. You don’t appreciate what real poverty is and what people actually need to live in the Amazon. There is no money and they all live by hunting and gathering and the people in the middle of the junge are still fascinated and obsessed with football.

3.It is an incredibly good way to lose weight. The diet is incredibly healthy. You live on rice, fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and you excercise like mad as you are wading through the jungle on treks morning, noon and night and it is hot and humid so your weight literally drops off. I lost a stone and a half in two weeks and never felt as fit as I did when I came back.

4.Although Peru has a reputation for violence and it often a gated society, once you get into the jungle the people are delightful, the wild life is amazing, you see things you cannot imagine – fluorescent funghi and all sorts of weird and wonderful wild life.

5.Not only do fishkeepers go but whatever wildlife you are interested in is available there. Surrealy, groups of Rabbi’s send their students there from Miami to be spiritually awakened. Anyone of any age can do it. I am going back this year and I am 60. It is one of the things you should do before you die.

So anyone else game? The clock is ticking...

Cheers,