I woke up and the ship was pretty much alive already; I had missed breakfast and was thirsty. I went one last time to the snack bar opposite to buy a drink before the ship would leave or before the owner would shut down due to the level of the river. I took my shoes off and walked in the mud and in the water to get there because the level of the river had risen again overnight and was covering already the steps of the wooden staircase to the snack bar. 3 trucks had just about enough space to get close enough to the ship and load their cargo; rice, flour and eggs. The departure had been postponed to 11:00 hours but 2 more trucks were still waiting at the entrance gate and I had my doubt that we could keep that estimate.

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I connected the computer and continued to work, walked up and down the decks, had a small talk here and there but the challenge, the excitement and the pressure of the last days was gone. As much as I had suffered from my theft in Quito and the consequences I had to realize and admit that I had quiet enjoyed exactly that situation, that pressure, that challenge; the theft had pushed my journey to an adventure and now I did not want to miss that experience at all. I am very, very grateful for that experience and I hope that I have learned something, whatever you wanted me to learn, I hope I have understood.

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The first 3 trucks were ready and their spot had been replaced now by the 2 remaining trucks that had been waiting at the entrance gate and I calculated that we would probably need 2 hours more before departure. The carriers seemed to need help; they were completely wet and rushed from the truck to the ship and back from the ship to the truck, they must have felt the pressure from the passengers and from the crew and maybe even from the new ship that had arrived and was waiting to take our place and start loading. A ship in a port does not generate money, the time in a port has to be cut down to the minimum, the port authorities charge money; only a travelling ship is making money and hopefully profit.

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Right after lunch the engine finally started and we left the port; first to the nearby platform for the final inspection but then to the center of the river and down the stream towards Iquitos. We would make a total of 7 stops of different length on our way and arrive in Iquitos probably on Saturday morning. The first stop at the indigenous community Progreso after 2 hours was the reference for all the future stops at all the 6 indigenous communities to follow.

The ship landed at a central point of the community which had no port  infrastructure whatsoever and just hit the riverbank, kept the engine running forward to stay in that same position and just a wooden bridge was pushed from the ship to the riverbank. The community was very small and so was the amount of cargo that had to be loaded off, 15 minutes more or less. Not really the time to leave the ship and have a look around; anyway the captain, the crew and the other passengers did not like the Gringo’s walking around and taking pictures. The communities were no tourist attraction and the inhabitants were no ethnic species in a human zoo.

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Tonight the first meal was served and I had to understand the difference to the Brazilian ship Voyager V that I had travelled with from Manaus to Tabatinga. The food was rationed and was handed out from the assistant of the cook. The cook himself sat at the table and stamped the tickets of the passengers on the back. No drinks; I had not expected this and with only 8 Soles in my pocket I might probably face a problem on the last day. I ate my portion of rice, feijao and chicken on a plate borrowed from the kitchen; I did not have my own, I had been robbed.

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For a small understanding of the days travel, I have included a Google Earth map. The red pins mark the locations I have stopped and taken pictures. At the bottom of the page you will find a link for all the pictures I have taken. The link will open in a Google+ Album.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

See map and distances / Siehe Karte und Entfernungen / Ver mapa e distâncias / Ver mapa y distancias

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