Hello WHSPeruTrip2026…with a purpose Bloggers,

We have had a very enjoyable (but less intense) day in the Amazon Jungle.  We are staying at the INCREDIBLE Casa Amazonas by Vanessa Frias and have the enormous privilege of having the founder of the lodge as our host.  The students have really enjoyed some time to relax and the positive interaction between everyone has been exceptional.  We also had a chance to ‘unpack’ some of our experiences so far in an outstanding reflection session in the Yoga Shala (I will include a video of everyone journaling), which included a chance for everyone to ‘catch up on their journaling as well as a guided reflection on the trip so far and the incredible learning they have all done.  Some of the benefits of this session were evident in the breakfast comments post yesterday.

Yesterday we had the Capybara group visit the Amazon Shelter where Magaly has spent the past 16 years caring for injured wild animals, allowing for some of them to be returned successfully to the wild.  the students were fascinated and inspired by the visit…and of course the animals were really interesting and ‘cute’.  The Caiman group did an Etho-botany walk with Ese Eja shaman Victor Pesha and also found that very interesting.  After a swim and a relaxing break we had lunch and then headed into town to see some of the ‘sights’ of the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado’ (about the same size as Wangaratta …but very very different)!!  Some of the students climbed the Obelisco to get a view of the city and we all found the local market fascinating, went across the ‘golden gate’ bridge over the enormous Madre de Dios river and then spent a nice time in the Plaza…eating the world famous Acai Ice cream in the Copazu shop on the plaza.  After (another incredible) dinner we spend a beautiful time around the campfire in the middle of the jungle listening to Charlie’s flute, Gus, Noah and Luka on guitar and everyone singing ‘Fire’….and of course lots of positive interaction  “…where else would you be?”

I hope you are all enjoying our adventures so far….we will have another day of activities today but in the afternoon we will have a visit from Yeni from the Yine tribe who will carry out a ‘totem’ ceremony and paint our faces according to the animal she identifies us with.  It promises to be Awesome!!

Harry