Two months in the jungle

Denver, Houston, Lima, a short overnight stay and then up over the Andes to Tarapoto. When we stepped off the plane onto the hot, humid tarmac, I knew we had really arrived in the jungle.

Our first stop at Casa de Palos in Tarapoto allowed us to catch our breath and introduce the children to the joys of the moto-taxi and the local fish market. Neither were fond of the latter. We decided to take a little side trip to Chirapa Manta, an eco-lodge in San Roque de Cumbaza, to relax and spend some time working on a plan of attack whilst learning how to combat the relentless waves of biting insects. The bridge into the lodge was not unlike the one in Indiana Jones.

After three days we headed back to Tarapoto to find a base in Lamas where we could begin the work at the co-op.

Airbnb and a quick Facebook name search allowed us to find a house in Lamas. On the following Monday we moved into our three-story house overlooking the cloud forest of the Alto Mayo region of San Martin, Peru.

With our base now established we headed to the co-op and began the main project-- a 4 ton cacao pilot project.