Jungle Bound

Friends, I´m happy to report that the decision has been made of where to spend my final vacation in Peru: as of this Sunday, I´m jungle bound.

The trip couldn´t be any better-timed.  Exactly two weeks ago—on November 11, 2011—the Amazon made the provincial list of the New7Wonders of Nature. While the results of this competition won´t officially be announced until early 2012, inclusion into the New7Wonders campaign could mean the beginning of a second tourist boom in Peru. The country´s economy is still riding high off the 2007 competition, which selected Machu Picchu as one of the new man-made wonders amongst the ranks of Chichen Itza (Mexico), the Taj Mahal (India), and the Great Wall of China.

My visit to the Amazon will be based in and around Iquitos, the largest city in the world only accessible by air or boat. But my tracks will only be making a minuscule dent in the Amazon´s density, which spreads an impressive seven million square kilometers and totals over half of the world´s existing rainforests.  Its vastness and diversity (containing 1 in every 5 living species) is incomprehensible.

So what´s on the itinerary? My wonderful roommate Maureen and I will see pink dolphins, jaguars, manatees, toucans, and mosquitoes (default). How will a girl who winces at the mere mention of snakes make it through the jungle unscathed? Well, that´s for another blog. 

In the meantime, I´m preparing for my jungle excursion the only way that makes sense: by listening to songs that make shameless and distasteful allusions to it:

Kool & The Gang/ Jungle Boogie

The Beach Boys/ In the Jungle (The Mighty Jungle)

The Troggs/ Wild Thing

Guns N´ Roses/ Welcome to the Jungle

The Rolling Stones/ Monkey Man

Emma Louise/ Jungle

Jay-Z and Kanye West / Welcome to the Jungle

Stay tuned.