Hi again, I have recently returned from the Amazon Jungle which was probably the best experience I had in my life so far. I loved it there to bits. It was just so close to nature, you cannot imagine it.

I booked the trip in Lima a day before I left and was lucky to get a reasonable cheap flight to Iquitos. Iquitos, in Peru, is the largest town in the world or so that you cannot get to by road. If you were to take a boat, it would take you at least 3 days. Even more surprisingly I found that on my first night, I stayed in some rather less nice hostel, I had a German TV channel in my room. I don't even have that in London! Surely less Germans travel to the Rio Amazon than London or elsewhere! ...especially as there aren't any beaches to build sandcastles and deckchairs that can be reserved with towels!!!

Anyway, in the morning of my first day we took a boat from Iquitos to our lodge in the jungle. On the way we stopped off at a district that has 36000 people living on floating houses on the river. Imagine Venice, but all houses, bridges and boats are made of wood and straw and are really unstable. They even cook food on a canoes in the hope a different boat will pass and buy it. Incredible place! Very difficult to explain what I felt when I saw that, it's sad but most people seem happy though.

The lodge was a 45 min boat ride away and it was so remote, it didn't have any electricity and hot water. It was really lovely though. The atmosphere was just incredible. At night everything was lid up with candles and music was played live with guitar and drums.

After arrival we did a bush walk which wasn't much fun as the mosquitoes loved me. My tour guide said I was dancing with them - not funny! Also that day we went out to see dolphins. They have pink and grey dolphins and after calling them for a while they were around - though not very close. I went swimming there too. First time ever I swam in the Amazon! That's so cool!

We also visited a place where you could get real close to many animals that live there which included an alligator, turtle, anaconda, boa, monkeys and a sloth. Check out my pics - I hugged, lifted or touched every one of them! They also brew there some local sugar cane rum with seven different types of root in them, which was apparently very healthy. A sort of jungle medzin! Hmmm yummy!

When I am talking about 'we', I am talking about our nice little tour group which only consisted of a couple from Canada, our tour guide Francisco and I. It didn't feel quite as touristy that way and we got on very well.

After dinner, at night, we went on a canoe trip on a lake to look for alligators. Quite spooky really but we didn't see any. We did the same trip in the morning again to see the birds waking up. Although I had to fight with myself waking up because we had a good night drinking the jungle medzin that we got the day before! What was really cool is that Francisco could make all sorts of weird bird, fish and animal noises!

The next morning we went out on a walk again through the jungle to a local tribe. On that way, we learned a lot. Francisco explained whilst we passed many plants that have special healing character including stuff that is good against arthritis. Did you know that termites are natural anti mosquito repellent? Watch my video and you see how to use it. Basically let them run all over your hands and rub them in your face and body! I did it, sill can't believe it. So I filmed it as evidence!

The tribe we visited was 'yagua indian etnia'! They danced with/for us, painted our faces and let us use their hunting tool before they practiced their hard core selling techniques on us with their jewellery! It was a bit cheesy, but fun. Interesting to see how it was once long time ago! Got some necklaces - anyone wants one?

In the afternoon we walked to a local village which was really small (100 people) but they had a new elementary school for the children and a disco and bar there, where you could buy even more interesting snaps! There they mixed it with bark and ginger. They are about 25% in alcohol and for 2 pounds worth we had a fantastic evening that night!

On the last day, we went piranha fishing. The night before a different group caught about 10 but we only ended up with a sardine and 1 piranha! These b******s are just not biting on but they eat the worm of the hook! How??? Very frustrating. My first time fishing and it's really not for my patience!

Shame I had to leave so soon. I loved it there and the people at the lodge were so nice. Mostly I will miss swimming in the river and covering myself with mud that is good for the skin. You pay a lot of money for that in London and you'd only get a bucket full!

Anyway, it was soooo much fun! I'll have to go back sometime for sure!!!