We arrived in the sweltering heat of Iquitos just after lunchtime and took a mototaxi (tuk-tuk to the rest of the world) to the Flying Dog hostel on the waterfront. We soon booked our Amazon adventure for the next day and went for a rather awkward beer with the mototaxi driver.

Despite the language barrier between Luke, the taxi driver and I we forced our way through 2 beers between us as Luke and I were video recorded on the drivers phone to show his son! To try and get over the experience we went out for a chinese in town before returning to the hostel for a quiet one playing cards.

Next morning we were collected at 7.30am and taken to the dock where we met 2 French brothers and an American girl who would be in our tour group with us. It was soon apparent they were weirdos and only going to the jungle though for Ayahuaska and jungle drugs.

We had a 4 hour boat journey upstream before finally reaching our lodge. The camp itself was a raised wooden building tucked away in the flooded jungle. We also met the doctor (American) and a Chilean father and son on a bonding session who were all staying at the same lodge as well, but in different tour groups. After lunch our group and the Chileans went for a 2hr hike through the jungle but didn´t manage to see much apart from a couple of well hidden tarantulas and a sloth from a distance that was getting high on fermented leaves.

In the evening we went out on the boat looking for nocturnal cretures but apart from a brief glimps of a caimens eyes we saw very little. However, as we returned to camp Ramon (14 yr old local boy who was helping us) sneaked out of the boat and managed to catch a baby caimen which he brought aboard for us to hold. Soon after we retired to camp and had an early night.

Next morning we were meant to be up for sunrise at 5.45am but everyone forgot to set an alarm so when we left at 6.15am it was already light. Despite this we went for a for a boat trip downstream and managed to see a couple of pink river dolphins from a distance until a big oil tanker scared them away.

A little later on the 7 of us went pirahna fishing with a variety of success. The Chilean Dad had the first (and his only) catch of the day after about 45 seconds. Whilst the French boys each plucked out a fish towards the end of the 2-3 hour session. However, Luke and I were teaching the locals how to do it. Despite numerous escapees, some even making it onto the boat and escaping, we each pulled aboard 5 fish. Luke got 3 Pirahnas, a catfish and sardine, whilst i caught 4 Pirahnas and a catfish. We returned to the hostel for lunch - obviously rice and pirahna and after headed out spear fishing whilst the others relaxed for the afternoon as they were taking the hallucinagenic Ayahuaska that evening.

For the spear fishing it was only Luke and I with Ramon and his sister Carolina. We stopped off at the house which was nearby where we met their family and were shown the fish that they had caught that day including one big fish. After we went off spear fishing in the boat which proved extremely difficult, especially as we could see no fish, but we did spot another sloth from a distance. Somehow back near the lodge though Ramon managed to spear a tiny fish from about 3m away with a well aimed throw leaving Luke and I rather perplexed.

In the evening Luke and I went spear fishing again whilst the Frenchies, American girl and doctor took Ayahuasca. Luke and I saw another caimen on the night tour, along with tarantulas. Back near the lodge again where the water was a bit shallower we watched as the guides speared a couiple more fish. Then it was time for Luke and I, after a few close misses Luke managed to get a catfish first. Soon after i got one as well, and before we know we were spearing left, right and centre but not with much luck whilst the other guys were throwing up. Right at the end i managed to get another tiddler and after 13 fish between me and Luke for the day we thought we would give the waters a chance to recover.

Next morning we were up relatively early and after breakfast went on a 1 hour boat ride upstream to the Amazon River. Here we all got out and had a swim in the famous river and were pleasantly surprised when pink and grey river dolphins decided to check us out as well. After we watched some locals catch sardines with a fishing net before heading back to the lodge for lunch and getting ready to leave the jungle. After a few hour boat trip we were back in Iquitos and struggling to find cash or accomodation. Eventually, we managed to find somewhere though so headed out for food in a rather empty bar where the rather gay waiter was covertly taking photos of Luke behind his dishcloth.

After we were sufficiently creeped out we went to a couple of bars in town before retiring for the evening. Next morning we were up and packed early ready for the flight back to Lima. But first, we had one more stop to make - at the Manatee Conservation Centre. We paid the enormous 75p entrance fee each and were shown a large rescued river turtle and 8 of the 14 rescued manatees they had at the centre in rehabilitation.

5 of the manatees were in a large pool and quite early on in their rehabilitation which meant we could stroke them and feed them. Their skin is very soft and leathery and it is no wonder they are critically endangered because they were so friendly, curious and slow. These features all make them adorable but also vulnerable as was clear by the spear wounds and machete scars that littered their heads and backs. Once they were all sufficiently fed we jumped back on the mototaxi to the airport for our flight.