We wake up with the sunrise, usually under the roof of native communities; in other occasions, away from all human trace, amongst the trees of the Amazon forests. We dismantle our tents and hammocks, to load the into the Armada’s Lancha. Mosquitoes are always active at this time of the day, so we embark without hesitation on our Totora boat: Pipilintu.
After leaving the canopy behind us, the sun’s rays finish waking us up; the river is calm and the atmosphere around us is peaceful, until the moment in which a group of Arras birds fly above our raft.
The first strokes of our oars calmly plunge into the water; whilst a generous porridge provides us with the necessary energy to level up the intensity and increase our pace.
Sometimes it’s the rowing, some others, the sail, and sometimes it’s the motor: these are our propulsion methods. Shifts last 30 minutes: while one of us rows, the other one keeps watch at the bow and the others rest peacefully.
In some occasions we’ve had to push the boat with our hands; in those moments, the imprints of our feet cross and intertwine with those of caymans. Trees, birds, fish, all of them guided by the currents that drive us towards the ocean: that is our environment.
We always have fun on board: music from all over the world, stories of adventure or from books, and let’s not forget about the countless open discussions, always marked by tolerance. Mate and its bombilla are never far away, but hot water is sometimes lacking when sharing Yerba.
At noon, we have lunch with the preparations from the day before: carbohydrates, raw vegetables, and protein. Always generous portions, as we need strength for the journey.
With a full stomach and the sun shining right above us, it’s nap time. Some of us need to row right after eating, which is not always a pleasure; fortunately, coca leafs are on their way to fill us with more energy.
Happiness translates into the moment when, covered in sweat, we take a bath: turbulent waters are mysterious, which is why we don’t linger there, except when a collective swim is underway.
Later on, the time has come for us to eat a delicious tropical fruit: whether it is a juicy grapefruit, the sweetest papaya or a fermentes pineapple, there’s always something for everyone. In addition to that, the energetic or sweet snacks become the perfect complement.
We tent to lose some of our belongings: knifes, glasses, bombillas and phones have already met the bottom of the river. Therefore, we’ve installed some security nets to avoid further setbacks.
We’re constantly making improvements to our Totora balsa, she’s alive, she grows, she evolves and moves along with the currents.
The people who live along the riverside get usually very curious when they see us in the water. When we arrive to the pueblos, their welcome is always warm, generous and full of expectation.
On dry land, Bolivians bombard us with questions: the raft, our ways and methods of traveling and the expedition are often topics of discussion. Even the media, sometimes at a national level, invite us onto their broadcasts; this is how, little by little, we are gaining popularity and recognition for what we are doing.
Our values for cultural preservation make the population feel proud of their own heritage. Furthermore, on this journey we want to demonstrate that a sober, sustainable journey through sport is indeed possible.
Before the sun goes down we play football; we also seize our stay in the villages to make any necessary repairs, or we just let ourselves go with the conversations that come along the way.
The Armada is a solid support for us during our expedition: logistics, routes and our main point of contact with local communities. The Bolivian marines make our everyday life way easier. We live and evolve with them; from the everyday life at their naval base we’re also forging human connections.
In the local towns almost always we get a natural roof to stay in, where we quickly rebuild our campsite. In some occasions we’re even invited to dinner with rice and fish: a true classic of the region.
Then, we prepare our food for the next day, usually with wood stoves.
Like this, another day at the Amazonian rivers has come to an end; for now, our time to meet with Morpheus has arrived.
Translation : Valentina De la Hoz