Time out
- 9 Nov 07, 04:21 PM
Posted from: Louisiana.
The trip so far has been incredible - the source of the Amazon, Rodolfo and his family, an epic trek, white-water rafting, and a lot more - but I'd be lying if I said that we didn't all enjoy a couple of nights in a hotel in Ayacucho and choosing food from a menu.
For a while news of a strike by more than one Trade Union made it look like we may be forced to stay for a couple more nights because the roads would be blocked. We took a chance anyway (unsurprisingly against the wishes of most of the crew who were happy to stay a bit longer in a hotel) and found that the roads were completely empty.
It was another very long but very beautiful drive, this time descending through cloud forest and eventually back to the banks of the Apurimac river deep in the coca growing country. The area is known to be dodgy, but we're staying in a safe haven - a hacienda which many years ago was a tourist haven. Guillermo, its owner, is working hard to re-establish it and the area as a place where tourists will come to again.
It's great to finally be in a place where we'll spend a few days and nights, so that we can really establish ourselves and relax a little bit rather that film or travel for every waking hour. I know that Matt N and Zubin relish the opportunity to get all of their kit in order, Almu has got the time she desperately needed to talk to contributors, Bruce is revelling in spending time to get to know those contributors - tonight he's staying with a community who make part of their money growing coca, and tomorrow he'll be helping them pick it.
I'm just happy to slow things down a bit for the film, and because I've got a pretty bad headache which has been coming on for a couple of days, I'm looking forward to getting to Iquitos.
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