Manu Biosphere Reserve: anti-planning pays off... sort of.

I had planned to figure out how to get to Salta when I got back from Manu. I would have about three days which gave me several options. That was the extent of my plan, and it was a good thing... Because of bad weather the 90 minute helicopter ride Monday turned into a 5 hour wait followed by a cancelled helicopter, a 4 hour boat ride, a 45 minute dirt-road-shockless-truck ride, 10 minute pitch-black boat ride across a river with rapids, 2 hour van ride on a paved road, a night in a hotel in Puerto Maldonado and a short flight to Cusco in the afternoon.

Aventura!!

grasshopper in the airport "waiting area"

baby chick at Boca Manu port (where we killed a few hours waiting for news on the flight)

killing more time at Boca Manu port

seeing how the boats are made from reclaimed wood at Boca Manu

Having no set plans for Tuesday this was all fine with me. I felt a little bad for the folks missing a day on the Inca Trail because of the delay, but they do warn you many times to leave a travel buffer of 1-3 days when leaving Manu for this reason.

I have no idea how or when I will get to Salta to meet Kim. I know my options give the shortened timeframe but none of them are appealing. At least I have a hell of a story to share if and when I do finally see her...