Sunday, 16 January 2000

The jungle is beautiful beyond words, beyond my wildest expectations. The beauty of the land is raw, natural; saw mountains disappear to clouds, maybe they appear in heaven. Woke up and had great breakfast—it was just fruit and bread, but along with the overflowing air and breathtaking view, it made me feel like dancing. We hiked to Boeri Lake, then got caught in the rain. At the lake we swam, surrounded by the mountains.

Day 2 - Boeri Lake
Walking through a jungle, never seen so much green
The land is so grand so beautiful, pristine
Swimming through a lake, overflowing with blue
Amid the green magic jungle, I can't believe this is true
Watching through a window, I see the setting sun
Our star is sinking, but this journey has just begun
One last ray of light reveals the jungle is steaming
Am I right-side up or upside down, could this be real or am I dreaming?

When we arrived at the airport in Melville and I stepped off the plane, I immediately noticed the change in temperature and rise in humidity, a real treat in contrast to the current weather in Pa. After customs, we rode a van to Springfield Plantation, the lodge we'd be staying at for the next week.

The trip from the airport to the plantation was unbelievable. We passed through a few villages, and saw Dominican natives doing their daily activities. A few women were washing clothes in a nearby stream. The roads here range from about 8 to 12 ft wide, so driving is difficult. Most cars and trucks seem to be Toyotas. There are almost no road signs at all and no stoplights. People here drive on the left side of the road also. Once we entered the dense forest, I was in awe. There were huge mountains and more vegetation than I've ever seen in my life. It seemed to resemble something out of Jurassic Park. We couldn't even see the tops of some of the mountains...they were engulfed in clouds due to the high elevations.