International Medical Relief has arrived!

From Saturday, October 30

 

After a full day of traveling, we are thrilled to say that the IMR team to the Amazon has arrived in Manaus, Brazil!  We spent our first day adjusting to "river life" on our boat, the "Linda Esperanca" ("Beautiful Hope" in Portuguese): from the thickness of the hot, humid air to the colorful hammocks strung from the rafters, every detail of our surroundings is a reminder of the amazing week we have ahead.

 

After getting settled on the boat at 3am last night, this morning was a much-needed opportunity to rest and relax.  Despite airline delays, we were so glad that Andrea finally arrived in Manaus, and soon after her arrival, we began our journey east on the Rio Negro.  About 1.5 hours downstream, we crossed the " meeting of the rivers": an amazing place where two waterways--the dark, muddy waters of the Rio Negro and the lighter Amazon--converge.  For hundreds of yards, the waters remain separate like water and oil... a phenomenon so unique that it is only found one other place in the world.  Today was also our first opportunity to drink in the deep oranges and rusty reds of the Amazon sunset.  All in all, it's been an amazing introduction to life on the river.

 

The major success of the day, though, has been getting to know the rest of the team--dare I say it, team bonding!  Conversation and laughter are never lacking, and even though we have spent just under a day together, it already feels like we've developed a real sense of comraderie and friendship.  Jed, the Executive Director of Amazon Outreach, promised that we'll be like family by the end of the trip--and I suppose that given our overlapping hammocks and the cozy quarters of the boat, it's only to be expected.

 

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org