Crocodile hunter

Arriving at the Amazonian hotel the first day, it was late as the boat pulled up to the dock and the sun was already falling in the sky. Having got the keys to the room I went straight to the shower to wash away the tiredness I felt from a day travelling. I was not prepared for the shock I got as I entered the bathroom. The bathroom itself was very simple with no windows, just a mosquito net separating myself from the trees that stood close by. As the cold water cascaded on me I watched the sun go down, the sky an explosion of orange and red. Definitely the best shower I have ever taken.

After a quick bite to eat I was back in a boat, a small long boat, and I set out on the river once again, this time in search of crocodiles. The boat was full with about 10 other guests, one man driving the boat, one at the front with torch in hand searching for the glowing eyes of the caymans, and another ready to jump in the water and catch the crocodile. As we went along small rivers with trees either side and the sound of frogs croaking, I looked up at the sky to see thousands of stars twinkling in the dark sky.

After searching many areas of the river I heard a loud thump as the young boy, who was our crocodile hunter for the night, jumped into the river and caught a small Cayman. With crocodile in hand our guide explained about the animal, before we each had a turn to hold it. I was one of the last to hold the small creature and as I felt its hard but also soft skin I could also feel a warm liquid trickling down my arm as it urinated in my hand! I guess it was trying to tell us something and two minutes later it was released back into the river.

Each time a crocodile is released back into the river two minutes of silence is held, and as I sat in the small boat looking at the stars reflecting on the dark waters surface, large fireflies flew by, their bodies a bright light. In our silence we could hear the noise of the forest and the many animals living within it. It was an emotional moment for me as I realised how far I had come in the last year since I had been in Brazil.