Customs takes a while, because our mountain of bags and digital cameras and computers requires some explanation. Finally, we’re signed off and set loose in Brazil proper. Except for our planeload, the airport is almost deserted, but it’s still pretty stuffy. Perhaps the air conditioning is not working too well. When we step into the steamy air outside the terminal, however, it’s obvious why the inside of the airport is so muggy—no air conditioning could combat this weather! Rain falls in big, fat drops, which is the only way the rain can be distinguished from the soggy air. It’s like being attacked by a pack of wet towels—pure torture to people dressed for North American winter. Flavio has arranged a van for us from Emamtur, the state tourism department. We’ll find throughout this trip that many things appear just when you need it, courtesy Flavio.

The streets of Manaus are amazingly alive with color and people, even in the pre-dawn gloom. But it’s a relief to see the hotel and a true miracle to find it air-conditioned! How many times can air-conditioning be mentioned in a single report? Just take it as an indication of how important this would become over the course of our trip! Our hotel, the Lider, turns out to be a neat building near the waterfront. It’s a good location from which to access the various research sites and local attractions we’ll be visiting in the next two weeks. And not necessarily by car—for at least one trip, we’ll be taking the Amazon’s most popular form of transportation—a boat. But that’s another day...