Tarantulas aint got nothin on Peruvian Muggers

Thank god we are okay after the worst minute of my entire life. We arrived in Tumbes, which is at the Peru and Ecuador border. On our way to the bus station really early in the morning, we got attacked by two Peruvian guys who jumped out of a Tuk-tuk (like the ones in Thailand). I barely remember what exactly happened but they jumped out of a moving tuk-tuk and tried to grab Adams backpack. Adam basically fought one of the guys off who might I add the most impt detail - he attacked Adam with a knife to his face. It wasn´t a pocket knife - it was almost a machete. The most vivid image is of the two guys just standing and staring at us as they ran back to the tuk-tuk after Adam fought them off. I think the second guy pushed me over bc i got up from the ground but it all happened so fast that i barely remember. Holy shit - it feels like a dream now that i´m writing about it...like it never actually happened. We are still wondering how something worse didn´t happen and how we managed to keep all of our possessions. The bag that they went for had most of our money and passports bc it was so early that we hadnt put our money belts on yet. Then to make matters worse, the precisely planned journey to Machala, a city in Ecuador was ruined b-c the stupid bus company did not follow there bus schedule online and we had yet another journey across the border bc we had a plane to catch at 10:30 am and the bus (safest option) wouldn´t get us there til 12. We were willing to screw the flight but the reason it was booked that way was b-c it was the only one that day and its a small city and small ass airport. Well, all and all we are both safe and sound and there is no need to worry. So much for brazil being such a dangerous place - I have heard first hand stories about worse things happening in Peru from various travellers, so we are just glad that it wasn´t as bad as it could have been. While others are getting engaged on vacation, we are getting mugged!

Ne ways, prior to all this, we spend 3 nights in the Amazon jungle along the Tambopata river which is a tributary of the amazon river. Well, what can I say..I had looked forward to the amazon since I learned about it in elementary school and was especially excited to see toucans in the wild! However, it was much different than expected and we were looking forward to getting away from all the fricken creapy crawler critters of the jungle! Yes, we saw tarantulas but not in our lodge (thank god!). We saw a bunch of different birds, monkeys, white camon alligators, snakes (no vipers or boas) but little snakes and a few other animals. However, compared to an african safari, which of course i am aware is COMPLETELY different, there were far fewer animals to see. It was a good experience overall but not sure if its a must-do in Peru. We met some really nice girls from the US which made the 4 days more enjoyable and our tour guy was cool - JACKSON! He was fricken hilarious and we learned more about Peruvian ppl in those 4 days than I learned in 2 weeks. However, my view of Peruvians is now tainted after our experience this morning.....

We are now in Ecuador, safe and sound, in our nice comfortable hotel esp in comparison to our jungle lodge where there wasn´t always reliable power and water and a daily run in with some ugly bug in the bathroom or spider greeting us at our door. Quito is cool so far but we are really paranoid which I hope will fade. Hope everyone is keeping well....