Blog: In & Out of Iquitos
Arriving at IQT:
This place is poor. Poor like third world poor. I’ve seen parts of Mexico and Kenya similar to this. People live differently. I have no idea how people make money, survive, and eat. Isn’t it crazy the first of that list is money? Industries I’ve noticed: restaurants and bars that are mostly empty, engines, generators, and tools for sale, tourism and tours, taxi service. If everyone is a taxi driver, because there are literally that many, who is left to ride? There don’t seem to be catalytic converters here, just the sweet smell of burnt exhaust. I feel bad being here and don’t particularly like it. Aside from my purpose here, I don’t like it. I feel uncomfortable being around poverty. I feel like I’m rubbing their nose in my “wealth.” I spent so much to get here. A couple of pushy vendors say, Bro….where you from, what are you looking for, something, blah, blah. I can’t help you and I will barely acknowledge you. I’m not here for you. You need money but I’m the wrong tree to bark up. I’ll pay for food and water but I’m not interested in much else. Maybe it was my need to lay down, and eat, but this place was too much.
Leaving IQT:
The IQT airport is out of a travel story, and, in this case, in one as well. All of the other planes on the tarmac were prop planes. Each spaced out from the other, not in use. They point in an angle upward even when they are stationary as if to say, the intention of this craft is to fly, and by god, and propeller, it will. Our massive, compared to the other planes, regional Airbus jet stood alone and large, parked parallel to the terminal, and horizontal to the ground. The plane did not need a power pose to prove its stature. There’s no jetbridge, just two sets of stairs, one to the front, one to the back. I love walking on the tarmac. Jetways are just opportunities to queue up at more places while in transit. Walking onto the tarmac makes me feel like I did something. I may not have flown this plane. Maybe it was my sheer will, imagination, and vision that got us here. I was literally buzzing and vibrating leaving IQT and the jungle.