Going on a school trip abroad can be described with many juxtaposing thoughts, but should never be linked to fatalities or injury. Juniper Pearl Foxx always had a sheltered, mundane life, when a terrible tragedy occurred and left her stuck in the Am...
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My first step out of the plane was monumental. Well, to me anyway. We were actually there, in Manaus, Brazil! I was so excited and ready to make the most of our four days there. Manaus is located in the middle of the majestic Amazon rainforest, and acts as a gateway to visit the fauna and flora of the Brazilian Amazon. You can only really get to it by boat or plane, a rule that is enforced to preserve the nature as well as the culture of the city. More than in any other urban area of Brazil, Manaus preserves the habitats of Native Brazilian tribes, which I hoped we would catch a secret glimpse of. Few places in the World can afford such a variety of plants, trees, animals, people and more.
From the air the airport looked like a mistake – a blip, as if someone had accidentally plucked out the magnificent green trees and dropped an ugly building down instead. At ground level, it offered a low-rise terminal built out of glass and tired concrete, with 'Manaus International Airport' printed on the putrid yellow roof.
It was very warm, but I could deal with the heat, as the temperatures weren't that dissimilar to my hometown, however, it was incredibly muggy, shocking me at first. I felt a little as though I were suffocating, but once I entered into the well air-conditioned terminal I was easily relieved. Unfortunately, it was later revealed that Mason's suitcase had gone missing, but the helpful customer service lady promised to deal with it and get it delivered to us as soon as possible. As soon as we were cleared and accepted entry into the country, we had a bus waiting for us outside to take us to the resort we were staying in. The air conditioning was broken, but luckily, a couple of windows in the bus were missing some glass, meaning we had a little bit of fresh air circulating the tin can. It took us around forty minutes to arrive at Endumando's Holiday Resort, and I felt absolutely exhausted! We had also had a large dinner on the plane, which was adding to my tiredness.
The resort was a five-minute walk from the beach, and surrounded by a cluster of rich green trees so close to the building you could probably reach out over the balconies and touch them. There was the heavy smell of freshly cut grass in the air, recently watered with drops of water gently dripping from the individual strands. Charming flowerbeds lined the lawns in vibrant reds and pinks, and hung from pots connected to the windows. The resort was incredibly large, with what looked like over five-hundred rooms on three stories, and long stretches of accommodation forming an 'H' shape from the air, looking like mismatched corridors. The main buildings were all made of white stone, adding a classy touch, and the rooves were red terracotta, adding a pinch colour. We entered through the middle building, with large glimmering windows allowing the last drops of sunlight through, keeping the reception warm. A kind elder man held the granite doors open for us as we sifted through.
Once we were all inside, we sat in the waiting room per our teacher's instructions whilst they checked us in. Kimberly and I were one of the last to enter, eyes wide trying to memorise everything before we lost it to the darkness. Inside the waiting room was contemporary, with gray couches and smooth wooden walls and floors. Around the room were stunning prints of the rainforest and the treasures it kept an eye on, and tall pots of grandiose plants stood proudly in the corners. When our teachers returned from the main desk, we were showed to our rooms. After clambering up two flights of stairs and trailing down numerous hallways, the noisy raucous of excited teenagers overpowering the gentle classical background music, we arrived at the floor we had reserved. The floor was called the 'Assoalho de Lupina', meaning the Lupina Floor, dedicated to one of the many species of trees growing in the rainforest. The walls were cleverly decorated to look like many strands of grass, making me feel like a minute ant, nonconsequential to the existence of life. On the way, I glanced outside and saw an ornate courtyard and swimming pool on display, with a few people lounging around in the fading sun.
