Spending several days in the Amazon Jungle was one of the most interesting experiences we have ever enjoyed. There wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t see something truly special, but at times we saw so much that it was overwhelming. If you can imagine, we took well over 1,000 photos while we were in the Amazon, so every time we go through our pictures, we remember something different about the trip. It almost seemed that every hour of the day, which started before dawn and lasted until after the sun would set, offered its own unique experience. Without these photos, we could never truly absorb all that we saw and the feelings that they invoked. Even with all of the pictures that we took, there were still a hundred other memories that couldn’t be photographed, but were still part of the experience. Hearing the howler monkeys in the pre-dawn hours, smelling the musky smell of the river, listening to the rain patter against the trees in the canopy, and the feel of the humid air that surrounded you at all times were all just as much a part of the adventure.

Although there are were several specific excursions that we did with our nature guide, such as climbing above the rainforest canopy, seeing the parrots at the salt licks, and visiting a local indigenous tribe, there were moments in between that were just as memorable. For this week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, anything with the letter Z, we have selected several photos that exemplify those unexpected surprises in the Amazon. Obviously, it is still just a sampling of what we saw during such an amazing trip.