I always believed that spending a few days in the Amazon meant roughing it. My friend Franco once told me about his experience staying at a jungle lodge near Iquitos. “It’s too hot and full of giant bugs,” he said. So when I scored a gig with Private Clubs Magazine requiring me to spend 4 days in the Amazon, I braced myself for a few days of sweat and extra-large mosquitoes.

My experience ended up being completely different from that of my friend Franco. And although I did break a sweat and saw a few big bugs, this assignment became one of the most comfortable I’ve ever had. It was hot out, but it didn’t matter. From my air-conditioned room I could see the never-ending Amazon greenery through floor-to-ceiling windows. Ahh…it is funny how a few amenities can completely change your perspective of a place.

Here are some outtakes from my trip to the Amazon on board the Aria, a luxury cruiser by Aqua Expeditions.