New experiences don’t always need to be scary and unpredictable. Life is about enjoying the adventure. You can only preplan so much in advance, the rest is up to us and how we approach the situation. By expecting the unexpected we can then take the first step in actually enjoying the journey of life, wherever that may take us. The best adventures are when things are going unexpectedly and in the end we can sit around and have a good laugh about it.

 This past October I had the most wonderful opportunity to go film again in the Amazon jungles of Peru. Though I had traveled to this region twice before, this was the first time I headed deep into the heart of the Intangible Zone of Manu National Park. On average only around 30-40 outsiders (researchers and medical personnel) are given permission to enter this protected area each year. This amazing opportunity was made possible by Rainforest Flow, a nonprofit who helps create self-sustainable clean water treatment facilities for indigenous villages within this region. I would be following alongside founder Nancy Santullo and anthropologist Glenn Shepard to help document their efforts. I wanted to help tell their story and visually bring to life the extent of their massive strides to make these projects happen. Bringing clean water to these communities is just the first step, as they are currently in the early stages of expanding to incorporate W.A.S.H. (water, sanitation and hygiene) programs and trainings in order to help bring sustainable economic opportunities.

The purpose of this article is for anyone is considering filming in the tropics or any other humid or harsh environment. These are just a few valuable lessons learned should you ever find yourself on the other side of the lens.