The Amazon Basin
Pete Writes: After traveling around at high altitudes for a few weeks we decided that it was time to get down to a more breathable level and try and find some warmth. We ended up in the little town of Rurrenabaque which lies in the Amazon Basin and has a couple of tours that let you experience jungle life.
We arrived with the mind set that we would lie around in hammocks for a few days before booking ourselves onto a tour. During our horizontal chilling the whole of Bolivia decided that it would be a good idea to have a political situation, meaning road blocks across the whole country and the whole of Bolivia came to a stop (which included our tour to the Pampas ). So we thought we would book ourselves onto the Jungle tour instead…. Although due to the blockades there were not enough people to make up the numbers ARRGGHHH!!! So we chilled some more :o)
The blockades were finally lifted 2 days later and we managed to book ourselves onto a 3 day tour through the pampas. The wildlife we saw was unbelievable. There were more Alligators than I could physically count, loads of birds, snakes and capibaras (the biggest of the rodent family). We even went Pirana fishing which Chloe well and truly showed us all up with her fishing skills (we would have had no dinner if it was not for her!!) At one point in the river there are pink dolphins, and our guide told us that it would be safe to swim with them as the alligators do not come in the water when they are around… I had a little think and thought why not!! And I am still here!!
Chloe Writes: Chilling in the jungle was just what the doctor ordered after the altitude of the salt flats and trip to Potosi, the highest city in the world of its size at 4,200 meters where we didn’t do much unfortunately as we were both unwell, then La Paz (blog to come) the highest capital city in the world (but what an amazing city). Anyway we were both suffering a bit from the altitude and lack of warmth so where better to go than Rurrenabaque in the Amazon Basin, where when we landed it was 32 degrees. Shoes off, flip-flops on, Heaven!! Our guest house was muy barato (very cheap), by the river with lots of hammocks, and the home of 3 dogs, 2 parrots, 2 chickens, one spider monkey and a squirrel monkey (who also rides on the back of the spider monkey and is best friends with the dog).
Our trip around the Pampas (meaning plains) started off after a bumpy and dusty 3 hour jeep journey, on a 3 hour boat trip along the river with our guide Negro, where we saw hundreds of alligators and black caimans (same family but they eat the alligators), the capibaras were cute but as much as I love rodents, far too big for a pet, some were bigger than me :). We saw Paradise birds with beautiful feathers, the Jabaru a giant of birds (which nests cover a space of about 2 meters square) and even a few of the rare Toucans. There were many squirrel monkeys which we fed a banana or two (maybe ecologically questionable), howler & spider monkeys, plus some big red ones but I cant remember the names. We also saw beautiful pink dolphins and lots of turtles.
The second day we went hunting in the pampas for Anacondas and Cobras. We saw many anacondas and although huge in size and could take your head off they were very docile and non-poisonous. It wasn’t pleasant to see them poked out of the tree with a stick and the treatment of them by some of the other tour groups who wanted their photos taken with them wasn’t that great to watch either. The cobras were rarer and when one was found (these are poisonous but not deadly), it was very agitated and made increasingly angrier by being man-handled that it kept trying to strike. One tourist blatantly thought he was Steve Irwin and was egged on by the others in his group and by some of the guides. Knowing that our group was not happy with this our guide took us away and left them to it.
I was not looking forward to fishing due to the hooks and thinking its a bit cruel and the fact that i am squeamish. But i do eat fish and I didn’t think I would catch anything so i thought i would give it a try. Fishing with Llama meat was also something a bit different and in the end realised i had a bit of a knack for it. I caught lots of piranhas with big teeth and also lots of sardines which i had to throw back, really cruel to un-hook them though and i did feel very guilty. I also couldn’t do it myself. Maybe fishing isn’t for me after all.
The third day was swimming in the river with pink dolphins PLUS the piranhas, alligators, black caimans etc… We had also heard from most of the tourists who swam that they ended up with ticks. Having ended up in the hospital from a tick bite in India un-beknown to us at the time (see India blog: jaisalmer), and being a complete wimp I decided not to go in the water. We also had a strange encounter with Fidel Castro the alligator. We pulled up on the back with our guide calling “Fidel” “Fidel” and along swam this giant alligator. Apparently tame Negro encouraged us to go over and stroke him. As Negro has a missing finger, I was very reluctant (looking down at an Alligators jaw is also very very scary) and was waiting to have my hand snapped off. I’m still in one piece though. Overall the trip was amazing and being stuck in the jungle wasn’t so bad. We did celebrate being on the first flight to actually leave Rurrenabaque for over a week, but got of the plane in La Paz totally un-acclimatised, cold and wishing we were back in the jungle.
Page Gallery
Rurrenabaque Airport
Sunset from our guest house
Best mates and Chloes hand…sorry
Child in bin…no idea!!
Kitten and Parrots
Jabaru
The boats for the Pampas tours
Pete and Monkeys
Capibaras
Turtles
Toucan
Pete risking his life to get the British flag
On the way back to camp on the boat after the sunset, we saw all the alligators eyes glow red in the touchlight
Negro looking for Snakes
Annaconda, please note we have a very crap zoom on our camera…well done Pete!
Alligator
Pete swimming with the Alligators
Fidel Castro
Dinner…. I didnt catch them all..
Spider and Squirrel monkeys, the later being more of an annoying accuaintance
We managed to feed the both of us, 2 dogs and a street kid all for 2 pounds
Tags: Bolivia
September 20th, 2008 at 11:49 am
WOW!! The pics get better and better. Like the of the Jabara it’s so unusual I wondered if it was a big bird or an animal? What an amazing experience. You might find Bristol pretty dull and very civilised when you get home but what amazing memories fantastic!!!
I see you were doing your social work bit….sweet little boy. I bet he was well chuffed and fed.
Well much love to you both and ENJOY the rest of your experiences.
Mx
September 20th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I,m wodering if you took Fidel home in your backpack Chloe you seem to have made a friend!
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Glad to see you managed to get a photo of a toucan!
Your hair looks long PJ - Are you trying to blend in with the locals?
Great pics as usual - Chloe looks happy with the fish!
Love to you both
Mum & Dad xx
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hi Lyn,
We tried to fit Fidel in Chloe´s bag, but unfortunately he would not fit in with all of the woolen´s we have acumilated :o)
Roll on the beach in a couple of weeks, where we can maybe dump the woolens and adopt an Aligator :o)
x
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Hi Mum and Dad,
Yeah I thought I would try and fit in with the locals, although the ginger beard sticks out a little….
I am also happy in the knowledge that if we get stuck in the Jungle Chloe will be able to feed us :o)
Pj x