3 days and 2 nigths in the Pampas (you can either choose to go to the Pampas, where more wildlife can be seem, or to the Jungle, with less wildlife, but more getting a feel for how it felt to be in the Amazon). I was originally the only person booked on the trip, but due to some last minute bookings, we ended up being 6 people on the trip. And it actually worked out so well. There was a couple from Holland, and 3 Aussies (2 ladies and 1 guy) and then myself. Everyone got along really well with each other, but for me it was really easy to click with the Aussies. Both Sabrina and Beth were very nice and both have "weird" but very nice personalities (and sense of humour). Rob was the Aussie guy and we just immediatly hit it off and got along. He shares the same sense of adventure as I do, we have the same humour, and in all he is just a really good bloke (hopefully our paths will cross again). He is only 25 now, but has done 40 trips to Antartica and also been to the North Pole!
We took a 3 hour drive by 4x4 to get to the lodge. The lodge was very nice and staff very friendly (and our guide was very knowledgable). Spent 1st day in boat and went for a 3 hour boat ride, where we saw a number of Kayman (similiar to crocodiles, just smaller), birds, pink dolphin and some monkeys. The second day we chnanged our plan sighly, and instead on going on the Tuesday to see monkeys in the boat, we did that on Monday. Unfortunately it ended up being a 6 hour boat ride in one trip, which was too long and you could sense everyone in the boat had enough (except the guide).The afternoon was nicer, as we then went to do some piranha fishing - after all big talk from Rob and myself I thik the whole group in total caught 3 piranhas - it always seems to be that we are feeding them more than fishing them, as they just bite away on your bite like nothing. Then Tuesday morning we walked and looked for anaconda´s, but did not find anything - I was quite upset, but at least I have seen them in Venezuela. And then we did the drive back to Rura for Sabrina and Beth to catch their flight back home. In general, the wildlife was very nice to see, but the trips too long (too much of a good thing becomes boring). I was quite annoyed with the food, as you really got the idea that they were cutting back on it, which I could not understand, as we paid double the price for this tour operator compared to the others. I also learnt some interesting new games that you can play if you are completely bored (thanks Sabrina!). In the end, I had a great time, but for me it was more because of the people that went along (I have been very lucky that I could go on the Peru´s side of the Amazon before and we also did soemthing similiar in Venezuel).
A quick best off from those 3 trips
Best lodge and food - Peru
Best guides - Peru
Most wildlife - Venezuela
Most Kayman - Bolivia
Most mosquitos - Bolivia (wholly smoke, there was a lot - I had very littel bites, but Beth counted 101 on her back alone!)
Nice pizza and some cold beers and rums at the Mosquito Bar in Rura with Dutch couple, Rob and then 3 new girls that were traveling, one from Germany, New Zeland and Norway. Rob and myself had probbaly the worst pool games either of us ever had, and luckliy we called it quits at a good time in the evening (the rest had left), otherwise it would have been a long morning!
Your blog is going great...actually bloody funny! I remember going on the Pampas trip now. You know that small boat you cruise through the narrown river's, well half way on our return, after being bitten by Mozzies the size of small dogs through layers of clothing in the sweltering heat. the engine broke down. After 3 days of extreme heat and extreme Mozzies we were just thinking about cold beers!!!!! Anyway, the guide just lights up a ciggie and starts singing!! Could not believe it. Then he tells us to get some branches from the trees and start paddling! Branches as paddles! Its going to take us days to get back. The mozzies are on us now like flies on sh&t as we are not going forward, the breeze in the past has been the only respite from the bastards in the past. Long story short 5 hours later, when we were just 30 minutes away, we arrived. Not happy campers! Lesson 39....the funny thing about travelling, you remember the bad things more than the good ones. Keep it real! Chris.
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