The Pampas

Howdy All!

Got back from our trek yesterday, it was amazing! We ended up going to the pampas (wet lands) instead of the jungle as there was more chance of seeing wildlife there. We got a very small plane from La Paz to Rurrenabaque which is a tiny village on the edge of the jungle. Incredible views of snow capped mountains and then all of a sudden the jungle on the flight! As its the beginning of the rainy season we were told we could´ve been stuck in Rurrenabaque for a few days as the "airport" was not much more than a grassy clearing. However we were lucky enough as the HEAVY rain which came down just after we landed had dried up by the time we got back three days later. We stayed one night in a hostel there and left for our trek early the next morning (after not getting much sleep as there was a tarantula in our bathroom! ! !)

From Rurrenabaque it was three hours by jeep on a very muddy road (which turned out to be a bit more as our jeep broke down) and then a further three hours by boat up the river to our camp. The camp was three small huts on the river edge as well as a kitchen and dinning area. And had just about enough shielding from the mosquitos which were unbearable to say the least! Great food too, although a bit more wouldnt hav gone a stray! It was incredibly humid all the time and hot during the day.

We saw lots of wildlife on the way to the camp. Plenty of monkeys (squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys and cappuchino monkeys too), aligators, pink dolphins, and birds such as the toucan, fisher eagle and lots more. That nite we watched the sunset at a look out point over the pampas grass with a beer, and then looked out for aligator eyes with our torches on the way back along the river to our camp in the dark.

On the second day we went wading through the pampas grass hunting for anacondas! Unfortunately we didnt have much luck as the time of year meant it was harder to find them. although the group that went the day before did find one. After our lunch we went swimming with pink dolphins and finished off the day with a game of volley ball with some of the locals further up the river. Then finally on our last day we went fishing for piranas before making the long journey back to civilisation. We´re now back in La Paz, Bolivia, rubbing cream on our hundreds of bites. It was an amazing experience which none of us will forget anytime soon!