Week 5 in South America - GG´s non bog blog!

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Jen managed to hold it together just long enough to visit an orphanage in Sucre! A few of the group had bought supplies of nappies and shampoo to take to the place which was a church run project managed by volunteers. Jen was impressed at how well the place was run and had fun playing with the babies and toddlers! Afterwards JP dragged GG around yet more shops and markets (lovely handicrafts! Could´ve bought loads!). We said bye to two members of the the group and after a disturbing night on the bog Jen just managed to make the flight to Santa Cruz! Arriving into Santa Cruz it felt like we´d stepped into a totally different place! We weren´t at altititude for the first time in weeks so we could breathe properly again! It was hot and humid so a welcome change from the cold. As well as the landscape changing, Sant Cruz also looks a much wealthier part of the country. Jen has never seen cakes and icecream like it but due to the toilet issues was unable to sample any of it (much to her disgust and Gordon´s total surprise!). Many of the locals obviously do help themselves to these delights as some were pretty large compared to the typical slim Bolivians we´ve seen everywhere else! We left Bolivia for Brazil on a comfortable night train with big reclining seats, dinner, breakfast and films. Jen didn´t have the best of sleeps as the guy in front reclined his seat too far back anf the guy opposite her (not GG) snored constantly! After passport control we had a short bus journey to the Pantanal and our jungle lodge by a river. Originally we were due to sleep outside in hammocks for 2 nights but after the night train (and with 2 night buses ahead) we decided to upgrade to basic indoor accomodation! We saw a bit of wildlife while in the Pantanal but not as much as we´d expected. Caught sight of some caimens (small alligators), colourful birds including toucans, a few monkeys and a bizarre looking hog like animal called a capybara which is the largest rodent in the world. Next day Gordon went off on a day trip on his own and went horseriding for the first time! Poor horse! Our GAP tour leader apparently got sick and left us for 2 days though we reckon he just went off to party in the next town! He´s gonna get fired shortly! The guide on Gordon´s day trip spent the entire day chatting up a Brazilian girl (in Portugese) so didn´t have much time to tell the group about the local area! Guides + Women = Rubbish Service! After a relaxing boat trip we left the Pantanal and travelled to Bonito where we located our missing GAP tour leader! Bonito means ´beautiful´ but we wouldn´t say the town lives up to it´s name as the main street is still under construction, although the surrounding countryside is nice. That evening a mix up with a pizza order meant that we got a banana and cinnamon pizza instead of a bacon one! Gordon thoroughly recommends this combo! We went to see a stunning underground lake this morning and have one more day here before a long night bus to Iguasso Falls. Jen has now thankfully retreated from the bog!

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Comments

[Laura]

jaguar telephone box
I absolutely love this one! So cool.... My sister has been in Brazil these past few weeks and spent a couple of weeks in the Matto Grosso being surprised by phone boxes in the shapes of storks, parrots etc, and one sad jaguar that had been deprived of its telephone - Jen's jaguar has surely been fierce enough to keep a hold of his phone. I really enjoying your blog (bog and non-bog related!) keep up the good work, Laura x x x

[Auntie Sylvia]

More great photos - I love the wotsits - you know the titles you give the photos (degeneration of vital brain cells). I do hope you're sleeping and eating normally again and getting proper "guidance" from the dodgy guide. It's all VERY exciting and if all these "blips" didn't happen you wouldn't be able to look forward to looking back on them! Jennifer - from the distance that the orphanage photos was taken you look very like a picture I have of Valerie sitting with Sean when he was about 2. Lots of love xxxx P.S. Gordon - something keeps coming up - there's an issue with Jennifer and shops, isn't there?

[Tony Munro]

GREETINGS
Alright Troops Just heard from your bro that you had a blog so here I am checking on your travels. Hope you are both having a ball. My wedding went well and so far so good still married!!!!! Will keep in touch now. Is South America any different from Darvel???