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Published: June 11th 2007
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So as ever it was time for another 14 hour overnight bus, this time up to Campo Grande where we would organise our trip into the Pantanal. Unfortunately our hostel had forgotten it was Sunday, and the 6.45pm bus doesnt actually go on Sundays. So frustrating as we lost a full day out of our lycra tight Brazilian schedule.
You cant stress too much about these things, and by 7am Tuesday morning we were getting off our bus to a hoard of travel agents ready to snap up our business.
After the Pampas trip in Bolivia we had learned a few things, and were keen to make sure that we got the right agency for our trip - good location for wildlife, eco-friendly, good group of people on your tour etc etc. So after doing the rounds we picked on Green Track, run by a guy who had grown up in the Pantanal and would also be a guide for another group whilst we were there. We also found that a group of dutch guys that we had met in Iguacu would be on the trip so were pretty happy with our choice.
We left at 10am
for the 6 hour trip into the Pantanal. The last hour of which, was a safari in itself. There were Jabiru and Caiman everywhere. This heightened the whole excitement as both of these had been so difficult to see in Bolivia.
Eventually we arrived at the camp. Now there is basic accommodation and basic accommodation. This was definitely on the lower end of the scale. There a kitchen with a table which we used for eating. 3 outside toilets and showers with a piece of wood resembling a door which had no hope of shutting. Two sinks under the tree (from which Tarantulas had a habit of appearing) and the bat & mouse ridden wooden shack, with an attempt at mosquito covering on the outside, was where we to sleep for the next few nights. We also didnt have any electricity but there was a massive great pylon in the middle of the farm. Home sweet home...
That said, we are pretty used to basic now, and we actually felt quite at home. Plus, when you open your eyes in the morning to a flaming red ball of the sun rising and go to sleep with a million
more stars than you have ever seen before, you really cant complain.
Our trip was to start interestingly with an argument between the company owner and another group who were already at our lodge. With threats of sending the Federal Police in by midnight it was all fairly traumatic for those involved. Eventually some agreement was made, and our Dutch friends did a find job at regaining the fun by enabling us all to down a few Caiprinha!!
As part of all this fiasco, our guide had also decided to walk out / get sacked and therefore there was no-one to entertain us on our first day of our trip. At this point, we were not so sure that our tour choice was such a good one.
Not to let anything stop the fun tho, we and the Dutch lads decided to go piranha fishing. No need for Catrin to go on about it, but lets just say that Catrin supplied most of lunch that day. 11 fish, 9 of which Piranha and 8 of which big enough to eat... (the others were babies which we threw back). Rich caught 0.
After lunch Rich and I
went for a walk, and the Dutch lads came along. With not much to occupy their minds thus far, they had got it in to their heads that it would be cool to catch a caiman. On route, 2 of them headed down to the water to seek their prey but they soon retreated when a rather large specimen appeared up on the bank ;-)
When we got back, we saw a guy getting out of a truck and it transpired he was Bosco - our new guide. Hurray!!Unfortunately, on his way to the Patanal he had set the owner´s car on fire and was in a reasonably aggressive mood, so much for the customer always being right.
The highlight of our first walk, was finally seeing Toucans in the wild. They are amazing birds and we got great views of them in a tree close by. A few other creatures were about but nothing to really write home about.
After a fairly mental first 24 hours things settled down. We did amazing stuff like horseriding up to your knees in the wetlands with Caiman a couple of metres from your feet, canoeing and wading through swamps
up to our chest. We saw Howler Monkeys close up, Hyacinth Macaws (endangered), Green & Red Macaws, Toucans, Deer, Coati, a family of Capybaras and more... Plus we had a 6 week old puppy at the farm, who was just adorable.
After this we headed out to Bonito in the south of the Matto Grasso. Its renowned for having crystal clear rivers which are superb for snorkelling. We only had 1 full day there, and disappointly they had a freak weather day, so we cancelled the full day snorkelly trip we had planned.
Instead we set off with a Danish couple - Annette & Joachim - from our hostel on a tour of the Lago Azul (an underground lake in a cave which is the most pure blue). In the afternoon, we then hired bikes and cycled out to the Balneiro Municipal (public river area) which has really cheap entry.
We braved the weather and got in the river to snorkel. It was fantastic, the water was so clear, even at 12m deep, it looked as though you could touch the bottom with your hand. There were hundreds of fish swimming eyeball to eyeball with you, and
it would get a little crazy if the tourists on dry land decided to throw them in some food. We really did get slapped in the face by a wet fish!!
On Sunday, we departed at 10am to get to Transcoso, a highly recommended beach location in Bahia. Our 30 hour trip consisted of 4 buses, 1 plane, 1 ferry and 1 taxi. Lets just say, never again...
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