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Published: September 30th 2005
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Sorry we have not written for a while but we have been in the middle of nowhere for 4days and 3 nights. Deep in the Pantanal. And we have had the most amazing time ever!!!!!
So we are going to go back to the 23rd Sept and start from there.
(24.9.05) Left Bonito at 6am, where we met Claudio (argentinian and Marie, Brazilian) 4hours on the bumpiest dirt tracks ever! We got dropped off on a highway called Bouracas da paranhas (?) where an open truck was waiting for us to take us deep into the pantanal for 2 more hours. We endured wind, bumps and dodgey wooden bridges that you wouldn´t even walk over let alone drive! This was a safari too and we saw loads of animals: caymen(small crocodile up to 3m), cappovara(very large guinea pig), storks, herons, deer, birds. Then our driver(Nelson) stopped and took us into a marsh where from the road he had spotted an anaconda! It was massive, 3 m!!! so we squelched through the marsh in sandals and he pounced on it´s head and picked it up!! He then put it round our necks for a photo. What a great start to our
trip! Nobody else saw one like this let alone had a wild anaconda round there neck. We arrived at the lodge (Porto da Manga) had lunch (all meals included which were all very good) then chilled out with Claudio and Marie. This was quite fun and difficult as we couldn´t speak Spanish or Portuguese and they could only speak little english so it was chatting with charades.
It hadn´t rained for over 70 days in the Pantanal until we arrived! We saw the worst storm ever! Tiles were ripped off the roof and rooms were flooding! We were not happy or impressed. The next bumpy truck arrived to take us to the camp. 3 hours later we got there in the pitch black. In the middle of nowhere with no people about for miles.
Had dinner, were shown our room for the next 2 nights which consisted of 19 hammocks, one small light with lots of bugs flying around and a roof made of leaves. Had a freezing cold shower(more of a hose on the wall than a shower) with spiders and a tree frog then got in our hammocks.
(25.9.05) The bell for breakfast (stale bread and
jam) rung at 6am so up we got. We were on our trek for 7am with our group (Claudio, Marie, Claire, Gavin and 2 polish men) and our guide Bobby. Bobby was born on a farm in the amazon, his father was a guide and Bobby never went to school. Can´t read or write very well, but can speak at least 4 different languages really well. These he has just picked up from tourists! Top bloke, very clever knows everyhing about the pantanal and very funny! Top guy! We were in shorts and flip flops, with rain coats. We went out into the jungle and the savannah. We saw 2 types of monkeys (and they had babies on their backs), toucans, macaws(red and blue), caymen, other birds, wild pigs and deer etc. Got to a lake where there was quite a big caymen. Bobby showed us how to approach it so we could touch it. Both of us stroked it, scarey! I was the only girl to touch it!
Went back, had lunch and then went out for our afternoon trek.
We saw loads more wildlife and came across an armadillo near its hole. Bobby chased after it and
it dived into its hole. Claudio and Andy followed in pursuit, this was funny, 3 grown men wrestling an armadillo, and yes the armadillo won! After 5 minutes of pulling, sweating and digging they gave up and let the poor thing go.
Chilled out round the campfire in the pitch black near the bar (hut)
After dinner we went in the truck on a spotlight tour. We saw lots. Deer, foxes, racoons.
(26.9.05) Up at 6am to go piranha fishing! Wicked.
We walked for a while through jungle to the boat where we went out on the lake with canes and steak. Andy caught 4 biggish ones and I caught 2!! The fishing involved casting our steak into the water and making as much splashing as we could with the end of our canes to attract the piranhas. They were really evil looking and proper grabbing our meat, but were hard to catch. We were told they only bite people if you have an open cut or blood.
So for lunch we had fried piranha! Quite nice.
In the afternoon after some confusion we went on the truck to the lodge (Porto da Manga). Arrived there settled into our
dorm, nice to have a solid bed.
We went on a boat trip down the Rio Paraguay and Rio Negra. We saw the Pantanal from a different view this way. Saw lots more wildlife including an iguana. Saw vulchers eating dead caymens which have been killed by locals for their tails to sell as meat. Then they just leave their bodies to rot, sad. We stopped off and did some more fishing from the river bank, this was easier to catch piranhas compared to on the boat. I caught 5 big ones!!!! Andy got 1 cat fish with a massive spike. I´d never heard fish grunt before but when you catch piranhas they grunt loudly. On our way back we saw a beautiful sunset. Back to the lodge for piranha soup and tea. Chilled outside with a beer. This is when Jonny Walker, they all have nick names (a real Indian who lives in a tribe near by) gave melissa a necklace he was wearing that he made with a caymen tooth, very cool.
(27.9.05) Up at 5.30am to see the sunrise, very nice. Then off for a horse ride across the Pantanal. (our bums still hurt!) It was great, we had lovely horses. Claudio, the biggest in the group, got the smallest horse! His feet were almost touching the floor, very funny. It was Andy´s first time on a horse (and he is allergic to them but the tablet worked!) He was very good and trotted lots! On the way back the horses could tell they were on the way home so they were easy to get moving! Claire and I went cantering across the pantanal, so cool! Loved it.
In the day all you can hear are monkeys and different birds squawking constantly and there are big eagle type birds flying and walking everywhere with a wing span of about 2m. At night it is equally as noisy with frogs, crickets, and lots of glow worms and fire flies, very cool.
Got back and Bobby had made us all necklaces. He put them down for people to choose, but he gave Andy the biggest tooth necklace which he made specially as they got on well. Andy gave him a pound coin which he said he was going to make into a necklace.
Then it was time to leave, very sad we didn´t want to go. Andy saw otters on the way back.
After 2 buses we arrived in Campo Grande at 8pm. Got into a hostel and went out for dinner with Claudio and Marie. 1 pound 50 all you can eat!
Went to bed exhausted.
Today we are getting a 15 hour bus to Foz do Iguazu (yes we know we have been there but it´s so we can get a bus to Argentina).
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anna and rod
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wow
Well you two are certainly seeing some amazing creatures. Your Dad is not so keen on you touching all the reptiles but I guess he will get used to it. Glad you two are having such a fantastic time.Just keep safe , love to you both Anna xx