Deep in East Venezuela lies the Orinoco Delta, named after one of The Wombles. This is the country of swamps, mangroves, and endless networks of mucky rivers filled with pirhanas, caimans and anacondas (and other creatures which can be scientifically classified as "scaly things that bite"). We stayed at a place imaginatively entitled the "Orinoco Delta Lodge." By lodge standards this was a palace. The main area hada 30 foot high thatched roof, chunky furniture and tropical plants littered throughout. But they really should have called this "Dr Doolittle´s Lodge" because it was a crazy animal-filled menagerie! An assortment of well-kept cats, kittens and dogs were running around, sitting on laps and generally cavorting about the place. There was a parrot flying around, with whom I had various battles. It landed on my shoulder one time,
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