The Pantanal

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We left Santa Cruz, Bolivia on July 17th by train to head to the border of Brasil. We boarded the train which took fourteen hours to reach the town of Puerto Suarez, Bolivia where we would cross into Brasil. I then headed to the border check point of Bolivia to get my exit stamp which should have been free but the man with the stamp told us it would cost ten bolivianos to get a stamp. We paid our blackmail money and got our stamp as the border man put the money in his own pocket. We then headed further on to the Brasil checkpoint where we showed our visas and passports and entered into the city of Corumba, Brasil.

Now with the last border crossing done we headed to the Pantanal. The Pantanal is wetlands area that has been protected recently that is has abundant wildlife. As soon as we got to the entrance of the Pantanal we could see parrots, toucans, snakes, and caiman. We boarded a large raised truck that would transport us to our accomadations which where a two hour drive into the Pantanal. Crossing over bridges across water we could see several caiman at each waterfront area. The Caiman are small alligators but are more gentel. Finally arriving at our bungalows after about twenty hours of traveling I was exhausted. Our accomadations included a group hut that was screened in from mosiquitos and everybody got a nice hammock to sleep in. You would think that sleeping in a hammock would be uncomfortable but I got the best two nights of sleep of the trip in those hammocks.

The next morning I awoke refreshed and after a great breakfast we prepared to go horseback riding through the Pantanal. I climbed up onto my horse and we headed out into the Pantanal. The horse walked on dry land and then walked us through caiman invested water. Although we didn´t see caiman as we were riding we knew that they were not too far away and did not want to fall off the horse into the water. We rode for two hours and then we were able to trot and gallop the horse. My horse did great and with a with a little proding from my feet the horse galloped back to our bungalows. After some napping in hammocks we headed by truck out to a Pirahhna fishing sport. We were given bamboo poles with a little fishing line and hook and meat as bait. As soon as you put the bait in the water you would get a nibble from a pirahhana. As soon as you felt the nibble you pull up on the pole to hook the pirahhana. I took a little skill but I managed to beat the rest of the group and catch seven big pirahhana for dinner. We went back and the cooks prepared the pirahhana for dinner which it tasted a little like chicken go figure.

We had a fire for the night and then I retired back to my hammock where I slept like a baby. I awoke the next morning and we packed up and left to go to Bonito, Brasil.

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Photos

Horseback Riding through the Wetlands of the Pantanal
Is a caiman going to come at any minute

I caught a Pirahhana
The first fish I have caught in my life!

Comments

[sharon]

great pictures
Loved the pictures in the Pantanal, especially the moon. Sounds like a great part of your trip. Loved seeing all the wild life, I would like that part. You looked so comfy in that hammock. So nice of you to share this with us.

[Troy]

Lots of travel...
they should have called this trip trains, planes, automobiles and things that float or fly. My butt hurts just thinking about all that traveling.