Mud between the toes – 7 July 2009

After another great night’s sleep in the jungle (although the creatures in the roof, not sure if they were bats or mice were quite noisy) we had a bit of a rude awakening as they had to fire up the generator to pull water up from the river for the showers and toilets. Loud mechanical noise just seems so alien in such a natural paradise.

After breakfast we were back in the canoe, but not for long. We headed a little way downstream then got out and after a short walk though waist length grass emerged on a road which runs between the flood plains. With pools of swampy water on either side, we were looking for anaconda.

Originally we thought we might have had to wade through the swamps ourselves but they are full of caiman and given it is the dry season, they are a bit agro, so the guides aren’t going to let you do that. The aim (and hope) is that you manage to see an anaconda as they come up to the road edge to sun themselves. It was really hot and humid walking along the road, and Amy wasn’t feeling great, so after about an hour we found her a shady tree and continued on. We went for about a further 20 minutes before turning back, collecting her and returning.

We saw a heap of stick-acondas, a few pipe-acondas but unfortunately no anacondas. It was a great walk though and we saw heaps of birds that we hadn’t seen previously as well as lots of caiman including a whole group of baby ones.

We headed back to the lodge, showered and were served the most massive lunch I have ever seen. Seriously, it rivaled Christmas! We got: fried chicken, beef schnitzel, beef stirfry, rice, mashed potato, boiled potato, salad, lasagna and when we couldn’t move, jelly. It was immediately followed by the evaluation forms for the tour which made us laugh!

We then relaxed as we waited for the time to come to head back to town. An older German lady had been staying there and in some confusion she seemed to take our jeep, but it was bad karma because just as she would have been in the canoe on the way to the car, the heavens opened and we had a true tropical downpour. She would have been soaked – just like the staff and guests playing soccer on the small pitch they have. One would have thought that they would have come in, but there was a bet with a bottle of coke as a prize so pride was on the line. In the end it was a draw and they were all absolutely covered in mud from head to toe.

The rain did stop and we had to leave. We were so sad, it has been really, truly relaxing and lovely, probably the most “holiday” part of the trip to date. We got back in the canoe and headed to the jeep. Now remember I mentioned when we arrived we came down a steep bank, well we now had to go up it and it was mud! The kind of mud slide that as a kid you would have loved to slide down on your belly into a river. Well we took off our shoes (luckily we were all in flip flops) and dug our toes in. Helped by the guides we all made it to the top but our feet had some pretty nice mud treatments!

We washed them and got in the car back to Rurrenabaque. It was real 4-wheel driving to get back, the roads were choppy and slick with sticky mud, I can’t imagine how they manage in the wet season. They are working on improving them which basically seems to involve tipping loads of river stones over the top which they grade and then the cars push in.

We made it to Rurrenabaque just after dark. You can tell it is the main centre from the paved roads. Some are concrete, others are river stones, painstakingly laid and mortared into place. Our hostel for the night, The Oriental, was lovely with a big courtyard full of mosaic paving and hibiscus flowers. We headed out almost straight away to find dinner and went to the place that Ivan had recommended, Camila’s. Food was good, cocktails were great and the restaurant cat came and joined us at the table to keep us company!

After that we decided we did want a bit of a night out so went a few doors down to the Monkey Bar, which couldn’t be much more different from the one in Canberra if they tried. From the thatched roof, carved wooden decorations and anaconda skin stretched across the roof, it was very cute. We had a few drinks, and they were playing some good music so had a bit of a boogie too – just the three of us! We really weren’t drunk but it is amazingly liberating to just dance your heart out when you know you are never going to see those people again!

Our three days in the Amazon have been amazing. Not only have the sights we have seen been wonderful, the people have been lovely and it has been so incredibly nice being warm again!!!! Our feet in particular have enjoyed a few days out of boots in flip flops, we wish we could stay for a week but tomorrow we are back to La Paz and the cold.