Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: Pink river dolphin

fredag den 2. oktober 2015

Heading back to Rurrenabaque

Last morning on the pampas. No storm during the night so we all slept well. Or maybe it was because of us spending all our energy fighting the mud yesterday. Or alcohol. Who knows. The alligators were still fighting each other on the river bank this morning. Still fun to look at.

Mikkel and the guide spotted a couple of dolphins swimming past the lodge upstream. Good indication on where to head after the breakfast. So we went - upstream and found the dolphins swimming back and forth the same stretch of river where we caught piranhas yesterday afternoon.

No alligators in sight on the banks Roger, the Australian - jumped into the brown water only to discover that the river was around 1,50 meter deep. Jes followed shortly after and the rest of us watched from the boat. Quite funny to see them jump a bit every time a fish "explored" their feet. The Swiss guy was the last to jump in. Then we could see the dolphins swimming back and forth not really getting close to the three guys in the water.

Apparently something else decided to come close to Rogers feet because we've never expected to see a 130 kg guy jump out the water and into the boat. No toes missing Jes and the Swiss guy decided to follow Rogers example and get out of the water.

Then we headed back to the lodge, had lunch, packed up and headed downstream. Our trusty Land Cruiser was waiting for us and the three hour drive back to Rurrenabaque. We had booked the same hostel as last time, so we knew the pool was waiting for us. Possibly with a cold beer. What a relief.

In the evening we met up with the Swiss guys from our trip and went for dinner. Fish curry cooked in banana leaf. Delicious.

Tomorrow we are heading back to La Paz with Crash-air. Fingers stay crossed all night.

Two beautiful people posing at the lodge

Our room

Boots from yesterday

Ready to go looking for dolphins

Danish bacon going into brown river water in Bolivia

Human bait X 3

Looking hungry

Relaxing while the others are swimming

Last -gator picture - PROMISE

Hanging out at the lodge

Heading back to Rurrenabaque

Our trusty Toyota Land Cruiser

Back in Rurre

Totally true

Party at the pool

Rurre night life

onsdag den 30. september 2015

Heading to the Pampas

Another day of going somewhere. Mikkel was back to normal this morning. One-day-flu. Which was quite lucky since it was back to overland travelling again. Or it felt like it.

We left the hostel and headed for the tour company a few streets away. Then waited for the rest of the participants to arrive. In the meantime we could see the guides getting all the food and equipment ready indicating that we really were going to "the pampas".

Then we crammed together in the back of an old red Toyota Land Cruiser - all seven of us - Jes got the front seat. Headed out of town and onto the dirt roads bringing back memories from the spring and the summer with the truck going through central Asia. Except this was a much smaller vehicle. The drive was around three hours before we stopped for lunch.

Then a short drive to the river and unloading the car, getting the boat ready - ours was missing an engine. We headed upstream and our guide had plenty of time to stop whenever there was some wildlife to look at. And there was plenty. Capybaras alone and in groups, birds of all kinds including toucans and paradise birds and endless numbers of alligators everywhere. In the water, submerged, on the banks of the river. Teeth everywhere. Fish jumping from the water once in while indicating that there where sharp teeth and hungry mouths below the surface. We even saw the river dolphins swimming close to us.

There was plenty of traffic on the river with other boats going back and forth. At some point another group had stopped near a group of yellow monkeys so our guide also pulled over. Being on the shore made it possible to lure some of the monkeys to sit on our heads or shoulders being bribed by a piece of banana.

We arrived just in time for sunset at the camp. Got all our stuff in our room, put on bug spray and headed for a sunset spot next to our camp. There we could get a cold beer and enjoy the sun setting. Then it was back to the camp for dinner and afterwards heading out on the river to spot wildlife which was more or less only alligators. This time of night they seemed to be much more active and your could hear them fighting in the water every now and then.

Back to camp being tired after a long day and many many impressions of wild life. Looking forward to another active day tomorrow.