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.
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.
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| Ready for the Pampas |
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| Jes in first row |
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| Endless straight gravel roads |
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| Lunch stop |
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| Bolivian Navy |
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| Ready for the boat |
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| Hi Roger |
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| Turtles |
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| Capybara |
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| Bird of Paradise |
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| Alligator |
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| Another alligator |
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| Stopped counting alligators |
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| Capybara family |
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| Yellow monkey |
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| Monkey meeting monkey meeting monkey |
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| Yes, this is a family of three pink river dolphins! |
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| Toucan |
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| Fish eagle |
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| Finally at our lodge |
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| Heading out for sunset beers |
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| Pampas sunset |
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| Sunset beer |
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| Looking for eyes in the night (there were lots of them) |
