(UPDATED ON 12 Nov)

After our downhill bikeride we decided it was time to see some of the ecological highlights of the Bolivian Amazon.  Signed up for a 3 day tour of the Pampas (Amazonian wetlands) followed by 4 days in the ´real´ jungle.  Plan was to take small plane out of La Paz north to Rurrenabaque, about 300km away.  Arrived at airport on appointed day to see said small plane with the equivalent of its bonnet open, i.e. engine covers open with engineers peering inside (not a good sign).  While we waited we got to know our fellow passengers well, in particular Rod, Teresa and daughter Rory & son Jas(per) & Rod´s mate Ilia (sp?).  Interesting family: Rod was working as doctor in a town surgery in Peru while Tereas taught at local school whichthe kids attended - v adventurous American family, git to know them well.

So, after 4+ hours of delay at airport the (small) airline owned up to the fact that they could not fix the plane and we´d have to return tomorrow. All the way back into town for another night after putting back our tour trip.  Next morning we were informed that it had been pouring in Rurrenabaque and the non-tarmac landing strip was a quagmire and no planes would be getting in.  So, another day delay.  TEDIOUS.  Debates followed with agemcies then they came up with the suggestion we feared: do the journey by jeep across 350km of jungle tracks which would take 12-15 hours (as opposed to 50 mins on plane).  After weighing up likelihood of further delays we opted for jeep at 5:00a.m. next morning.

5:00a.m. after early breakfast at hotel with Rod & familty we all climbed into old batered Landcruiser for long journey.  After a hour we met up with another jeep and shuffled passengers between them - so started a 15 hour race through jungle between two jeeps full of tourists who wished they were on a plane!  Good bunch of people they were: also included two German sisters Julie & Lena, Mark & Andrea & two to three drivers per jeep.  The journey involved taking the Death Road down from the Altiplano into the jungle (we had cycled down this a few days earlier). It was far more frightening doing it in a jeep than by bike as you had to put your trust in the drivers.  After a couple more hours we came across roadworks which closed road for 1.5 hours ading to journey length.  All good stuff.  Roads were almost entirely rough dirt roads so our bodies too quite a beating over the 15 hours.

Arrived in Rurre around 8:00p.m. in the dark.  Next morning met up with our tour group for Pampas trip.  Three lively Spanish girls & Pedro the Frenchman made up the noisy contingent and Julie, Lena , M & I the less rowdy team.  After another 3 hour jeep journey along rough tracks we arrived at river and loaded kit into long narrow boat with small outboard.  Great journey up muddy looking river with much jungle-type plants coming right down to water´s edge. En route saw large team of spider monkeys which recognise sound of outboard motors as the noise of free food - i.e. bananas from tour guides.  Also spotted plenty of aligators on the banks & in river, not uge ones though, but it makes you think.  After another hour or so we arrived at basecamp which was lodge on side of river. All slept in bunks with reassuring mosquito nets.  Dinner that night was excellent as was the sleep.

Day two of tour involved breakfast then boat trip across river for our first hike: to hunt for anacondas and cobras.  Tramped through pampas for hour then into woods for snake hunt.  Guides soon found a 2-3 metre long brown cobra and proceeded to pick it up and show us its fangs despite its most violet protestations.  Great looking beast which I´m sure, given the chance, would have struck out at us had the guide not had a good grip.  After letting poor snake go, we tramped on to look for an anaconda.  Much activity involving guides shining torches into holes between roots of large trees and eventually loud celebrations as guides had appeared to have found their next victim.  Brave (or very experienced) guide rolled up his sleeve and delved deep into the hole and eventually started to tug hard at something. With a bit of help from others he hauled out an enormous anaconda (tail first) which must have been 4+ metres long.  Wonderful looking beast soon calmed down as it resigned itself to yet another period of politely sitting still (guide holding tail of course) as tourists took pictures.  All credit to the guides who would not let us touch it as we had insect repellent in our hands which is v poisonous to the snake.  Mr anaconda was soon let go and raced back to his hole.  I am sure one day he will figure out that if he hides in a different hole he may lead a more peaceful life maybe?

Returned to basecamp for lunch then out onto river for afternoon.  Up river for an hour then stopped for ´swim´.  You will remember that there are aligators in river and also piranas we wre told.  However, guides said it was OK so we did as it was hot & sticky.  The fun bit was that the river is also home to freshwater pink river dolphins.  Obidiently, the dolphins came along to swim with us which was quite special indeed.  They did their normal thing of ´breaching´the surface for air etc all around us.They seemed to do a good job of keeping aligators and piranas at bay. Back to base for dinner & sleep.  Oh yes, our friends Rod & co had arrived that day so had good catch up with them. Sadly they had no luck the next day on their snake hunt and saw ´nada´as we say over here. We were clearly very lucky.)

Day three involved pirana fishing.  Again, into boat for trip upstream then we were each issued with line & hook and a supply of raw fish meat.  Not much at first then tugs started on line.  Spanish team took ´first blood´  and landed a couple of the blighters into the boat.  Worryingly, the had the habit of coming off the hooks and flapping around in the bottom of the boat perilously close to our bare toes!!  Then the feeding frenzy in the water started and we each caught between 2 and 3 fish.  They were silver in colour with red bellies and were about 15cm long.  Teeth did not look that frightening but there powerful and viciously fast bite is what you need to wory about.  After an hour we ran our of meat and headed back to base with our haul of about 15 fish.

Final lunch in basecamp was good but sadly our pirana haul was fed to a different tour group - major grievance!!  Boat back to base afterwards was hot as was 3 hour jeep journey back to Rurrenabaque.  Overnight here in totel before jungle trip......... (see next Journal Entry)