Ponies and Pirhanas at the Pantanal 11th-13th Feb

The Pantenal is the largest wetlands in the world and we were all pretty excited go and see all the wildlife there. It was a very hot day, reaching 38 degrees which pleased us when we realised we were staying on a ranch for the first night and there was a jetty and cool water to swim in. we had a VERY bumpy, hour long ride from Swampy to the ranch and it was great fun to see the leaders just hanging off the bus and pointing to various birds, caymens, nests and lizards along the way. Dropped out bags off in our 10man dorms and walked along the jetty where we saw a very big caymen. After assessing the likelyhood of the caymen eating me, Caroline and I (rather bravely) jumped into the river. We knew there were caymen but they very very rarely attacked humans and pirhanas in the water but it was so refreshing and cool, it wasnt long before all 30 of us were splashing around and being taken by the current. down the big river. Had a great day in the sun, getting a tan, swimming and spotting lots of different birds and it was a copmlete breath of fresh air being my first excursion on the tour so far. Before i had even left th UK i had had my heart set on pirhana fishing and i was desperate to catcha fish. Whilest we swum the leader made little rods out of bamboo and at about 4ish we started to fish for pirhanas. Clint caught the first one and i was determined to get just one fish!! After getting slightly jealous at other peopl catching fish and hearing thir shrieks of delight i waited for 2 hours until i managed to get a bite and catch a fish. Rather dissapointingly it was not a pirhana - just a very small sardine but none the less everyone was so happy to see me catch a fish. I am pretty sure you can see my proudness and joy at catching the fish in the photo album i'll set up later. I wanted to cook him and eat him, but when i gave him to the leader the leader simply chopped him up for bait - much to my disapointment. i then caught another sardine and after that my life seemed complete!! I helped Cath catch a fish as well - some would call me a pro i'm sure!! Had a nice nights sleep on a bunk bed, still smiling at the fact that i caught 2 fish!! Early start the next mornign with a wake up at 6am. We went on a boat ride down the pantenal main river and saw lots of wildlife which was fun but the steady hum of the boats engine sent all but 2 people asleep. We had to move from the ranch to the farm and we were literally wilting flowers when we had to sit in the same bumpy open bus for 2 hours to get there. I chose to do some more fishing in a swamp because it reached 40 degrees that day and the last thing i wanted to do was get burnt in the sun, riding horses (which was the other activity). A small group of us slowly dragged our fishing rods down to a swampw hich is the only way to describe it. Our guide named Diego was very kind but freeked us all out when we said to walk slowly because the pirhanas in this swamp bit!! Us girls, were shrieking and cringing as we entered the very muddy, swampy waters especially as we couldnt see the bottom and the reed infested mud was a horrible sensation under your feet. After no bites though we swum around and had a great time. Slept in a 40 dorm room, with only hammocks - very hot - sweaty - but great fun to swing yourself to sleep like a baby. Another very hot day followed and i decided it was just too hot to do any walking at midday. i stayed behind and Diego snapped some thick, green leaves from the river. He slowly scraped back all the green chlorophyll and underneath were thin white fibres. We made reed necklaces and cut in half a nut-like fruit which we used as pendants. We had a great time trying to talk to the guides in broken portugese/english whilest swinging in the communal hammocks. Today was valentines day and so i asked Diego if he could teach me how to strip the reed into the fibres. After about an hour i got my 50cm length of fibers and because i had done it i was allowed to do what i wanted with it. I decided to make Henry a little bracelet with it so i could show him i was thinking of him on vals day. Went horseback riding in the much cooler afternoon which was ideal. The horses are very different here to back at home. We sat on a very worn, tatty saddle and the horses were far from tame or well tempered. THey certainly did not like the idea of walking in a line and many would canter and trot off to try to be as close to the front as possbile. In the afternoon coolness it was very relaxing to sit on a horse and just look for miles around at the wetlands. They just seem endlessly wet and flat for all around. The horses were up to their saddles in water the whole time and my walking boots got soaked but it was such a fun experience. I had borrowed Diegos leather hat and luckily i had a very nice, friendly horses, that did anything i wanetd it to do. Howvere the last strecth the horses just galloped. I have never felt the wind in the hair flowing like it did. The horses just took off and everyone held on for dear life. It was so much fun to be crashing through the water at such speed and i looked like a real-life cowgirl because i had one hand on the reins, the other dramatically trying to flatten the hat to my head as it would have come flying off if i hadn't. Diego picked a henna fruit along the horse back journey and all got temporary tatoos with it. We never thought it would work as he had this clear juiced fruit (similar to a passion fruit) and a toothpick to write on us with. I got 'henry te amo' which means i love henry in portugese on my wrist a little star on my hand. It was vals day and i thought it would be sweet for all my friends silnetly laughing at my right now!! hehe. Others had Diego te amo and one girl had an entire farm on her arm. THose people were not at all happy when we woke up the next morning with the clear ink a very very dark black!! Had my last nights sleep in my hammock and had a 5am start the next day to get back to Swampie. Very sad to leave as the guides had been so friendly and helpful during our stay there.