When you fall off your horse...

We spent 3 nights in the Pantanal which is this MASSIVE (like phenomenally big) wetlands. There is basically the most diverse wildlife there ever!

We got there 1st day and had an amazing buffet lunch of like beans and rice and meat and salad just really good food. Pleased with ourselves we got on a boat trip around the river there - saw HEAPS of birds. Im not kidding there were plenty!

Obviously I dont really have an interest in birds but I became a happy snapping tourist and photographed EVERY new bird I saw. But they were pretty cool and I saw herons and cuckaburras and snake birds (which have necks like snakes its really strange). It was absolutely freezing though and rained on the way back so we all piled into this truck shivering, only to have to drive and hour and a half in the cold (trucks here have no sides) to get to the Farm.

The Farm is where we stayed two nights. Its beautiful and completely rural (which is why I had no phone signal for a long time). The people who work there have lived there all their lives surrounded by all the natural beauty of massive wetlands, fields, forests and more. Arriving at night though, all we cared about was warming up and more amazing buffet for dinner.

At the Farm we slept in hammocks - literally the highlight of my trip so far theyre brilliant!! And I loved the food at the Pantanal and the people and the peaceful atmosphere. Its really sad because the wetlands survive off the wet season. This year the wet season did not exist. It did not rain. The wildlife is suffering (and so is our trip because it keeps raining even though it is dry season).

At the Farm I went for wildlife walks through jungle and fields. They showed us these cool plants that when you touch the seeds and liquid inside you think nothing happens. 3 hours later your skin turns blue where you touch it! Apparantly its supposed to last for a week but my thumb has already faded :( Christophe (AKA Frenchy) took loads and had decided to do tattoos for everyone though :)

I also went on a horse ride. Now I dont like horses, I was pretty wary getting on mine and then could barely fake a smile on it as it turns out Im pretty scared of them. We were told not to let our horses graze, but mine kept wanting to eat all the time! And when we entered the forest it took a sneaky side munch at leaves. Pulling the reigns right, my horse pulled left, we twisted round... I lost. I fell off landed smack on my arse and got up SO fast because I was scared to getting trampled to death. I had a helmet on (silly blue one photos are funny) but still i was pretty shaken after that. In a state of shock i pretty much followed instructions and like the phrase says... I got back on my horse.

I can complain about that stupid horse all day but ill save it till i get home. Its safe to say no more horse rides for me this trip.

We also went fishing while we were out there but cuaght no piranahs. Apparantly the last group caught 40, it just happens we had bad weather.

Ive seen soooo many animals out here though! Lotsss of Caiman, Capibeira, Flamingos, Deer/Stag, Armadillo, Monkeys. Iguana (dead and alive - nice photos again), Otters, Raccoons, Tucans! ermm Oh an Anteater which was so weird looking... lots more!

We left the Farm (which was pretty cold and had no hot water) and slept at the Lodge for the 3rd night. Hot water and beds were luxury (except I wanted my hammock back). Bigger buffet too - just less of the countryside atmosphere. Leaving the Panatal was quite sad, its one of the most amazing places Ive ever been. In case you cant tell Ive completely got my appetite back. Ive been eating loads even to the extent that Im snacking between meals and everything (for those who dont know, I havent been eating properly since exams started).

But yeah Im really relaxed and happy so I guess thats showing! Im getting on with everyone so well and the Aussies have taken me under their wing (2 crazy austrailian couples). Their ongoing joke that Christophe and I are perfect for each other meant that the 6 of us were in a room together at the Lodge. Its just a laugh though and I find them all hillarious - yes even Christophe. He knows its only a joke too though which makes it even more funny.

My tent mate Nat is also Australian as is Mark and Dan and Sharon are Kiwis so im definitely going to cme home with an accent. Only me Ian and Adam are British. They back me up when everyone makes fun of my posh accent. :)