Hot and itchy are the two main adjectives that best represent our disconsolate group at this time, here in the Pantanal. Almost as soon as we crossed the border into Brazil, the landscape became lush and tropical - really beautiful and very different to what we´ve become accustomed to after such a long time at high altitude. Unfortunately for the Pantanal, the wet season is coming later and later these days, so everything was much drier than we expected.

After a short bus ride, we arrived at our first stop, for lunch and piranha fishing. Our plan was to eat them for dinner, but we didn´t expect that we´d be eaten alive by mosquitoes while we fished. There had been next to none by comparison in the Amazon, but these guys homed in on the only places we hadn´t sprayed DEET, and even bit through our clothes. They were bloodthirsty and ruthless, but I guess that´s why they survive in such large numbers. Ow! The flora and fauna made up for the mosquito fest though; we saw a Capybara family, some Caiman (small crocs) and loads of birds as we travelled by safari-style truck to our camp ground.

Driving up the dirt track to the camp, the resident horses ran alongside us, as we passed trees, marshes and fields. There were only a few buildings, and our bedroom was the largest of all, with two rows of hammocks lying under big wooden beams and, thankfully, mosquito-netted windows. After the best cold showers we´d ever had (it is so so hot and humid), we made Caipirinhas to have with dinner and settled down in our hammocks. There didn´t seem as many bugs and mozzies as we´d expected, maybe because it had rained the day before, but whatever the reason, we were glad.

The next day was even hotter, and the bites began to itch! We cooled down on the safari truck, seeing more caiman, some otters, deer, pigs, toucans, parrots, storks and loads more. There was horse riding after lunch, where unfortunately Rob sustained a swift kick in the ankle from the horse in front. He´s fine and is walking around without problems, but it didn´t help that our guide had previously wound us up about one of the horses being named ´Gringo Killer´. As we watched a beautiful sunset and relaxed.... out came the bugs. A plague of bugs. There were giant beetles, mosquitoes, small flies, big flies, medium sized flies, flies that hung around the lights, flies that hit you in the dark and made you squeal, flies that could crawl and jump and flies that looked a bit like frogs from a distance. They swarmed into the showers and toilets and many perished on the lights in our bedroom, falling pleasantly into our hammocks. Things settled down as the night progressed and the lights went off, but the other GAP group who arrived that day, to whom we said ´No, there´s not many bugs here actually!´ must have thought we were absolutely mad.

Despite having a lovely time, we were a little relieved to be leaving the next day, and heading to Bonito. Here it was also very warm, but we spent a day relaxing by a river resort (Baneiro do Sol) where there was a zipwire and diving board for the adventurous, and lounge chairs and a swimming lagoon full of fish for the not so. It was great being able to cool off whenever we needed to and, apart from the parrots and monkeys, who seemed happy to share the resort, we were pretty much alone.

Now we´re heading off on a night bus to Iguassu falls, which everyone´s excited about, having seen the pictures and read all about them. We´ve got a few days there and get to see both the Brazilian and Argentinian side, so it should be good!