We had a little time to kill so we decided , to go on a Jungle trip to Rurrenabaque for 4 days , which is about 450km north east of La Paz out in the Amazon Rain Forest .
The first night on arrival we stayed in Rurrenabaque , then it was a 5 hr river boat trip up the Beni River to the Chalalan Lodge . The Lodge is set in amongst 200,000 hecs of rain forest owned by a local tribe , which is also set in amongst 2,000,000,000 hecs of rain forest called the Madidi National Park .
The lodge was fantastic and very well run , great food and accommadation .
Above Dave on arrival at our hotel in Rurrenabaque the Hotel Oriental .After being in LaPaz where it is cold ,it was a bit of a shock to arrive back in the tropics .
The day before leaving to go to Rurrenabaque we decided to take a trip to the Worlds Most Dangerous Road . So we were up at 6am and ready to go by 7am , it's about a round trip of approx 8hrs .
Well it took us 3 hrs to get to the top of the crater (La Paz is in a crater) , with the help of two taxis , the second one took us to the wrong area . Then another 1 hr to get through the traffic and out onto the open road (so time is running out already ) , but on we go up to the highest pass ( 4900mts ) . Over the top we go and you right , we can't see our hands in front of our faces . Next the hail starts and heaps of it , so the trip to the most Dangerous Road came to an end and back to La Paz we go .
Anyway the World Most Dangerous Road is getting out of La Paz ,
Look at the new Video on the Video Bar on the right .
Rurrenabaque
Its bloody hot here
The River Beni which flows into the Amazon
The most favoured transport around town was scooters , which was a bit frightening to see . Even little kids with no protection at all , riding around town with there parents . The population of Rurrenabaque is approx 8000 people , it's a 20 hr bus ride on some of the worst roads in Bolivia . I'm glad we flew
The next day it was up river , 5 hrs and lots to see on the way .
Above is a pic of a very rear White Vulture , called a King Vulture . The guide said he had not seen one for a very long time
Up River we go ,on board there were 10 of us including the Guides and boat men
As there are so many villages on the river bank , the long boat is the main means of transport
The two Guides from the Chalalan Lodge
The one asleep is Norman , he was our guide for the stay (really nice guy ) . The Lodge was run entirely by the Village people of owned the Lodge , their village was another 3 hrs up river from the Lodge .
Some of the wild life on the way
This is the worlds biggest Rodent
River Shot
Another Critter
Welcome to Chalalan
The Lodge could take up to 30 people , but because it was low season there was just 6 of us
Chicken Bird
There were also heaps of Macaws and other bird life
Th Lodge was right on this beautiful Lagoon
Caiman
They are about 1 to 2 meters long
Scorpion Spider , we also saw a couple of huge Tarantulas
The Lagoon
After a hard day , Dave out side our Lodgings
The Lagoon
Holler Monkey , we also saw Cappuccino ,and Squirell Monkeys
While we were at the Lodge our Guild arranged treks into the Jungle and also Canoeing in the Lagoon , during the day and night .
We saw all sorts of animals including 2 snakes , and even fresh Jaguar tracks
Our Lodge
The gang , the two on the far right are a couple Dutch kids Paul and Michella , they were the only other guests there
Back in Lapaz , for the night .
Next day it was off to Potosi (which was around 486kms) . On the way Dave lost his bet bag , which contained all his docs including his Passport . So we had a very long day going up and down the road trying to find it , with no luck . We arrived in Potosi around 11.30pm , buggered and bloody hungry as we had not had anything to eat since breakfast . Also to add to the day , in Bolivia (as we only found out the day before ) we can only get Petrol from certain Petrol Stations and at 130% higher price than the locals . The problem also is that nobody knows which Stations, other than the station them self . So on the way down to Potosi ,we had to gas up in a town half way called Oruro (again as there is no way we can get Petrol anywhere but the main centers ) , which took us 1.5hrs to find the Petrol Station that would sell us petrol (very frustrating )
On the way to Potosi
The road from La Paz to Potosi we have renamed the" Road of a 1000 Hands" because the whole way, there were kids with there hands out begging . Also just as many dogs (I'm sure I even saw a dog with this paw out )
On the way
The next day we went back out to try and find the belt bag , but still no luck
We stayed two nights in Potosi (Potosi is the highest city in the world at 3,800mts above sea level ) and then we went on to Sucre
On our way to Sucre
On our way to Sucre top and Bottom
This bridge is in the middle of no where , you come across some funny things over here
Sucre
When we arrived in Sucre we could not believe the contrast from the rest of Bolivia , it is like a Diamond in the middle of a whole lot of Crap (not that Bolivia is that bad , but that Sucre is that good ) .. Sucre is as good or even better that most Colonial Cities in Europe . The contrast from La Paz is amazing , we are to spend 4 nights here , then we will have to go back to La Paz to get a new Passport for Dave . Then straight over to Chile and on down .
Sucre
Our Hotel for Christmas , the hotel Villa Antigua
A very very nice Hotel
Sucre
Christmas Day was a very quite affair , we booked a table for 7.50 pm at a nice resurant , there was 7 of us (the 4 of us , the young dutch couple from Rurrenabaque (who we run into again in town , (Paul and Michella) also an Aussie girl , Fran she was staying at the same hotel as us ) . We had a great meal and a few to many beers , but a good time was had by all
