La Paz to Rurrenabaque, Potosi, Sucre Bolivia 25 12 11

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