After many talks with local travel agencies, we go for the altenative tour of ENIN TRAVEL with Adam, Nathalie and Leslie, nice American mates that we met at the hostal Santa Ana. The alternative tour consists of: * 1st day: 3 hour jeep to Reyes, 2 hour walk on the pampas then a ride in a oxcart to the company ranch. * 2nd day: boat excursion on the local river looking for pink dolphin, piranhas fishing, walk at night in the islands jungle. *3rd day: morning walk looking for medical plants, horse ride back to Reyes, jeep ride to Rurrenabaque.
It was great. Some small probs tough, like the oxcart had to pass in the middle of a wetland with water up to the waist, we are 11 people and some backpacks on the cart, too heavy for the poor 4 ox pulling it, we arrive at the ranch after sun set, a bit scary tough. I menaged to drive the oxcart for the fun of the locals and also to get bitten by a TAFANO (big horse fly), Olivia got eaten by moskitos. The ranch is really in the middle of nowhere with a sky roof shower and a open air toilet (also known has atomic center). Only complaints: the moskitos that bit us non stop for 3 days ignoring the repellent and team efford to kill them. We managed to see pink river dolphins, many birds with their babies and a lot of cows. We also fished some piranhas and put them back in the water. It is a nice experience. On the way back our 4h horse ride was really nice, my horse sprinted ahead of everyone elses, Olivia's mule tripped up as often as possible, frequently in small puddles. Oh and she also got off the horse with 4 ticks on her legs and waist, which prompted a quick striptease that got the jeep driver back in a good mood. I only brought back 2 sucking friends. Thanks Patricia and Emma for the anti tics tools. The 4WD on the way back got stuck in the mud, but we are use to it by know and with a big wood post, taken from a close by river bridge, we managed to pull it out of the puddle.
Back in Rurrenabaque we made friends with the 2 guides, young chap Ector and Erwin. Ector took me to play football in the local tournement, 1 bolivianos each insciption, 6 people team. Since no one had money I sponsored my team, 6 bolivianos is 1 chf. We managed to win the first 15 m. game thanks to a gringo gol (I am talking about myself off course) and won 12 bolivianos. 2nd game I almost collapsed from the heat and I could'n believe it when a spider monkey crossed the filed. We eventually lost 1 - 0 and went home. By the way thanks to the betting system I got my 6 bolivianos back.
Campesinos driving oxcarts come in all shapes and forms...
Erwin dangling a piraniah caught by our local campesino, senor Yardini.
Spot the parrot.
What three days in the pampas and jungle did to Olivia's ankle.