Bolivia

Spent the next couple of days in La Paz with Arthur waiting for the English girls who arrived on Sunday. I hate to admit it but I went to the only movie playing in La Paz, Charlie's Angels and was embarrassed in the dark in my seat because of the stupidity of this American movie. The Bolivians on the other hand seemed to enjoy the unrealistic adventures of the scantily clad actresses.. When the girls arrived, we immediately decided to set out for the jungle the following day via the Bolivian military airline, TAM. Two reasons we decided to fly: first, the road is dubbed the World´s Most Dangerous Road by National Geographic because two vehicles go over the edge a week, and second, the bus ride was 18 hours. Safety and time were major concerns. Although the views from the road are supposed to be gorgeous, I have enough gray hair!!

The flight is only 45 minutes and the views of the jungle from the plane were green and lush and fertile. Except, that is, where the forest has been cleared for timber which is in many places and is quite a tragedy. We had a four-day trip planned: one day in the jungle and three days in the pampas, a tropical grassland that has many animals to see. The plane is a military plane and the airport is not really an airport but just a small house in a field. The landing strip is grass and the entire area is surrounded by jungle. We were all looking forward to being in a warm, muggy climate that had lots of oxygen in the air so we could breathe again. Hot was not the word when we stepped off the plane onto the field, sweltering was more like it and we immediately stripped off many layers of fleece and long-sleeved shirts. Kate and I spotted our first tarantula in the airport bathroom... the spider thing was a bit worrying for me because other travelers kept telling me that tarantulas fill up the place in the jungle. Yuck!

We landed in Rurrenabaque, a jungle town with no paved roads and many strange characters, found a hostel, and booked our trip which would only cost us 25 dollars a day including all and then celebrated on finally being in a warm climate by having drinks and dinner by the river. The next morning we set out early for the jungle via a very long wooden canoe. The breeze and the clouds were deceptive and we were all really sunburned after our three-hour ride to our camp. The camp was a forty-five minute very hot hike into the jungle and was situated on a lake. The camp had only two shelters: one for sleeping and one for eating. All the bunks had mosquito nets which were sorely needed as the bugs were voracious. We immediately threw down our packs, donned our bathing suits, and jumped into the lake. After, we were informed that many crocs are there but only hunt at night and therefore it was safe to swim during the day. To tell you the truth, I did not care because we were so hot and sweaty and swimming in the lake and rivers would be our only showers for four days.

After meeting Renee, our tour guide, his wife, and their eight children, we went off for an afternoon rainforest hike. Even with 100 percent Deet on the mosquitoes managed to chew me alive. Renee was informative and had many wild experiences to share about his years in the rainforest, among them being attacked by a jaquar and being lost for days alone!! The jungle is primordial and eerie and alive. Every towering plant, buzzing insect, and howling monkey adds to the feeling that not only can jaquars attack you but so can many other things. The trees and plants are huge and leafy. While walking with Renee, I felt safe but if I had been alone for even a few minutes I would have been helplessly lost and hopelessly scared. But it is amazingly beautiful and teeming with life. Renee pointed various insects and plants that are used for medicine, again amazing what can be done without modern Westernized medicine. After our walk, we had dinner and went to bed early because of the lack of electricity. I managed to sleep even with the constant buzz of the nighttime jungle.