Amazon basin - I love the smell of DEET in the morning !

Rurrenabaque is the portal here into the Bolvian Amazon - many tours operate from here and the town is whizzing with motorbikes , locals eating, eating and eating and foreigners waiting for their trips to begin !
Its hot, humid and rainy ! Don't forget a cheap B$ 5 rain coat - just in case ! I opted for the pampas instead of the jungle eco lodge tour as I was told Id be guaranteed more animals and less mosquitoes !
Well ------- ! Its also not rainy season yet - so lucky for me - more wildlife attracted to the river and less mosquitoes - but so so many other flying -into-your-hair bugs !
The ride from Rurrenabaque is bumpy - 3 hours of bumpy ! , our jeep was worse for wear - twice we had to stop as there was strange noises coming from the carriage of the car - which was ignored after a brief kick we were on the road again.
We had a basic lunch in Santa Rosa before we headed out on our boat - another 3 hours - far more interesting and comfortable than the jeep ride. Slather on the sunblock and then the DEET mosquito repellent - the beginning of a 3 day ritual !

This is definately the highlight - being on the river - getting up close and personal with the wildlife . Hundreds of crocodiles , entire families of  capybara ( giant semi-aquatic rodents - yes ---- The worlds largest rat ! with webbed feet ) , sunbathing chilling- out turtles on logs - little yellow squirrel monkeys chattering away , we saw one Toucan at our camp and a multitude of birds - herons, kingfishers,egrets,hawks, eagles,hoatzin(paradise birds) - all just going about their daily business at the riverside. Anacondas in the lake and piranha fishing in the river -quite an itinerary !
The dolphins came on day two - so elusive to capture on camera - greyish, pinkish dolphins , swimming and playing in the river. Beauty ! Swimming with the dolphins is recommended - really ? I see a black caiman croc over there and didn't we just fish here yesterday for piranhas ! And besides having studied Microbiology who knows what parasites abound here in these waters - I'm brave but not that brave !

The camp site - lodge was very basic but ok - riverside with good views to watch the animals . We all share in wooden huts with mosquito nets - a cook on hand to feed us - hammocks for relaxing , a generator for awhile at night to provide some electricity to charge all those damn phones and cameras! Giant I mean giant frogs - be careful where you walk . I had the privilege of   a small jumping frog in the shower- nearly made me  jump out of my skin ! The second night the bugs came - in full force - Stephen King like movie proportions - I itch now just thinking of it ! Luckily after a long days walk - I pass out no time to think of what is crawling about in the darkness outside. But just for a moment before I fall asleep I listen and hear a million sounds - beauty !

In the early evening we would take the boat up to the view point to watch the sunset - drink a beer - some travellers playing volleyball and soccer and most of us just lounging - taking the day in.
Tired , sunburnt but happy - a great experience -much seen and learnt - dark star filled skies and the coolness of the night air. Making memories !

 The Camp

 Finally at the river!

Those pesky Piranhas ! Eat them before they eat you.

This afternoon we went piranha fishing not something I quite thought to be on my bucket list- but alas - tick tis done ! The river here is filled with them - now and then you see them surface and we see two types - one with the orange belly - this one bites and can attack - usually in packs ( schools ? - packs sounds more ferocious) and the plain silver one . We fish with beef lol ! and Im even brave enough to remove the hook from the first baby Piranha I catch to put him back in the river.
The guide tells us a story of his finger being bitten to the bone is seconds by a bigger piranha and it took six weeks to heal. I try not to think of Sharknado ( cult movie and the multiple jokes of Piranado)
Even the thought of the recent piranha movie makes me feel cold, whilst the movie from my childhood is much clearer in my minds eye. All the while we fishing we are constantly watched by crocodile eyes - so well if the piranhas won't get you,if , by chance you fall into this river - those crocs are waiting - especially the black cayman crocs - vicious looking !

So in addition to dinner tonight we have piranha - taste like fish !