Adventuras de viaje

Hola mis amigos! So...it has been a while since I last wrote. I am currntly in La Paz, freezing my toes off in a internet cafe type thinger. Locutorio? I don´t know...that is what they´re called in Peru but I don´t think they are calld that in Bolivia.

So...the reason why I am freezing specifically my toes off? Well, I am wearing flip flops. Why would I be so stupid to wear flip flops in cold La Paz right? Ha...there is a funny story behind that one (read on and you´ll see). We landed in La Paz on Saturday and spent the day here, organized our trip to Salar de Uyuni and walked around (ie. got lost) a bit. Turned in a bit early since we had an early wake up call and stayed at our hostel...the "Hotel Majestic"...which wasn´t really that majestic, but at least it had hot water showers, which I would later learn are rare in Bolivia.

The next morning we woke up before the sun rose and called our plane company to see if the flight as a-okay. This is necessary becaus in Rurrenabaque, the landing strip isn´t so much as landing strip as it is a field of grass, so when it rains it´s dangerous. We ended up going through a confusing time of approximately 5 or 6 hours trying to figure out our cancelled or possibly not cancelled flight. Eventually we boardd the plane and AWAY we went! La Paz and Rurrenabaque...wow, so different, and obviously I prefer Rurrenabaque. I stepped off the plane wearing a scarf, a sweater, a jacket and my leggings. These layers were peeled off almost immediately after I stepped off the plane. We met our tour guide, Eric, a cute little guy from the jungle community of San Jose. Speaks like...6 languages or so, amazing. The bus ride to Rurre took about 45 minutes and was interesting to see the scenery...cows crossing, goats, people riding down the dirt road on a motorcyle without a helmet...it sort of reminded me of footage I have seen of rural Africa.

We arrived to Rurre and off we went to the San Miguel del Bala Ecolodge. First we walked to the office in Rurre and then took a beautiful boat ride to the ecolodge. Words cannot describe the scenery...I had a big stupid grin on my face the entire time on the boat. It`s just this lush greenery everywhere, and the boats are cute and everybody is so friendly. We arrived at the Ecolodge, dropped off our backpacks and left for the canyon. Had to take a bit of a hike at first, but it was amazing. The canyon it not as deep as the canyon I went to in Huaraz, but this experienc was better. You are right inside the canyon, thigh deep in water at times clambering over rocks. In the end, I took off my flip flops because it was easier to manage your balance. It´s so dark and mysterious inside the canyon, bats flying everywher and at one point we saw a poisonous spider on the wall of the canyon. I tried to give it as wide a berth as possile as I walked by...sort of hard in a narrow canyon. But I managed to get by alive hahaha.

Afterwards, we went back to the lodge and took a steep uphill hike up 80 billion stairs to get to our cabin...I hate these stairs. Over the course of my stay in the jungle...I had to climb these damn things so many times I am pretty sure that I really do have buns of steel now. I should make an exercise video when I get back to Canada. Anyway, dropped off our stuff and left for dinner which was delicious. We headed back to bed pretty early as again, we had an early wake up call. When we returned to our cabin, our lights stopped working, so we had to take our lukewarm shower with flashlights aimed as best as possible for being able to see. Hahaha. It´s just like when there is a power outage only a bit more scary because you don´t know what kind of insects are making their way into your living arrangements and you can´t see anything. The next morning, we headed for our breakfast, also delicious and met a pair of French girls who have been traveling for 4 or so months. I immediately thought of Cecile and then had to be like...oh yeah, my old roommate is from France, from Nancy...as if they really care. Hahaha. It was an interesting conversation as they didn´t speak too good of English, my French is ass, so we communicated mostly in Spanish / English and a little bit of French here and there. Hahaha.

After breakfast we prepared for our 3 hour hike in the jungle. It was amazing, but also thoroughly exhausting. I will no longer ever think of the Lake Louise tea house hike in Alberta as hard anymore. You sweat like a pig like the jungle, and the mosquitos eat you alive...regardless of whether or not you´re wearing repellent. I think I have a good set of qat last 20 bites now...in various places on my body including my face. It was really difficult at times becaus the slope is to steep, so it´s difficult to climb and to get down...and other parts are really marshy. We managed to see a frog, 2 types of monkeys, some birds and a tarantula! Aaah! Our guide was poking the tarantula nest with a stick...I really don´t think that a tarantula is the type of organism that you should be aggravating with a stick. Hahaha. I managed the entire 3 hour trek doing quite well, didn´t fall once and my shoes didn´t get too wet. As we were boarding the boat, half of my body was in the boat and the other half still on land...you can guess what happened next...my other half slipped into the river and under the boat. Not only was my left half now wet, I also have this huge bruise from the boat! So this is now why I am wearing flip flops because my shoes are still soaking wet. Afterwards we headed to the camp grounds and saw the 2 French girls, as well as 2 Americans and a British girl (the later 3 were quite unfriendly). Eating was a pretty unpleasant experienc as the swarms of insects don´t give you a break, I am sure that I ate at least 5 flies during that lunch...oh well, extra protein. At least it´s more excusable...I am in the jungle. Not like that time I found a ladybug in my food on Air Canada flight...thanks Air Canada.

Afterwards we took another hike to a small body of water with a waterfall. The hike sucked because I changed into my flip flops...at one point we went down such a steep and slippery hill that ther was this rope that had been put there to help you down. Thanks rope...didn´t do much good though hahaha! The waterfall was great and much needed after all that hiking in the hot jungle. I love the way the sand/mud feels in the jungle...it´s so fine and wet that you just sort of...sink into it like a pillow. I found my "sand haven" in the waterfall area and just sort of stayed there. Hahaha. There were little shrimp swimming around, I tried to catch a few but failed and then freaked out when one of them touched my hands. Hahaha. I am not cut out for shrimping...so long dreams of becoming Bubba Gump.

Anyway...nxt day went to the community and had some fresh fruit and made fresh sugar cane juice. Ack...my time is up on this internet, sorry for having to cut this short. Long story short, community was cool, rain in the jungle occured, almost missed our flight. And now we´re back in dreary La Paz.

Leaving for Salar de Uyuni tonight...nos hablamos mas rato mis amigos!


Besos,
Renee