Our next trip was into the Madidi National Park. This is a huge area of protected land from the Amazon Basin right up to the Andes. Although it’s protected and managed by indigenous peoples its under threat from mining (there is gold in them there hills) and various other land grabs.
As we arrived back from the Pampas a storm struck and our lovely little hotel transformed into faulty towers as first the windows blew in, wetting the floors, the beds and Jaynes kit. It kept happening because there was no way to fasten the windows and they fit badly! Then there were power cuts and if that wasn’t enough then the tap water stopped. It was particularly difficult when Jayne was mid shower and had to finish off with me running to the kitchen for two bottles of drinking water!
Worse than all that, our trip was postponed for a day because the river had swelled and the roads were impassable due to trees coming down. Our Guide Pedro phoned us from his satellite phone and told us to wait a day and he would reassess.
We probably needed the break (Jayne planned the Bolivia part with military precision and no rest days, and I love a rest day as you know). It also gave us time to wander about the little town of Rurrenebaque.
The next day Guadalupe our driver (yes that’s her name) took us for several hours by road into the national park. We didn’t know at the time but she is part of the Uchupiamonas tribe and they are custodians of the area we were going into. Again this was a trip for just us two despite the tour operator stating a minimum of four, (possibly because we we are slightly out of the main season).
At first we travelled along the edge of the Pampas but then started to climb into the hills.
En route we collected a passenger who I think was Guadeloupe’s brother. In a small village we stopped for fuel and while waiting Jayne was courted by this rather resplendent turkey, just look at the colour change in it’s neck
After this we arrived at the beginning on the park and to my surprise it’s mountainous. I don’t know why I thought it would be flat.
We could see the damage from the storm and had to stop for this fallen tree. We crossed a number of streams and then came into to the sweetest village and asked Guadeloupe to stop so we could get a photo. She started laughing because it was her house with all the washing hanging outside!
A little further on we arrived at the river. It doesn’t look it here but it was fast moving and looked choppy! We were told it takes about an hour and a half to get to our camp from this point and we would be travelling down river.
Next…..into the jungle!
The Travelling Bee 