Hi Guys
We are writing this safe and well from La Paz (Bolivia), after a horror 15hr jeep ride (more on that later) and only 4 hours sleep, so we´re pretty exhausted... but let me try and bring you all back to speed....
It was only a few days ago we were sitting on our 18 seater Bolivian light aircraft flying La Paz to Rurrenbaque (Gateway town to the Amazon) and getting precariously close to the Andes when we thought Adventure had reached a new level.. little did we know what was in store for us..
As you may recall, we were never meant to go to the Amazon at this stage, but it became a back up plan when we had to be diverted to avoid some violent protests in several towns nearby. Unfortunately, noone told us that at this time of year nearly EVERY farmer in the Amazon burns off so the entire place is filled with smoke...(more on this later!)
Given the amount of things we´ve been up to, i´ll just bullet point our highlights....In the last 3 days we have
- Fished for Piranhas in the Amazon river (Our guide caught 7 of them and Leah caught a catfish!)
- After fishing for them, we jumped in and had a swim in Alligator and Piranha invested waters (Sorry mum i know i promised i wouldn´t but it was so HOT)
- After fishing and swimming with Piranhas we figured the next logical step would be to eat one.. so we did (tastes like fish!)
-We´ve been Anaconda hunting (somewhat scary since we had no first aid supplies and ended up walking around in shin high mud looking for a Cobra or Green Mumba)
- Our local tour company that took us out to the Amazon didn´t cater enough water so on the second day we were rationed 2 litres each to last just over 24hrs... keep in mind the temperature was so hot and humid and we were out in the sun all day.. it was torture.. At one point our back up plan was to boil the water in the tank normally used for showers.... which was fine until the water pump broke...
We made it back to Runnebaque only to discover that no flights had arrived or left for the last few days due to the smoke... Our luck continued when we realised we were stuck.. We couldn´t stay another night as the town has no ATM or money exchange and we had all only bought with us 3 days worth of cash so accomodation wasn´t an option....At one point we were told a plane was coming so we went to the airport only to be told that it had to turn around and go back due to smoke..
By this stage we are in the same clothes for 4 days with no showers, no money, covered in a mixture of sunscreen, mosiquito repellant, smoke and 6 inches of dust (all roads are unsealed in jeeps with the windows down)....
So we had to move to a new back up plan...
The last resort was to pool our emergency US dollars that we were all carrying and hire jeeps to drive us back to La Paz...which we soon discovered meant driving for 15hours without stopping (with nothing but choc chip cookies and pringles for food) and having to drive Death Road in the middle of the night... To say the drive was scary is an understatement, and we no doubt tell you all the details when we are home safe and sound... but to our great relief we pulled in around 5.30am this morning... For those who dont know death road, its a dirt road that traverses the Andes and is only just over one car width wide, with no guide rails... there are sheer drop offs and sitting in the dog box of a jeep with no seat belts or tail lights is an experience neither of us will ever forget.
Hope everyone is well at home... We´ll be here in La Paz until the day after tomorrow for when we head off back according to our original itinerary...
Take Care
Katie and Leah.
Have been waiting to hear from you two! I have been missing my coffee buddies and Gus has been asking about you both. Sounds like a journey that you will both remember for a lifetime that is for sure. I can tell you (quietly of course) that if that had of been me with you, I would have been the one crying silently in the background. Glad to hear you are both safe and well. I hope you are looking forward to the next part of your great adventure. Love Trace
ReplyDeleteHAAA!!!! Mum is going to have conniptions! Finally, someone does something stupider and riskier than me. It only took 11 years. Thank You!! Glad to hear you are safe and well Lot s and lots of love xxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteI am on to the both of you now. No respite from my mongrelling!. However, I too engage in similar risky behaviours from 7.30-6.00 every day Monday to Friday. Alligators and pirahanas, anacondas - yep we have them all in some form or another. But that trip!!!. What was that all about. Think you need to agree on a version I can sort of manage and surely there are not photos to add to the vicarious trauma!
ReplyDeleteKatie, I cannot believe you really did do this though!, Why were you not thinking?. And what about poor Leah!. Is this a symptom of altitude sickness/attitude sickness...what is going on??
Thank goodness you both survived, but please...quit while ahead and get some nice jungle friends!.
Love xxxxx
Now that is facing your fears! I am focusing on five words - we are safe and well. I'm glad you listened Leah, and didn't bike ride down that road. Get some rest while you can in La Paz. We, very anxiously, await the next chapter is this incredible adventure.
ReplyDeleteLove and big hugs (cos we sure need them)
Mum & Dad xx xx
HAHHA sorry Mum, the Alligators and Piranhas were done by choice, but the alternative to the jeep ride was getting stuck in the Amazon jungle with no water or accomodation... we really didn´t have any choice we had to get out... and jeeps were the only way out!.
ReplyDeleteWow Leah, Who needs to watch american soapies with their coffee when all I have to do is read each days adventure with you both.It just gets better and better. I agree with you're mum Katie ,you're both making this story up !!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteKeep popping those pills and stay safe.