Welcome to the Jungle

Next stop was Rurrenbaque in northern Bolivia, the jumping off point for tours to the jungle and pampas near Madidi National Park. This was easy to book, because our friend that had lived in La Paz had everything written out for us. Only downside was that the prices all DOUBLED 2 weeks ago, so the tour went from around $120 to about $250. But it was why it was, so we opted for the 1 hr flight on military airline over the 22 hour bus ride on an unpaved road and were off.
We landed on a field where there was no airport, and a line of men motorcycles surrounded by cows trying to bring you into town. Weirdest non airport ever. We knew we were in trouble when we got to the room and me and Melissa both freaked out over a tiny lizard sighting in the bathroom. The jungle was going to be an interesting experience!

In the morning we set off with 2 girls from South Africa, a couple from Ireland, and our Bolivian Tarzan boy guide Victor. After a 3 hour car ride and 2 hour boat ride (nothing is easy to get to in these places), we were there. It was such a cool, strange, dirty, mosquito-ridden experience. Our group all got along great which was awesome. Caiman (alligators) line the riverbank, along with these animals that look like giant guinea pigs, 6 foot tall birds, and monkeys dangling from the trees. It was amazing to see these animals in their natural habitats like this. We had no idea what we were going to come across next.
The lodge was kind of gross, we all slept in one room on dirty beds with our only protection being a mosquito net, but we were in the jungle and not at Animal Kingdom so I really couldn't expect too much in terms of hygiene. The first night we watched the sunset, and after dinner took a night boat ride to find more gators in the dark. They look so eerie at night with their heads sticking out of the water, watching you with eyes that glow orange by dark. When we got back to the lodge, I spotted snakes by the dock, which turned out to be cobras. I jumped out of the boat as fast as I could, despite our guide telling us that they aren't dangerous.

The next morning everyone was getting up at 6 for the sunrise, but I'd seen my share on the salt flats and early morning buses so opted out. Well, when I woke up after they all left to stampeding on the roof, beastly howls from the window and the fluting of wings INSIDE the room, I wished I had sucked it up and gone with them. Turns out the noises and footsteps were howler monkeys on the roof, and the fluttering was a bat that someone got inside. I was protected in my little white coffin of a mosquito net, which I'm surprised u ever got out of. Day 2's activities including anaconda hunting in swampland wearing raincoats since the mud came up to our knees in 100 degree humidity with thousands of mosquitoes attacking. I've never seen this many big bites in my life and the aftermath is not pretty or the least bit comfortable. And we found 0 anacondas. The night activity was more successful, piranha fishing, where nearly everyone caught one except me of course, and we even got to eat them for dinner although I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to eat piranhas. Our guide's mantra was "todo es possible", all is possible, so we went along with it. I only had one bite, there's very little meat on it but it tasted very similar to white fish.
Day 3 includes hanging around on hammocks, my favorite activity by far, making fun of the boatload of Japanese tourists who showed up on Day 2, and swimming with pink dolphins! We were all terrified to jump in the water since it was filled with piranhas and gators, but Victor swore all was possible and safe so in we went like dumb little tourists. The dolphins came pretty close and it was awesome to be that close to them without being in a giant pool in the Bahamas. We celebrated our return to Rurrenabaque by all going out for dinner and blue drinks at a bar, appropriately called Mosquito bar (not to be confused with Monkey Bar up the road). The jungle was an awesome experience, although to be back in a place without bugs, dirt and showers is much appreciated.