HAVING experienced its worst ever flooding, acres and acres of the Pantanal were underwater when we arrived.
While it is used to some seasonal flooding, the area of natural wetland was totally devastated by the amount of rain that fell a few weeks ago.
Raining for almost 18 days non-stop, water levels rose and the River Miranda burst its banks. Thousands of cattle had to be saved and more than 1,000 cows died.
As we drove to the entrance of the Pantanal we had to switch from our minibus to an overland truck that was more suited to driving through the water. Parts of the road were flooded and we drove past a dead cow on the side of the road. We then had to get a boat through the flood water to our lodges because a bridge further up the road had collapsed. It sure was an experience but the men driving the boats seemed to talk about the situation and get on with it as if everything it was normal.
The lodges which were normally on large stilts only had a small gap between the floor and the top of the water.
With just an hour or two to adjust to our surroundings we went fishing for piranhas. Walking across a bridge half in the water we used bamboo shoots for fishing rods and cow meat for bait. My first ever attempt at fishing was pretty disappointing but others in the group managed to catch a few piranhas and a catfish. At least the sunset from the bridge was pretty spectacular.
The piranhas were made into a soup for that night’s dinner and it actually tasted pretty good. I finally found a hotel with some black pepper so I was able to season the soup. 🙂
After a hot, sleepless night listening to the bats scurrying around in the roof of our lodge, I woke to the sound of loud screeching from outside. They were black howler monkeys which swing from tree to tree on the site and are even eaten by some of the indigenous people in the Pantanal. According to one of the guides, Paulo, they are the only ones allowed to hunt them and often make them into soup.
The next day we went canoeing along River Miranda but eventually it becomes hard to distinguish which is still the river and which is flood water.
Crashing into trees and getting stuck in reeds and barbed wire fences hidden under the water, the canoeing was tough. But me and my canoe partner Amy managed to stay in our canoes (unlike some others) so the trip was a huge success.
Reaching a watch tower on our route we got out and climbed to see the view but all you can see is miles and miles of trees submerged in water.
On our way up our guide Pepinio accidentally stood on a small white snake and got bitten. We worried it may have been venomous or painful, but the hardcore man that he is, he shrugs it off and says “It’s nothing. I got bitten by a cayman alligator a few weeks ago.” The man is a legend!
After a lunch of piranha stew we head out for a boat ride along the river to birdwatch and keep our fingers crossed there might be an anaconda or alligator along the way.
Pepinio has eyes like a hawk and spotted monkeys, herons, alligators and tucans among the trees and bushes.
We’re told the alligators only really come out after dusk so we all go for a wander around the site with our cameras to catch sight of a cayman or two. And two alligators, a few foxes and bats is what I saw.
This place really is a haven for wildlife and I have managed to get some great photos. There is a real relaxed, country like atmosphere here and the guides who work here seem to have a great time taking tourists around.
Hoping to get a last bit of fishing in before we leave, some of us go out to another bridge at 8am to catch the piranhas early. With the same bad luck as before I have my bait eaten four times and catch nothing. I give up after an hour, completely disheartened.
As you can tell by how much I have written, our days at the lodges were jam packed and I loved every minute. Cut off from the rest of the outside world (apart from our television which just repeated Harry Potter or Brazilian Big Brother every day) it was a tranquil place to be. Even with the flooding I had a great time and it was a fantastic way to end our last days in Brazil.
Three weeks here have flown by and it has been incredible to see the contrast of the cities, towns and countryside in Brazil. And I am now so brown I am being mistaken as a local….result!
Ciao Brasilia, Hola Bolivia!
Finally I get to ditch my very poor Portuguese and get to practice my very poor Spanish.