Neal goes to the Amazonian Pampas

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Days 13, 14 & 15 (perhaps?): Just returned to Rurrenabaque from the Pampas (Jungle Swamp)

UPDATE: Sadly I have just found out that Jonas (one of the cool Dutch contigent) may have Salmanella(sp) Typhoid...we will find out his results shortly. I had Typhoid many years a go in the Phillipines and its horrible :( I hope its nothing too serious.

Ola,

Just got back from the Pampas...basically a flat grassy swamp that makes up a large part of the Amazon Basin. It was a good trip & it was fun to spend more time with Thomas & Angelica(sp?) who I'd met earlier on a 2 day jungle trip. There was also a cool young Aussie couple (Micheal & Jess) that were great to hang out with. We also mingled a bit with another group with some great folks from Holland, a couple of crazy Californians ladies and a great young Kiwi guy and his English wife...obviously I suck at names!

It was a fun and interesting trip but I am SO looking forward to getting on my bike and seeing Bolivia my way and at my pace. My fellow touristo's were good folks but "crazy" as it might seem...I´d typically rather chat with a hard working Bolivian farmer, miner then to some 21 yo tourists doing their obligatory jungle tour between their Bachelors and Masters...hope my bias towards adventure is showing.

This was a great trip for photo´s and seeing lots of diffterent animals up close. The jungle (for me) was a more emotional expereince but I am glad I did both. I´ll have more time tomorrow to post pics and fill in the gaps but here is a few pics to give you the general idea.

Che???? the worlds larget rodent...these guys are cute!

Caimens a plenty

Neal's first Anaconda...not huge but i did catch it myself. Its a bit disconcerting to grab the tail not knowing exactly how big the snake might be :) Anacondas here are as big as 10 meters/22ft...rare but they are out there...

Our Pyrana catch...small but tasty...we had them for lunch an hour later

We swam with the Caimens, Pyranas, Anacondas, Pink Dolphins and probably a smorsborg of parasites and nasty ass bacteria's but we are all still in one piece :)

OK, i am off to meet my Dutch friends for dinner and then we are off to the Mosquito bar to catch the tail end of happy hour...US1.50 cocktails are a hell of a deal ,)

Hopefully i'll get some more detail and pics up tomorrow.

FYI, i fly back to la PAz at 5pm tomorrow, looking forward to seeing my bike!!!!

All the best and cheers,

Neal

Day 12?: Welcome to the Jungle and a Friend gets Mugged :(

UPDATE Nov 2: Finally got some pics uploaded...more to come in a day or so.

Welcome to the Jungle:

Just got back to Rurrenbaque after 2 days in the jungle...seven of us travelled 3 hours upriver and stayed in very primitvie hunts. We did 3 pretty long treks...one at night and the last in the rain...all very cool. We got to see Howler monkeys, wild pigs, the worlds larget rodents, huge tralantralas(big spider lol) etc and had a great guide that taught up a lot abot the fauna and flora of jungle. The total cost was US$40 for everything...the food was great I am off for beers with the guys/girls from the trip and then tomorrow I am going on a Pampas trip...its even more full on...most folks going here will get to capture/release an Anaconda, swim with the pink Dolphins, see Camians(sp) etc....lots of snakes and monkeys plus a fair bit of adventure as well! I won´t be back for 3-4 days and no pics till I get back to La Paz and fast internet. My friend Ondrej get mugged in Santa Cruz :(: I just got this note from my Sloviakian friend...VERY back news and I am very soory to read this...as he saids he is lucky to still have his camera and of course to be unhurt. "hey guys i got a warning for u...especially if u r coming to santa cruz--- i know that u probably read a lot of about fake police.... so they got me here.,...2fat guys forced me to go their car...check all my stuff and i end up short of 400dolars.(it was very scary,they dont play with u be honest i was lucky to have still my camera, which cost much more)..i know , probably u think nothing can happen to us...but please be aware...they have connections with taxi drivers and im sure with police also ...dont walk alone which happened to me ..it was riot here that day in center and i couldnt get home due to police used gas and i couldnt passed end up in different street and they got me there ...... well, im staying in residencia bolivar..nice place..great breakfest and probably safe place...nice people there leaving on sunday to bueno aires.,...i got a ticket... take care and let me know if u get here......." I hope to meet you in Santa Cruz - take care mate! Cheers, Neal PS My hand is improving so i should be on the bike before too long :)

Welcome to the Jungle:

Just got back to Rurrenbaque after 2 days in the jungle...seven of us travelled 3 hours upriver and stayed in very primitvie hunts. We did 3 pretty long treks...one at night and the last in the rain...all very cool. We got to see Howler monkeys, wild pigs, the worlds larget rodents, huge tralantralas(big spider lol) etc and had a great guide that taught up a lot abot the fauna and flora of jungle. The total cost was US$40 for everything...the food was great

I am off for beers with the guys/girls from the trip and then tomorrow I am going on a Pampas trip...its even more full on...most folks going here will get to capture/release an Anaconda, swim with the pink Dolphins, see Camians(sp) etc....lots of snakes and monkeys plus a fair bit of adventure as well!

I won´t be back for 3-4 days and no pics till I get back to La Paz and fast internet.

My friend Ondrej get mugged in Santa Cruz :(:

I just got this note from my Sloviakian friend...VERY back news and I am very soory to read this...as he saids he is lucky to still have his camera and of course to be unhurt.

"hey guys
i got a warning for u...especially if u r coming to santa cruz---
i know that u probably read a lot of about fake police....
so they got me here.,...2fat guys forced me to go their car...check all my stuff and i end up short of 400dolars.(it was very scary,they dont play with u be honest i was lucky to have still my camera, which cost much more)..i know , probably u think nothing can happen to us...but please be aware...they have connections with taxi drivers and im sure with police also ...dont walk alone which happened to me ..it was riot here that day in center and i couldnt get home due to police used gas and i couldnt passed end up in different street and they got me there ......
well, im staying in residencia bolivar..nice place..great breakfest and probably safe place...nice people there
leaving on sunday to bueno aires.,...i got a ticket...
take care and let me know if u get here......."

I hope to meet you in Santa Cruz - take care mate!

Cheers,
Neal

PS My hand is improving so i should be on the bike before too long :)

DAY 10: Political Unrest( everywhere?)...so a later flight to Rurrenbaque (I hope)

Hi All,

I got up late and checked on my flight to Rurrenbaque (Amazon basin)...it was scheduled for 11:30am...BUT no...there is a strike (grhhh!). After getting folks to call arounf for me, it appears that I'll get to fly out at 3pm...we will see... That is travel in a 3 rd world somewhat unstable country...you have to relax and go with the flow.

As if to prove the airline wasn't lying to me as soon as got back on the street a heard gunshots...OK I thought for a moment it might be gunshots ;). I walked down towards the commotion and sure enough a big political protest.





I noticed a bit more action 100 yards further down and decided I'd play Clark Kent/Anderson Cooper for a few minutes and get in on the action. There were 2 goups gtting into it when I arrived...throwing trash, insults and some pushing and shoving...all very exciting!

The guy in the brown jacket is the head hombre...talk about passion!

I took a cool 30 sec video but the dam thing won't upload (grhhhhh) maybe later...

My flight is in a few hours so I am off to find another phrase book...I lost my last one...fortunately a few folks on Trailblazers forum are trying to help me out...or possibly get me arrested...I am not sure :)

All the best and cheers,
Neal

Day 9: La paz - Internet, Phone Calls, Coco Museo, Markets & Zebra's

Hi All,

Last night I had dinner with my new friends Ed and Frances, hopefully I'll see you guys in Santa Cruz in a few weeks!

Today has been another cruisy day in La Paz as i wait for a flight to the Amazon basim tomorrow...as anybody from the Trailblazers forum or who have checked my blog today could tell you I have spent a LOT of time on the web! The connections aren't great here and I wanted to uplaod all my pics & update my blog before taking off tomorrow. There will be internet at the small town I fly into (Rurrenbeque) sp? but I hope to leave there via 4x4 and find a road less travelled. i will be flying in some old run down 8-10 seater...I am already sweating bullets...I may have to watch ALIVE (the movie) for some recipes...worse case scenario and all that ;)

I did manage to check out the Coca Museo...its a must do (US$1 entry)...its a prety unbiased view of Coca and cocaine and provides a great history of both from 4000BC up to present day.

Entrance to the Coca Museo


First you crush the leaves....


...add some hydrochloric acid etc...


...refine a bit...and voila....Cocaine! :(

I also got a chance to call my Mum and older brother Alan in New Zealand and fill them in on my latest (mis)adventures and catch up on the latest family news...calls cost a mere US$0.10/min :) I also got to chat with Teresa, the good woman that runs my little company...most of the discussion involved my dog Trooper and his issues...he takes after his Dad...he got run over a month ago and his eye hasn't quite healed...he is just lucky he doesn't go mountain biking with Lisa Randall ;). Fortunately we got a second opinion from a specialist and he won't need an operation. Thanks again to Tonya (Teresa's sister) for taking such good care of him while I am gone.

I also went exploring (read I forgot my map) in search of the Witches Market...the markets here are similar to markets in other 3rd world countries...different products grouped together by street. La Paz tends to remind me a lot of Marrakesh...it can almaost have an old world meets hippie vibe is some parts.



The shoe market...


The suit market...




The Witches Market!...note the dried Lllam feotus's :(...there was more inside but no pics allowed!

}

This guy reminded me of my dog Trooper but wouldn't stop growling at me...don't try and pet a Witches dog!

On the long way back to familar ground (I had no map :)) I came across the famed "Zebra Crossings" of La Paz.


These guys and girls are paid to dress up like Zebras and control pedristrian crossings...its hilarious but seems to work a treat :)

I am off to have a couple of quiet drinks before sorting out my gear for tomorrow trip. I am leaving my bike and just taking my 20L backpack so I'll be travelling light (read, very stinky...eat your heart out Carole Farmer!) for the next 5-6 days.

I hope everybody is doing great!

Cheers,
Neal

Day 7: The long push back to La Paz, 120km/8 hours, Blockades, Great Ruins & Neal Screws Up the Final Descent :(

Hi All

This was going to be a very long day. I hoped to make it back to La Paz. I wanted to have dinner with a few of my friends. I also wanted to spend 2-3 hours checking out the archeological dig and museums at Tiahuanaco. In retrospect i was a little over ambitious...120km with panniers, a head wind at about 13,000ft was going to be tough.

My day began well...I was very happy to find a couple of ladies set up in the middle of the road making smoothies and fresh carrot juice...2 Bolivianos (US$0.25) per glass...I had 3 :), my opinion of this town took a huge leap up.


I took a short cut on a gravel road to save a kilometer or so but nearly got savaged by 6+ big dogs...no pics as i was scared sh&tless!...some shortcuts are not worth the stress. I have a passed many dogs in my riding...often one dog per 300m, but most were friendly and none were this friggin savage...i may start carry bread or stones to throw if this happens again.




yep...it was going to be a long day

I wasn{t riding for very long before I noticed some big rocks in the road...being the occasional good samaritan I stooped to remove a few...then I came accros a big pile of dig and rocks...i figured a dump truck had accidentally lost some of it load...but then another and another...folks had managed to shovel it out of the way and then drive over but I was confused.

About 20km in i came across my first functioning blockade and it all made sense. Lindsay, an Austrailian archeologist had warned me about blockades. Local villiagers upset with the government would set up blockades on the roads and sometimes prevent (even stone) anybody (including intrepid cyclists) who tried to pass...often blockades would last for days till the army would remove...sometimes this would get violent.


I asked a local and he waved me thru...on the positive side, there was a big drop in traffic :)







I met a lot of farmers along the way...the bigger folks were sheparded along but the smaller folks (10-12 sheep, cattle etc) would be tethered in place for the day. Some Kiwi farmer needs to put some of the stray dogs to work!




Che is still very popular in S. America...houses etc often had his likeness


At 10:45/45km I arrived at Tiahuanaco, I was pretty knackered as I had no breakfast so I went in seach of food and decied to see the ruins later. After asking a few locals I found a small restaurant...it was early so I was their only customer and i got well looked after.


The floor was simply rocks and the food very simple...I had a plate of fried chicken, fries and rice...very tasty and it cost 6 Bolivianos (US$0.80)...they were very friendly.

Their daughter was shy but very cute

After lunch I headed to the ruins. I was a bit dissapointed with the ruins on Ilsa de la Sol so I wasn't expecting much. Being a lazy ass, i elected to enter thru the exit (it saved me 1km of riding and I figured I{d buy a ticket on the way out :))...i knew I'd likely get busted but I like to live dangerously.

Immediately a man came over to me asking to see mt billito (ticket), he directed me to the entrance but I decided to check out the ruins on the way.






The upside of breaking the rules is its a quick way to make new friends :)





the ruins are VERY impressive and a MUST see for anybody visiting La Paz (its an easy day trip). What made it special for me is that I felt I was in a Indiana Jones movie...it is very rare to be able to interact and inspect a real and important archeogical dig...it made it that much more real to me.





Eventually my "friends" got a bit tired of my daddling and i saw one of them taking my bike to the entrance.



I took the hint! ...time to buy my ticket :)



They stayed with me till I purchased my US$10 ticket that would get me into the 2 ruins, 2 world class Museums. The Museums were very impressive.

I had to wait out some rain...


so i tried worked on my Spanish...6 words and counting ;)

With more time to kill i had a second lunch and got accosted by a very friendly French girl that wanted company for lunch...whats an old man to do :) needless to say but lunch ran a little long. I was nice to her even though France beat New Zealand in the rugby world cup...I am such a gentleman :)

It was 1:45pm before finally left Tiahuanaco and I still had 75 km to go...I needed to push hard to make it before nightfall...although some times you just HAVE to stop and take pics :)


This family immediately had me thing of Borat (the movie)





Sadly about 3:30pm i noticed a slight headwind...but 4pm it was a steady 30km/h and gusting much higher...it fored me to ride way off the shoulder to aviod being blown into traffic...the bloody Antiplano wind strikes again. i am only 30km from La Paz but only averaging 10-15km/h.










As I slowly closed in on Alto La Paz I saw this guy in the distance...I pushed hard to close on him and then drafted off him to avoid a bit of the headwind...i don{t think he was too impressed...it seems "wheel suckers" are not apprecied in Bolivia either.






My not so willing domestic, Alto La Paz in the background





As i finally got into town the building broke the worst of the wind and my pace picked up a little. Just like the road out of la Paz I took 5 days earlier, there were some pretty horrendous detours...even the folks that can afford them often don't own their own cars in La Paz.



Its good to be on a mountain bike!

Puente (Bridge) America was made from an old truck frame



Bike shops are actually pretty common in La Paz...I saw Treks, Scotts etc ...these guys were really into my bike :)



This view from Alto La Paz was impressive, i think it might be Potosi

As i got to the eastern edge of Alto la Paz the roads became crowded and the riding dangerous (hence to pics)...La Paz lies deep in a valley 1,500ft below Alto La Paz...the only way to get down is to "risk" hiring a Taxi or risk riding down the the freeway.



I had read that you could ride down to La Paz and it was rush hour and I was having to push my bike thru hectic crowds and there were no legit 8radio) taxis to be seen plus i was so tempted to ride down as the sun was setting...I knew it would be an awesome descent...I went for it!




Somewhere down there was my hotel...the view was amazing.



I rode past the "No Bicylettes" sign hoping all would be OK. I had a large shoulder to ride on and keep my speed at a sane level...I kknew I was pretty fried form the ride. As i descended the temperature dropped remarkably but with the sunsetting I decided to suck it up and not stop.



The traffic was horrendous...only a 4 lanes of traffic connect Alto la paz to La Paz and the gradient is between 10% and 15% for 9km...buses and minibuses rouring down the hill and bumper to bumper traffic climbing up. The medium strip is only about 18" wide-this would prove critical ;)

Half way down...DISASTER...my cosy shoulder to ride on dissapears...on my right is a sheer cliff...i feel (and am trapped!)...I try pushing my bike up where this is a decent shoulder and flagging down a Taxi but to no avail...only 50ft away was salvation...a makeshift off ramp where folks stood hailing mini-buses and taxis...a saw few folks braved the crossing but they didn{t have a 30lb bike with 55lbs of panniers...you had to RUN to the medium strip, straddle it while sucking your belly before RUNNING to salvation on the other side.

What to do???? By now it was almost completely dark and I was feeling VERY vunerable, i knew this wa a bad part of town and figured eventually someone passing would see this dumb tourist with all kinds of expensive gear...Darwin could have written a paper just about me :(

I thought I'd test out lifting my bike before risking the crossing...I could push it to the medium but would have to lift it over the railing and then quickly jump inside the medium strip to avoid being crushed..then repear the procedure to get to salvation.

I guess the freezing temps had tightened up my injured tendon in my hand (I had taken a bad fall in the US 10 days earlier). As I lefted the bike I felt something snap/tear in my hand and immediately knew I was screwed...CRAP! now I could hardly even push my bike :(

My Saviour came in the form of a middle aged Boliivan man who had witnessed my ongoing my misadventure and he braved the crossing to aid me. We each took one end of the heavilt ladden bike, took our chances and sprinted to the medium...we were stuck there with traffic ripping only a foot or so away before finally making salavation. He accepted my thanks but nothing more...I am so impressed with the Bolivian people.

Sadly my story does't end quite yet...it took me another 30min to wave done a taxi capable to transporting me and my bike. He looked a bit dodgy but I didn{t feel safe where I was so loaded up my bike and jumped in...he promptly drove about 100ft (into a even dimmer/scarier area) and promptly the engine stops...he says he's broken down - i am thinking I am about to get robbed or worse (SHIT!!!!)

He spends a few minutes looking at the engine and then makes a call on his cell phone...I am getting more concerned by the minute...we tried to push start his taxi...me with my gimpy hand...bu we couldn{t clea a small rise. I use my poco Spanish to say we need 4 folks and he seems to understand and leaves with me sitting in the Taxi still thinking I was being set up and looking for a weapon ;)

He returns with 2 young guys and sure enough, he is LEGIT (WHEW!)...we coast down thw hill for a few hundred yards before the engine cuts in and 15 min later I am checking in at the hotel. Its 9:30pm and the whole ordeal has lasted over 3 hours. I am starved 8pretty much bonking) so i find an open restaurant and eat a huge meal, return to the hotel and order a stiff drink and a bucket of ice for my hand...I don't move till 8:30am the next morning.

I know I was a dumb a$$ and dodged a bullet...I resolve NOT to push my luck again. Bolivia is a dangerous enough place even if you play it smart.

What a friggin day!

Cheers,
Neal

Day 6: Cococabana thru Peru and back to Bolivia (70km/6hours)

Hi All,

I left Cococabana after two liesurely breakfasts at 11:30am...about an hour behind schedule with the hope of making Desdagauda...a very sleazy border town before dark. I was nervous about the road conditions, no map, passing thru immigration and most nervous about my where I'd be sleeping that night. I'd heard nothing good about the border town.

Leaving Bolivia - The army guys were very helpful and friendly


Entering Peru was also easy and everybody was freindly :)

The weather was nice and the roads were great...smooth asphalt and very little traffic. Once in Peru a nice lady drew me a crude map but I had no idea of mileage, my spanish is work in progress...worse case i'd get a little lost but I was in no hurry.

I stopped in a very small town...to make sure o was still heading towards Chaca Chaca (where i had to turn to the east). The man immediated beakoned a young man named Carlos who spoke a little English.

Carlos with his ride

Carlos takes my ride for a spin...I did worry about him riding off into the sunset ;)

Carlos was a great guy and wanted me to meet his mother and also wanted to pump up my tires with his floor pump...as anybody who has raced with me will testify - I hate to fix my own bike ;). I also meet his dog Lassie...a great puppy that had me missing my own dog Trooper.

I ended up staying for over an hour while his Mother cooked a meal for me...



His family is very poor, they live a single room house. I was afraid to eat the food but I was also pretty hungry...I ended up eating all the different kinds of potatoes but avoided the egg. I did give them a small amount of $ ($3) so I think they were surprized and pleased and not too offended i did not finish my meal. I am constantly impressed with the openess & generousity of the local people I have met.

I was escorted out of town by 3 teenage boys on bikes...as we neared a decent climb I said 1,2,3 (in spanish) and tried to out sprint them to the top...Heras would defend the honor of his village and beat me handily...I should have waited just a bit longer to attack! ;)


Sprinting at 13,500ft is not to be rccommended :)

Heras...the young man has a future...already wearing the colors

I rode on really enjoying the countryside as well as the friendly villagers...lots of friendly waves, hello's, good days and how are you? etc:)

The lady in the background is washing clothes

This is typical Anti Plano views from one of the smaller climbs

After about 50km a guy on a motor cycle passed me a few times and then indicated that something/someone important was up just ahead...a few minutes later I met a couple of fellow adventure cyclists...Paulina & Santiago from Argentina.

Paulina & Santiago (2 years exploring SA on bike...I was jealous!)

It was great to meet my "brother in arms" and we discussed upcoming road conditions, routes, bikes. It was great to learn there was a hostel in Desaguarda (even though it was bad!) and that i only had 20km of flat riding to get there. They were totally hard core...notive their HUGE packs they were carrying...they had been travelling for 2 1/2 months and were looking forward to spending 2 years (!!!) explorering South America by bike.



I took a short video so they can speak for themselves...they were both very cool people :)

I was able to give them a map good maps are VERY tough to come by in this part of the world.

I was sad to see them leave and did for a bit regret having a travelling companion...especially a good looking one like Paulina :) and rode on to Desaguarda...that bloody antiplano wind came on like clockwork at 4pm and I spent the last 1.5 hours struggling into a growing headwind.

This guys name was Alex and he reminded me of my nephew in New Zealand of the same name...checky as! behind him is a kilm for making bricks...the poorer home in the villages and the farm buildings were made of adobe and the slightly better homes were made of locally (1/2 mail away) made bricks.

About 45min later I was struggling along past a group of about 20 villagers playing volleyball...they beckoned me to stop and play but to be honest I was a bit intimidated. I was thinking close to the border meant increasing danger but i didn't want to wimp out so i rode back and joined them for about 5 minutes of spirited play.

They were cool and obviously were taking it very easy on me...although I did have a huge height advantage...bring on basketball next time:) I was too scared to give up my camera so sadly no shots of air-Neal ;)

Soon after I bid them farewell i had another riding partner (its rare in Bolivia or Peru that I rode along for more than an hour)...a young man named Aru would ride with me all the way to the Peruvian/Bolivian border town of Desaguarda...i am not sure but I think he may have been looking out for me. We chatted as best we could in Spanish/sign language and I shared my water with him. He was a really cool guy...I wish i could had given him something - I think he'll do great things with his life.

Aru wishing me luck as I left Peru...i was happy of his "security" escort

I paused in no man's land for a quick pic

Desaguarda is a nasty little town and crossing back into Bolivia was not straight forward - I did not get the right stamp leaving Peru and of course no one spoke a bit of English anywhere...I eventually got it sorted, crossing back to Peru and then back to Bolivia again. By this time the sun was setting and I felt like I was a likely victim in a Quintin Tarrantino vampire movie...I felt the need to be behind locked doors before the sun went down!

I found a hostel 100m from the border for 15 Bolivianos (US$2) a night...hardly 5 star but it had a locked door and decent security for my bike...i was starving so I got a good meal from a small roadside stand (fried chicken, rice and fries) for US$0.80

A bed and a locking door for US$2...a good deal

I went back to my hostel and asked the daughter of the inn keeper to find me a grande cervesa (beer)...by 7pm I was safely in my room - i didn't leave until the sun came up!

All the best and cheers,

Neal